A Culture of Safety
At Camp Winaukee we promise never to take the physical or emotional safety of your son for granted. We work non-stop to create a robust and non-negotiable culture of safety that allows your son to enjoy camp and reap the many benefits because he knows he is safe.
Winaukee Facts
- Two health centers on property, both staffed 24 hours a day.
- Camp Doctor, Registered Nurses and student nurses on site.
- All waterfront staff (regardless of specific role) are American Red Cross certified lifeguards.
- All waterfront staff receive 5 additional days of on-site training.
- All trip leaders are Wilderness First Aid certified.
- We are inspected annually by the New Hampshire Health Department and licensed by the State of New Hampshire.
- We comply with rigorous standards in order to be accredited by the American Camp Association each year.
ACA Accredited
We are accredited by the American Camping Association, an organization that puts in place 350+ standards and checks on summer camps. Without satisfying EVERY SINGLE ONE we would not be able to hold this accreditation.
How do we choose our staff?
We know that nobody at camp is going to have a bigger impact on your son’s experience than our counselors. Therefore we don’t just choose anyone to work with us, we invest more time, care and diligence in hiring our staff than any other activity. It’s the most important thing we do!
All of our staff are interviewed at least twice. During the interview process we assess the ability of the potential staff member against our organizational values - one of which, is SAFETY. We only move forward with candidates who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our campers safety.
Candidates are asked to provide a minimum of three references, and are put through a criminal background check and also are checked against the National Sex Offender Registry.
Only if a candidate satisfies all of these checks are they allowed to become a staff member at Camp Winaukee.
Staff Training
At Winaukee we run a 9 day Staff Training program where the focus is not only on the skills required to be phenomenal counselors, but also on risk management and adhering to our culture of safety.
Specialized Training
Additional training is given and required for any staff member that will be working at the waterfront, leading a trip, facilitating campers on our ropes courses, supervising an archery clinic or driving a boat.
Lifeguards
No activity is run on, in or near the water without appropriate lifeguard supervision. Lifeguards arrive at camp 3 weeks prior to your son to give them enough time to be fully trained, familiarize themselves with our equipment and run through drills.
Our lifeguards are certified through the American Red Cross and then also trained at camp by our Waterfront Directors. We use a comprehensive buddy system for all waterfront and water-craft activities.
Our swim instructors are also trained by the American Red Cross and complete the Water Swim Instruction course.
Van Drivers
Winaukee has an extensive inter-camp sports schedule, in addition to a robust trips program. This means that your son often leaves camp. We believe it’s essential in his development to experience new places and challenge himself, all the while maintaining the highest possible safety protocols. That’s why we have exhaustive procedures to ensure your son’s safety while in transport to and from Winaukee.
We employ two professional drivers who are CDL licensed and current school bus drivers in New Hampshire. Patty and Julie do the vast majority of driving for any off-camp excursion and have been with us for many years. They know our campers, they know the local roads and are a friendly face for every Winaukee boy while off-campus.
Any other staff member that is asked to drive are subject to certain steps that we take to ensure your son’s safety. Our van drivers are hand picked by Dan and must be at least 21 years old. In addition to the criminal background check they have already received we also screen their driving history and they are vetted by our insurance company. Once they meet this criteria they are thoroughly trained on driving our vans including van handling, emergency procedures and all relevant camp policies related to taking a camper off-site.
Health Center
We run two health centers 24 hours a day and is fully stocked to treat your son should the need arise. Our RNs administer daily and as needed medications.
Allergies
Many current and future Winaukee campers have an allergy or dietary restriction and our staff are fully briefed on latest protocols including the use of epi-pens. Our goal is that an allergy should never negatively impact a boys summer camp experience.
Hear from Our Families
Boys’ lives are changed at camp. We see it every summer, and so do our camp families.