- What are the accommodations at camp like?
All our accommodations are clean and comfortable. In Paisley we boast a modern dormitory style with bathrooms either adjoined to the rooms and shared by the next room or communal (2 large washrooms shared by the wing). In Beaverton we have double rooms with separate washrooms at the end of the hall. Both locations are Air Conditioned.
- Excursions accommodations vary but we ensure that our guests have a comfortable place to stay – whether you are on a Houseboat on the Trent or on a Luxury Cruise in the Caribbean.
- I’ve heard that the staff are pretty young – are they able to meet the needs of my adult child? What sort of training do they have?
Camp: We select our volunteer staff just as carefully as we do our full-time staff, using pastoral and work references, criminal reference checks, a minimum of 2 interviews, and comprehensive training.
We hire staff who commit to and exhibit a life that reflects Christ. Summer volunteer staff range in age from 16 to their mid twenties. Many of our staff attend Christian Horizons ‘in-house’ training - 36 hours worth! Training topics include: Person Centred Support, Reducing the Risk (of Abuse), Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, First Aid & CPR.
During ‘Training Week’, the week before camp officially starts, we review all our policies and procedures, and work on team development and communication. New staff are “buddied up” with a returning staff person, and everyone is a part of a small team of 8.
For Excursions, we recruit adult volunteers from both our CH programs and the community, all come with the essential expertise and related training.
- Why is the application form so long? Do I have to fill this in every year?
We are delighted to support a wide variety of needs through our vacation ministry. We want to be prepared to all possibilities. Obviously some sections of the forms won’t apply to you, so you can just leave these blank. Sometimes a person’s needs can change significantly, so each year we prefer to have the most recent information. Some people also have a personal profile, which is really helpful to our staff.
Watch for our new online registration process!
- What happens if a guest gets sick while on vacation?
Living in community, that is, with a large group of people increases the risk of getting a cold or illness. We expect all our guests to be in good health when they arrive. Regular hand washing and good hygiene routines reduce the likelihood of picking up or giving away a virus. If a guest arrives at camp ill or becomes ill, our health care staff will make a decision about whether they should stay or make alternate arrangements. We prefer to err on the side of caution and may ask a person to leave so others don’t also end up sick. In a serious or emergency situation guests will be taken to the nearest hospital and caregivers will pick up the guest when they are able to return home. Additional fees can be expected when our staff are required to remain with the guests until a caregiver arrives. A pro-rated refund, less deposit and non-refundable expenses will be given in most circumstances.
- Is there some way I can help to make the check-in process faster?
We need your help! Checking in 70 people within a 2-hour period can be a little hectic. We’re working on improving our service in this area.
You can help by:
- Ensuring that you’ve ‘pre-registered’ for any day-trips
- Deposited store money
- Have your account paid in full prior to your arrival.
- When you hand over any medication to our health care team please ensure that all meds are in their original labeled packaging (Blister Packs are preferred), and that the MAR sheet used to record the dispensing of meds is filled out completely.
- What should the guests bring with them to camp?
Cover the Basics:
- Enough clothes for the duration of the vacation, personal effects, bathing suits etc… we’ll provide you with a packing list that is specific to your vacation.
- It’s very important to Label Everything! Our staff do their best to ensure that our guest’s property is looked after and returned home in good condition.
- Please don’t bring valuable personal items on vacation, we can’t guarantee their safety.
- Our staff photographer will be taking pictures throughout the vacation with the plan to send home a Photo Disk. Some guests may prefer to leave their cameras at home.
- We celebrate with a banquet at the end of each week, so we suggest packing a nice outfit for this special night.
- Bring Extra store money and, and money for daytrips.
- You might be thinking; ‘We’re not religious people, how important is the whole Christian thing?’
Well, the “Christ” in Christian Horizons is pretty central to everything we do. Really our care for others, including those with special needs, is a reflection of the love and care that we’ve experienced from God through his son Jesus. We think that God’s love is for everyone to experience. We don’t expect all our guests to agree with our beliefs, and no one is forced to attend activities like Chapel time and devotions that are more overtly faith oriented. We are however, very particular about who works at the camp, and we expect our staff to be active in their faith, and agree to the standards that Christian Horizons has set. Find out more about .
- What types of activities can I participate in? What is a typical day like at CHCC?
There are lots of choices available daily, and all our guests are encouraged to participate fully.
- Gentle wake up call around 7 am,
- After Breakfast we typically have a 30 minute chapel time – lots of singing and a message on a relevant topic or bible verse for the day.
- The rest of the morning is focused on “Stream” activities. These are chosen prior to the vacation and are intended to build each day to a final event or presentation – the Drama group will put on a play for instance.
- At lunchtime, guests sign up for the afternoon electives. These are varied daily and range from relaxing under a tree for a story time to going on a nature hike.
- After lunch there is a Quiet Hour where guest can rest in their rooms or participate in unstructured games and activities in the conference room. Swimming and Arts and Crafts seem to be the most popular activities.
- Following Quiet Hour, the afternoon activities start. Guests who have paid for a day-trip depart on their adventure. (See the brochure or for more information). We offer a large variety of day trips and would love to know what you would like to do.
- Dinner is followed by a large group activity – scavenger hunt, campfire, wagon ride or the like. There is a huge variety for excursions – choice important. Customized experience.
- Excursions: We have a growing variety of pre-planned excursions and we are ready to custom make a vacation of your dreams.
- What type of food do you serve? What if I have a special diet?
Our Chef describes our summer menu as ‘Home style’. Our menus conform to the Canada Food Guide, and more recently we’ve earned the Eat Smart designation. A dietician reviews our menus.
Our kitchen staff can cater to most dietary needs, for example: Puree, Lactose intolerance, allergy concerns, and ‘reduced calorie’. Please ask us in advance about how we can accommodate your needs.
- What if I can’t afford the camp fees?
Through the help of generous individuals and foundations, there is a Guest Assistance Fund (GAF). The GAF provides financial assistance for guests who are unable to afford the full camp fees. The forms for this assistance can be from our office.
- Guests must have paid a deposit for a vacation and have a confirmed space before the GAF forms will be processed.
- Assistance is available only for the over-night summer camps – not excursions or weekend retreats.
- Decisions are made by committee, and are announced May 15. The committee determines who will receive assistance, and the applicant’s level of subsidy
- I didn’t get a space last year how can I ensure I get a spot and does the waiting list work?
Because of the demand of our vacations, we typically generate a waiting list each year. Ensuring that your registration is received as early as possible (Before the end of February,) will usually ensure that you get a space, if not your first choice. If you apply for 3 weeks of vacation, we may only reserve 2 weeks for you until we are sure that others have had a chance to apply.
- Transportation
We are please to provide transportation to our Paisley camp location. We have pickup locations in Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph, and run either an activity bus or smaller vans depending on the need. There is a small additional cost for this service.
