The information below is a general look at the weekend, and is subject to change based on weather, etc. Don't forget, what you do is up to you! Do it all or sleep the weekend away on the beach! Our plan for the weekend includes:
Friday
Arrive at camp in the afternoon, get settled in, and enjoy free time on camp, followed by a yummy dinner and opening campfire. Adults up late? Enjoy games, cards & snacks in the dining hall.
Saturday
Up Early? Join us for a Sunrise Hike up Mt. Watatic, or go for a serene morning kayak on the lake. Sleeping in a bit? Join us for breakfast and morning activities. After lunch, enjoy some Kids Only, Teens Only and Adults Only activity choices, then visit the waterfront to swim, kayak, canoe to Blueberry Island, or just relax on the beach. Free time and a late afternoon Siesta lead into a family dinner and Movie Under the Stars! Adults up late? Join us for the 3C’s—campfire, conversation and cookies (homemade and right from the oven)!
Sunday
Up Early? We dare you to join us for Polar Bear Swim! Or, enjoy morning muffins, coffee and the Sunday paper. Sleeping in? Join us a bit later for a scrumptious buffet breakfast and more fun activities, followed by a Kickball Game and BBQ before packing up and saying goodbyes. Got a long drive home? We’ll send you on your way with great memories and some cookies for the road.
1) They want to be there. Weekenders is not the place to push being away from home as an "experience" in the way camp can be designed to be. It is not a testing ground for independence. Kids enjoy Weekenders most when they are engaged and having a good time with staff and friends. 
2) They are able to go out in the community safely and without behaving outside appropriately defined boundaries. Weekenders participants go on field trips which include car, van or bus rides, brown-bag lunches (that they make themselves with counselor help), time at a public playground where non-Starfish youth and families are playing, and activities at public places like aquariums, parks, bowling alleys, museums, farms, etc. Participants need to be able to stay with assigned staff, be flexible if plans change a little (with coaching and support from staff), and be able to follow directions. Often times, our Weekenders campers do well on community trips with camp staff that they have not been successful participating in with family members because we do maintain much of our Starfish structure while on the trip. However, it is concerning for everyone if a camper becomes disregulated and overwhelmed while out in the community - so please let us know if you believe this will be a concern. Due to our staffing structure and strict ratios, we are not able to leave campers behind at camp during field trips.
3) They have minimal aggressive or high-attention behaviors/incidents. While at camp during the summer program we are prepared and equipped to deal with more consistently aggressive or high-attention behaviors, our Weekenders program is not appropriate for campers who are actively acting out on a routine basis. We do have certified intervention staff on our Weekenders crew; in addition, all of our Weekenders staff are part of our extensively trained summer teams, and at least one year-round director is always present. However, while we certainly expect behavior and are more than happy to encourage participation for campers with infrequently occurring higher needs, at Weekenders we are simply not set up for the constant greater-than-1:1 staffing that persistent heightened behaviors require. 
4) They're ready for a great (unplugged) time! Weekenders is different than camp but it's still super fun! Staff make sure that there is lots to do, and we're basically unplugged just like at summer camp. During Weekenders events, especially those which begin at the end of a long week of school, we watch one movie, usually after dinner. Otherwise, there's no hanging out in front of the TV or immersing oneself in video games - it's all live, person-to-person interactions, just like at summer camp. It's not the way most respite programs work - but we like to be different. 
