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Hello From Camp!

Opening Day 2012

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Dear Galil Campers and Families,

 

We are so excited for Galil's 66th season to begin!   Start packing:  Opening Day, Sunday, June 24th is in just one week!  Opening Day for our August session is Tuesday, July 24th.

Information about arrival at Camp is available in your Parent Handbook as well as below. We'd like to remind you of a few very important things first: 

 

1. All campers must bring a large laundry bag with their first and last name clearly marked on it.   For additional information about laundry, please visit the Galil blog.

 

2. If you send a treat with your camper, there should be enough for the entire bunk and the treat must be marked kosher. 

 

3. Please remember that we are a peanut and nut free camp.  Please read our blog post on identifying foods that fit these criteria.

 

4. Campers are NOT permitted to have cell phones at camp Any music players that are also cell phones or internet enabled will be confiscated.  Devices with wireless access only are permissible, but will not be able to be used for the internet.

 

* Our sports specialists are always grateful for donations of gently used sports equipment such as:

    • any kind of sports balls (softball, baseball, tennis ball, basketball, soccer ball)
    • baseball mitts
    • tennis racquets 
    • yoga mats 
    • street hockey sticks

Our arts & crafts staff have fabulous, fun, creative plans ready to go for this summer!  To help make them even better please unleash your junk drawers and donate any of the follow items to a nice home:

    • magazines
    • cardboard
    • clothing (in any condition, but please no undergarments)
    • art supplies
    • tools (e.g. kitchen utensils, woodshop tools)
    • toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls
    • wrapping paper and tissue paper
    • beads, glitter, and sequins
    • anything that looks like it can be made into something crafty

* We have great plans to make Galil an even more musical environment this summer than it already is!   If you have any old instruments lying around that you would be willing to donate to us, our music staff would be most appreciative!  Any instruments are welcome but especially:

  • Guitars
  • Strings
  • Drums of any kind
  • Any type of percussion instruments (ie. tambourines, maracas, shakers..) 
If you have friends or family who are thinking about Camp Galil for second session 2012 or 2013, please let us know.   Touring Galil during the summer is a WONDERFUL way to see us in action to make a decision for next summer. Please contact Ilana at (609) 558-1395 or registrar@campgalil.org with questions or to RSVP.  We will hold Open Houses on the following dates, but can also arrange for private visits:

We all look forward to seeing you at Galil soon!  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all! 

 

* Arrival on Opening Day is between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m depending on the grade your child is entering. (for the August session arrival is between 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.)  Kindly refer to your Galil handbook for any additional questions about Opening Day 2012.

 

If your child is entering 9th or 10th grade: please arrive between 9:30am and 10:30am

If your child is entering grades 4th, 5th or 6th grade: please arrive between 10:45am and 11:45am

If your child is entering 7th or 8th grade: please arrive between 12:00pm and 1:00pm

 

* It is important that all families leave Camp by 1:00 so that your camper(s) has a chance to settle in and begin lunch with their fellow campers at 1:30 promptly. Therefore if you have been assigned the late arrival time, we recommend that you arrive as close to 12 noon as possible.

 

Please be sure that your camper's luggage is clearly labeled with first and last name and their bunk.  Refer to page 10 of the Galil handbook for your correct bunk placement.

 

* It is very important that all forms be in our hands prior to Opening Day.  All forms can be found online here.  Also, please note that all fees must be paid in full prior to your camper's arrival. 

 

* Other important Galil 2012 dates are:  

  • Sunday, July 8th: End of July 2 Week Session
  • Sunday, July 15th: Visitor's Day
  • Sunday, July 22nd: End of July Session
  • Sunday, August 12th: End of Galil 2012.   

Please refer to your Handbook for pick-up times on our Closing Days.  You will receive more details about Visiting Day by the end of the 2nd week of Camp.

 

 

Camp Galil Opening Day Procedures

 

 

 

Welcome to Camp Galil!  Opening Day is a wonderful day as it is the first time we all come together to form our 2012 Galil community - a community that will grow, work, play and live together throughout the summer.  The experiences and bonds formed from this point forward are truly special.

 

Our many volunteers and staff would like you to know what to expect on Opening Day.

 

Parking

When you drive into Camp, please cross over our bridge slowly.  A Galil volunteer will direct you to a parking spot.  Once you have parked, our staff and volunteers will help you place your luggage (don't forget to tag your luggage!) in our vehicles so that you do not have to carry heavy luggage to the bunks.

 

Galil Ambassadors

A Galil volunteer will be available to take all new families to our Registration area.  All families, new and returning are required to visit our Registration area prior to going to the bunks.  This year, Registration will be held on the porch of the MoAdina (the second green building on your right when you walk up the road).

 

Registration

We know how exciting it is to arrive at camp!  We ask that all campers together with their families please register with us at the MoAdina as soon as you arrive and prior to going to the bunks.  The registration process includes touching base with our Executive Director, Sharon Waimberg; our Associate Director, Bart Davis; our Infirmary Staff ; our Assistant Director, Ilana Goldfus; and a representative from our Camp Committee.  This way we will have the opportunity to welcome you to our Galil community.  Again, this is for campers and their families together.

 

During Registration you will be able to sign up for Bar/Bat Mitzvah review for the summer.  Also, we will have selected Galil goodies on sale at this time.

 

Take Camper to Bunk

After you have completed our registration line, a Galil volunteer will be available to take all campers and their families to the bunks.

 

See You Soon....and Don't Forget to Stay in Touch

Once you have your camper situated we ask that you proceed back toward the MoAdina.  We will have postcards available inside the building so that you may write to your camper (to be delivered the very next day). Don't forget to sign up for a Bunk1 account to send e-mails to your camper and see the photos we post daily.  We also publish daily blog articles onto our Facebook page.

 

Again, welcome to Camp Galil!

Just Around the Corner

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Can you believe it?  We are less than two weeks away from Opening Day 2012!  2012 shlichim arrive 

We are so excited to get our 66th summer under way!  Important things are already happening at camp in preparation.  Our four new Israeli counselors (shlichim) arrived on Sunday.  On Monday counselors arrived at Galil for high and low ropes course training.  Wednesday the rest of our counselors (madrichim) will descend upon Ottsville for staff training and planning. 

Please check back often for updates all summer long!  Our communications specialist, Shira Scott, will introduce herself within the week.  After camp begins she will update our blog daily to share what our campers are doing with you.  All blog posts are also published on our Facebook page.  Shira will also take and post pictures every day on Bunk1 -- don't forget to activate your account! 

Care Package 101

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So you want to send a care package to someone special at camp this summer?  That's wonderful!  We highly encourage sending mail and packages!  Just a few things to keep in mind...  

1. You can show your love with more than food!  Instead, send games for your child to play with other kids (Madlibs, cards, puzzles, etc.), arts & crafts projects, or magazines.  Be creative with your care packages.  

2. Please keep in mind that we ask our campers to share snacks, games, etc. so please try to provide enough for everyone in your child's bunk. 

3. Galil is both a kosher and peanut-free camp.  Here are a few food items that fit both criteria: 

  • Milk chocolate Hershey's bars and Hershey kisses 
  • Jolly ranchers 
  • Twizzlers 
  • Teddy Grahams 
  • Popcorn 
  • Barnum animal crackers 
  • Oreos 
  • Chips ahoy 
  • Most potato chips 
  • Most brands of pretzels (not Snyder's) 
  • Fig Newtons 
  • Cheez Its 
  • and many more! 
Learn to check for yourself!  Foods that are kosher will have a K or OU symbol on the packaging.  Please check the ingredients of any foods you are considering for peanuts and tree nuts in the ingredients.  Also, please make sure that the food was not processed in a facility that also handles peanuts and tree nuts.  Allergen information is usually available in bold at the bottom of the nutrition label.  
label 
For example: This label shows that there are no peanuts in the food, but it was "manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts."  Please do not send items marked as such to Galil.   
 
4. To keep our peanut and tree-free campers feeling safe and comfortable, we ask that you do not send homemade goods.  It is best to send foods that our counselors are able to check for these allergens. 
 

  

 We do this because we have campers with severe nut allergies.  We thank you for your cooperation in this matter to help ensure that everyone at Galil has a fun, healthy, and safe summer!