Health and Safety

Wilvaken always has a nurse or first aid attendant on duty 24 hours a day. The majority of our staff have their first aid and CPR training. All our trips and outings have staff along who are qualified in first aid and life guarding.

All medications are kept in our dispensary. Each camper meets with our nurse on the first day of camp. The medical team is available to meet the health needs of each child throughout their stay.

Wilvaken is 10 minutes from Magog which has a hospital and clinics as well as a CLSC (community health clinic). We are in touch mostly with one clinic and know the doctors there.

The Sun

The sun which we love so much has its dangers as well. Over exposure to the sun and not drinking enough is a consideration on those hot days. We ask you as parents to ensure that your child comes with a hat that has a brim, sunglasses, a re-fillable water-bottle and sunscreen. Water is always available at the lodge water fountain.

Head Lice

Wilvaken has had the occasional problem with lice (usually limited to a single cabin or small group). We ask all parents to check their children prior to coming to camp. We don't normally do a lice check but if there is an outbreak then we will check everyone and send the affected campers home till they are clear.

Epi-Pen

Some children require an Epi-Pen for allergies to food or perhaps bees. Any camper should come with two Epi-Pens, one of which is kept by the camper and the other at the lodge or in the infirmary.

We would like to inform parents that we are not a not free camp, but that we will not serve any meals that would compromise a child who has allergies during their stay at Wilvaken. We must know of any allergy prior to the child's arrival. An Epi-Pen is always kept in the main lodge where everyone eats their meals.

Medical Forms

One form per camper must be sent to the camp AFTER April 1st

PLEASE NOTE

The medical form MUST be completed and mailed before the child’s arrival at camp. This gives our nurse the chance to review the information, to get back in touch with you if anything is not clear, and to discuss any special items with us and the child’s counsellor if necessary.
The PARENT’S AUTHORISATION ON THE MEDICAL FORM MUST BE SIGNED AND DATED. Be assured that in the event of any emergency, we will make every effort to communicate with you as soon as possible, but just in case we must have your authorization.
If you are sending any medication with your child, please make sure that it is well labelled with the name of the child and instructions for use, and that there is sufficient quantity for the stay at camp. Your child should understand that ALL MEDICATION is held in the infirmary, and dispensed as needed.
Children from the province of Québec and Ontario MUST bring their Medicare/OHIP cards with them. The cards are held by our nurse and returned to campers at their time of departure. Children from outside those provinces or Canada must have medical insurance.

Safety at Camp

As a summer camp in existence since 1958, Wilvaken has had its share of accidents and illnesses. When dealing with many young children and staff, things happen that cannot be necessarily controlled but we work hard at making Wilvaken as safe as possible, fun and exciting. We are proud of our staff as they are qualified and have experience in dealing with many of the problems that may occur. We have a ratio of 1:4 and all our staff can speak both English and French and often a third language such as Spanish or German.

The staff have a 5 day pre-camp training session where all the rules and regulations are covered along with how to deal with various things that may occur such as homesickness or illness or accident. The majority of our staff are ages 18 to 24. Our 17 year old counsellors have usually all done our CIT (counsellor in training) program the previous year.

Wilvaken is a small camp. We therefore can focus on caring for your child while teaching them an activity or encouraging them to try new things, make friends and just have fun! Everyone says hello and talks to everyone else. It is encouraged within the cabin group and as part of the daily routine. We quickly see if someone is not feeling happy or well and are able to deal with it. Your children will always be able to find someone to talk to during the day.