Health & Nutrition

Health Center/Medical Staff

Brant Lake Dance Camp utilizes the health facilities located on Brant Lake's center campus. Our Health Center has separate examination rooms, a medicine dispensary, overnight rooms and a ward room. We are also only a short distance from two other professionally staffed health centers in our local/nearby communities and a major hospital in Glens Falls. EMT support is stationed locally and BLC has its own full time EMT personnel on campus.

Our resident, on-campus health staff consists of a doctor and four nurses who support almost all the needs of our campers and staff on a 24 hour and 7 day-a-week basis. They also deal with special problems such as allergies, chronic health issues and those requiring regular medication. If someone is confined to the Health Center for more than 24 hours, or is receiving care for a special problem, the health staff will always consult with the camper's parents. We readily seek the assistance of the camper's personal physician or one of the many fine specialists in our area, with parental coordination.

Our staff also understands that younger girls away from home with a health problem often need a dose of extra "tender loving care" and they always go the extra distance to make sure that all is right. 

Food and Dining

At Brant Lake Dance Camp, our goal is to provide good, nutritious and well-balanced meals that kids love. And-- from what we hear as well as learn from our food surveys, we're doing a pretty good job.

Our Chef Abu has been with us for over 20 years and is a favorite, making sure that all our campers are well taken care of. 

We have fresh fruit available at every meal, a salad bar, vegetarian and pasta alternatives, a variety of breads, cakes and cookies and a whole lot more. Special diets and allergies are also closely monitored by our pantry manager who takes care of these personalized needs. Importantly, we maintain a "Peanut/Nut-Free" policy throughout camp. (Please see below for more information on this policy and Special Diets.)

We serve most of the Brant Lake Dance Camp's meals (breakfasts and lunches) in our beautiful Adirondack style club house while dinners are usually served in the upstairs dining room on center campus. We also have a co-ed Sunday cookout at the lake each week with our older boys which is fun for all. Our Banquet at the end of the session is also one of our special events. Below are some examples of our menu: 

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Allergies/Special Diet Policy

Brant Lake Dance Camp is very supportive and diligent when it comes to caring for campers with special dietary needs, particularly those with food allergies, sensitivities and/or intolerances.

Food Allergies

We maintain a "PEANUT/TREE NUT FREE" policy throughout our campus which means we do not serve or offer any nuts or products that contain nuts or nut oil as an ingredient. (Soy is the most common peanut substitute such as in soy "peanut" butter and soy-based snack bars.)
Furthermore, no peanut or tree nut products are permitted to be brought into camp or provided as gifts/treats. Candy products that contain nuts or are produced on machinery that processes candy which contains nuts are not offered or permitted in camp. We also do not offer any foods that contain sesame oil and do not serve any shellfish.
Other food allergies and food related health issues are readily dealt with on an individual case basis including gluten sensitivity and lactose intolerance. Brant Lake Camp regularly stocks rice milk, Silk soy milk, as well as whole, 1%, fat free and 1% chocolate milk. We also stock Lactaid milk as needed and Lactaid tablets can be given at meals and snack time, upon request. EPI pens, in addition to being available in the Health Center, are kept in all our dining rooms, all bunk areas, the waterfront, center campus/office and Arts & Crafts. EPI pen training is also conducted for many key staff throughout camp and for kitchen personnel. 

Special Diets

In addition to the more serious food sensitivity diets, Brant Lake Dance Camp also supports campers with special food needs including vegetarians. While "picky" eaters present problems for most food service operations with a somewhat fixed menu, we do provide options at each meal and address specific camper needs on an individual basis. For example, there is always pasta available (plain or with a sauce) as well as vegetarian options at both lunch and dinner. Additionally, a full salad bar is available at both lunch and dinner which includes a variety of mixed greens, tomatoes, cottage cheese, tuna, fruit and pasta salad, etc. Lastly, certain accommodations can be made for girls on special or restricted diets involving the storing and serving of some special food items for their use only. References are available from our group of special diet need camper families upon request.