Health & Safety
Cedar Lake Ministries is committed to providing a healthy, positive, and Christian environment for campers and our staff. Through education and intentionality, we believe we can create a safe camp experience for everyone. The sections below represent a summary of initiatives Cedar Lake Ministries takes to help protect campers, staff and families.
Health Service
While sickness and injury are rare, they may occur; therefore, Cedar Lake Ministries recruits a certified physician or nurse to provide 24-hour care during summer and winter camps. We understand that campers may require medical care for a variety of reasons while at camp. We ask families to provide all pertinent medical and behavioral health information on the camper registration form. Medication and health history is kept confidential. Upon arrival, campers with medical requirements must check-in with the medical personnel, as part of our registration process, to ensure proper storage and distribution of medications during their time on the grounds.
Advanced medical care is provided by Franciscan St. Anthony Health, a full-service medical center located approximately 17 minutes northeast of Cedar Lake Ministries. Emergency EMS transportation is less than two minutes away, if needed.
Food Service
The dining hall is managed by a full-time, year round certified Food Service Director. A professional-grade cooking facility, the dining hall is inspected by county health officials regularly as required by the state of Indiana. All food is purchased by our Food Service Director through reputable, insured vendors. We are accommodating to campers with dietary restrictions or food allergies. To prepare and facilitate care for your child, include any allergies and restrictions when completing the registration form. Our Program Director, Food Service Director or Camp Nurse may contact you prior to camp, if necessary, to ensure proper care will be provided.
Insurance
To keep our camp tuition to a minimum, we do not provide camper insurance. Expenses incurred when a camper is treated by an outside medical provider are the responsibility of the parent or guardian and/or their personal insurance. The camp’s policy regarding medical coverage parallels those medical policies set forth by most elementary and secondary schools. By attending, campers and their guardian’s consent to this policy.
Activity and Environment
Security and safety procedures are an integral part of our 24-hour daily operation. Activities at camp are scheduled and closely supervised. Rules are communicated and campers receive instruction before engaging in activities. Good supervisory control is stressed and maintained throughout the day. All equipment, activity areas, and facilities are well maintained by a full-time maintenance department and checked regularly for potential hazards. Camper interaction is closely monitored to ensure a bully-free environment.
Camp activities involve the waterfront, which is the most high-risk area on the grounds; therefore, swimming is only allowed in the swimming area during daylight hours when a certificated lifeguard is present. Proper consideration is made regarding lifeguard to camper ratio depending on age and skill of the swimmers. Due to the shallow nature of Cedar Lake, the swimming area has a maximum depth of four feet and campers are not allowed on the dock to prevent diving into shallow waters. A properly fitted and secured flotation device must be worn at all times when a camper engages in boating, canoeing or kayaking. Water equipment can only be used in designated area, in compliance with state laws, and when a lifeguard is present.
Staffing and Training
As a parent, you are rightfully concerned about who influences your child. We believe it is imperative that staff members are properly screened and possess the training, abilities, and passion required to mentor and care for your camper. Cedar Lake Ministries employs a Program Director and Summer Staff Program Assistants who manage all summer staff.
Summer staff, including program assistants, counselors and support staff, typically consist of college-age students. Hiring practices include an application process, references, interviews and criminal and sexual offender background checks.
Summer staff receive 40-80 hours of intensive job specific training. This includes proper use and safety procedures for activities and equipment as well as emergency action procedures in response to fire, inclement weather, suspicious persons, etc. Additional instruction is provided to adaptation based on the age-group of the present campers. Further training includes Child Protection Policies regarding modesty, reporting, appropriate behavior and touch and securing a bully-free environment.
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Dining
- Per the local health department, Oaks Dining Hall is set up as smaller tables with no more than six chairs at each table. We have reduced the number of seating in the dining hall to accommodate our guests and to comply with our local health department.
- Food Service Staff will serve food to all guests. It is not buffet style, still all you can eat, just served cafeteria style. We are serving in this manner to limit contact points among multiple people.
- Cleaning and sanitizing occurs regularly.
- Hand Sanitizer is available to all guests upon entry into the dining hall, along with access to restrooms to wash hands with soap and water.
Housing/Housekeeping
- The housekeeping staff at Cedar Lake Ministries is taking the health and well-being of our guests very seriously. Here are a few things we have added to our cleaning rotation to keep you safe during your retreat.
- A disinfectant approved by the CDC and EPA is being used to disinfect for a wide range of viruses, including Covid-19. This disinfectant is used camp-wide to clean lodging, communal bathrooms, and commonly touched surfaces before you arrive.
- Consistently disinfecting commonly touched surfaces (door handles, door knobs, stall handles & locks, light switches etc) a minimum of three times a day in all communal restrooms and meeting spaces.
- Housekeepers are adding disinfectant to in-house laundry, room towels and towels used for cleaning.
- The office is now giving extra soaps and shampoo by request only.
- Housing assignments take into consideration proper social distancing.
We encourage all to be in prayer for those outside of our community who have been affected. If you have further questions, please direct those to info@cedarlakeministries.org or call (219) 374-5941.
