FOOD ALLERGIES

The safety and health of our young campers is very important to us.  We are sharing information and guidelines here to help you know how you can aid us, in the Tenderfoot Camp community.

We have several children with different, but  severe food allergies.  These include allergies to:

  • peanuts,
  • tree nuts and
  • eggs
  • dairy
  • fish
  • shellfish

Please check with your child’s head counselor before sending in any food for the bunk.  All food meant to be shared with the bunk must come with the ingredients included, whether store bought or homemade. Our goal is to provide a safe summer for all of our campers.  Your attention to this concern is appreciated.

Tree Nut/Peanut and other food Allergies

  • Peanut free zones are designated in classrooms.
  • Any lunch containing peanut substances are labeled.
  • All specials teachers, counselors and lunch staff are notified of all campers with food allergies.
  • Tables are cleaned both before and after snacks and lunches.
  • All staff members have been educated about food allergies and proper procedure for campers with food allergies.
  • All campers are instructed in proper hand-washing technique before and after eating or coming in contact with any materials that may contain allergens.
  • Epi-pens are kept in the nurse’s office where the nurse is always available via walkie-talkie.
  • See letter below from directors:

June 23, 2014

Dear Parents of Tenderfoot Campers,

We are writing you to seek your help and cooperation with the health and safety of a few of our campers.  We have several campers in different bunks who suffer from peanut allergies and tree nut allergies.  As a school community, we have had to work with over a dozen students so challenged, for several years now.

We want to keep the camp environment as safe as possible for these children and we need your help and your children’s help in order to accomplish this.  The nuts are not the only source of risk for these children.  The oil(s) are also a risk and they can remain on surfaces for hours.  We have already taken steps to limit the risk in the actual bunks of these campers.  The at-risk children snack and lunch at a table with other campers, that is ‘peanut free’.  They and their bunkmates and counselors wash their hands and face following snack and lunch.  Our staff has also been instructed to wash their own hands and face after eating.

We are seeking your consideration and cooperation too, as you prepare to send your child to camp.  We know that for many children peanut butter is a regular and favored item.  We ask that you help us by doing the following:

If your child is fine with an alternative to peanut butter, please consider sending the alternative food when possible.

If your child is going to eat a peanut butter product as part of their lunch,please mark their bag with “Peanut butter” so that we can make certain that they are not eating at or near the peanut free table.

If they are eating a peanut butter or other oil-based item for breakfast, we ask that you wash their hands before bringing them to camp.

If your child is celebrating a special occasion or you want to send a treat for the bunk, we ask that you send popsicles.  This will also help us to keep all of the children hydrated in the hot weather.

Remembering that it is the oil(s) as well as the nuts that are a hazard, we have enclosed a partial list of obvious and not so obvious peanut and nut oil containing products:

Peanut butter

Peanut butter crackers

Cookies

Chocolate candy

Trail mix

Granola bars

Popcorn nut blends

Cracker Jacks

Some Lunchables@

Frito Lay chips

Nuts

We thank you in advance for your consideration and help to make this an enjoyable and safe summer for all of our young campers.

Laedoan Lewis, Director        Deb Will & Dave Thomas  Assistant Directors

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