By Gina Mennett Lee, M.Ed.  FoodAllergyConsulting.com

Eleanor and I pose for a picture with our own campers.

Last month our family took a little road trip to Williamstown, New Jersey so my daughter could attend Camp TAG.  Because most camps and extra-curricular providers are still not equipped to safely handle children with multiple food allergies there are few choices available once summer rolls around.  We were excited to be able to give my daughter the opportunity to have a real camp experience.

What is CAMP TAG?

 “Camp TAG provides a safe place for children with food allergies and eosinophilic disorders and their siblings to have fun – with no worries about allergic reactions – and meet other children who share similar experiences.”   (FAACT website)

Camp TAG is the brain child of Eleanor Garrow, President & CEO of Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). She started it in 2010 when she was Vice President of Education and Outreach at FAAN (now FARE).

How does Camp TAG manage food allergies?

Before even looking at the activities the camp provides, parents of children with food allergies need to know how their child’s allergies will be managed.

I was happy to find that Camp TAG has implemented excellent strategies to prevent (and to be able to swiftly respond to) reactions.  Listed below are some of the simple, yet effective strategies that Camp TAG employs.

• Handwashing: All Campers wash their hands at the beginning of the camp day and before and after snack and lunch.

• Snacks:  Snacks are provided by trusted food companies that make products free of the Top 8 allergens. The ingredient lists for these snacks are given to parents ahead of time for review.   Water is provided by the camp.  No other drinks are allowed.

• Lunch:  All campers bring their own lunches each day.  Lunches need to be free of  peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish.Foods with wheat, egg, milk, and soy are allowed, such as sandwich bread, crackers, and cookies (must be free of peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish). Milk/cheese-based foods are not allowed, such as cheese of any kind, Cheetos, Cheez-It Crackers, Doritos, yogurt, etc., to minimize the risk of cross-contact. Egg-based condiments are not allowed, such as mayonnaise, dressings, dips, etc., to minimize the risk of cross-contact.

• Rules:  No food sharing.  No touching each other during snack or lunch.

• Epinephrine:  Epinephrine is stored in an insulated cooler that is kept with the campers at all times. Campers are with trained staff at all times.  Most camp counselors are one of the following:  a person with a food allergy, a sibling to a child with a food allergy or a parent of a child with a food allergy.

• Access to Medical Services:  There is a trained nurse on staff at the camp site.

What activities does the Camp offer?

Not only are the campgrounds beautiful and nostalgic, but they offer everything from zip-lining and swimming to Gaga and mini golf.

More than JUST a Camp.

As an educator, I love to see additional opportunities for learning.  At Camp TAG, each afternoon, the campers participate in empowering and engaging lessons about food allergies including issues such as handling bullying.

Camp TAG also offers an optional, free parent education session.  This summer the session was about addressing food allergies through the use of 504 plans, IEPS, and Health Care Plans, a subject near and dear to my heart.  The Parent Education Session was presented by food allergy all-star, Amelia Smith Murphree, FAACT General Counsel and Vice President of Civil Rights Advocacy.  I found the session to be thorough and detailed and very helpful to those that attended.

That’s not the WHOLE story

There is more to this experience than fun and learning in a safe, friendly environment.  As I quickly found, Camp TAG has become an extended family to the campers that attend.  The families here keep coming back year after year and their connection is evident from the first day.

Lynda Bridges and daughter Bailey

Lynda Bridges has been with Camp TAG since its first year. She explains, “I come back every year because I believe in what Camp TAG offers our children. I support what Eleanor has created with Camp TAG.   I don’t have to worry about her (my daughter’s) food allergies during camp because she is surrounded by people who “get it.” “

Her daughter, Bailey, has attended all four years and next year will be a teen counselor. “Camp TAG is the best week of the summer.  (The Camp)  has impacted my life in a big way.  A major part of my life is living with life-threatening food allergies, Camp TAG lets me be around others who get it and understand how to keep me safe.  I  love it and it teaches me so much about food allergies.”

How do these campers feel about Eleanor?  Well, I think this picture tells the story.

It is apparent to anyone that attends that Eleanor has created something very special.  To quote my husband, “This is the first time our daughter has been just a camper not the kid with food allergies.”

Every camper learns and performs the Camp TAG song (written by food allergy rock star, Kyle Dine).  This verse is my favorite:

“Camp TAG, it’s me,

Camp TAG,  it’s you,

Where no one worries about food.”

Indeed, this may be one of the few places where our children:

– don’t have to worry about food,

-don’t have to explain their allergies,

-don’t need to make apologies or excuses.

It’s a place where they can just be kids.  There is no better gift than that!

For more information on Camp TAG, visit FAACT’s website.  For specific questions, contact Eleanor directly at Eleanor.garrow@foodallergyawareness.org