Congratulations to participants at Camp Donegal! Jochebed Hitharie of The Netherlands and a few of her summer camp colleagues submitted the winning photo of campers, counselors and staff hamming it up for the camera.

As our winner, Jochebed will receive $100. She is graciously donating the prize money to the camp.

An honorable mention goes to Martin Kersner and Patrik Galajda, both of Czech Republic, for their photo entries.

Thanks to everyone who submitted photos, and we hope to see your smiling faces again in our next photo contest! You can check out all of this year’s fantastic submissions on our Flickr page.

Don’t forget: Our Summer 2012 applications open in November. We hope you’ll be joining us for another amazing summer!

Stay on top of all Camp USA’s news and highlights by “friending” us on Facebook.

A SPECIAL EVACUATION PLAN FOR ALL INTEREXCHANGE PARTICIPANTS IN THE OCEAN CITY, MD AREA IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
The following is a notice from the Town of Ocean City Emergency Services

At this time, the Town of Ocean City Emergency Services Officials have ordered that all J-1 Visa participants must be evacuated from Ocean City today, Thursday, August 25, due to expected arrival of Hurricane Irene to our coast.

This is a mandatory evacuation for all J-1 participants. All guests and residents will be evacuated after the participants.

At this time, all participants must follow the instructions below:

• Participants must go to the Convention Center (located on 41st Street & Coastal Highway) starting at 10:00am EST today.
• From the Convention Center participants will be taken by bus to Perdue Stadium in Salisbury. There participants will board a second bus that will take them to a Red Cross shelter outside of the Eastern Shore, in Baltimore, MD, where participants will be safe from the hurricane.
• Participants must bring ALL of their important documents and travel papers, including their passport and DS-2019.
• Participants will be allowed to carry one backpack OR one small carry-on that can fit in their lap on the bus. In that bag, participants need to bring valuables, medicine, some toiletries and some clothes. (This bag will remain with the participant at all times).
• PARTICIPANGS CAN NOT BRING ALL OF THEIR SUITCASES WITH THEM. There is no way to transport them with participants (and they can not be left behind at the Convention Center). They will be safest left in participants’ apartment or if their employer has a place they can store them. Participants should leave their suitcases labeled with their address in their home country in case they need to be shipped to them.
• Participants will be given blankets, a cot to sleep on, food, drink, and all things necessary including medical care while they are at the shelter in Baltimore.
• There will be computers for participants to use at the shelter in Baltimore, so that they can keep in touch with their family and your program sponsor.
• After the hurricane passes, and it is safe to return to Ocean City, participants will be transported back by buses.
• If the hurricane causes so much damage that the town of Ocean City is not inhabitable, participants will be assisted by their sponsor to either return home, or go to another area with the USA for the remainder of their program.

Participants must be sure to contact their family before leaving Ocean City, so that they are aware of participants’ plans to evacuate. Participants’ sponsors have been notified already, and participants should stay in contact with their sponsor in the coming days.

The phone number for up to the minute information regarding the hurricane is 410-723-6666. You can also go to www.oceancitymd.gov and there is a storm update button on the page

Remember, participants’ safety is important to everyone. Please go to the Convention Center immediately.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Seasonal Workforce Committee
Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce.

FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CLOSELY AND STAY SAFE.

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY. Make sure to follow safety instructions provided by local city offices and your employer regarding hurricane emergency procedures. Also check with your local city offices to get information about whether an evacuation plan is in place and what you will need to do if the hurricane affects your area.

You can track the progress and reports of Hurricane Irene using the following website links:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/#IRENE
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/231450.shtml%27%20rel=%27nofollow
http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral
http://www.weather.com/outlook/videos/tropical-update-6584
http://www.hurricaneprepcenter.com/hurricane-irene-2011

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAFETY RELATED PROCEDURES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANS.

Please contact InterExchange to connect with your program’s staff if you have any questions: 212.924.0446

Hurricane Irene – Warning Information for Ocean City, MD

At this time, Ocean City is preparing for possible affects from Hurricane Irene. Our participants’ safety is important to us, so please follow safety rules and instructions provided by your local officials.

Please know that Ocean City has an official hurricane evacuation plan in place specifically for work/travel participants, with the cooperation of FEMA, MEMA, MD DHR, and other State, County, and Local agencies. There currently is not an evacuation ordered for residents and guests in Ocean City. However, government agencies are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irene.

For updates on the hurricane status, the phone number for up to the minute emergency information in Ocean City is 410-723-6666. You may also go to www.oceancitymd.gov where there is a storm update button on the page.

Enter The Camp USA Photo Contest! You Could Win a $100 Certificate If Your Photo Is Selected.

A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but yours might be worth a $100 gift certificate!

We’re looking for photos that best represent the wonderful world of working at camps in the U.S. Send us your favorite photos of your everyday ‘camp’ life. Whether you’re happily playing games with kids at your camp, having fun in the kitchen or dining hall, participating or leading your favorite activity, there’s nothing like a photo to show what Camp USA is really like.

Have awesome pictures from your travel experiences within the United States? Submit those, too! We are always looking for amazing pictures of the American landscape! Just make sure that you’re in the picture!

Enter now! First prize is $100 value; second prize is $50 value.* Why not take your chance at winning?

To enter, email your photos to campusa@interexchange.org. Make sure each photo is high resolution (3 MB or higher, no more than 2 images per email) and includes your name, email address, and phone number. After all, if you’re the winner, we’ll need to know who you are!

Make sure to submit your photos today. All photos must be received by August 31, 2011. We’ll notify winners this fall.

Can’t wait to see your pics!

*All prizes are in the form of a gift card.

During this especially difficult time, we at InterExchange would like to reach out to any of our participants or cooperators who need additional support or assistance.

As always, we encourage you to contact us with any questions or requests.

InterExchange Camp USA
1.800.597.1722 (U.S. Only)
+1.212.924.0446
campusa@interexchange.org

We want to make sure that you are aware of the hazards of cycling in the U.S. and to prepare you for your summer of cycling. Even if you are an experienced cyclist in your home country, the rules on the road in the U.S. may be very different to what you are used to. Please read and follow these important safety tips.

ALWAYS

• When you first get your bike, make sure the brakes and gears are working well and that reflectors and lights are installed and working properly. If you bike late at night, you must be seen on the road!
•  Wear a bicycle helmet
• Install reflective lights on your bike, especially when riding at night
• Ride on the right hand side of the road, in the same direction with the traffic
• Make sure you are visible to drivers – wear bright clothing
• Pay attention to cars and trucks on the road – they may not be used to sharing the road with cyclists
• Pay attention to local traffic laws. Every state has different cycling rules. Learn about them before you ride!
• When making a turn, use hand signals and always look behind you
• In popular tourist areas, pay attention to slow moving vehicles and people crossing the road or opening their car doors in the middle of the street
• Stop at red traffic signals and pay attention to road signs
• At traffic lights, stop behind cars, not beside them
• Use your bike bell to alert others of your presence

NEVER

• Bike under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
• Text, talk on your cell phone or listen to music while biking
• Allow anyone to ride with you on a one-person bike. If you need to travel with a friend and they don’t have a bike, walk together or try to take public transport.
• Bike too fast in towns and busy areas

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
BicycleSafe.com

We wish you a safe and happy summer of cycling!

Advisory statement

• InterExchange participants with approved visas, awaiting travel dates. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to continue operations (see http://blogs.federaltimes.com/federal-times-blog/2011/04/07/80-of-dhs-staff-will-work-during-shutdown/) so these individuals should plan to arrive in the U.S. according to their current schedules. The SEVIS ( Student & Exchange Visitor Information System) will continue operations, so arriving students should register as instructed. The Social Security Administration will suspend processing original or replacement cards, so these students will need to wait to apply for a Social Security number.
• Visa applicants awaiting approval. Applicants awaiting visa approval for participation in InterExchange programs, including Au Pair USA, Work & Travel USA, Career Training USA and Camp USA, are advised to anticipate delays in visa processing due to this shutdown. Those individuals awaiting approvals should continue their regular activities in their home countries until U.S. government offices reopen. We recommend checking http://www.usembassy.gov/ for updates about the status of the shutdown and to contact your local U.S. embassy when offices announce that they have reopened.
• U.S. employers. Employers awaiting staff whose visas have not yet been processed should anticipate a delay and plan for later start dates of employees. Participants that arrive in-country during a shutdown will not be able to apply for their Social Security numbers until the government re-opens but can still be paid for time worked. Please contact your InterExchange program representative for details.

5 Tips on Filing Your Taxes

1. You should receive a W-2 Form from your camp director before you file your taxes. This is a document which shows your total earnings in 2010, as well as the amount of tax which was already withheld from your paycheck. If you did not receive a W-2 Form from your camp director, please contact them directly.

2. Camp USA participants on a J-1 Visa should file a Form 1040NR-EZ with the IRS for their federal U.S. individual income tax returns. Download Form 1040NR-EZ and filing instructions from the IRS website.

3. Send your form to the IRS in the mail, or you may be eligible to file your taxes online with the IRS for free. Visit the IRS website.

4. State and local taxes may have also been withheld from your paycheck. This depends greatly on the state you are working in. Some states do not have a personal income tax; others may tax income as much as 8%. Similarly, local taxes will vary but will be lower than state taxes. Please ask your camp director if you are required to file a state and/or local tax return.

5. Many Camp USA participants are entitled to refunds each year, so be sure to file your taxes! All federal and state tax returns this year must be submitted by April 18, 2011. Refunds may take two to three months to be issued, so it’s to your benefit to file early.

InterExchange Camp USA is not a licensed tax advisor, and does not provide official tax advice. Please contact a professional tax advisor or the IRS to determine your individual tax situation. Many of our participants use J-1 tax services such as Taxback, RTTax or Cintax. Be aware that these companies typically charge a percentage of your tax refund or a flat fee, but they can help you with the paperwork and make the process easier. The IRS also provides a complete list of reputable tax preparation services.

If you worked at a camp, tell us about your funniest, craziest, and most unforgettable moments. Maybe you tried waterskiing for the first time, or learned a few great American camp songs, or taught a song from your home country. Maybe you traveled to some exciting places with friends you made at camp. Whatever you did, we want to hear about it, and if you have photos, even better!

Camp Directors—we want to hear from you too! Tell us some stories about your favorite international Camp USA staff members. What was the wackiest thing that happened all summer? Which counselors or support staff were extra-popular with the campers? Who went above-and-beyond the call of camp duty? Let us know!

Email us your best memories from summer 2010, and let us know where to send your Camp USA Care Package. And don’t forget to become a fan of our Facebook page, where you can stay in touch with all of your Camp USA friends all year round.

See you next summer!

If you are at the beach, stay safe and follow the lifeguards’ advice. Do not swim in the water if there are high waves and strong rip currents. Please contact us if you have any questions.