Frequently Asked Questions about Wellspring New York
We know you have many questions about what to expect at Wellspring New York. Some of the questions we're asked most frequently are answered below. For more general questions regarding Wellspring Camps, please click here.
- What if my daughter gets homesick?
- Is my daughter allowed to bring her cell phone, laptop, iPod, etc.?
- How much weight will she lose? Do you guarantee results?
- When and how often will she be calling home?
- Will she have access to computers?
- How do you decide roommates? What happens if she doesn't like her roommate?
- What happens if she gets sick? What medical facilities are there available?
- How do you screen and select your staff?
- What are your accommodations like?
- We live far away, what if we can't make the Family Workshop?
- How do you do your meals? If my daughter is hungry or won't eat what is available?
- How do you do laundry?
What if my daughter gets homesick?
Homesickness is inevitable at some point at camp and may last 5 minutes or 5 days. It affects old and young alike. We find that keeping participants happy and busy is the best cure for homesickness and we also ask that parents maintain an upbeat and positive attitude when talking with their children. While no doubt you are missing your daughter greatly, focusing on the positive aspects of her being at camp - making friends, having fun, becoming healthier - helps greatly in enabling your daughter to adjust to camp life. The ironic thing is that participants are always "campsick" when they return home! We also have many counselors who have been campers themselves in years past and can really help your daughter through difficult times because they have been there. Each participant also has an individual behavioral coach that will help her through any struggles.
Is my daughter allowed to bring her cell phone, laptop, ipod, etc.?
Campers are not allowed to bring cell phones, computers, or any device to camp with which they can access the internet. We do allow iPods and other mp3 players as we know many young people enjoy listening to music as they workout and we highly encourage enjoyable workouts! Cell phones and other internet devices provide too much distraction for your daughter; we really want her to be able to focus on herself and getting healthy while with us this summer. You can help by talking to your daughter before she leaves for camp and telling her that there is always someone at camp to reach out to, whether it is her counselor, activity instructor, director, nurse, or any camp staff member. We are all here to help. Your trust will evoke her trust.
How much weight will she lose? Do you guarantee results?
Average weight loss is 4 pounds/week. Please know that this is an average and is variable based on each individual camper. There are many biological and behavioral factors that affect the amount of and speed with which an individual camper will lose weight. We do not guarantee results, but we have never had a camper come to camp and not lose weight. Most importantly, we focus on skills and lifestyle change so that weight loss does not end when she leaves our campus, but continues until she reaches a healthy weight.
When and how often will campers be calling home?
Each participant will have 1 phone call home each week. These calls happen on Sundays and we send out emails to all families letting you know when to expect a call from your daughter. Participants also have the opportunity to earn longer Sunday calls and an additional weekly call by participating in our reward system called the Summit System. If you ever need to schedule a specific time please just let us know and we will ensure that she calls home when you are available. Also, if you miss her call, we will let her continue to try until she reaches you!
Participants also have email time each week and are encouraged to send letters and postcards home.
Will participants have access to computers?
Participants will have access to their personal email accounts at our computer lab on campus. Participants over the age of 18 can access these computers whenever they have a break in their schedule. Campers under 18 will have three scheduled Internet times per week. E-mail is a great way to stay in touch, so make sure your daughter has her own account before she leaves for camp and that she knows your address, as well.
How do you decide roommates? What happens if she doesn't like her roommate?
Participants typically room with one other participant who is of similar age. We carefully read the information you provide and the answers your child gives to the camper questionnaire in the enrollment packet and match up campers of similar interests and background.
Campers spend very little time in their rooms and very rarely do we have conflicts with roommates. If a conflict does arise, we work to resolve it immediately with the help of counselors and behavioral coaches. Much more often, camp roommates form a close friendship that lasts long after camp has finished.
What happens if a camper gets sick? What medical facilities are there available?
We have three full-time nurses who live with us all summer.. The clinic is located in our dorm with convenient daily hours and 24 hour emergency care. We also have a relationship with a local doctor for any treatment beyond what our nurses provide on campus. You will always be notified if your child becomes sick or injured at camp. Also, all of our camp counselors are certified in CPR for the Professional Rescuer and all Adventure Staff have Wilderness First Aid experience and certifications.
How do you screen and select your staff?
We take a great deal of care when selecting and interviewing our camp staff. All of our staff members are over 21 years of age, or are exceptionally mature former participants who are successful long-term weight controllers. The majority have expertise in nutrition, fitness and health. We always take extensive references from former employers and every staff member goes through a criminal background screening and drug use screening. We also require our staff to have clean driving records and further test them ourselves. All staff members complete our mandatory staff training and we do not hesitate to dismiss a member of staff who does not meet our high standards. Our staff members are role models to the campers and many return year after year for one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.
What are your accommodations like?
Our home for the summer is Union College near Albany, NY. All participants and staff stay in College Park Hall which is a beautifully renovated dorm. College Park Hall was once a hotel so each room as its own bathroom and it is fully air conditioned. We also have a private workout area and our own dining facility. The grounds are beautiful, with state of the art facilities and playing fields and miles of walking paths and gardens to enjoy. For more information about our location, visit: New York weight loss camp.
We live far away, what if we can't make the Family Workshop?
Every family is strongly encouraged to attend a free Family Workshop, as it is a really great way to learn how to support your daughter once she comes home. We believe so strongly in the importance of the Family Workshop that we offer a $300 Family Workshop Award to every family that sends at least one family member to a Workshop. We have many camps across the country and the UK. If another location is closer to your home, please feel free to attend that Family Workshop. It will definitely be worth it!
How do you do your meals? If my daughter is hungry or won't eat, what is available?
We offer three meals a day plus two snacks to ensure that our campers are not hungry. Each meal consists of a healthy entree as well as an "uncontrolled food" bar, which includes salads, soups, fat-free yogurt, fat-free cottage cheese, and a variety of fresh fruit. There are many options to choose from among the uncontrolled foods, as well as delicious entrees at every meal. Entrees are typically kid-friendly food made using low-fat ingredients and healthier cooking methods. So participants enjoy meals like baked chicken fingers, pizza, bison burgers, spaghetti with meatballs—lots of traditional favorites to help participants learn how delicious a low-fat, low-density lifestyle can be.
Read more about the Wellspring New York menu.How do you do laundry?
Laundry facilities are located on every other floor of our dorm. The machines are free of charge and Wellspring will provide detergent. We do suggest for allergies or sensitive skin that camper's bring their own detergent to keep in their rooms for laundry day. Participants are responsible for their own laundry, and our counselors are always willing to give lessons.
