Camp Olympia Manual

Section 6 Other Staff Duties

The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it, but rather what he becomes by it.

-American Way

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

Counselor Meeting

The Saturday before each term at approximately 1:00 p.m. a counselor meeting will be held to make assignments for the following term. At this meeting, assignments will be made such as welcoming committee for clusters, handing out uniforms, and greeters.

During this meeting the Division Head and Assistant Director for your cluster will cover each camper’s personal profile sheet with all cluster counselors. This sheet is completed by the child’s parent and is confidential. This will give you a head start in knowing your kids and will point out many useful things you need to know such as which kids are bed-wetters, require special diets or medications, have important fears, etc. Be sure you know your campers problems.

You will receive a cabin book with a page for each camper to whom you are assigned. This is not every camper in your cabin but is usually three to five campers. Although you are responsible for caring for every camper in your cabin, you are specifically responsible for building relationships and keeping close tabs on those listed in your cabin book. Included in your cabin book is a copy of each child’s personal profile sheet. (Never let the campers look through the cabin book, since much of the information is confidential and very personal.)

When all opening term business has been completed, numbers will be drawn for “12” sign up. Don't forget to check your special duty night and overnight before signing up.

While the opening term meeting is taking place, counselors who are leaving camp will be given cluster clean up assignments. Once the opening term meeting is complete, the closing term meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. During this meeting counselors are bid farewell and paychecks are handed out for the previous term. All counselors are then given time for rest and relaxation until our 9:30 a.m. meeting the next morning. All counselors must attend this morning meeting.

Camper Arrival

Camp’s opening days are on SUNDAYS! We will begin opening our gates by 1PM and ask that families arrive in their allotted time as we will stagger check-in times alphabetically. We also ask that the family stay by their car unless otherwise directed by a Camp Olympia staff member. Upon arrival, they will go through their temperature check. Once they have been cleared, they will head down the main road, and around the Cabin Loop. Once they get to the camper’s cabin, a staff member will meet them at their car and unload the camper’s belongings. They will be asked NOT to leave their vehicle. The camper will say their goodbyes by the car and the counselor will escort the camper to the cabin. If they have medications to drop off or need to speak with a nurse before leaving, there will be a station to stop by and visit with them about their camper.

Once the car arrives at the cluster, counselors located there should enthusiastically greet campers and parents and assist the camper in moving in. It is imperative that you remain outside your cabin in order to greet campers and parents immediately upon their arrival. Counselors located in the clusters should greet campers, unload luggage and assist campers in moving in. Get fired up!!!!!

In their clusters, campers are introduced to their cabin counselor and other cluster counselors and are allowed to move into the bunk of their choice. Counselors should help campers move their belongings inside. It is very important that campers gain a sense of belonging and security as soon as possible. Once a complete cabin arrives, the cabin counselor(s) should take their cabin on a detailed tour of camp. Be sure to point out all activity sites. Please follow the schedule handed out at the morning meeting for obtaining camper uniforms, checking in with the nurse, and picking up schedules.

Closing Day

Camp’s closing days are on SATURDAYS! Counselors will receive these assignments in the lunch memo on Friday. An explanation will be given at the final all counselor meeting held on the last Thursday of camp. Wake-up will be called at 7:15 a.m. on the last morning. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. All cabins should move through this process as quickly as possible. Encourage your campers to wear something with the Olympia logo on it. (This is not mandatory, but should be encouraged.) Make sure each camper’s appearance is clean and neat. Counselors and campers are responsible for leaving the cabin and cluster area clean.

Our gates will begin opening at 9:30AM. Upon arrival, at the designated pick-up time, they will drive through Camp’s front gate and be greeted by a staff member. This staff member will ask for identification and that staff member will cross-check the identification with the approved names listed on the Parental Authorization for Camper Pickup Form, which indicated who they have specified to be allowed to pick up their camper. Once cleared to proceed, they will then drive down the Cabin Loop to their camper’s cabin. There, they will remain in their car and their camper will meet them at their vehicle while the counselors load the camper’s belongings into their vehicle. Once they have their camper and belongings, we encourage them to tour camp, visit the Country Store and stop by the Nexus to watch our summer video and sign up to an Early Bird. Note, any camper medication will be placed within the camper’s trunk prior to pick-up thus eliminating the need to stop by the Nurse’s Station.

STAY WITH YOUR CAMPER(S) UNTIL PARENTS ARRIVE!

When your campers have been picked up by their parents you should:

-If you are not working the following term, go to your cluster to finish details such as cluster clean up. You are on duty until the closing day counselor meeting has been adjourned. Please help out where needed.

- If you are working the following term, go to the top of the O'Dome after 12:00 p.m. or when all of your campers have been released to their parents and begin writing post cards and studying camper profile sheets.

Library Duty

Counselors, assigned by their Division Head, will do daily library duty. A list of tasks to accomplish will be posted in each library. This is necessary to protect everyone’s health. You should clean the library once before wake-up and then freshen it up during rest hour. A schedule will be posted in the bathhouse.

Cabin Book

In order to make the counselor's job more concise and counselor/camper communication most successful, each counselor will receive his/her own cabin book. Each counselor's cabin book will contain three to five campers (depending on the counselor/camper ratio in the cabin). Although the entire cabin is the responsibility of each cabin counselor, the campers assigned to each cabin book are the primary responsibility of that counselor. Responsibility to these campers includes but is not limited to morning cabin book, health and well being, parent phone calls, letters home (camper and counselor) and any specific information taken from personal profile sheets. If you will miss cabin book for any reason, or if the need arises and you will be away from camp for a prolonged period of time, it is your sole responsibility to communicate with the other cabin counselors and ensure that your duties are covered.

Every morning the counselors in the cabin should take care of the cabin book. This book is also confidential and should not be viewed by the kids. In it are the correct names and addresses of all parents, names of siblings, number of years at camp and previous merits.

The first day the counselors should add to the book information on the kid’s tribe (Spartan-Athenian) if assigned, clubs and honors awarded, the camper’s schedule and new merits. The merits that should be added are those sent to the child for birthdays, report cards, playing merit games in the newsletter, and those won at Open House. Many kids will have a sheet listing sign up merits but those have already been added. The total number of merits can then be added and placed in the first space.

Daily the counselor should ask each child the questions listed along the top of the columns and deal with each as necessary. The counselor will also keep a daily log of camper's temperature in the cabinbook. The questions are: How do you feel? Did you take your medicine? Did you brush your teeth? Did you take a shower? Did you shampoo your hair? Did you clean your ears? Do you have any bites or cuts? Did you tonk? How many merits did you get (and take them up?) Did you lose any D’s (and replace them?) Then subtract the number of D’s lost (Jr.s & I's D's = 1 merit, Sr. I's D's = 2 merits, Senior II's D's = 3 merits) from the merits earned and add them to the total merits. Merits spent at the Country Store the day before should be subtracted from the overall total.

Soon you should be able to run down the list with each kid, checking quickly: Feel? Meds? Teeth? Shower? Shampoo? Ears? Bites? Cuts? Tonk? Merits? D’s?

Some kids tend to be relatively trustworthy with their hygiene. Spot check every once in a while. The younger kids will need to have their ears and teeth checked more often. Deal compassionately but logically with kids who don’t feel well. Make sure kids who need meds receive them. Remind forgetful kids of brushing teeth and cleaning ears. It is your responsibility to make sure your cabin campers maintain good hygiene while at camp.

Bites and cuts should be doctored as often as possible to prevent infection. Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol are good cleansers. Keep dry bandages on larger cuts and abrasions. These can be found in your cabin first-aid kit. Infections should be checked by the nurse. Kids having failed to tonk during a three-consecutive-day span should be encouraged to eat fruit or drink fruit juices and possibly be sent to the nurse.

Merits should be taken on the kid’s word that they were properly earned. Don’t accuse campers of theft but do keep an eye on kids that are suspected and deal with accordingly if caught. See MERIT SYSTEM for details.

Counselors, don't forget, merits are to be given one at a time. If a camper turns in an unusually large number of merits, question as to how they received them. Do this respectfully.

Cabin Camper Of The Day

Each day the counselors in the cabin should draw a campers name to honor as their “Cabin Camper of the Day.” It is important to make sure each child is honored at least once. After each child has had the opportunity to be Cabin Camper of the Day, the cabin counselors will choose a camper on each of the remaining days. Choose carefully and wisely. Do not, however, give it to a child simply because it’s their turn. The others will resent an undeserving recipient. Cabin Camper of the Day receives responsibilities as well as privileges. Some examples are sweeping cabin, sponging off table at meals, retrieving mail, turning in dedications to Olympian of the Day, etc. At the end of the day, the counselor(s) on duty should fill out the CCOD card with the comments of the cabinmates.

Song

“Camper!

Camper of the Day!

Here’s to the greatest camper anywhere — Hey!

Give her/him an honor he/she will proudly wear.

Let’s hear it now for (name) Camper of the Day!”

Hygiene And Cleanliness

Campers and counselors should shower once a day, no exceptions. It is important that on-duty counselors shower during the same time period as the kids to check for bites, cuts and scratches as well as rashes and infections. Never shower with a child and take your turn as the Shower Monitor. The overall health of each child is easiest to gauge at this time. The kids should always wear clean clothes. It is the counselor’s responsibility to see that the kids change daily. The kids should also change out of wet clothes at any time they are not required for their activities. It is most important that they not wear wet clothes to meals or bed. Any nightwear is suitable for the kids to sleep in from underwear to manufactured pajamas. Do not let them wear jeans, bathing suits or tight shorts to bed as they bind. The resulting constricted area itches, is often scratched, becomes easily infected and is very difficult to heal.

The kids should brush their teeth often, if at all possible after each meal and before bed. The kids should also shampoo their hair every day.

In the cabin the trunks should be kept neat and clean and neatly positioned under the bunks. The latches should be down in order to prevent slicing shins. This is a D-Trap.

The beds should be made neatly with a mattress cover and cover sheet, and a blanket if desired. Although sleeping bags can be used as a top cover, campers may not sleep inside their sleeping bags but must sleep between sheets. This allows for easy cleaning of bedding. Counselors need to check daily for the presence of sand in the beds. Kids MUST sleep head to toe and head MUST be at opposite end of the ladder. For safety the name of each child and counselor must be written on a piece of tape and attached to each bunk. This will help prowl identify missing or ill campers.

Sheets should be changed every week. Wet and soiled clothes should be hung on the clotheslines.

Bed Wetters

Kids who are chronic or occasional bed-wetters are usually indicated on the personal information sheets. Care should be taken to give each of these a bottom bunk. Counselors should also reassure them that they will be dealt with compassionately and discreetly.

If a child wets their bed, they should wake up a counselor. The bed should be stripped and new sheets put on. The child’s clothes and sheets can be taken discreetly to the nurses' station and should be discreetly returned.

Returning off-duty counselors, when arriving at the cabin, should wake up these kids nightly and take them to the bathroom.

A general talk is best to take care of those instances that are purely accidental or where the parents have failed to inform us.

Medical

Eardrops should be administered every time the kids get wet, be it pool or lake or sprinkler system. Some kids have their own personal drops and should be allowed to use them.

Counselors should use common sense and logical first aid in case of injuries. Get the nurse as quickly and safely as possible.

The nurse is responsible for administration of medicines, treatment of minor ailments and injuries, and first treatment of major injuries. Kids are transported to Trinity or beyond for serious matters. If a camper needs special attention or is given activity restrictions, the nurse will complete a medical form online containing the information that will be sent to the boys' and girls' camp directors. They will keep one copy on their computer, one copy will be stapled to the cabin book by the cluster A.D. and the final copy will be kept by the A.D. for office files.

Counselors are responsible for seeing that the kids take all medicines and also for any follow-up treatment or illnesses and injuries.

All medicine, camper’s and counselor’s, must be kept at the nurse’s station and administered from there. Medications are to be taken, at the direction of the nurse, after breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Chow Hall. Nighttime meds will be delivered to the clusters by the nurses.

Counselors should help maintain order at the nurse’s station and should stand in line for their medication. A counselor must accompany kids to the nurse’s station.

The nurse’s station is not publicly available for visiting or using the restroom or phone.

Non-emergency illnesses and minor scrapes should report to the nurse after COLOCO. Kids going to the clinic in town should be brought to the clinic at the time given by the nurses.

Emergency cases should be brought immediately to the nurse’s station. No one should come after 10:30 p.m. unless it is an emergency. Your DH will have an emergency radio down in the cluster to contact the nurses in the middle of the night if someone gets sick.

The nurse will prepare a medical alert list so that everyone will be alert to the camper’s needs. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO CHECK THIS LIST AGAINST YOUR CLASS ROSTERS TO BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS!

Inspection

Inspection of the cabins takes place daily except on Saturdays. A check sheet will be placed in each cabin at the beginning of the week. It is the cabin counselors’ responsibility to make sure this check sheet is hung securely in an obvious spot in the cabin (preferably by the door.) This check sheet will list categories on which cabins will be objectively and comparatively rated.

A final, major inspection occurs each Sunday with all campers present. (The final major inspection of the term will take place on the last Friday of camp.) In addition to the condition of the cabin, the trunks are checked as is each individual camper.

I. Procedures for Major Inspection:

A. Campers strip beds and lay top sheet on ground outside of cabin.

B. Place trunk on sheet. Empty, clean and straighten trunk.

C. Sweep cabin thoroughly.

D. Spray disinfectant on mattresses.

E. Clean windowsills and fan.

F. Clean A/C filter.(This should be done Wednesdays & Sundays.)

G. Clean windows

H. Empty trash can/pick up trash in cluster area.

I. Make beds with clean sheets.

J. Write a letter home (have them do this Saturday afternoon during Free & Easy, it's their ticket into the Movie)

K. Check clotheslines for dry articles. (On the last major inspection the line should be completely emptied. If there are wet clothes, the division head may gather, dry, and return each article to the appropriate person.)

The cabin receiving the highest total score for the week in their division earns candy bars. The highest cabin in camp also gets soft drinks.

The last Major Inspection is held during first and second period on the last Friday of camp. Follow regular procedures. Campers should keep bedding, sleepwear, clothes for parents’ day (encourage campers to wear something with the camp logo), towel, and personal grooming items out of their trunks. Trunks should then be moved back into the cabin and not accessed unless necessary. See your Division Head for specific details on placement. Campers will then organize their trunks and belongings in the cluster the morning of closing day.

Counselor bunks are also checked and scored daily. The counselor with the lowest total for the week will have to do library duty for the counselor with the highest score in the cluster (this is in addition to his/her own.) This policy will be enforced if a counselor is being blatantly negligent in cleaning his/her bunk area.

AIR-CONDITIONERS

Air-conditioners should be left on at all times to keep them from freezing. However, the setting should be low enough to cool but not low enough to chill. The number one medical problem at Camp Olympia, three-to-one, is sore throats and earaches caused by air conditioners set at an extremely low temperature. Please use good judgment. Filters should be cleaned regularly during rest hour on Wednesdays and Major Inspection on Sundays.

Lost And Found

Lost and found items can be left in the box beside the radio room at the O’Dome. At mail call, occasionally lost and found articles will be left in cabin mail boxes to be taken to the cabin and distributed. D's should be taken for these articles. Special Duty or work detail will often be asked to sort through this box and ready articles for return.

MEAL (CHOW HALL PROCEDURES)

ALL meals are served cafeteria style on our Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner rotation schedule.

All campers and counselors will go through the serving line and then proceed to the table available for their age group. Counselors will need to be aware of staying on time, in order to get everyone through the serving lines and stay with the camp schedule.

To cut down on traffic it is important that cleanup is done as an orderly team effort. Food and trash will be thrown away in the trashcan at the end of the table and left over liquid will be poured into the water pitchers on the table. Last, the cabin should thoroughly wipe each table and bench clean with a rag. This should be done by Cabin Camper of the Day.

Everyone should wash their hands thoroughly before each meal. Hair rollers, nightgowns or night clothes, and counselors' off-night attire are not appropriate at meals.

No one is allowed in the Chow Hall except at designated meal times or for certain class periods. Exceptions are made for announced rainy day activities and other activities by permission of the directors.

Everyone should be at the Chow Hall within a few minutes of meal call. Everyone remains seated for the duration of the meal. When leaving a meal, food is NOT to be taken out of the Chow Hall.

Memo

Daily, except Sunday, at Lunch a memo is passed out to the counselors. In it are special notes regarding camper problems and illnesses, schedule reminders and changes, and any other news of interest. Special Day schedules are often included. It is important that these are disposed of after reading and do not fall into the hands of the campers. Each cabin will receive one in their cabin's mail and all cabin counselors should read it.

If you have something for the Memo, you can drop it in the box next to Ashley's desk in the morning before 10:00 a.m.

Mail Call

Mail will be available after lunch next to the flagpoles through The P"O"NY EXPRESS. No one may touch the mail until mail call. The cabin’s Camper of the Day should be sent to get the cabin’s mail right after lunch clean up is completed. The only packages being received are ones from Camp Olympia, Special Delivery and orders from the Country Store. If a staff member receives a package, they may be picked up and checked out in the office on their off time.

Refreshment Time

Ice water is available at the cabins daily. Monday through Thursday, SNACK ATTACK will take place right after rest hour by the pool and by the Point. Campers can receive a healthy refreshing snack. On Friday our snack attack is during CCOW presentation. Campers are furnished with a cool treat. Counselors should take enough charge to see that each child is served fairly and trash is thrown away. Left over snacks should be brought to the chow hall by the A.D.

Each child is asked to bring a personal water bottle with them to camp. They should use these and keep them clean. Counselors should not allow the kids to open the tops of the coolers to get ice or to try and drink from the spout. It is a very unsanitary practice and a D-trap!

Country Store

This is the place where all those merits can be spent. Each cabin will have a designated Country Store time. That, generally, is the only time the kids will be allowed in the Country Store. Counselors are responsible for bringing their entire cabins there at least once a week at the designated time. A schedule will be passed out at the beginning of the term.

Once there, the kids may choose items they are able to afford. Counselors write the kid’s purchases against their accounts in the cabin book. These are subsequently subtracted from their total merit number.

Laundry

Once a week the cabin’s laundry is cleaned. The kids need to prepare their laundry the night before their scheduled day. A schedule will be provided at the beginning of each term, along with a group of colored laundry bags for your cluster that are marked for your cabin.

The kids should divide all their clothes into the appropriate categories and combine them into as few bags as possible. Bags of similar content should be tied together.

Bags will be picked up the night before and taken by prowl to the laundry room. AD's will bring them back to the cluster after dinner on the day you have laundry.

Procedures:

1. Prepare clothes for laundry the NIGHT BEFORE.

2. SORT and COMBINE their clothes into these categories and put them in laundry bags that are labeled with your cabin letter/number:

A. Sheets.

B. Towels.

C. Whites.

D. Darks.

E. Colors.

F. Tie laundry bags together that contain the same items. Example: You have two bags of towels you would tie laundry bags together.

3. Prowl will transport laundry bags to the laundry using a camp vehicle the night before. The A.D. will subsequently deliver the clean laundry back to the cluster after dinner. **It is very important to put laundry bags in YOUR CABIN'S laundry basket.

4. Sort all clothes back to campers that evening! If you have any unclaimed articles, please keep them together and bring them to the office work room. If you are missing articles, please check with the other cabins in your cluster and notify your A.D.

Merit Questions

Daily each child should be asked individually three merit questions. They should be given one merit for each question answered properly. For many kids this is one of the few ways they will get merits. The questions are important. The best time for asking them is in the down time while waiting for dinner and during shower and cleanup time. Use the time to help you get to know your kids one-on-one. You can find suggested merit questions at the end of this section.

Miscellaneous Activities Free And Easy

This is what Saturday afternoon is called. There are no regularly scheduled activities with exception of Point activities - rocketing, blobbing and the slide - that will be assigned in the Saturday memo. The cabin should decide as a group how they choose to spend their afternoon. Some time may be spent resting, however, counselors should encourage group activities such as a game, sport, hike, craft, etc. The pool is always open from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Send an email to Andy Hatcher and promise to always help hang up lifejackets at The Point!

Picture Day

During the first day of each term, the kids will be called, one cabin at a time, to have their pictures taken. Boys' Camp and Girls' Camp will each have their time scheduled during Bonanza to take their pictures. All kids must wear their uniforms. It is the counselors' duty to make sure the kids keep their uniforms clean until needed for pictures. Counselors should arrange to be with their cabin for pictures.

Pictures will be taken at an on-site location that will be announced. Someone will be waiting to give you further instructions. There should be no silly pictures, funny clothes, wigs, etc. Pay attention to the daily memo for when your cabin is scheduled and check if there has been a location change.

Rainy Days

In the event of rain a staff member will come on KAMP and give instructions. A CODE BLUE will be called with instructions on where to send the campers. A program will be devised by the appropriate person and announced. Please organize your kids so that the schedule can be followed quickly and efficiently. On occasion rain may be so severe as to prevent movement or the kids may be exhausted from activities and all will be allowed to rest in the cabins. Movies will seldom be offered as a replacement activity

Merit Questions

1. Name all the campers in your cabin.

2. Name your 3 counselors.

3. What do you call the open air gymnasium?

Olympadome (O-Dome)

4. What is the name of the swimming pool?

Black Lagoon

5. What is the name of the covered tennis courts?

Thunderdome

6. What is the theme for this summer?

Find Me Here!

7. Name one of the Directors at camp?

Michelle Mauldin, Cody Mauldin, Debbie Stubblefield

8. Name one of the camp owners?

Chris Gilbert and Corby Robertson

9. Name 3 D-traps.

10. How do you become a member of the Merit Club?

By earning and saving 300 merits

11. How does one become a member of the Letterman’s Club?

Intermediate or Advanced in 8 or more activities

12. What are the themes of this year's programs?

Rodeo, A Night with the Stars, Camp-O-Disco, Circus Spectacular

13. Name two 2 period activities.

14. Where do the puppies live?

Puppy Palace

15. Who goes first to breakfast?

Senior II Clusters

16. When do we have waterbreaks?

After Spartan/Athenian

17. What do you get after you swim?

Ear drops

18. Where is the Country Store?

O'Dome

19. Who is the Point Director?

20. What is your schedule?

21. What does COLOCO stand for?

Camp Olympia Goin' Crazy

22. How many clubs at Camp Olympia?

Six

23. Name the cabins in your cluster.

24. When did Camp Olympia first open?

1968

25. What do you get your 6th year of camp?

Backpack

26. Name 4 activities in the O'Dome.

27. Which owner was nominated for the Heisman trophy?

Chris Gilbert

28. Who does Radio Show?

Olympian of the Day

29. What time is Wake-Up?

7:45 a.m. everyday, but Sunday - 8:45 a.m.

30. What kind of dog is camp’s mascot, Merit?

Labrador Retriever

31. Who picks up mail for your cabin?

Cabin Camper of the Day

32. What days are Spartan and Athenian?

Monday through Friday

33. What night is movie night?

Saturday

34. What do you get your 5th year at camp?

5 year ring

35. Name one of the nurses.

36. What do we call the bathroom at Camp Olympia? Library

37. What lake is Camp Olympia located on?

Lake Livingston

38. Who is in charge of the Swimming Pool?

39. Who does announcements at lunch?

40. Who is the Chief and Chieftess of your tribe?

41. What is the name of the island in the middle of the lake?

Ant Island

42. Name one of the people who does morning wakeup?

43. How many merits does it cost if you lose your dpin? 15

44. Where do water-skiing and sailing meet? The Point

45. What written document do you need to get into the movie?

A letter home

46. What is the name and dial location of Camp Olympia’s radio station?

KAMP @ 98.9

47. When do we have major inspection? Sundays

48. How many flagpoles are there in front of the O’Dome? 3

49. Name 10 activities at Camp Olympia.

50. How does one become a member of the V.I.P. Club?

Olympian of the Day, Royalty, Rodeo Queen/King, Flame or S.P.A.R.K.

51. What is the Ping Pong area called?

Ping Pong Pergola

52.Who is in charge of horseback?

53.What do you do before entering the pool?

Wash your feet

54. Name the Full time staff.

55. Name three Greek Gods.

56. Name a D-Trap at the pool.

57. How do you become a member of the Order of Olympia?

By receiving Merit Club, VIP Club, Letterman Club, Philanthropy Club and Spartan/Athenian Club.