Guest Group Manual

1. BOOKING CHECKLIST

   □ Review this Guest Group Manual.

   □ Submit your signed Booking Agreement, reservation/damage deposit and Retreat Planner (page 6-7)

   □ Determine and take care of your group's insurance coverage requirements.

   □ Be in regular communication with the Hospitality Director about the development of your schedule.

   □ Submit a final anticipated guest count (+/- five people) one week prior to your arrival date.

   □ Submit the Allergies & Dietary Needs form (page 8) at least one week

   We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate dietary requests submitted less than ten days before your arrival date.

   □ Have each person in your group complete Camp Evergreen's Acknowledgement of Risk forms (page 10-11), so you can hand them to your host when you arrive for your retreat! All attendees, including chaperones, must submit a signed Acknowledgement of Risk form upon arrival at Camp Evergreen.

When packing for your visit to Camp Evergreen, please be prepared for ALL types of weather. We've seen snow in June and temperatures over 30 degrees in October. So pack for hot sunshiny days and for blizzard conditions!

Don't forget to provide a packing list for every member of your group!

You'll want to remember:

• Bed linens (or sleeping bag) and pillow

• Personal toiletries, including shampoo and soap

• Towel and facecloth

• Water bottle

• Flashlight

• Indoor shoes or slippers (remember that you must wear sock or indoor shoes in the dining hall)

• A rain coat or poncho. Boots are always a good option, too.

• Close-toed shoes (required on all horse-related activities and climbing activities including zipline)

• Long pants (required on all horse-related activities)

• First Aid Kit, as well as any medications you may need

To confirm your reservation, we require a signed Booking Agreement and a reservation/damage deposit. Cheques should be payable to Camp Evergreen. E-transfers can be sent to accounts@camp-evergreen.com. We also accept credit card over the phone at 403-638-4230. No reservations will be held without a reservation/damage deposit.

Please ensure that the dates and arrival times on your Booking Agreement are correct. Also, please read through this manual carefully before signing your Booking Agreement. Once you've signed your Booking Agreement, you are bound to the terms within this manual.

In the event that you cancel your booking less than 90 days beforehand, your Reservation/Damage Deposit is non-refundable. If a cancellation takes place within 90 days of your scheduled date and is for reasons other than weather conditions, your group will be charged 50 percent of the expected income according to your original Booking Agreement. We will give you the option of re-booking for an alternate date, however, you will be expected to meet a minimum of 50 percent of the expected income of your original booking on that alternate date.

If cancellation occurs due to weather, we will try to reschedule your booking. If rescheduling is not possible, your deposit will be refunded in full. Cancellation due to weather must be a mutual decision between your group's contact person, who signed the Booking Agreement, and Camp Evergreen.

You will be charged for the number of people present during the booked event or 80 percent of the total number on your Booking Agreement, whichever is higher.

Final payment of your invoice is due within 15 days of your departure date. Interest at the rate of 2 percent per month will be added to any unpaid accounts starting 15 days after your departure date. A charge of $30 will be levied against all NSF cheques.

The balance owing on your statement must be paid with one cheque, or one credit card transaction, from your group.

Once your group has departed, our staff will complete a post-group clean up and will note any damages. Your Damage Deposit will be refunded after we have confirmed that no damages to Camp Evergreen's property have been incurred during your visit and your invoice has been paid. In the event of damages, if the cost of repairs exceeds the amount of your damage deposit, you will be invoiced for the balance within five days of your departure. If the cost of repairs is less than your Damage Deposit, you will be refunded the balance.

Camp Evergreen is able to accommodate over 150 guests and we reserve the right to book multiple groups on any given day. In the event of multiple group bookings, we will develop a schedule that accommodates requests and offers an equal opportunity to each group, to the best of our abilities.

All of our overnight accommodations are winterized. Full washroom facilities are in the immediate vicinity of all accommodations, however, only lodge accommodations have inside access to full washroom facilities. Please see the Retreat Planner for information on accommodation capacity in the lodge and cabins.

Guests are required to bring their own bedding and towels and are asked to keep all personal toiletries in their sleeping quarters. We ask that guests do not enter lodging or cabins other than their own sleeping quarters.

We are able to accommodate a maximum of 12 participants at one time at most activities. Most activities require a minimum of 75 minutes per block. Availability of all activities is determined by weather conditions, staffing availability, and may be influenced by other unforeseen circumstances.

Availability of activities cannot be guaranteed.

We ask that you do not arrive on site earlier than the time stated in your Booking Agreement, unless you have spoken with our Hospitality Director in advance.

Why? Because we want to be prepared for you and meet your group as you arrive!

Meals are served buffet-style and are plated by our staff. Announcements will be made before we invite you for seconds; please wait for the invitation before going for seconds.

Guest groups are asked to return all dishes and cutlery to the dish carts and to wipe their tables after each meal. Guests will also be asked to stack chairs after Breakfast and Supper.

It is our practice at Camp Evergreen to give thanks for the food that has been prepared for us and by doing so show our gratitude.  One of your hosts will lead a short prayer before each meal time.

Socks or indoor shoes are required in the Dining Hall.

In order to provide an enjoyable and safe experience for our guest groups, Camp Evergreen assigns hosts to each Guest Group. Your hosts will greet you when you arrive and will be available to help you with any questions that may arise during your stay.

Cell service is limited but is the best way for people who are not on site to communicate with guests as our office phones are not answered past 5 pm. Wifi is available at the Welcome Centre but cannot be guaranteed.  You may be able to enable your Wifi calling to ensure that you can receive phone calls and texts.  Go to your phone settings to enable this feature while you are on site.

All of our program staff are certified with Standard First Aid and Level C CPR. Camp is equipped with basic first aid supplies, however Guest Groups are required to bring their own medications (Tylenol, Advil, Allergy Medications, etc.) and to bring their own first aid kit.

An AED is located in the Dining Room.

If your group is travelling by bus, we recommend bringing one personal vehicle in case of emergencies. While Camp Evergreen is only a fifteen minute drive to the Sundre Hospital and Ambulance transport is available, you may want to transport someone in your group for a minor injury. Camp vehicles and camp staff are not authorized to transport guests.

• Guests are responsible for meeting Federal and Provincial legislation and/or regulations and any guidelines that are set out by their organizations governing body, as applicable.
• Chaperones are expected to provide full supervision of the minor-aged guests during meal and at all activities - staff will provide instruction and facilitate safe use of equipment but are not responsible for group behaviour.
• Guests under the age of 18 must wear helmets while skating, sledding, and riding a bike onsite.
• Groups are required to leave the facilities they have occupied in the condition they were found upon arrival, however, our staff will clean and sanitize the accommodations between guest groups (including sanitizing the mattresses).
• Use of activity areas is permitted only with authorization of Camp Evergreen staff.
• Equipment must be used with due care and returned to its proper storage area immediately after use. Losses and/or damages must be reported to your host and paid for. Vandalism to Camp Evergreen property will incur a minimum fine of $50/infraction. A higher fee may be charged depending on the extent of the damage and the time required to repair it. Misuse of fire safety equipment (extinguishers, detectors, etc.) will incur a minimum fine of $50 per piece of equipment misused.
• Cabin raids, pranks, pillow fights, food fights, and indoor water fights are not permitted.
• All of our buildings and wooded areas are non-smoking. Smoking is only allowed in the designated location.  Smoking outside of the designated area will carry a fine of $25 per room, cabin, building, or area.
• Fires may only be built in designated fire pit locations and only under the supervision of Camp Evergreen staff. All fires must be completely extinguished before leaving.
• Due to our insurance policy and our horses, firecrackers and/or fireworks must not be used on site.
• Cooking, the use of open flames, candles, or incense in meeting rooms or sleeping areas is not permitted.
• To align with health and safety regulations, guest groups are never permitted to enter the kitchen or dish-pit area and must wear socks or shoes when in the Dining Hall.
• Trees are not to be cut or injured in any way; do not pick or destroy any vegetation. No littering.
• Camp Evergreen does not assume responsibility for personal property and vehicles on our premises. Lost items should be reported within 48 hours and, if found, should be claimed within 10 business days.
• Vehicles must be parked in the parking lot and cannot be taken past the parking lot unless staff permission has been granted. If you need help transporting your luggage to your accommodations, please ask our staff - they will be happy to help!
• The use of motorcycles and off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and quads, on Camp property is not allowed.
• We are a nut and peanut aware camp. Please do not bring nut products of any kind to camp. If you bring nut products, including peanuts, to camp, please note that you may be charged a $200 cleaning fee. In most cases, this will be deducted from your damage deposit.
• We do not accommodate pets.
• Camp Evergreen observes an on-site quiet time of 11:00 pm - 7:00 am for all groups.
• Come ready for lots of fun, great food, and a memorable experience!

1. Engaging in any behaviour contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada, Federal or Provincial laws, or Municipal Bylaws.
2. Consumption of alcoholic beverages; use of non-prescription or illegal drugs or drug products, including recreational marijuana.
3. Camp Evergreen views its facilities as extensions of its ministry as a registered Religious Society of Alberta. Guest Groups may not:
   • Use Camp Evergreen facilities for corporate religious, sectarian or cult practices and rituals or services contrary to Camp Evergreen's Confession of Faith.
   • Use Camp Evergreen facilities to engage in, plan, promote, or support activities contrary to or not in accordance with this Code of Conduct or the religious beliefs reflected in Camp Evergreen's Beliefs and Practices.
4. Engaging in, or the on-site promotion of sexual behaviour or activity, such as the use of pornography, that is contrary to, or not in accordance with, Camp Evergreen's Confession of Faith.
5. Promotion or advocacy of abortion or abortion-related activities.
6. Engaging in racist or discriminatory conduct or supporting or promoting racist or discriminatory viewpoints.

The interpretation of the Guest Group Code of Conduct provisions shall be the sole prerogative of Camp Evergreen's Board of Directors and Management. Any questions regarding their interpretations or application should be directed to the Management as soon as possible to avoid misunderstandings.

Camp Evergreen reserves the right to exclude or terminate the stay of organizations, groups, or individuals who breach the Camp's Site Policies or whose goals, values, objects or philosophy are, in the opinion of the Board of Directors and/or Camp Management, contrary to Camp Evergreen's Guest Group Code of Conduct.