Parents last letter before camp 2008

Dear Parents and Campers:
We are really looking forward to camp this year. Saturday August 23rd to Saturday August 30th is going to be very exciting and filled with magical activities. We have a wonderful line up of guests. The campgrounds, cabins and food are all excellent at Camp White Pine.

It would be a good idea for you and your child to look over our “How to Prepare for Camp” on the registration section of our web site (http://www.sorcerers-safari.com/summer_camp.html). You should find this quite helpful. Given the relatively short duration of our camp, there will be no visitors day or mail. However, should a parent need to contact a camper in the event of an emergency, Camp White Pine’s phone number is 705-457-2131 (most likely you will have to leave a message that CWP staff will get to us sometime that day). During the day of departure or on the day of return you can also reach us on our cell phones: Magic Mike 416-319-1442 or Jen Segal 416-844-5363. We will also be checking our Toronto office line (416-322-1442) occasionally for messages on and off during the week. The campers are discouraged from using the pay phones once they are up at camp. We also ask that campers leave their cell phones at home.

Travel arrangements and flight information

For all families that are making air travel arrangements to and from Toronto, we would appreciate having all the travel details sent to us ASAP. It is important that the flights arrive at Pearson Airport (YYZ) on Saturday August 23rd before 9:30 a.m. The bus will be picking everyone up around 10:15 to take him or her to Camp White Pine. It takes a great deal of coordination on our part to make sure all planes are met on time by our staff. Please make sure that you speak with me ahead of time so I can go over the details regarding the person meeting and dropping off your children at the airport. Departure from Pearson Airport on Saturday August 30th should not be before 5:00 p.m.

Campers being dropped off and/or picked up at camp

All families that will be dropping and picking their children up directly at the camp (not taking the bus) need to notify us of this immediately. We only have a limited amount of seats on the bus, so unfortunately we will not be able to facilitate last minute changes to take the bus. There is a map with directions on our website for your convenience (http://www.sorcerers-safari.com/directions_summer_camp.html) as well I have included one at the end of this letter. We ask that the campers be dropped off no earlier than 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 23rd. There will be staff waiting to greet you. You can leave your children and their bags with our staff and we will take care of everything from there. Cars will not be allowed on the grounds after 1:00 p.m. to allow for the bus arrival. Your campers will have lunch on site with everyone else on that day, but it won’t be until 2:00ish, so please make sure they don’t arrive hungry, as that is a bit of a wait.

In order for us to stay on schedule during the last day of camp, pick-up time is 11:00 a.m. on Saturday August 30th. Your children will be waiting at the same spot where you dropped them off. It is imperative that you are on time for the pick up. The camp staff must vacate immediately after the campers all leave, as Camp White Pine has another group coming in right after us. The campers will not be fed lunch on this day.

Campers taking bus to and/or from camp

The bus is scheduled for camper pick up at York Mills and Bayview Arena, 2539 Bayview Avenue (SE Corner) on Saturday, August 23rd to take the campers to Camp White Pine. Please make sure you are there by 11:00 a.m. in order for our staff to do a proper head count. The bus will leave at 11:15 a.m. sharp. It is a long bus trip so we encourage you to pack a snack for the bus drive up north. Sandwiches, cookies, drinking boxes, etc... (Nothing with peanuts due to some severe food allergies, please). Lunch will be provided for your campers shortly after arrival at Camp White Pine.

The bus will return to York Mills and Bayview Arena, 2539 Bayview Avenue (SE Corner) to drop off the campers at approximately 3:30pm on Saurday August 30th. Please keep in mind that 3:30 is not a definite time as traffic can really slow us down.

Food and candy policy

Campers are not allowed to bring food, candy or drinks to camp. This policy will be strictly enforced, to help ensure the safety and well being of others. We have quite a few campers with severe food allergies. They cannot be in the same room as the food that they are allergic to. Please make sure that you do not send food at all.

August 23rd to August 30th is going to be very exciting. We have been looked forward to this week all year. If you have questions that haven’t been covered here, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Magically, Mike and Jen

Sorcerers Safari Camp

416-322-1442

www.SorcerersSafari.ca

DIRECTIONS TO CAMP WHITE PINE -

Sorcerers Safari Summer Magic Camp Location

CAMP WHITE PINE is the Sorcerers Safari's host camp. It is ideally located in the Haliburton Highlands about 2 1/2 hours north of Toronto. Its 1,600 acres are nestled on a private lake.

Are you driving up to camp? 

DRIVING ROUTES TO CAMP WHITE PINE

FROM TORONTO Take Hwy 400 north. It becomes Hwy 11 after Barrie. Continue north on Hwy 11 to Hwy 118. Turn east (right) on Hwy 118 (sign says Bracebridge, Haliburton). Follow 118 to stoplights at Hwy 35 (Carnarvon). Continue straight on 118 past the stoplights for 10 minutes and camp is on the right side of the road.  OR  Take Hwy 404 north to Davis Drive. Take Davis Drive east (approx. 15 km) to Hwy 48. Take Hwy 48 north (when it divides from Hwy 12 continue on Hwy 48) to Hwy 35. Take Hwy 35 north (left) to Hwy 118. Take Hwy 118 east (right) for approx. 13 km. Camp White Pine is on the right side.

FROM MONTREAL Route 40 west to Hwy 417. Hwy 417 west, through Ottawa, until it becomes Hwy 17. Continue on Hwy 17 west to Hwy 132 west. Hwy 132 west to Hwy 41 south. Hwy 41 south to Hwy 28 west, Hwy 28 west (through Bancroft) to Hwy 121. Hwy 121 west to Haliburton. From Haliburton take 118 west approx. 6 km. to the camp sign on your left.

 