Sending your child to IAWAH is a great catalyst for their transformational journey of growth in God, self-discovery and adventure. We’re privileged to facilitate programs that develop positive life skills, healthy self-esteem and nurture growth. IAWAH is an experience of a lifetime and we’re thrilled that you are considering this unique, growth and learning opportunity.
The following information has been compiled to help you prepare for your child’s camp session or Out There trip. Please read over the information below, paying special attention to the information that is specific to the program your child is participating in. We have an experienced team of camp staff to serve you, if you have additional questions. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
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Arrival and Departure
Arrival: Sunday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
When you arrive at camp, you will be greeted by staff who will direct you to the parking area and get you started with the registration process. We are here to help you.
Departure
Junior/Senior Campers: Saturday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Jump Start Campers: Wednesday 6:30 PMA Short closing program will be provided at the Gymnasium beginning at 9:30 AM (for Jumpstart, 6:30 PM). Please sign out campers at the Tent between 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. The IAWAH Tuck Shop is open between 9:15 AM – 11:30 AM
*Note: Please do not bring pets of any sort to camp. If a pet has to accompany its family on registration or departure days, we ask that you kindly keep it within the parking area. Thank-you.
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Registration Process
Registration:
For all campers, the process begins in your vehicle when you receive one or more coloured cards to guide you through registration. This card indicates what parts of registration you still need to attend to. Please keep this card available throughout the process.
Lice check will be completed for each camper upon arrival. If a camper is found to have lice, a treatment package can be purchased from IAWAH. IAWAH will provide a place for the parent/guardian to complete treatment. Only when treatment has been completed and the camper approved by an IAWAH lice checker, can the camper continue through the registration process.
Visit with the Medical staff member onsite for the week: This is not mandatory for all campers. However, if the camper has environmental or food related allergies, is taking medication, or has other health needs both the camper and parent/guardian need to visit with the medical staff to hand in medications and review the camper’s medical needs.
Getting settled into your cabin, tabin or tent (Out There / YDLP): One of our outstanding staff members will guide campers along with parents/guardians to their accommodation for the week and introduce campers to their cabin leader(s).
After registration, campers will participate in small group games within their village of cabins and then enjoy their first supper. After supper, campers will be introduced to some of our supervisory staff and participate in an orientation to IAWAH’s emergency procedures and community living expectations.
IAWAH’s Policies regarding sun safety, lice, allergies, communicable diseases and more can be found here. Should you have further questions please contact the Registrar via email or phone (613) 273-5621
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Phones and Tech
A note about cell phones, iPads and other tech: IAWAH seeks to provide a place where campers can experience a “simpler life” filled with physical activity, face-to-face interactions, and the enjoyment of Creation. We find that cell phones, iPods, PSPs and other devices can distract from this experience and potentially cause isolation or stress. Therefore, campers are not allowed to bring these devices with them. Parents are encouraged to use the one-way email service to send messages to their campers.
We ask that campers leave ALL electronic devices at home. If such a device is found, it will be removed, turned off, labelled and securely stored until departure day.
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Account Information
Account Login: https://iawahsummer.campbrainregistration.com
Your account is the place to find information on your account balance and to update your camper’s information. If you require assistance accessing your account, please contact the office.
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Communication
To communicate with your camper, there are many options.
– Prepare notes for you child to be left with our staff at registration and to be delivered throughout the week.
– Sending a letter or package by post is not recommended unless sent well in advance of your campers time with us. Notes and parcels received after your child has gone home are available for pick up only.
– Send an email to [email protected] and make sure you include the campers full name and cabin name in the subject line. Emails will be printed out and delivered daily to your camper.
Should your camper choose to write home, they will be provided with pens and IAWAH note paper and emailed from the office to the primary and secondary (if applicable) emails on file. Please note that these scanned notes are like a postcard and may be seen by those handling the mail.All incoming mail will be delivered to campers each afternoon with their tuck order.
Mail: Mail may be sent by using the following address label:
Camp IAWAH
Attn: Camper’s name, Cabin Name or OutThere trip name
304 IAWAH Rd
RR 2
Godfrey ON
K0H 1T0Phone: Voice messages may be left with the office at (613) 273-5621
Email messages received by 10:00 AM, Monday to Friday will be delivered the same day. Phone use is generally limited to emergency calls only. Phone calls are supervised by IAWAH staff.
Photos: Photos from your campers’ session will be uploaded to a secure photo gallery throughout the week. Access to the secure gallery will be provided to the primary parent email address on file on the Monday of the session. Like Camp IAWAH on Facebook to see the photo highlight of the day.
If you would like to hear how your camper is doing at camp, please contact the office at 613-273-5621; a member of the camping team will be pleased to contact you with an update.
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Camper Health
We recommend that campers see their family physician for a general health check prior to coming to Camp. We do not require a medical form/record completed by a physician. In order to provide the best health care to your child, it is imperative that we have current medical information. You may make changes and update information through your MyCampIAWAH account or by contacting the Registrar.
Medical Staff: IAWAH Volunteer medical staff are on site 24 hours a day. In the event that the camper requires medical treatment beyond that which we can offer at Camp, the Medical Staff will ensure transportation to a local hospital. Medical Staff will make every effort to contact a parent/guardian as soon as possible, and an IAWAH staff member will stay with the camper for the duration of the emergency and/or until a parent/guardian arrives.
The Camp Medical Staff will administer all medication. If you are sending non-prescription medication to Camp, it must be in the original container with the manufacturer’s label. All prescription medication must be in the original container with the doctor’s orders from the pharmacist. The Medical Staff will collect all medications at Registration.
Sun Safety: Campers are expected to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun. Campers are expected to bring and use sun protection i.e. hats and sunblock/screen. Campers will be reminded to use sunscreen and to make good choices regarding sun safety. During extremely hot temperatures IAWAH staff will modify activities to reduce sun and heat exposure and offer more water breaks.
Footwear: The vast majority of foot injuries are preventable. IAWAH expects that campers will wear appropriate footwear at all times. Closed-toed shoes are expected to be worn during specific activities and when in the woods.
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Camp Life
Camp Life:
Camp IAWAH is about living the life!
One of the highlights of Camp is the day’s events. Yes, you will get to play lots of traditional IAWAH field games, but don’t expect the ‘same old thing’. Our staff make sure that your evening events are a little crazy, a little messy, and a whole lot of fun! Many games will be based on the theme for each week.
Learning About the Life! – PrimeTime:The greatest life comes from knowing God, and PrimeTime is a chance to get to know Him better! Filled with great music, engaging speakers, fun dramas and interactive cabin discussions — everyone can learn something new about themselves, about God and His incredible love for all people.
Tuck Shop: The Tuck Shop stocks IAWAH clothing, souvenirs, and a variety of candy products. Campers are limited to a maximum of $3.00/day for candy and drinks. From Monday through Friday campers will use order sheets with which to order up the next day’s treats. Don’t forget to check out this year’s IAWAH accessory line including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more. The Tuck Shop is open on the first and last day of camp to purchase clothing and souvenirs. To set up tuck accounts in advance, contact [email protected]. Tuck accounts may be set up on Registration Day using cash, credit card, debit card or cheque. Tuck deposits not claimed on the last day of camp that are less than $5.00 will be automatically donated to the CampKIDS Bursary Fund.
Meals: IAWAH is well known for its quality food. Each day the kitchen staff prepare three nutritious meals and a great evening snack. Some of the menu items campers are likely to enjoy include: scrambled eggs and sausage, pancakes or French toast and a fruit bar for breakfast; pizza, tacos, salad bar or a beach barbecue for lunch; roast chicken or roast beef dinner and fresh homemade bread! The IAWAH staff do a fantastic job of catering to a wide range of dietary restrictions and allergy needs.
Free Time: At IAWAH, the days are packed with activities. Everyone has the opportunity to try many different things. During Cabin Rec. and other free moments throughout the day campers can choose to play a game of soccer with their cabin, join an elimination tetherball game, chat with new friends or practice a skit or song for an event happening later in the week. Most evenings, campers can choose to refresh and cool down after running hard in the evening program, with an all-cabin swim before snack.
Village & Cabin Life: IAWAH’s site is divided up into “villages”. The Cabin Villages provide accommodation for both Junior & Senior Camps – the cabins are rustic with a covered porch and have electricity. There are eight camper beds and two staff beds in each one.
Bedding: All campers need to provide their own bedding, including a pillow and either a sleeping bag or sheets and blankets.
Washrooms: For all cabin villages, washrooms are centrally located and are equipped with hot and cold running water, showers, toilets and sinks. Washrooms are designated to a specific gender based on the village gender and location of campers.
Cabin Leaders: IAWAH’s cabin leaders and staff are carefully selected and trained and are excited to provide an awesome camp experience! All staff have completed an application, interview, reference check, police background check and have attended our staff training sessions, including Plan to Protect Training. Each cabin has a min. of 2 leaders, creating a 1 leader to 4 campers ration.
Homesickness: Homesickness is a normal experience in the process of growing up and occasionally happens during camp-—for both parents and campers. At Camp IAWAH, every cabin leader is trained to help a homesick camper. Common options include encouragement, lots of activity, and building new friendships.
Parents can help by leaving friendly, encouraging notes on the first day of camp. When writing to homesick children, it’s best to focus on Camp activities and asking questions about your child’s experiences rather than focusing on home (i.e. the house seems empty, Fido misses you etc.). We have found that the camp experience is more successful when parents work with Camp Staff to support their child instead of talking with campers directly. A phone call home may or may not be helpful. Typically, IAWAH will contact parents/guardians first to include the parent/guardian in the process. At which time, together, we will decide if a phone call with the camper is appropriate. It has been our experience that it is not generally helpful to offer that a camper can go home mid-week. We want to ensure the best possible experience for your child and will work with you to ensure that happens. If you feel that your child is homesick during Camp, please contact the office.
Bridge Camps: Some campers have chosen to stay over between two camp sessions (where offered). These campers will pass from their cabin leaders care to the care of a different cabin leader on Saturday morning. They will enjoy some much-needed rest and participate in a few low-key activities. On Sunday, they will join our staff for a Sunday Chapel service. Once Registration begins they will be transferred into the care of their cabin leader for the following camp session. Campers will need to pack up their belongings on Saturday morning and move out of their cabin and move into their weekend accommodation. They will then move into a new cabin for the following session. A laundry service (one load per camper) may be provided by IAWAH, for two week campers. Laundry service will be charged to the camper through their Tuck account.
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Packing For Camp
Camp IAWAH seeks to create a safe, fun and healthy atmosphere for all of its guests. This atmosphere includes a respect for oneself and others, not only in speech and action, but also in dress. Please ensure that all clothing, including swimwear, is appropriate, modest, and fit for a very active program. If a camper chooses to bring a bikini or other swimwear better suited to lounging on a beach to camp, the IAWAH staff will ask that they wear a tank top over the bathing suit. Campers will notice IAWAH staff members wearing modest bathing suits suitable for high activity levels, or wearing tank tops over their bathing suits as well.
To avoid losing your belongings, please LABEL EVERYTHING! Although we are not responsible for lost items, we do our best to keep campers and their possessions together. To help with this we’ve partnered with Loveable Labels. Learn more about how their labels can help your camper’s things get back to them and how you can support IAWAH in the process!
All Lost and Found items will be displayed at the end of each session. Please look through this display when you sign out. Lost and Found items will be kept for one week and then will be sent to local thrift stores. Arrangements for the retrieval of lost items is the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Zebra mussels have been found in our waterfront areas. While our staff attempt to reduce the numbers found on ladders and docks, wearing footwear (i.e. water shoes) while in or on the water is recommended.
Out There Campers please refer to the “Exclusively for Out There” section further down the page, and the Out There Tripping Packing list located here
For campers in Day Camp at IAWAH please refer to the “Exclusively for Day Camp” section further down the page.
What to Bring
- 1 shirt/short combo that can get dirty, painted etc.
- Shorts & T-shirts
- Pants & long sleeve shirt
- Sweater/Sweatshirt
- Socks & underwear
- Running shoes (closed-toed shoes)
- Sandals (optional)
- Swimsuit, Towels
- Hat, Visor
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Flashlight
- Rain jacket
- Sleeping bag & pillow
- Bible (if you have one)
- Water bottle
- Pyjamas
- Feminine hygiene products (even if you don’t expect to need them)
What not to Bring
- Pets (Registration & departure days included)
- Peanut products
- Guns of any sort (including water, airsoft, paintball, etc.)
- Weapons & replicas
- Knives/Matches/Lighters/Fireworks
- Cigarettes
- Alcoholic beverages
- Illegal drugs
- Two-way radios/walkie-talkies
- MP3 players/iPods/PSP
- Cell phones
- Remote-controlled toys
- Video games/Electronic toys
- Valuable items which could be lost or damaged (e.g. watches or jewelry, computers, PSPs, etc.)
- Aerosol cans
- Hair Dryers
Feel free to use this Packing Aid. Fill out the form while packing your child for camp and pack the form into their stuff. Your camper and their cabin leader should be able to use the aid while repacking at the end of their stay. The intent is that it will help eliminate lost items.
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Activities Overview
Regardless of the Camp session, campers will have a few hours each day to pack as much learning, skill development, and fun in around camp as they possibly can! They will get to try out new games, sports and activities, or work on their skills with great staff leaders!
Activities include: climbing, waterskiing (includes kneeboarding, wakeboarding, wakeskating and some days even wakesurfing!), recreational swimming, canoeing, ride-on kayaking, paddleboarding, crafts, archery, initiative games, sports, mountain biking, wilderness survival skills, trampoline, hiking, tetherball, field games, gym sports, fishing, Turf (Bocce, Frolf, Kubb etc.). Read more about Summer Camp Activities
Each session is unique and may or may not include all activities listed.
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Exclusively for Senior Camps
These camps are high energy. Expect to have days full of friends and fun as you try out new activities and make new friends. Campers look forward to evening events and a “Village Night.” Village Night begins with an outdoor meal cooked in the fire pit between 3-4 cabins. From there, the evening is planned by the cabin staff for the specific group of campers to fit their interests, to challenge them and to bond them together . Some Village Night fun has included: shinny hockey tournaments, photo scavenger hunts, beach nights, fashion shows, nature hikes, zumba parties in the gym and canoe trips. The evening ends with smores around the campfire.
Sometime during the week campers also enjoy playing a large group game under the cover of night.
Activities:
Senior Camps: Campers may choose to pre-register through your camp account for one of our popular Focus activities (two hours in length), These activities fill up quickly, so register soon.
If not in a focus program, campers will sign up each night for the following days activities – 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. Some of the activities will offer a designated day of skill focus, but mostly these will function as recreational periods. Offerings change daily.
Each day, our Cabin groups have a Recreational period together, so that the cabin leaders have the opportunity to foster community and relationship building through fun and activity. Each cabin leader will cater their activity choices to the group of campers they have each week.
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Exclusively for Junior Camps
Junior Camp is all about discovering camp as a cabin group. An activity rotation schedule during the week ensures that each cabin gets to experience the wide variety of activities available to Junior campers. Cabins are staffed with two leaders to provide quality care for each cabin group.
All Junior Campers will get to choose one period or recreational activity, to give them a little glimpse of what is to come and give them a bit more responsibility and freedom.
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Exclusively for Day Camp
Welcome to a week of great fun, friendships and learning! We at Camp IAWAH are excited about the opportunity to spend the week with your child(ren). Here is brief note of information to help you and your family be prepared for what’s to come.
We ask the parents or caregivers to sign in and sign out their children every day. If you cannot pick up your child we need the name of the person who will be there instead. This can be done by calling the office 613-273-5621, or sending an email to [email protected]
Bus service is available from the Westport Free Methodist Church each day. Please drop your child off between 8:15am – 8:25am. The bus will depart at 8:30am sharp, and will not wait for any late arrivals. In the evening, please arrive by 4:30pm at the Westport Free Methodist Church for pick up. There will not be any care provided after that time, so please be prompt. For those of you that will be driving directly to camp IAWAH, please arrive between 8:50 and 9:00am, and pick up will be 4:10pm.
We ask that you keep your children at home if they have experienced either diarrhea, vomiting or high fever with the last previous 24 hours.
Here are a few items that we ask you bring everyday:
-Swimming gear (swimsuit and towel)
-Sunscreen
-Hat
-Lunch
-Refillable water bottle (labelled with camper’s name)
-Lifejacket or PFD (Personal Floatation Device), if needed (labelled with camper’s name)
-There will be 2 snacks provided during the day.
Each child will be given a coloured arm band on the first day. This band signifies which group he/she is with. Please try to keep the band on your child’s arm for the entire week. We have a limited supply. Please practice dressing and undressing with your child and their swimsuit, if necessary, to ensure the full allotted time of water activities.
Pictures will be taken throughout the week to be compiled into a slideshow for the Family Night BBQ (date to be announced)
Date: July 22-26, 2019. 9:00am – 4:00pm
Eligibility:- Grades 1- 6
Cost (full week):
$75.00 First Child*
$50 Second Child*
$25 Third child*
No charge – Fourth & Subsequent child*
*Discounted costs apply to children who live in the same household; no discounts available for missed days. Maximum cost per week per family is $150.00
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Exclusively for Jump Start
Jump Start is based out of Derbyshire Lodge. With the comfort of washrooms located in the building, you’re sure to have a good first IAWAH experience. Jump Start provides a shorter, smaller community experience for young campers. Campers will experience the basic activities of camp as either a whole group or as a small team. Meals are provided in the main dining room alongside Junior camp. A short program with parents/guardians closes the experience at 6:30 PM on Wednesday evening.
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Exclusively for Adventure Canoe Trips
Canoe Trip participants arrive on Sunday, and will begin getting to know each other and their trip leaders by participating in some group games, and learning about their trip. They will spend time learning basic canoeing skills, and learning how to pack their gear. Participants will then spend some time learning how to properly set up their tent, and use basic camping gear, such as water filters.
Early Monday morning, Out There participants will pack up their gear, eat a hearty breakfast in the dining room and then head out to their trip destination. They will spend the rest of the time on the water and around their campsites. Typically, they will canoe anywhere from three to five hours a day. The rest of the time, will be spent around the campsite, playing games, cooking meals, and enjoying nature.
All of our canoe tripping guides have training in Wilderness First Aid, Bronze Cross or NLS, and other canoe tripping specific certifications. They are excited to spend time with the campers, teaching them about canoe tripping, and experiencing God through the beauty of the great outdoors.
All meals, while on trip will be cooked over a fire or camp stove. Our tripping guides turn into wonderful outdoor chefs, and have been known to make pizza, hearty pastas and great desserts. Accommodations can be made for allergies or dietary preferences (such as a vegetarian, vegan or lactose-free diet).
Typically, participants return to IAWAH on Friday after lunch, at which time they work on cleaning up their gear, setting up their tents to dry, eating supper in the dining hall and having a much needed shower. They will spend the evening as a group and enjoy some time together looking through the week’s photos.
Check out the
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Emergency Procedures
IAWAH has clearly defined emergency procedures and roles for staff in the event of emergencies such as extreme weather and other unforeseen circumstances. Staff are trained to assist campers during these times with a focus on the care and safety of campers.
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Child Safety
IAWAH is a member of Plan to Protect Canada – an organization committed to providing safe environments for children and youth. Plan to Protect provides the highest standards, policies and training for staff to ensure that best current practices for child protection, staff screening and supervision are provided for campers and youth participants.
