Commitment to Safety
We're working closely with the CDC, the mayor's office and local Vanderbilt doctors to ensure the new policies and procedures not only meet the recommended guidelines, but far exceed them. The safety of our campers and staff is, as always, our highest priority.
Medical Staff Supervision
Camp Widjiwagan has an on-site Health Center with a nurse to oversee camp and health assistants to handle day-to-day medication distribution and first aid when needed.
The Health Center will notify parents regarding any illness or injury beyond basic scratches, stings, bug bites, cuts or bumps.
Camp Meals
Food served at Camp Widjiwagan always includes alternatives in case of food allergies. We are a nut-free facility.
Water Safety
We have many aquatics facilities and strive to ensure that campers get the opportunity to swim every day. Our lifeguards are licensed through Ellis & Associates, the unrivaled leader in aquatic safety. Our licensing process includes:
- A Comprehensive Aquatic Risk Management Program
- In-house lifeguard training
- CPR/First Aid/Emergency Oxygen/AED training.
- We also conduct weekly on-site Aquatic Facility Operational Auditing to provide on-going assessment of our facilities and personnel. We mandate mandatory lifeguard re-testing and re-licensing every year.
Equestrian Activities
We have an equestrian herd of 24 horses. Safety is a cornerstone of each of our programs and lessons. Each participant will wear a helmet and will be supervised by our trained wranglers who know the horses personally.
Ropes and Climbing
Our ropes courses are essential to all of our programs year-round. Our climbing courses are inspected annually by an outside vendor and are checked thoroughly before each use.
Inclusion at Summer Camp
We believe that every child deserves the chance to experience the joy and magic of summer camp. Because of this, we do not offer a separate program for children with special needs, but rather do everything in our power to make sure that our programs are accessible to all children, regardless of ability level. In order to ensure the success of every child at camp we have:
- Staff training focused on including campers of all abilities and backgrounds with a philosophy of “Challenge By Choice” attitude.
- We encourage campers to try activities that they have never done before.
- We encourage campers’ development as they try and try again. Not everyone leaves with a trophy, but every camper will leave with an experience in perseverance.
- A staff-to-camper ratio that meets or exceeds American Camping Association standards.
Inclusion services can include (but are not limited to):
- Pre-camp meetings with parents and campers that allow us to get to know your child and allow your child to get to know camp before the summer even begins.
- Ongoing communication with parents throughout the summer.
- Ongoing staff training and supervision promoting best practices in accommodations, social skill building, behavior management, etc.
- Individualized accommodations designed to help your child succeed (e.g., picture schedules; social stories; positive behavior plans).
Camp Widjiwagan is proud to be a program recognized by the National Inclusion Project. If you would like to know more about our inclusion efforts or have questions about whether Camp Widjiwagan would be a good fit for your child, please do not hesitate to call us at (615) 360-2267.
Programs for children with special needs
We are proud to partner with Easter Seals of Tennessee to serve campers of all abilities at camp. We will make every attempt to serve campers who have special physical or developmental needs. Parents of campers with special needs should contact Easter Seals at (615) 292-6640 for registration information or call the camp office at (615) 360-2267 for additional information.