Frequently Asked Questions
General Summer Camp Questions:
Standards & Safety | Open House/Meet the Staff | Transportation | Special Needs | Buddies | Camper
Conduct | Personal Equipment | Specialty Programs | Horseback
Riding
Registration Policies:
General | Waiting List | Fees | Cancellations/Refunds | Past Due Balances & Returned Checks
Financial Aid
Online Registration:
Software Recommendations | Security | Privacy | Contact
General Summer Camp Questions
Standards and safety
Q: What health and safety standards do your camps follow?
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (Central Region) camps follow all safety and risk management
guidelines set by the Girl Scouts of the USA, the local state and federal boards
of health, and the American Camp Association. Massachusetts camps must comply
with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (105 CMR 430.000)
and resident camps located in New Hampshire must comply with the New Hampshire
Department of Environmental Services Rules (Part Env-WS 1120.00). The board of
health of the town in which the camp is located licenses all camps. A physical
examination completed by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner is required
for all campers and staff. The exam must be dated within 24 months prior to camp
and cannot expire during camp attendance. A completed camper information record and immunization record are also required. These forms need to be returned to
the council office before May 1st, 2008. Each camp has a health supervisor, a
doctor on call and arrangements with nearby hospitals for complete emergency care.
A qualified adult first aider is on duty at all times.
Q: Who are the staff who will be with my daughter?
Staff at Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (Central Region) camps are selected for their interest and ability to work with young people, to teach and share skills, their willingness to be part of a team and their commitment to the values of honesty, respect, caring and responsibility. All staff are at least 18 years of age or have graduated high school. Criminal background and Sexual offender checks are conducted on all camp staff. Both day and resident staff are trained in human development, safety, Girl Scout program and camp skills. International staff are hired each summer to enrich the culture of our camps. Many of the staff return year after year and serve as ongoing positive role models for campers.
NOTE to all parents/guardians: In compliance with the regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and to be licensed by the local board of health, we
inform you that you have the right to request copies of background checks, health care policies of the camp, as well as the Council’s policies for filing grievances.
Interested in applying for a summer camp position? Information about applying to be on our staff is here.
Camp Open Houses/Meet the Staff
Families may visit camps during "Open House" nights. Come visit the site, meet the Director, and view the accommodations. Our Day Camps are also holding a "Meet the Staff" night where parents can tour the camp and meet the staff.
Camp Cedar Hill
Camp Open House: May 4th 1-3 PM
Meet the Staff Night: June 26th 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Camp Rice Moody
Camp Open House: April 13, 1 - 3 p.m.
Meet the Staff Night: June 26th 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Camp Virginia
Camp Open House: May 4th 1 – 3 p.m.
Meet the Staff Night: June 26th 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Camp Winnetaska
Meet the Staff Night: June 26th 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Camp Favorite
Open House: Sunday, June 8th 1-3pm
Camp Wabasso
Open House: Sunday, June 1st 1-3pm
Bus Transportation
Resident Camp Buses
Bus transportation for resident camps will run from our Boston and Waltham office locations and from Kmart Marketplace in Braintree for $40 each way. Girls must be pre-registered to ride the bus. Campers may sign up for one way or round trip. Buses will be cancelled if there are fewer than 15 girls registered. Bicycles may not be taken on the bus. A schedule with pick up and drop off times and directions will be included in confirmation packet.
Day Camp Buses
Bus transportation is offered to and from day camps at no additional cost. See individual camp listings for bus stops.
If your camper misses her bus, you are responsible for her travel to camp. If you miss a pick up, your camper will not be left at that stop. The bus
will wait a few minutes, but in order to maintain a schedule, the bus will need to move on. You can either meet your camper at another bus stop or
she will be taken back to the camp where you may pick her up. Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (Central Region) is committed to leaving no child alone at a bus
stop waiting for her parents/guardians to arrive. Buses will be cancelled and/or bus stops combined if there are fewer than 15 girls
registered.
Girls with Special Needs
Campers with special needs are welcome at Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (Central Region) camps. Our programs are designed to include girls with different abilities. Please call the Manager of Outdoor Program & Services at 617-350-8300 x220 so that we can work with you to find the right support situation for your camper.
Buddies at Camp
We recognize that girls often want to be with a special friend in order to feel secure at camp. There is a place on the camper registration form to list the name of a buddy.
Both buddies must register for the same camp, program and session and list each other's name on their registration forms. The Camp Director has final say on camp placement.
It is not necessary to have a buddy picked out before camp. Camp is the ideal place to meet new buddies. Typically girls are "buddied-up" with one girl for many activities and no one is left out.
Camper Conduct
Camp life is an excellent opportunity for girls to live and work together. Camp is a community of many people, and certain standards of behavior are expected. Our counselors to camper ratios do not support campers who need one-on-one attention during camp activities or in the living unit.
The camp director and staff will do everything possible to help girls adjust to camp life and being away from home. However, Camp reserves the right to send any girl home from camp who consistently exhibits misbehavior, who
willfully disobeys camp or bus rules, or whose behavior towards others is unacceptable. Each camper and her parent/guardian will need to read, sign, and
return a "Camper Conduct Contract." This contract clearly states the behavioral expectations of the camp community. The contract will be included
in each camp's confirmation packet. If you are concerned that your camper may not be successful in our camp communities, we will be happy to help you find
an appropriate camp for your child.
Personal Equipment
All personal belongings should be labeled with camper's first and last name. Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts is not responsible for items lost or stolen. Items left at
camp will be donated to local charities at the end of the camp season.
Specialty Programs (Boating, Aquatic, Rockclimbing, etc.)
All camps follow the Safety-Wise and American Camp Association guidelines for instruction and safety. All girls will be skill tested on the first day. For safety reasons Camp staff reserves the right to place girls in
programs/lessons that reflect their skill level. Bad weather may shorten the time campers are on the water or on the trail. Appropriate program-related activities will be held instead.
Horseback Riding Programs
The riding staff follows the GSUSA Safety-Wise and American Camp Association (ACA) guidelines for instruction and safety. Long pants and shoes or boots with
one-inch heels must be worn. If your daughter has a riding hard hat with chinstrap-Pony Club approved-she should bring it to camp; if not, camp will provide a riding hard hat. All girls will be skill-tested on the first day of riding. For camper safety, the riding director reserves the right to place
girls in riding programs that reflect their skill level. Bad weather or excessive heat may shorten the time campers are actually on horseback, but
horse-related activities will be held instead.
Registration Policies
Camp fills up quickly so please don't wait to apply. When a session is full, girls wanting to register for that session will have the opportunity
to be placed on the "waiting list." If an opening becomes available, girls will be placed in the session in the order they were added to the list.
Parents will be informed of wait list placement. They will need to notify the camp registrar if they wish their daughter to remain on the wait list. An
immediate response is required. "Buddies" will be placed together from a waiting list, unless parents notify the camp registrar that their daughter may
be placed alone.
Registration Policies General
- All registrations are processed on a first-come-first-served basis. Register for camp right away to ensure your girl gets her first choice.
- Registrations will not be taken by phone.
- Incomplete Registration and Financial Assistance forms will not be processed.
- Camp sessions are different for Resident and Day Camps. Check each camp for details.
Waiting List
When a program/session is full, girls wanting to register for that program/session will have the opportunity to be placed on the
"waiting list." Girls on the waiting list for a program may sign up for their second choice program that same session (subject to space availability), if they wish to attend camp at that time.
If an opening becomes available, girls will be placed in the session in the order they were added to the list. Parents will be informed of
wait list placement. Parents are to inform GSEM if the girl wants to remain on the wait list. Immediate response is required. “Buddies” will be placed
together from a waiting list, unless parents notify GSEM that their girl may be placed alone.
Fees, Payments, Refunds
Q: What do the Camp Fees pay for?
Girls’ camp fees are applied to direct costs only: food, beverage, lodging, trips, snacks, transportation, program activities, craft supplies, insurance
and camp staff salaries. The operating budget pays for all other costs: utilities, maintenance, facilities, equipment, camperships and 34% of the
direct costs. The budget is funded through the Cookie Program, the United Way and contributions to Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts Family Partnership
Campaign.
Q: What additional fees am I being charged?
- Girls who are not currently registered members of the Girl Scouts of the USA for the year 2008 (the membership year begins October 1, 2007) need to pay the $10 annual
membership dues with their camp registration.
- If you elect Extended Care (any day camp) or bus transportation to Camps Favorite or Wabasso, you will be charged an additional fee for those services.
Q: What kinds of payments does Patriots' Trail accept?
- VISA or MasterCard
- Checks and money orders made payable to "Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts"
- Girl Scouts, Patriots' Trail Council, Cookie Credits issued in 2007 (expire June 30, 2008) and in 2008 (expire June 30, 2009). Only
original cookie credit slips with required signatures will be accepted.
Cancellations & Refunds
- Deposits are never refundable.
- If your child does not attend camp, you are responsible for the camp fee unless you cancel in
writing four weeks before the start of camp.
- Written cancellation notices and requests for refunds for the balance of the camp fee must be received at
least four weeks prior to the beginning of the camp session. If you register less than four weeks before camp starts there is no refund.
- No refunds will be made for a camper arriving late, leaving early, or attending only part of a
session regardless of the reason.
- If your child receives financial assistance and does not show up for her scheduled camp session you will be
responsible for the full camp fee.
Past Due Balances and Returned Checks
- A $4 fee will be charged for all checks returned by the bank for any reason.
- A finance charge of 1.5% per month will be added to overdue balances and will accrue until the balance is paid.
- If a camper owes a balance to Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts which is more than 120 days due, any payment received
by GSEM, no matter what its original intended use, may be applied to those balances. Such payments shall be applied to the oldest invoice first. All past
due balances must be paid in full before registering for the current camp season.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available only to girls living
within the council’s jurisdiction. Assistance is based on the needs of the family and the availability of funds. In order that we may assist as many
girls as possible, a camper can only be awarded a portion of two weeks of camp. All information submitted on the Financial Aid form will be kept
confidential. Newly received financial assistance applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis February through June). Be sure to review the payment and cancellations policies above.
Applying for Financial Assistance
NOTE: At this time we are not accepting financial assistance applications
online.
Download the form (NOTE: requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free
software) or use the one in your printed camp brochure. Print legibly.
Complete application. Every question must be answered. Financial aid
application must be accompanied by a completed Registration Form and a
non-refundable deposit.
NOTE: FINANCIAL AID APPLICANTS ONLY: If Financial Aid
Award is not accepted and you withdraw your application, your deposit will be
refunded. Mail completed form, Registration Form, and deposit in envelope
marked “Confidential—Financial Assistance Request” to:
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts
95 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
Online Registration
Family and Troop Camping at Camp Menotomy
At this time, we are not accepting online registrations for programs at Camp Menotomy. You can register for these programs using the form in the printed camp brochure. For more information, call
617-350-8335.
Software Recommendations
The Online Registration system works with a variety of browsers, operating systems, and configurations. To get the
most out of the site's advanced features, we do recommend Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5 or greater, Windows 2000, and a minimum screen resolution
of 800x600. Cookies must be enabled for this session.
Security
Your personal information, including credit card payments, is protected by industry standard
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. Our site is certified by Verisign, the leading provider of online trust services.
Privacy
Your information will be used for Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts'
purposes ONLY. We never trade, sell, or lend mailing lists. For more on our privacy policy, click here.
If you have questions about our summer camps, your registration or bill, or information in your confirmation, contact:
Summer Camp
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts
95 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116
(p) 617-350-8335
(f) 617-350-5246
(e) camp@ptgirlscouts.org
We encourage your feedback to help us improve this Web site. Contact:
Web Site Administrator
Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts
95 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116
(p) 617-482-1078
(f) 617-350-5246
(e) info@ptgirlscouts.org
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