Why volunteer
One week. A cabin full of stories.
Our counselors come from all walks of life, and a lot of them are former campers. What they have in common: they keep coming back.
Change a kid's summer
For a lot of our campers, this is the one week a year they're surrounded by kids who get it. You get to make it a great one.
Be a role model
Campers look up to their counselors all week. You get to show them what's possible.
You'll be ready
Training before camp and two days on site before campers arrive. You won't be doing it alone.
150 service hours
A full week earns 150 service hours and a letter of recommendation.
Former campers
Once a camper, always a camper.
Lots of our counselors grew up at Camp Ailihpomeh. They came up through Leadership, graduated as CITs, and came back at 18 to give the next kid the camp they had. Former campers even get their own lunch together during training weekend.
CamperLeadershipCITCounselor
Roles
Find your spot.
Everyone on staff is a volunteer. Tell us what you're interested in on the interest form and we'll find the right fit.
Most volunteers
Cabin counselor
Live in a cabin with your campers all week. Get them to activities, meals and Med Ed, keep the energy up, and be there at lights out.
Share a skill
Project leader
Camp John Marc staff lead the activities, but some afternoon Projects are led by our own counselors, like golf and fly-fishing lure making. Got a skill to share? Tell us.
A camp classic
Arts & crafts helper
Help out in arts & crafts alongside our arts & crafts director, who has been part of camp for 44 years.
Capture the week
Camp photographer
Catch the big moments and the small ones. Your photos help families see camp through Waldo and end up in the Party Night slideshow.
At the horse arena
Leadwalker
Walk beside every camper on horseback. Leadwalkers get their own training on Sunday morning before campers arrive.
For professionals
Medical & Child Life
Physicians and nurses from our treatment centers staff the Quack Shack, and Child Life Specialists check in on new and homesick campers. If that's you, tell us on your interest form.
Who can volunteer
Relatives of campers are welcome.
18 or older
Of good character, and able to pass a criminal background check
If your son is attending camp, he's 15 or older (Leadership) and it isn't his first year
Road to camp
From interest form to cabin door.
Here's how it works from start to finish. Once you register, all the details come by email from CampDoc.
1
Anytime
Interest form
Tell us a little about yourself. It's the first step for every volunteer.
2
By May 31
Register in CampDoc
The CampDoc link appears as soon as you submit the interest form. Complete your health profile to 100%.
3
By May 31
Interview & references
New counselors (or anyone away 2+ years) do a short interview. You'll find the interview details in CampDoc. We also check references and run a background check.
4
June
Pre-camp training
Read the Volunteer Handbook, join one training Zoom (weeknight, lunch and weekend options), then watch the training videos and take the quiz.
5
By June 15
Abuse prevention training
About an hour and a half online, plus a quiz. It's good for two years.
6
Camp week
Arrive Saturday
Two days of training on site, then campers arrive Sunday afternoon.
Your week
Saturday to Friday.
Counselors arrive a day before campers. Here's the shape of the week.
Saturday
Training day
Welcome from Camp John Marc and Camp Ailihpomeh
Med notes with the medical and Child Life teams
Camper safety and abuse prevention training
Dinner, counselor recognition, and a camp tour for first-timers
Sunday
Get ready, then go
Leadwalker training at the horse arena
Risk management and emergency procedures
Camper mental health
Challenge course for first-timers, plus the Former Campers Lunch
Campers arrive in the afternoon!
Mon – Thu
Camp!
Activities, meals and Med Ed with your cabin
Cookout Night, Theme Night and more
Thursday's Party Night: Big Stick Awards, CIT graduation and the slideshow
Friday
See you next summer
Campers head home
Cabin clean-up with your team
Most counselors are on the road by mid-morning
Expectations
The ground rules.
Camp is a kid-first place. These are the basics every volunteer agrees to. You'll get the full details in the Volunteer Handbook.
Kids first, always
You're a role model from the moment you arrive. Be positive, be present, and follow the no-isolated-moments rule: never alone with a camper.
Dress for camp
Closed-toe shoes (the terrain is uneven), child-friendly shirts and hats, and nothing too short, tight or revealing.
Phones out of sight
Campers don't have phones, so keep yours put away around them. You can store it in your locker in the medical building.
Meds stay locked up
All of your medications, vitamins and supplements go in your assigned locker in the medical building, never in the cabin.
Come healthy
If you've been sick in the past week, stay home and let us know so we can plan around it.
Boundaries after camp
Counselors are mentors, not friends. We follow Camp John Marc's standard: no one-on-one contact with campers outside of camp, including social media.
Interest form
Ready? Start here.
Every volunteer, new or returning, starts with this form.
This form is for adult volunteers (18+) only. Parents can volunteer only if their son at camp is 15 or older and not a first-year camper. To register a camper, please contact your hemophilia treatment center. Only HTCs can send camper registration links.
1
Submit the formIt only takes a few minutes.
2
Get your CampDoc linkIt shows up right after you submit, and we get a copy of your answers.
3
Register in CampDocYour interview details are waiting for you there. The interview decides who joins us at camp.
Questions first? Email info@camp-ailihpomeh.org.
The interest form is right below. It only takes a few minutes.