Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

1.  Why a celiac camp?

2.  Where is the camp located and what is Camp Arroyo?

3.  How do we get to camp and what should campers bring?

4.  Will my child be able to call or write to me from camp?

5.  What if my child needs medical care while at camp?

6.  How much does the celiac camp cost?

7.  Are all the foods really gluten-free?

1. Why a celiac camp?

The goal is to provide children restricted to a gluten-free diet with a "safe" opportunity to relax and have fun with kids their age, without having to worry about social acceptance or what foods they can eat. At Camp Celiac, kids find themselves in the company of other kids on a gluten-free diet,  counselors with celiac disease, and a staff familiar with food sensitivities. The celiac camp has been a memorable and life-changing event in kids' lives (see what people are saying).

2. Where is the camp located and what is Camp Arroyo?

The Celiac Camp is at Camp Arroyo in Livermore, California. Set amidst the rolling hills of the San Francisco Bay Area, Camp Arroyo is a spectacular facility managed by a joint public and private effort between the East Bay Regional Park District, The Taylor Family Foundation, and the YMCA.  Together, they created a Summer Youth Camp and Environmental Education Center on a 138-acre parkland near Livermore, California. Camp Arroyo, built and operated on the principles of an ecologically sustainable community, provides a safe haven for children with illnesses or disabilities that make it difficult for them to attend most camps. (More about Camp Arroyo)

3.  What is Camp Celiac?

Camp Celiac is the volunteer organization that puts together much of the camp's organization including the registration, recruitment, camp director, counselors, medical staff, web site, and much of the camp's activity program.  Camp Celiac works with Camp Arroyo, the Taylor Family Foundation, and our other sponsors to put the Camp together.  If you are interested in helping to continue making camp a reality, please contact us at campceliac@gmail.com 

4. How do we get to camp and what should campers bring?

Directions to the camp, packing lists, etc. are on the "The Facts You Want to Know" page.

5. Will my child be able to call or write to me from the camp?

A main idea behind the camp is to provide a safe and self-reliant environment for kids, where they can relate to other kids with celiac, have a camp experience without the worry of food choices, and have fun! To enhance the development of independent decision-making, we generally discourage visits or calls from parents during the camp week and we request that campers not bring cell phones or other electronic devices to camp. We do encourage kids to write to their parents.

6. What if my child needs medical care while at camp?

There is a medical infirmary on site, and there is a physician or another trained medical person at the camp continuously.  The counselors will also provide lots of emotional and social support at all times.

Kids will need to bring all of their medicines with them to the check-in.  We require that all medications be pre-sorted into a seven-day pill sorter in advance, along with a printed schedule of when the medications should be taken. All medications (including over-the-counter medications) will be handed to the medical staff at check-in, stored in the infirmary and given to the kids at the required schedule. Our medical facility is also stocked with over the counter medicines that may be needed for minor colds and aches.

7. How much does the Camp Celiac cost?

The physical costs of the camp facility, food, and camp support staff (kitchen & maintenance staff, lifeguards, trainers for the ropes course/zip line, bus transportation to the lake, etc.) are entirely covered by the incredibly generous support of the Taylor Family Foundation, the East Bay Regional Parks District, and the YMCA.  Additional financial and administrative support are also very generously provided by the Celiac Sprue Research Foundation and the Celiac Disease Foundation/Team Gluten-Free. The only cost is a $25 registration fee.  This fee help defrays the additional costs of Camp Celiac (art supplies, medical supplies, camp director, registration, some activities, etc.).  Donations to help cover these costs are welcome! 

8.  Are all the foods really gluten-free?

The pre-packaged foods are all selected from well-established providers of gluten-free foods, many of whom generously donate their products (see partial vendor list).  Foods prepared on site are made from gluten-free mixes, use gluten-free ingredients, and are not prepared alongside any gluten-containing products.  The menu is prepared by persons on gluten-restricted diets (including Elaine Taylor, of the Taylor Family Foundation).  The kitchen is cleaned thoroughly prior to the start of the camp to minimize the possibility of cross-contamination.