Wellness Center

The Guenther Family Wellness Center was dedicated on a beautiful September day late last summer with Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Paul Guenther and family together with a host of Frost Valley friends, family and supporters. The new building has more than “replaced” the old Smith Lodge, which served for decades as the camp infirmary.

The Wellness Center quickly became the hub it was envisioned: summer campers received their dialysis treatments while camp nursing staff and doctors settled into their new home. Each day since then, the Wellness Center has served thousands of school children who come to Frost Valley with their teachers to participate in 3-day nature, science and teambuilding trips.
The ground floor includes a number of wonderful work and play spaces: a toddler room, arts & crafts studio, theater space and expanded nature room.

We caught up with Frost Valley’s Health Care Administrator, Patti Conklin, to learn how the new facility is providing continuity in the long tradition of wellness at Frost Valley, and what new initiatives are taking hold. In the past year, the staff has arranged health screenings for kidney health, blood pressure and glucose levels. In partnership with the American Red Cross, training opportunities were increased in CPR/First Aid classes; and together with the National Ski Patrol, Outdoor Emergency Care courses and training was conducted. Regular programming, offered free and open to the public, follows a monthly schedule on subjects like stroke prevention. Nursing staff has begun a collaboration with a local physician to help connect staff with regular health care.

Nurse Patti says, “Frost Valley is to already a healthy environment with a staff that models an active lifestyle, but everyone has personal goals, whether it’s increasing their physical conditioning, weight loss, better nutrition or stress reduction.”

Looking ahead, Frost Valley’s goal is to strengthen the community of wellness by helping the staff and guests set and keep their goals – at the same time providing a tool box of resources plus the supportive environment they need to succeed.