General Procedures
- Rental Group Agreements: Groups or individuals requesting the use of Camp
facilities will receive a Rental Group Agreement. This document contains facilities
being rented, services requested, prices, arrival and departure dates and times, and
must be signed by one ‘group contact’ who will be considered the individual
responsible for the Rental Group. This document must also be signed by the
Kanawha County 4-H Foundation Executive Director in order to be valid. - Deposit: A deposit will be required for each reservation. Camps must provide a
$1,000.00 deposit plus 50% of food cost (if ordering food service through Camp
Virgil Tate). All other deposits are $200.00 plus 50% of food cost (if ordering food
service through Camp Virgil Tate). The deposit AND Rental Group Agreement are
due within 15 days of issuance to hold the date in question. Camp Virgil Tate will
not hold a reservation date unless both the signed Rental Group agreement AND
the required deposit are received within 15 days. If the signed Rental Group
Agreement and deposit have not been received after 15 days, the agreement is
considered null and other events will be given priority. If a new Rental Group
Agreement must be redrafted the old Rental Group Agreement is considered null
even if signed. A new agreement may be issued if the date in question is still
available. Deposits are applied to the Rental Group’s final bill. No deposit can be
held over. All deposit will be used on final invoice. - Refunds and Cancellations: Groups that cancel 30 days prior to the first day of their
event are eligible for a refund. Cancellations within the 30 days (prior to the first
day) of the event are not eligible for refunds and their deposit will be held. If a
group elects to reschedule to another available date within 12 months, their
deposit will be applied to their final bill. If a group reschedules and later cancels,
they are not eligible for a refund. - Meals refunds. Meals and meal costs are not eligible for refunds even in the case
of rescheduling an event. If a group cancels prior to the finalized meal quantity
deadline (Meal Policies #2 on pg. 5 of this agreement) they will be eligible for a
refund. A group that cancels after the finalized meal quantity deadline (Meal
Policies #2 on pg. 5 of this agreement) will NOT be eligible for a refund AND will be
responsible for paying 50% of the total meal cost as listed on the finalized meal
quantity deadline. - Payment for Facilities/Services: Prompt payment is always appreciated! Rental
Groups using Camp Virgil Tate facilities are expected to pay their final bill upon
departure or no later than 10 days after the event. Any group failing to pay by 17
days after their departure will be subject to additional late payment fee. Those
who chose to pay with credit card will be subject to a 3% surcharge. Checks and
cash are not subject to the 3% surcharge, however an additional $25.00 fee will be
charged for bounced checks. - Late Payment Fee: If payment is not received 17 days after the last day of the
event, a 1.5% late fee will be added. 20 days a 3% late fee will be added. 30 days a
5% late fee will be added. - Tax Exemption: If an organization is tax exempt, a WV Consumers Sales Tax
Exemption Certificate (or another state’s equivalent) for the current year must
accompany the Rental Group Agreement. Otherwise, all charges are subject to a 6%
sales tax. PLEASE NOTE: Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax of 6% will be charged on
all lodging regardless of exempt status, by order of the Sheriff of Kanawha County. - Services/Facilities Provided:
● For cottages: Beds and mattresses are provided. Camp Virgil Tate does not
provide blankets, pillows, linens, towels, or toiletries in the cottages. The
minimum rental for cottages is 12 guests. A minimum of 25 guests is required to
open both sides of the cottage.
● For Lodge Rooms: Linen service and housekeeping is provided in Lodge rooms.
No phones or TVs are provided in the Lodge rooms. Wi-Fi is available.
● Complete dining services are available for groups of 25 or more upon request at
an additional fee. See “Dining Hall Procedures” section below.
● Overhead projectors, PA System & Stereo are available upon request in the
Lodge and Dining Hall.
● Other recreation facilities available include board game closet, outdoor play
area, and a lending library. Please be respectful of these spaces. Groups should
clean up, organize, and return borrowed equipment after use. - Simultaneous Bookings: Camp Virgil Tate reserves the right to schedule additional
groups simultaneously when our facilities permit. Exclusivity of certain facilities is
not guaranteed with your rental. However, you may request exclusivity at an
additional cost. - Housekeeping: Please try to leave our spaces as you found them. If a rental group
leaves a mess that is judged by Camp Virgil Tate management to require extra
cleaning time, the rental group contact (the individual who signs the Rental Group
Agreement on behalf of the Rental Group) will be charged a $125 fee plus the cost
of additional cleaning labor. Additional housekeeping directions are below:
● Cottages: Rental Groups are responsible for all daily housekeeping which
includes sweeping floors, making beds, picking up trash, cleaning kitchens,
etc. Camp Virgil Tate Staff will sanitize bathrooms and restock paper products
on select days (non-holidays) during your event.
● Dining Hall: Rental Groups are responsible for all daily housekeeping of the
main dining area which includes sweeping floors, wiping down tables, picking
up trash, mopping, etc. Camp Virgil Tate Staff will sanitize bathrooms and
restock paper products on select days (non-holidays) during your event. All
floors are buff and waxed by staff. If moving furniture/tables they must be
picked up and moved. If they are dragged across the floor causing scratches
there will be a damage fee up to $500.00 added. If tables are moved and not
returned exactly as they were found there will be a $250.00 moving fee
added.
● Lodge Conference Rooms: Rental Groups are responsible for all daily
housekeeping which includes sweeping floors, picking up trash, mopping,
cleaning kitchens, etc. Camp Virgil Tate Staff will sanitize bathrooms and
restock paper products on select days (non-holidays) during your event.
● Lodge Rooms: Linen service and housekeeping is provided in Lodge Rooms.
Please leave linens and pillows on the bed. Follow instructions posted in
rooms for dirty towels. Camp Virgil Tate Staff will sanitize bathrooms and
restock towels and paper products on select days (non-holidays) during your
event. - Damages Policy: The rental group contact will be held responsible for the group
and its behavior. This includes damages to camp property caused by the group’s
members, guests, or pets. Standard damages fee is $125, plus the cost of the
repair. Charges for damages will be based on the cost of materials, labor, and
transportation, and will be added to the final bill. Any group or individuals causing
damages in excess of $500.00 may not be permitted to return to Camp Virgil Tate
at the discretion of the Executive Director. It is the responsibility of each group to
provide their own personal liability insurance. A copy of that policy will need to
be included with the reservation request for a group. - Prohibited/Restricted Activities: Gambling and the use of illegal drugs are
prohibited on Camp property and/or in any Camp buildings. The use of alcohol and
tobacco are not endorsed or encouraged on Camp Virgil Tate property. Consistent
with Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Code, smoking of any kind, including
e-cigarettes, is prohibited indoors and within 20 feet of doors and open windows.
The use of firearms for program activities (i.e. Archery, air rifle) must be approved
by the Executive Director prior to the event. - Animal Policy: Any animals staying at or visiting the camp must be approved by the
Executive Director PRIOR to arrival and are expected to adhere to the following:
A. Pets are NOT permitted in the Dining Hall; however, service animals are
welcome.
B. Veterinary certification specifying that all vaccinations are up to date must be
made available upon request. Horses visiting or staying on the premises must
have a current (within the past year) negative Coggins test.
C. Additional costs may apply if pets will be staying in any of the buildings
(cottages or the Lodge) and/or if pets cause damage to the property.
D. To prevent damage, we ask that pets staying in buildings be crated or
otherwise contained during the owner/handler’s absence.
E. Pets and animals approved by the director must be leashed and under
control of the handler at ALL times, including on the grounds. Owners that
do not have control of their animal(s) will be asked to leave the premises.
F. Owners/handlers are expected to clean up after animals and dispose of
animal waste appropriately. - Concessions Policy: Food safety is a priority at Camp Virgil Tate. Groups may be
permitted to sell food or drink concessions on Camp property, and will be subjected
to a vending fee of 10% of the seller’s gross profit from the event. Prior approval
from the Executive Director is required. - Kitchen Use: By order of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, groups are
NOT permitted to use the Dining Hall kitchen for ANY PURPOSE. However, there
are other kitchens on site that may be rented. These rentable kitchens are located
in the Lodge and Ross Bonar cottage. Rented kitchens are NOT health department
regulated. Groups using the rented kitchens are responsible for following all
necessary food safety standards as determined by the Kanawha-Charleston Health
Department. This includes but is not limited to obtaining food handler’s permits,
cleaning, sanitizing, using reputable food sources, obeying food safe handling,
time and temperature regulation, pest monitoring, handwashing, and other safe
practices when using the rented kitchens. Questions about appropriate food safety
practices should be directed to the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. Rental
groups agree to use rental kitchens at their own risk. Camp Virgil Tate is NOT
liable for any injuries, accidents, damages, fires, food-borne illness, or death
resulting from the use of rented kitchens by rental groups. Any groups causing
damages (i.e., fires, damaged equipment, etc.) will be subject to the damages
policy (item #10 above). - Refrigeration Units: When using refrigeration units on camp property, Rental
Groups are advised to frequently check the temperature of any refrigerator used.
For food safety reasons, if any unit temperature is above 40° F, please notify a
Camp Staff Member or the Executive Director immediately. - Personal Property: Camp Virgil Tate is not responsible for articles stolen or lost on
Camp property. Items left at the camp will be held and may be claimed for up to 30
days. Any items not claimed after 30 days will be donated to charitable
organizations. - Vehicle Policy: Camp Virgil Tate does not provide vehicles for Rental Group use.
Rental Groups should provide any and all necessary transportation, including
emergency transportation services. Rental Groups should ensure that all vehicles
used adhere to state standards of safety, are insured, and are equipped with all
necessary safety equipment (such as seatbelts, car seats, and airbags).
Rental Groups should not load more persons than a vehicle is capable of
transporting. The transport of participants in the beds of pickup trucks, wagons,
trailers, and other vehicles where seats are not attached to the vehicles is
prohibited, unless they are operated under 10 miles per hour and are outfitted with
barriers to keep participants from falling out. Camp vehicles are never to be used
for the transportation of unauthorized persons (i.e. Rental Group Staff or Campers). - Insurance: Camp Virgil Tate does not carry health and accident insurance. We require that
Rental Groups providing youth programming or those providing equine activities for any
age level obtain their own health and accident insurance. These organizations or events
are required to submit a certificate of insurance to Camp Virgil Tate with a signed Rental
Group Agreement that includes the following:
a. The name of the insured
b. The policy number of insured organization
c. A rider listing Camp Virgil Tate as the additional insured
Meal Service Policies
- Meal service minimum: The minimum number for meal service must be at least 25 meals. Meal service cannot be provided to groups of less than 25. ALL MEAL PRICINGS ARE LOCKED IN 2 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR EVENT. You must confirm before the 2 weeks before your event for changes or that number for your service will be what you are charge for.
- Finalized meal quantity deadline: The final number of meals to be served must be
submitted in writing or by email to the Executive Director no later than three weeks before
the event. Any special accommodations or allergies (see below) should also be submitted at
this time. This ensures that Camp Virgil Tate staff has enough time to complete a food order
and receive a food delivery. We advise that rental groups add 5-10 additional meals. If a
rental group fails to inform the Executive Director of the final number of meals before
this deadline, meal service cannot be provided. - Special dietary needs: Please include any special dietary needs (diabetic, vegetarian,
religious preferences) or food allergies to be accommodated when submitting the finalized
meal deadline three weeks before the event. We make every effort to ensure that individuals
with these needs are accommodated. Due to increased cost of specialty food items and
limited availability if specialty food products are required (gluten free pastas, dairy free
milk/cheese substitutes), please contact food service staff or the Executive Director to
discuss available options. If staff are not made aware of allergies or special dietary needs
three weeks in advance of the event, we cannot guarantee their accommodation. If a group
fails to notify staff of a special dietary need prior to the 3-week deadline,
accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
If this becomes the case, we advise that the Rental Group contact make separate
arrangements to accommodate those individuals. - Payment for meals: Invoices will reflect the number of meals specified by the Rental Group
contact three weeks prior to the event, no exceptions. If the group is smaller than reported,
Camp Virgil Tate staff will serve seconds of the remaining portions after service to reduce
food waste. If a group is larger than reported, it is the Rental Group contact’s responsibility
to inform participants and make arrangements for extra meals. Camp Virgil Tate will prepare
the number of meals specified by the Rental Group contact three weeks in advance.
Therefore, if you are unsure of your group size, it is better to overestimate and have
extra meals. - Menus: Camp Virgil Tate staff is always happy to help you plan your menu. The rental
group contact should contact the Executive Director as far in advance of the event as
possible to select menu options. Due to the food ordering process, NO changes can be made
to the menu after the three-week meal quantity deadline. Camp Virgil Tate aims to provide
groups with affordable, crowd-pleasing menu options. If a custom menu or specific item is
requested, the price of meals will change. If no menu is selected by the three-week meal
quantity deadline, the group will be served from the set menu, at the prices indicated on the
menu. - Meal service times: Meals will be served at the following times, unless another time is
noted on the Rental Group Agreement: Breakfast at 8:00 am, Lunch at 12:00 pm, and
Dinner at 5:00 pm. - Meal service protocol: Meals are served cafeteria style with diners being asked to follow
the posted instructions. Rental groups with children should provide necessary leadership
to ensure an orderly condition in the Dining Hall. All Renters should wipe down tables,
sweep, and take out trash after each meal. - Banquet and other service requests: We understand that cafeteria style may not be
appropriate for some groups. If you would prefer, banquets may be provided upon request
for an additional charge which will be reflected on your Rental Group Agreement and final
invoice. Please follow all above listed requirements and have this request submitted as far in
advance as possible (but no later than 6 weeks prior to the event) to the Executive
Director. - Unauthorized persons: Our Dining Hall is under the jurisdiction of the
Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. Per food safety regulations, we CANNOT rent our
commercial kitchen facility to outside groups under any circumstances. Additionally,
individuals without food handlers’ cards are NOT permitted to enter the kitchen. Food
safety is our highest concern when serving any group, and we ask that you help us keep your
6
food safe by respecting the boundaries of our kitchen. Rental Group contacts should please
inform all group members that only authorized persons may enter the commercial kitchen. - Use of meeting space: We understand that some groups will choose to use the Dining Hall
as a meeting space. When using this space, rental groups should NOT engage in
extremely loud activities while meal preparation is ongoing. Loud activities make it
difficult for staff to communicate and poses a safety risk. Likewise, groups who need quiet
for activities should consider using another space, as meal preparation is far from quiet.
Please do not close (or ask staff to close) the service windows to reduce noise. This
restricts ventilation, making our equipment work harder and is a hazard to staff.
Check-Out Procedures
- Check out times are as follows:
Lodge: Check-out time for Lodge rooms is 11:00 a.m., following instructions below.
Cottages: The morning of departure, follow instructions below. - For Cottages: Please remove all belongings and decorations from the cottage. Don’t
forget to remove any items from restrooms, kitchens, and common rooms. Do not
leave unused food items in the kitchen. Opened food items should be thrown away.
Please consider donating unopened food items to the Aldersgate Food Pantry. Items
lost may be turned in to the lost and found. Items in lost and found will be kept for 30
days before being donated to charitable organizations. Sweep floors and gather trash.
Trash may be placed in bags in the dumpster. Please leave the space as you found it.
If spaces are left in an unkempt manner that is judged by Camp Virgil Tate
management to require extra cleaning time, a fee of $125 plus labor will be
assessed. - For Lodge Rooms: Please leave the Lodge rooms as you found them. DO NOT strip
beds or place linens in the hallways. Please leave linens and pillows on beds. DO NOT
remove linens from rooms. Failure to follow this policy will result in a $200 charge.
Fees will also be assessed for any missing items such as towels, washcloths, pillows,
and linens. If rooms are left in an unkempt manner that is judged by Camp Virgil Tate
management to require extra cleaning time, a fee of $125 plus labor will be assessed. - For Lodge Conference Rooms & Dining Hall: Please remove all belongings and
decorations from room. Don’t forget to remove any items from restrooms and the
kitchen. DO NOT leave unused food items in the fridge or pantry. Opened food items
should be thrown away. Please consider donating unopened food items to the
Aldersgate Food Pantry. Items lost may be turned in to the lost and found. Items in lost
and found will be kept for 30 days before being donated to charitable organizations.
Sweep floors and gather trash. Trash may be placed in bags in the dumpster. Please
leave the space as you found it. If spaces are left in an unkempt manner that is
judged by Camp Virgil Tate management to require extra cleaning time, an
additional fee of $125 plus labor will be assessed.
Camps and Overnight Youth Group Policies:
The following policies apply to Rental Groups holding events for children under the age of 21.
Camp Virgil Tate does not provide any staff for the supervision of youth. In order to provide a
quality and safe camping environment for youth, we recommend Rental Groups adopt the
following practices. If Rental Groups need assistance with any of the following, please contact the
Camp Office. We may be able to provide helpful information, materials, and resources.
- Supervisory Ratios: Rental Groups must have two adult chaperones present and in
control of youth at each reserved facility at all times. A chaperone, (also called “Rental
Group Staff” in this and other documents) is an adult 18 years & older responsible for
children. There should be NO EXCEPTIONS to these minimum ratios at any time.
Camper Age – Number of Staff – Overnight Campers – Day-only Campers
<6 years – 1 – 5 – 6
6-8 years of age – 1 – 6 – 8
9-14 years of age – 1 – 8 – 10
15-18 years of age – 1 – 10 – 12 - Rental Group Staff Screening: For the safety of youth served by the Rental Group,
Camp Virgil Tate STRONGLY RECCOMMENDS that Rental Groups screen their staff.
Screening should include background checks, a check of the Nation Sex Offender
Public Website, personal references, etc. This screening should be completed prior to
the date of the camp. - Special Recreational Activities: Rental Groups providing special recreational activities
(fishing, horseback riding, shooting sports, etc.) are responsible for providing their
own certified staff (if necessary) to facilitate and supervise these special recreational
activities. In addition to providing staff, Rental Groups should ensure that all personal
special recreational equipment that may be potentially dangerous (archery
equipment, bats, fishing hooks, etc.) be stored and handled safely at all times. Groups
should inspect special recreational areas for safety prior to using them and report any
problems to the Executive Director immediately. - Rental Group Medical Care: Rental Groups’ Staff members should have appropriate
certifications (First-aid, AED, CPR/BLS, etc.) to provide medical and emergency care
for participants. Camp Virgil Tate does not provide the Rental Group with staff that
have these certifications. Groups should also have a Certified Healthcare Provider on
site. The Certified Healthcare Provider should be the sole keeper of youth participant
8
AND adult medications. When not under the possession of the Certified Healthcare
Provider, all medications should be stored under lock and key. - Rental Group Staff Training: Rental Groups should provide staff with training for the
following prior to the camp: emergency plan for all foreseeable emergencies (weather
related, intruders, missing persons, medical emergencies, etc.), emergency
procedures, relevant reporting procedures, emergency communication plan, and child
abuse prevention training. In developing these trainings and plans, Rental Groups
should become familiar with Camp Virgil Tate’s Safety Orientation Packet. Rental
Groups should also educate staff to prevent child abuse by avoiding situations where
their staff and campers may be in a one-on-one situation. Rental Groups should train
staff on how to handle and report suspected abuse. - First Aid Equipment: Rental Groups should provide THEIR OWN First-Aid equipment
for each of the facilities where campers may be located. Camp Virgil Tate does not
provide First-Aid kits or any other medical equipment. - Participant Health Records: Rental Groups should obtain and securely store health
information on all participants including:
A. Names and addresses of participants
B. Emergency contact names and phone numbers
C. Listing of any persons with known allergies, restrictions, health conditions,
or other accommodations
D. For minors, signed permission to seek emergency treatment OR signed
religious waiver - Youth Curfew Policy: Rental Groups should ensure that all youth are in their cottages
by 11:00 p.m. with lights out by midnight unless otherwise approved by the
Executive Director.