We are so excited to see you at Alleghany this summer! Our goal is for each camper to have a healthy, active, and enjoyable experience. A qualified health care staff member is on site 24 hours a day to meet your camper’s health and wellness needs (typically two nurses and one doctor at all times). In addition, emergency facilities are readily available at the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and MedExpress. There are a few things that you can do to help us provide the best care possible for all our campers, and we are asking your cooperation with the following items.
Health Forms
- If you have not yet submitted your camper’s Health History Form (Form A), which is to be filled out by a parent or guardian, and is available online in your CampMinder account, please complete this in its entirety and submit it as soon as possible. (Note: this is filled out by you, the guardian; a doctor visit is NOT necessary to complete this one!)
- Have your health care provider complete the Camper Health Form (Form B) and update the immunization records to provide us the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Please include comments about any and all illnesses, medical problems, restrictions, limitations, or special concerns, allergies, activity, dietary, mental health, etc. The more we know about your camper, the better prepared we are to ensure she has a positive experience. Remember to sign the Parent/Guardian Authorization box and include all pertinent emergency contact information.
Also remember to include your health insurance information. We will keep your camper’s health care information confidential. Only those staff members who need to know of your camper’s health care concerns will be informed.
Please scan and upload your camper’s Health Form, signed by her physician, to your CampMinder account by May 1. If your doctor’s appointment does not occur until after May 1, please click here to let us know the date of your camper’s appointment.
Daily Medication Procedures
In an abundance of safety and precaution, using absolute best practices and steadfastly following the ACA’s standards for medication dispensing, this year we are requiring that regular, daily medications are brought to camp in separate dosing packets/bags for each dose, with the camper’s name, date, time of day the medication is to be taken, and medication name and dose listed on the packet. This means that if she takes medication twice a day for three weeks, you will bring with you 42 packets of medication, fully labeled with all the pertinent information, for her entire stay (21 days) at camp. If she takes more than one medication at the same time, both medications can be in the bag/packet and they must both be listed on the label.
There are multiple ways to achieve this:
- Amazon Prime is offering a free service called Amazon PillPack.
- Many pharmacies offer a similar service, you can inquire at your local pharmacy.
- You can do the work yourself by using mini bags like these, and typing or writing on mailing labels with all the information on them.*
- Alternatively, you can use blister packs such as these that you assemble on your own, making sure to also fully and clearly label these as well.*
*If you choose this route, you must bring the original package/bottle that the medication came in, so that our medical staff can confirm the dosage and other important information.
Note: Liquid medications will still need to come in their original bottles with dosing cup.
If you have questions about this, please contact [email protected].
Additional Medication Notes
- Medications are kept safely locked in the Infirmary and will be dispensed by our medical staff per your physician’s instructions. Medications are NEVER allowed in the tent or outside the Infirmary, except in very rare instances with explicit instructions from your physician.
- Only ESSENTIAL doctor prescribed and those medications taken daily should be sent to camp. Due to the volume of medications we receive, we are no longer able to accept any other vitamins or non-essential medications.
- Please do not send anything GUMMY (e.g. gummy vitamins, gummy melatonin, etc). The mice LOVE gummies and will smell it and find it and attempt to eat it. Please leave the vitamins at home anyway, and please do not send anything gummy.
- Our Infirmary supplies all routinely needed non-prescription medications, so please only send medications that your camper takes on a daily basis (for example, if your camper takes an allergy medication such as Zyrtec as needed, not every day, do not send this to camp, we have this in stock at the Infirmary!).
- We will not dispense medication labeled for another person (i.e. siblings may not share).
- Do not send any medication to camp with your camper that is not listed on the Camper Health Form. If your child requires any medication during camp (prescription, or daily over-the-counter), it must be brought to the Infirmary on the first day of camp.
- If the camp doctor determines that your child needs more of the same medicine, you will be notified, we will obtain the medication at a local pharmacy, and your child’s account will be billed accordingly.
Mental Health
In an effort to provide the best care for our girls and ensure a positive and productive camp experience for all we are happy to include a Licensed Professional Counselor as a part of our health care team as our Wellness Counselor. She will meet with our counselors during Staff Training and spend some time with them covering self-care and camper care, with a special focus on mental health strategies. During Term Camp, she will live onsite for a portion of the time, and be available to our staff via phone or Zoom for support when she is not in camp.
She is a wonderful resource for both campers and staff, especially those working through homesickness, anxiety, and other emotional issues that might be impacting their camp experience. Although she is a mental health professional, she will not be providing formal therapy. During her time at camp, she will be available to listen to the girls’ concerns, talk with them in a safe and caring environment, and provide tools and strategies to help them work through their feelings so that they can make the most of their camp experience. Think of her as a school counselor for camp!