REFUND POLICIES & OTHER CAMP POLICIES

NEW REFUND POLICIES 2025

All fees must be paid in full by June 1st.

Canceling Before July 1st – If you cancel your registration before June 1st, you will receive a refund of your registration fee minus a $50.00 administration fee per camper or camp.

No Refunds After July 1st.

Medical Reasons

Refunds will only be issued for cancellations after July 1st if the cancellation is due to a medical reason. A doctor’s note is required in such cases, and you will be refunded your fee minus the non-refundable deposit.

E-transfers: Payments should be made online; however, if you pay by e-transfer, funds must be sent to info@campkahuna.com. No other email is used for e-transfers, and the account will be considered unpaid if funds are transferred to any other email.

What are non-refundable Deposits? The non-refundable deposit covers non-recoupable processing fees to Camp Kahuna.  You have secured a spot that could have been given to another child. By June 1st, families had already booked a spot in another camp, so waitlists were no longer relevant.

Rainy Days at Camp—Camp is on whether it rains or shines. My staff prepares rainy-day activities for our campers. If parents cancel because of the weather, there are no refunds or make-up days. The summer camps are full, and we cannot transfer campers into other weeks of camp as an alternative.

We play in the rain. Children will have a great time if they are dressed for the weather.

Weather:  At Camp Kahuna, the safety and well-being of our campers is our top priority. While we strive to provide an enjoyable and enriching experience, circumstances beyond our control, such as inclement weather, may necessitate the cancellation of camp activities.

Weather-Related Cancellations

1. **Rain or Severe Weather:** In the event of rain or severe weather conditions, Camp Kahuna reserves the right to cancel camp activities for the safety of our campers and staff. This includes but is not limited to heavy rain, thunderstorms, extreme heat, air quality and other hazardous weather conditions.

2. **No Refunds Policy:** Please note that no refunds will be issued for cancellations due to weather-related circumstances. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter as these decisions are made with the utmost consideration for safety.

**Communication** In the event of a weather-related cancellation, we will notify parents and guardians as promptly as possible through our designated communication channels. We encourage you to regularly check for updates and ensure your contact information is up to date. Thank you for your understanding and continued support of Camp Kahuna

Missing Camp Due to Illness – No refunds or credits if your child misses camp due to illness.

Important Registration Information 2025

Health and Safety Protocols 2025

Our Facility: Camp Kahuna takes the health and safety of our campers seriously. Camp Kahuna follows the most current health and safety policies mandated by the provincial government and other health and safety measures. 

Heat Warning Policy

In the event of a heat advisory while our campers are on our property, we will adhere to the following process:

• We will ensure all our campers have access to drinking water. 
• Our campers will stop every 30 minutes for a drink of water.
• Our campers will not play active games involving running or exertion.
• Passive games will be played in the shade.
• We will program additional water activities throughout the day.
• Campers can access the creek, pool, and water mushroom throughout the camp day. We have indoor spaces at our Mt. Nemo location, which we can use on extremely hot days.
• We will buy our campers freezies to cool them down.
• Staff will check in with campers frequently to ensure they are hydrated and have been drinking water.

Refunds are not issued if parents decide not to send their children to camp because of inclement weather. (Rain or heat)

Swimming: Swimming will take place in camp groups. Each group will have a scheduled swim time (pool, creek and water mushroom). Certified lifeguards are present at all times. All campers are required to take a swim test. If a camper is six years of age or under, they must always be in a life jacket or puddle jumper.

Camp Toilets: Camp Kahuna has four portable toilets, including hand-washing stations inside. These washrooms will be maintained regularly, including cleaning and sanitizing. We will be increasing the frequency of cleaning at our 2025 camps and have discovered a solution that rids porta-potties of ordors.

Sick Campers: Should a camper fall sick or display signs of sickness during camp, public health and safety measures will be followed as outlined below: 

• • Camper will immediately be separated from their cohort and taken to a designated isolation area. 
  • Per public health advice, the camper and Staff will wear the required PPE and remain socially distanced. 
  • Parents will be contacted by the camp director immediately. 
  • Contact tracing will be documented as per Ontario regulations 
  • Families will be contacted as public health advises. 
  • The camper and family will be contacted following camp day regarding the next steps. 
  • The camper will not be permitted to return to camp until a positive COVID-19 test is provided to Camp Kahuna.

Special Need Campers: 

Camp Kahuna puts every effort forward to accommodate campers with special needs. Camp Kahuna does not identify any stringent policies regarding campers with special needs, as several factors determine whether we can provide a safe, suitable environment. Suitability and capabilities vary depending on the number of campers and Staff onsite. Camp Kahuna will ensure all campers are successful and secure and will do everything we can to ensure safety and camp quality. Therefore, if you have a special needs child and wish to attend a Camp Kahuna camp, please contact us, and we will review each case independently. Unfortunately, we do not offer one-to-one care for special needs campers. This service would need to be provided by the caregiver.

Behavioural Challenges:

Should campers at Camp Kahuna present behavioural challenges, the following process is defined: 

1. We talk to the camper to see what the difficulty is and relate our expectations

2. If the behaviour continues, the child will have a time-out, missing a few minutes of an activity

3. If the behaviour continues, we will contact a parent or guardian to inform them of what is going on and ask for suggestions

4. If the behaviour continues, the child will talk to their parent

5. If the behaviour continues, the child goes home for a day or the rest of the week, depending on the behaviour

We want all children to be successful and will work with the child and parent to ensure this success. We must consider the other campers, and if a camper’s behaviour affects other campers, we must decide whether a child stays at camp or goes home.

There are specific behaviours we send campers home for physically hurting other campers, endangering campers, and ongoing deviance.

Grievances:

Camp Kahuna diligently ensures that all camp families are satisfied with the quality of our camp program. Should there be any concerns, comments, or questions about the camp program, camp staff, or campers, please discuss them with our lead staff, who work onsite at Camp Kahuna. We are always interested in constructive criticism, as we want our camp to exceed your expectations.

Face to Face: If you have a concern or question about camp, we would prefer to talk to you face to face. Emails do not have a “tone” and can be misinterpreted.

Peanut-Free:

Camp Kahuna is apeanut-free facility. Camp Kahuna buys all food for sleepaway camps, ensuring it is peanut-free. We thoroughly clean our kitchen area and do everything possible to eliminate contaminants. Other camps use our facility, so we do everything possible to reduce risk. Day camps are also peanut-free. We ask that parents not send their campers items containing or may contain peanuts. 

Water: 

Camp Kahuna provides safe and accessible drinking water stations around our facility. Each day, you must send a refillable water bottle to camp with your camper.

Special Diets:

(Sleepaway)

Camp Kahuna can accommodate some special diets at our sleepaway camps. 

• Gluten-sensitive
• Dairy-sensitive/Lactose intolerant
• Peanut-free

We cannot accommodate the following diets because of the limits of our facility – celiac, kosher, pescatarian, vegan, and completely dairy-free i.e. milk solids etc. in food.

Dietary Requests

Important: Parents must disclose dietary restrictions. Children have disclosed their nutritional needs at camp, which doesn’t work. We have already bought food. It’s unfair to my kitchen staff to go to the store to purchase different food while camp is in progress.

If parents have disclosed their child’s dietary needs and have paid for this option, we have no problem accommodating them. However, we cannot accommodate the dietary requirements disclosed while at camp. If this happens, parents will be contacted and must supply the additional food at their expense.

We can only accommodate your child’s needs if you have indicated these on the registration form. For example:

Some children are “trying” the gluten diet but are not gluten-sensitive. They can eat regular food. We buy all our food before camp and can only buy other food once the camp begins. Please tell us on the camp application and choose this food sensitivity option when registering. We will happily accommodate your children if you follow the proper process.

Disclosing dietary requirements is essential to ensure your child receives meals they can eat and enjoy.

Other Camp Policies

Cell Phones

(Sleepaway Camps) Campers are not permitted to bring cell phones to camp. The reason for this policy is:

1) cell phones encourage homesickness. It is easy for a child to text or phone a parent when they feel homesick. It can encourage homesickness in others as well.

2) They can get lost or damaged

3) They can be misused by accessing social media sites or using inappropriate websites.

Sunscreen: (Day Camps) It is the parent’s responsibility to apply sunscreen to their child before day camps start. Camp Kahuna staff will remind campers throughout the day to reapply their sunscreen. 

Medication: If a child is on medication during the school year, it is recommended that they be on it during the summer.

(Sleep Away Camp) All medication that comes into Camp Kahuna must be in its original container, labelled with the name of the medication and dosage. All medication will be handed over to our camp nurse at check-in and returned to you when you check out. We cannot give a camper medicine if it isn’t in its original container. This is to ensure the safety of all campers.

Emails: (For both Day Camps and Sleep-Away Camps) We will send you daily emails from Camp Kahuna to let you know what the kids did each day and if there is anything you need to know for the next days at camp.

Photos: We take a lot of photos at camp. We post these photos on a private Camp Kahuna Facebook page. The photos are also sometimes used for promotional purposes. We respect your family’s privacy and wishes. If you do not want your child to be photographed or have their photo on our Facebook page or used for promotional purposes, please email Camp Kahuna before camp begins. This is also an item mentioned when you registered. You can indicate that you do not want your child photographed during registration.

Treats: Our campers may receive a treat during day camps. The treats at day camps are usually popsicles or S’mores at our campfire. We try to buy mostly fruit popsicles; however, this is only sometimes possible. It depends on availability. We limit the amount of candy/sugary treats served. If your child is not permitted treats or you would like to suggest an alternative treatment, please let us know before camp starts. We respect that some parents wish their children not to have sugary products. We need to be informed before camp starts. All food that comes into Kids 4 Kids is peanut-free.

Lost & Found

If your child leaves items at camp, we will keep them for one week after camp and donate them to a charity. Parents are responsible for contacting the camp and picking the items up. If we find items with the camper’s name, we will try our best to return them to the camper during their stay at camp.

Staff-to-Camper Ratio: Our summer camps have a 7:1 counsellor-to-camper ratio.

Nurse: We have a nursing student onsite at Camp Kahuna.

Camp Kahuna Staff are required to have standard first aid and CPR. We have a lifeguard on duty at all times when the campers are swimming at Camp Kahuna.

Weather

At our Camp Kahuna day camps, we have a 40 by 40-foot tent. We will play in the rain unless there is lightning. If there are heavy winds or lightning, we may move the various camp buildings. We will always do our best to keep our campers safe. If it looks like a “rainy day,” please ensure your kids are in their rain gear before arriving at camp.

Drop Off and Pick Up

Camp Kahuna Day Camps: When you drop your child off for a summer day camp, please meet our Staff in the parking lot and check your child into camp. Parents should drop their kids off at the drop-off zone and leave camp immediately. We want to keep the traffic moving and avoid large gatherings.

Before & After Care: If you purchased the Before and After-care option, drop-off is at 8:00 a.m., and pickup is at 5:00 p.m. All other campers can arrive between 8:20 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.

If you know you will be late, please call our lead Staff Connor – at 289-208-1547 to make arrangements. 

Camp Kahuna Full-Week Sleepaway Camps:

Drop-off for the half-week is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., and pick-up is between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Drop off for the full-week August Camp Kahuna is on Sunday at 12:30 pm for families whose name starts with the letters A to K and at 1:15 pm for families whose name starts with the letters L to Z. Pick up on Friday is anytime between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.

Liability Policy

Liability Release and Parental Consent Form