A significant number of campers suffer from heightened sensitivity to solvents and petroleum products, including perfume and fragrance. These chemicals can act not only as respiratory irritants, but also as cardiac stimulants (skyrocketing blood pressure, palpitations) and neurotoxins (symptoms include tremors, mental confusion, equilibrium loss, blurred vision).
Exposure to products containing even small amounts of the chemicals can cause these symptoms. Please understand that this is not a preference issue - it is a serious health concern. Chemical sensitivity results from continued exposure to solvents and products in doses thought to be safe: this could happen to any one of us.
Because the dining hall, dance hall, dorms and lodges at camp are enclosed spaces, even small amounts of fragrance or scented or toxic products on a few people can add up quickly to intolerable amounts. Our fellow dancers with chemical sensitivities can attend camp only if we all work together to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the camp environment. We will supply the bathrooms with fragrance-free soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hand lotion for your convenience.
We ask that you please:
Please consider bringing other fragrance-free personal products to use at camp. This will really make a difference. They can easily be found at any natural food store. Here's a short sampling:
Thanks to Victoria Bestock and Ric Goldman for this information.
Last Updated: Sun Jan 4 14:07:22 2009