Casa Italia | Italian Cultural Center - 3800 Division Street Stone Park, IL 60165

Summer Camp Guidelines

FIRST DAY OF CAMP
Children should be dropped off between 9:15 and 9:30 AM.

For the parents, grandparents and siblings of the campers who have never visited Casa Italia, a tour of the grounds and Casa’s Museums is scheduled for your convenience beginning at 10:00 AM on Monday, June 20th.

Please inform the camp staff that you will be taking the tour and they will direct you. The tour is complimentary to the family of the campers. A second tour of Casa Italia’s ground and museums is scheduled for the family of the campers on the last day of camp, after the family luncheon.

WHAT TO WEAR TO CAMP
All campers will receive a complimentary Casa Italia camp T-shirt which they are expected to wear every day. Extra t-shirts can be purchased at an additional cost of $15.00 each. Campers should wear comfortable shorts or jeans that they won’t mind getting dirty during outdoor activities.

All campers are expected to wear gym shoes every day (no open front or back). Any other kind of shoe, other than gym shoes, will ban the camper from taking part to the many sports activities planned throughout the day.

WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP
All campers are expected to bring a sack to camp with the following items:

* Sunscreen (campers are encouraged to apply sunscreen in the morning)
* Change of clothes
* Bathing suit
* Beach towel
* Hairbrush
* A rain jacket and a hat
* Optional: bug spray

All items, including the sack, should be labeled with the camper’s name. We ask that children leave all valuables and electronics at home. If brought to camp, they will be taken, stored and given back at the end of the day.

SNACKS
Campers will receive two snacks per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Fruit juices and milk will also be made available to them. Spring water will be available throughout the day to keep campers well hydrated as they enjoy their activities.

LUNCH
We take pride in serving our children fresh, healthy and organic food.

Lunches will be provided for all full day campers free of charge. If a child is not happy with the food selection of a particular day, the following food items will be available: pasta with butter and cheese, salami, nutella or cheese sandwich.

SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS AND FOOD ALLERGIES
Casa Italia is responsive to the individualized dietary needs of our campers. If your camper has specific dietary needs or food allergies we will work with you throughout camp to ensure that your child is safe and comfortable at all times.

It is our safety recommendation that campers with special dietary needs and severe food allergies bring a sack lunch from home. A container of safe treats from home should also be kept at camp. This ensures that campers with specific dietary needs will be able to enjoy a treat along with other campers.

COVID PROTOCOLS
Vaccinations and up-to-date boosters will be required of all staffers and are encouraged for age-appropriate campers as well as parents and guardians who drop the campers off. No proof of vaccination or boosters will be required. Masks will be optional for campers and staff when camp is being conducted outdoors. Masks will be required of staff and optional for campers indoors. Please include a couple of masks in each camper’s bag. Our protocols may change to reflect changes in infection rates and state and local mandates.

SICKNESS POLICY
Campers who are running a fever must be kept home and tested for COVID. If they test positive, they should be kept home for five days. If their siblings are attending the camp, are vaccinated and test negative, they can continue to attend the camp. If they are unvaccinated, they must stay home and test negative at the end of the five-day quarantine. Our protocols may change to reflect changes in infection rates, quarantine times, and state and local mandates.

COMMUNICATION
Casa Italia Camp Staff will keep parents informed about camp news via email, online photos and fliers sent home with the campers. Parents, along with family and friends, will be invited to attend the campers closing presentation at the end of the season. For safety and security reasons, we do not offer open visitations during camp.

INCLEMENT WEATHER
Camp will be held daily, regardless of weather conditions. Our large indoor facilities and large covered pavilion allow camp to continue during inclement weather.

ABSENCES
Please contact Casa Italia office to inform us of a camper’s absence. For the safety of all campers, we ask that a child with a fever or a contagious illness stay home from camp until he/she is fever free and treated for 24 hours. Call (708) 278-8004.

BRINGING A FRIEND TO CAMP
Campers are allowed to bring a friend to camp if they wish. The camper’s parents will need to notify Casa’s office in advance of the visit and pay a fee of $30 upon arrival. The fee must be paid by check addressed to Casa Italia and brought to Casa’s office or handed to the camp director. The $30 fee includes lunch for the camper’s guest.

CAMPERS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
If your child’s birthday falls during camp and you’d like to celebrate it at camp, you are able to bring a cake or treat for all children present. Please let us know in advance by contacting Casa Italia’s office. We will do our best to accommodate your requests. We are unable to accept home baked goods due to allergy issues, please select store bought goods only.

FOOD DONATIONS
All food donations of fruit, ice cream, snacks and baking goods are welcome. Again, we appreciate and gladly accept as long as they are store bought and the packages are sealed. For safety reasons, we cannot accept homemade foods or baked goods. We appreciate your understanding.

VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers including parents, grandparents and older siblings are needed, welcomed and appreciated. All volunteers need to be pre-screened and approved by Casa Italia. Please provide us with their name address, home and cell phone numbers, social security number and another form of identification. Volunteers will receive an ID tag that they will need to wear at all times when at camp.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP POINT
Please drop off and pick up your child in front of the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia, 1621 N. 39th Avenue.

Instructors and staff will welcome you and your child at the turnabout near the Sacred Heart.

BEFORE AND AFTER CAMP SERVICES
Before and after camp sessions will run from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, both weeks of camp, for a total of 20 sessions. The cost is $200 for all 20 sessions, $100 for just the 10 morning or just the 10 afternoon sessions, and $15 per session for occasional use.

EMERGENCY PICK UP PROCEDURE
If someone else other than the parents or guardian will be picking up the child from camp please contact Casa’s office with detailed information on the person who will be picking up your child. The person will be asked to provide identification.

The teachers and staff of Casa Italia are committed to making this camp experience a safe, rewarding and memorable experience in your child’s young life. We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to all to Casa’s Camp rules and regulations.

We are looking forward to welcoming back our returning campers and meeting our new campers and families!

The Summer Camp Staff