Camp Loyaltown Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Children (minimum age 4) and adults (no upper age limit) with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Between 50-60 campers will attend each session in 2023.

Camp Loyaltown can support many different levels of supervision depending on the needs of our campers.

Acceptance will be determined based on overall camper care required and staff ability to meet individual needs in a safe and appropriate manner.

While much of the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, there continue to be risks posed to people with certain illnesses such as insulin-dependent diabetes or respiratory disease that require nebulizer treatments.

Failure to communicate behaviors or needs may jeopardize the safety of the applicant as well as others at camp. Individuals whose needs and/or behavioral challenges are beyond the scope of the camp to safely accommodate will be sent home immediately.

ATTN: CAMPER FAMILIES/GUARDIANS

RE: MEDICATION PACKAGING & SHIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Blister Packed Medications Ordered through any private pharmacy (other than Pharmerica/Chem Rx) Are Required to be sent to Camp via Federal Express or UPS 7-10 days in advance of your child’s session start. Please address to:

Nursing Staff/Health Center
Camp Loyaltown
118 Glen Avenue
Hunter, NY 12442

For Safety and Compliance reasons, we are unable to provide any Exceptions for drop off of these medications.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND VIA REGULAR MAIL (USPS), AS DELVERY MAY BE DELAYED AND IT IS NOT AS SECURE

We have activities typical to summer camp including daily swimming in our fully accessible heated swimming pool, arts and crafts, music and drama, sports, games, nature study, theme days and much more. All activities are adapted to ensure that every camper has fulfilling camp experiences.

The full-time summer staff consists of a Nurse Manager and nurses (RNs and LPNs) on site 24 hours per day. The medical staff dispense medications and attend to emergency and non-emergency situations (e.g. seizure management, bug bites, illness).

The Health Office is a comprehensive facility complete with a treatment room, observation/quarantine rooms and private bathroom. Emergency equipment is readily available and portable. CMH Rapid Urgent Care is 25 minutes from camp.

The medical staff and counselors are trained to assist your camper with any personal care needs he/she may have. Our staff are trained and competent in providing the following types of care:

• Lifting and transferring: We have mechanical lifts with slings. In addition, all toilet facilities are equipped with handrails.
• Dressing: We have variable changing beds to facilitate safe changes for our campers.
• Bathing: We have shower benches, chairs, each shower is equipped with handrails in our shower stalls.
• Toileting and incontinence care for children and adults
• Daily hygiene such as combing hair, shaving and brushing teeth
• Dining: Supervised, assisted, hand-over-hand, total assistance and special diets.

Our meals are healthy, varied and camper friendly. Lunch and breakfast options are typical of a school menu. Dinner options are typical of home cooking. All meals are served family-style. Menu items are selected to provide nutritional meals that appeal to our campers.

At every meal we offer:

• Plain and Flavored Water
• Low-fat Milk
• Hot Chocolate/Tea/Coffee
• Hot and Cold Cereal
• Wheat Bread
• Yogurt
• Granola

Breakfast – Hot breakfast selections vary daily. Selections may include:

• Pancakes/Waffles
• Egg and Cheese Sandwiches
• Bagels
• Muffins
• Scrambled Eggs with Bacon or Sausage

Lunch – Our main course varies daily. Selections may include:

• BLT Sandwiches
• Chicken Caesar Wraps
• Deli and Tuna Sandwiches
• Pasta Salad
• Grilled Cheese
• Turkey Club Sandwiches

Dinner – Our main course varies daily. Selections may include:

• BBQ Grilled Pork Chops
• Chicken Quesadillas
• Spaghetti
• Baked Potato Bar
• Cheese Ravioli w/ Sauce
• Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

We are able to accommodate special dietary needs. We provide Lactaid and/or lactose-free food for meals and snacks campers who are lactose intolerant. Campers who are on a gluten-free diet can bring the necessary food, but our chefs are equipped to make any special meals.

Camp Loyaltown has rustic camper sleeping cabins with doors and windows. Each cabin houses six campers and six counselors, 1 counselor is in charge of overnight duties until 12:00am when the other staff has to be in the cabins. Cabins are all close in range to other buildings and have two exits monitored by door alarms that are kept on throughout the night for safety. All cabins are well maintained equipped with central air conditioning and heating.  We also have several fully accessible cabins on camp.

Campers will have the opportunity to visit the camp store for snacks each afternoon. We recommend your camper bring $10-$20 per session. We will collect your camper’s spending money at busing, log their money into of camp store log book. Unused money will be sent home at the end of the session.

We strive to keep our campers healthy. To support this effort, we ask guardians to inform us of any dietary restrictions for a specific camper to one snack and one drink from the camp store per day.

We sell camp apparel, chips, soda, cookies, flavored water and Popsicles. If you which to send snacks for a camper that has dietary restrictions, we suggest that he/she bring labeled snacks from home (individually wrapped packets work best). We will keep these in the kitchen so that he/she does not feel left out when his/her cabin mates are “shopping.”

Potential employees complete a comprehensive application including disclosure of criminal history and a complete background check (state and sexual offender databases). Each applicant completes two personal interviews with camp administration and three references are checked for every candidate. Employees are continually observed during their employment to ensure exemplary performance.

Camp applications are completed on Campdoc, a link is provided on our website.

The application will open on December 14.

The camp application is due March 15, however, to ensure a spot on the roster early application is strongly advised. We advise to:

• Fully complete the application
• Complete the annual physical
• Upload proof of COVID-19 vaccine
• Upload behavior intervention plan
• Upload most recent life plan which includes Camp Loyaltown
• Ensure that the 2023 medical packet is completed, signed by a physician, scanned, and uploaded
• Ensure that immunization records are up-to-date with uploaded proof of immunization.

Applications cannot be processed until all documents are uploaded and complete.

You will receive a confirmation email to verify that we have received your application. This only confirms that it has been received, not that the camper is enrolled. You will receive an acceptance packet as a final confirmation. If you have not received conformation within 2 days of completing the application, contact the camp office to verify receipt.

An automated email will be sent periodically with the status of your camper’s application and any missing items will be indicated.

An acceptance packet with details about the session (when to arrive, what to bring, directions, etc.) will be emailed to you upon approval of a complete application.

The Assistant Director will discuss alternate sessions with you, but we also maintain a waiting list for each session. We will notify you as soon as possible if a space becomes available in the desired session.

We can accept checks address to the Account department at 189 Wheatley Road, Brookville, NY. Credit cards (Master Card, Visa and Discover) can be used to make payments over the phone by calling our Account department (516) 626-1075 extension 1311.

The checks for camp should be mailed to:

Citizens Options Unlimited, Inc.
189 Wheatley Rd.
Brookville, NY 11545
Attn: Accounting #5, Dolores

Please make check out to: Citizens Options Unlimited, Inc.

Please write the camper’s name in the memo & the session he/she is attending.

Yes, we’d love for them to!  There are some financial considerations:

If a person is living at home and receives Medicaid waiver and the camp receives the correct paperwork for Medicaid waiver, the person’s first session can be covered by Medicaid waiver.  The remaining sessions must be privately paid out of pocket.  If a person is living at a group home, the rates are the same, however they will not have Medicaid waiver for any session.

• Cost: The cost for sessions is $690 per day.
  • Sessions 1-5:  $9,660 each
  • Sessions 6 & 7:  $4,830 each
• Non-refundable deposit
  • A non-refundable deposit, per additional two-week session, due by January 30, 2023.
    • The deposit schedule is as follows:
      • Sessions 1-5: $1000 each
      • Sessions 6 & 7: $500 each
    • The deposit will be applied to the overall cost of sessions attended.
    • If the funds are not received by January 30, the sessions will be released to a family on our waiting list.
• Payment in full
  • Additionally, sessions not covered by Medwaiver will need to be paid in full no later than February 28, 2023.
    • Please see cost schedule above.
    • If the funds are not received by February 28, the sessions will be released to a family on our waiting list.
• Timeline
  • January 30, 2023: Non-refundable deposit due
  • February 28, 2023:  Payment in full due

Both a caregiver and the camper must be present at check in. Please bring a negative COVID test: A PCR is valid 2 days prior to bussing and the Rapid test is valid one day prior to bussing.  Luggage should be carried to check-in so it can be tagged. The camp staff will assist with bringing luggage to the bus after your camper completes the check-in process.

We require that the health forms to be submitted online with the application by the deadline (to be announced in the coming weeks). This gives the clinical staff time to review the forms and request any necessary items.

After completing check-in, you will be able to talk to a unit head that oversees the cabins to relay any additional information about the campers. But please be advised to include all information in the 2023 camper application. We encourage you to chat with the staff.

To help your camper enjoy his/her experience we encourage calls home. You will be notified in the case of an emergency or any other concerns. If you are concerned that your camper may be overly homesick, a documented chat with your camper’s Unit Head or the Assistant Director can be arranged. You are welcome to check in daily with the Camp.

We discourage sending items of value and electronics to camp and encourage campers to engage with fellow campers and camp staff.

You may contact your camper by one-way email at tgilfillian@citizens-inc.org. Upon receipt, the email will be printed and delivered to your camper. These emails are one-way and campers will not have computer access.

Families and caregivers are encouraged to send mail. Please be sure to send it prior to camp or just after arrival to ensure your camper receives it.

It is not unusual for young or first time campers to be homesick. We do our best to keep campers active and involved in fun and exciting activities. If the homesickness persists, the Unit Head may call to let you know what is happening and seek helpful suggestions.

• Don’t over pack.
• Make note of all items packed prior to arrival.
• Don’t bring new or expensive clothing – this is camp, we will most likely get dirty!
• Don’t send anything that you consider irreplaceable – grandma’s quilt, family photos, jewelry, etc.
• Clearly label all of the camper’s belongings with a full name. We serve hundreds of campers every summer. By the end of the season first and last initials are little help in sorting left items.

Yes! We make an honest effort to send each camper home with the same items with which they arrived. Despite our best efforts things do get left behind. The lost and found is located at the camp office. Items will be held until the end of the camping season pending calls to claim items. You will have the opportunity to come and pick those items up at your convenience. Items not claimed will be scheduled for drop off at campers Residential Programs.

Transportation to and from camp is provided by camp using buses from the Sissy Burnbaum School at Brookville to Hunter NY.

Campers can be pickup on campgrounds on a changeover day between 10-10:30am – please make sure this information is included in the 2023 camper application.

• All medications must be in their original, pharmacy-packed containers. Medications will not be accepted in any other containers.
• All medications (including over-the-counter medications) need to be clearly labeled with camper name, drug name/strength and current dosage
• All medications and treatments must have a signed Physician’s Order or a copy of the most recent script.
• Please send only a travel supply (14 days) of accurately labeled medications. We will accept monthly birth control packs.
• All medications must be turned in and reviewed with the nurse during check-in dates, including all prescription and over-the-counter medications and vitamins. Please do not leave any medications in luggage.
• Please supply any specialty medication supplies necessary for the camper at.
• Unused medications/supplies will be returned on the day of departure.
• On the first day of camp the first dose of medications will be dispensed at 5:00 pm.

PLEASE NOTE: A nurse will not be available to assist you during those times unless you have scheduled an appointment, please look at the dates and schedule a time that works for you by calling By calling Suzanne Gabler, Nurse Manager, at 518-263-4242 Ext. 125 or emailing at sgabler@citizens-inc.org

Location of the Medication check in will be at the Plainview office, 115 East Bethpage Road, Plainview NY  11803 please refer to the below schedule:

 

Session 1             Wednesday June 7, 2023        9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview 

Session 2             Wednesday June 21, 2023      9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview  

Session 3             Thursday July 6, 2023             9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview

Session 4             Wednesday July 19, 2023       9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview

Session 5             Wednesday August 2, 2023    9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview                                                                       

Session 6            Wednesday August 16, 2023   9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm     Plainview

 

We do not supply prescribed medications or nutritional supplements. Please bring enough for your camper for the 2 weeks in original containers. The infirmary stocks common over the counter medications in case of headache, stomachache, etc.

Medical Marijuana is considered a “Schedule I” controlled substance under federal law. The federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) makes the use, possession, etc., of marijuana (and other Schedule I drugs) illegal.

The Nurses at Camp Loyaltown cannot administer or store any type of marijuana drugs/ products including products containing CBD; eg. gummies, oil, products containing THC, or food containing marijuana; eg. brownies, etc. as it is illegal under Federal law.

There are two synthetic forms of marijuana that are FDA (Federal Drug Administration) approved: Marinol and Cesamet. These drugs can be administered by the camp nurses pursuant to a valid doctor’s order. A third synthetic form of marijuana that can be administered is Epidiolex; given for two forms of epilepsy: Lennox Gestault Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome. Epidiolex also needs a valid doctor’s order for the camp nurses to administer.

If your camper is currently taking any of the above drugs/ products (with the exception of the three approved synthetic forms of marijuana), please consult with their physician prior to the start of their camp session to discuss.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. The safety of our campers is our top priority.

We are moving from planned activity schedules to open activities.  This means that rather than having specific activities planned at specific times, activities will run throughout the day and campers will be able to choose what activities they want to go to and when they want to go to them.  A daily schedule would look like this:

Morning Activity choices:

Arts:  Ceramic hearts, paper crafts, painting.
Nature Barn:  Rabbit care, cow care, sensory garden, vegetable garden
Recreation:  Basketball, volleyball, inflatables on the beach
Pool: Swimming!

Afternoon Activity choices:

Arts:  Pottery wheel, decorate pine cones, painting.
Nature Barn:  Rabbit care, cow care, sensory garden, vegetable garden
Recreation:  Mini golf, swings, kickball.
Pool: Swimming!

Evening Activity choices:

Dance party
Karaoke
Sensory room
Campfire

Darius Benjamin, Operations Manager
dbenjamin@citizens-inc.org
516-293-2016 ext. 5463

Tevin Gilfillian, Assistant Director
tgilfillian@citizens-inc.org
516-293-2016 ext 5165

Suzanne Gabler, Nursing Supervisor
tgabler@citizens-inc.org
518-463-4242 ext 125