Volunteer For

The ONe Mission 

Day Camp

June 30 - July 5, 2024 (see July 4 section below)

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

LINX Camps at Dana Hall School, Wellesley, MA

For volunteers ages 16+

From arts & crafts to water fights, field games to pies in the face, this non-stop week of fun helps patients, survivors, and siblings ages 6-12 connect in a low-pressure setting.

Qualifications

  • Every volunteer at The One Mission Day Camp must be:

    • At least 16 years old to be a Junior Counselor, and at least 18 years old to be a full Counselor.

    • Able to complete comprehensive background checks provided by Camp Casco.

    • Able to submit a recent physical examination, as required by the Board of Health.

    • Up-to-date on all immunizations, including COVID-19.

    • Aligned with our organizational values of community, compassion, and commitment.

    • Not related to a current camper at the same camp session.

  • Accepted camp counselors will be expected to:

    • Submit required forms in a timely manner.

    • Complete your online training course prior to arriving to your camp session.

    • Attend the entire duration of camp in-person, June 30 through July 5 in Wellesley, MA. July 4 will be a shortened day held at Hale Education in Westwood: see July 4 section below for more information.

    • Provide your own transportation to and from your camp session.

Training & Support

We’re here to support our camp counselors every step of the way. Here’s how we help both new and returning volunteers succeed:

  • Every counselor will complete a mandatory online training course prior to camp. This course will take around 3 hours to complete, and will cover key topics like how to create a welcoming environment, conflict management, and our safety policies, ensuring every camp counselor arrives with a foundational knowledge of what to expect.

    In addition, we aim to help our volunteers gain experience and build skills that will continue to benefit you long after the camp week ends. To that end, in 2024, every volunteer will have the opportunity to complete an optional online course to earn a certificate in camp mental health.

  • Our camp counselors arrive to the campsite one day prior to camper arrival. This gives us time to set up our campsite, and complete additional training in person. Onsite training will cover topics such as camper wellness, working as a team, and specific information to help support our campers throughout the week. This also gives each counselor time to settle in and bond with co-counselors before the fun kicks off the following day.

  • Each camp is run by our leadership team, a group of volunteers with demonstrated experience in the camp setting who work throughout the year to create each magical camp session.

    Throughout your camp session, you will be directly supported by a member of our leadership team— typically this is the Activities Manager or Head Counselor, based on your specific role at camp. Additionally, other members of the leadership team will be there to provide additional support and guidance as needed.

    Every member of our team is invested in making sure that this is a great experience for every camper and every volunteer.

A Day At Camp

July 4 Family Fun Day

While our regular campsite will be closed on July 4, we’ll gather with our campers and their families for lunch and an afternoon of fun on Hale’s scenic North Beach. Camp counselors are expected to attend.

July 4, 2024 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Hale Reservation, Westwood, MA

What our campers say

Notify Me

Volunteer spaces are currently full for Day Camp 2024. Please sign up below to be notified if a space becomes available, or check out our current volunteer needs here!

FAQs

  • This camp welcomes patients, survivors, or siblings of childhood cancer who are ages 6-12, potty-trained, and have permission from their doctor to attend school or camp.

    Many of our campers have food aversions, g-tubes, special medical needs, or disabilities. This is very common at Camp Casco! We work with parents prior to the camp session to make sure we understand each child’s unique situation and how we can best support them at camp. We will prepare you to support your specific campers during our onsite training day.

  • Yes! Camp Casco provides lunch & snacks for all campers and volunteers throughout the week.

    All of our lunches are provided by local restaurants like B.Good, Pizza Peddler, and Qdoba. We also provide twice-daily nutritious snacks to keep everyone full and energized.

    Specific dietary preferences (like vegetarian, vegan, or kosher diets) and food allergies can be accommodated. Please be sure to note this on the volunteer application so that we may be properly prepared. LINX Camps is a nut-free facility.

  • We follow the guidance of the CDC, our local Boards of Health, and of course, our medical experts, when making decisions about health and safety. Please visit our COVID-19 page for the most up-to-date guidance on our policies and procedures.

  • The One Mission Day Camp takes place in partnership with LINX Camps at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, MA. LINX Camps and Dana Hall School offer a top-tier facility, including carefully maintained grassy areas, an indoor pool, and accessible indoor bathrooms. The majority of our camp takes place outside on the grass, under shady tents.

  • During inclement weather, such as very warm or rainy days, we’ll move inside. On warmer days, we may provide cooling items such as a personal fan, and increase the number of water activities, to help keep everyone comfortable. Be aware that in the case of lightning, swimming is not permitted, despite the pool’s location indoors.

  • Volunteers ages 16 and 17 are considered Junior Counselors. This means that Junior Counselors will never be left alone in charge of campers, without the direct supervision of a full counselor. Full counselors are ages 18+. All counselors, regardless of age, will complete pre-camp and onsite training to prepare before camper arrival.

  • We are looking for volunteers who are responsible and dependable, work well as a team, and communicate effectively.

    Our ideal counselor is highly motivated to help us create the best week ever, and willing to get silly, participate fully, and actively connect with each camper.

    You do not need to be a specific age, or specific personality type, to be a great camp counselor. We find that different kids connect with a variety of personality types, and we strive to create a diverse volunteer team to support our diverse group of campers.

  • During the online volunteer interview, you will meet with a few members of our camp leadership team. We will ask questions to get to know you better, and assess your experience and readiness for the camp setting. We may ask questions like:

    • Tell us about a time you had to quickly come up with a back-up plan.

    • Have you ever had a conflict with a co-worker or teammate? How did you work through it?

    • What would you do if you had a camper who was withdrawn or isolated from the group?

  • Types of camp counselors:

    • Cabin counselor

      • Assigned to a specific cabin (or group) that they will be with for the duration of the week. They will supervise their campers, and make sure they get to all of the scheduled activities on time. The Cabin Counselors report directly to the Head Counselor(s). Due to the small size of Day Camp, there may only be one cabin group to better manage the transitions between activities. In this case, all Cabin Counselors will be responsible for all campers.

    • Activities counselor

      • In charge of running all Camp Casco activities throughout the week. While not assigned to a specific cabin, Activities Counselors will interact with campers through different activities and will fill in for cabin counselors when needed. Activities Counselors report directly to the Activities Manager.

    • Junior counselor

      • May share responsibilities as either a cabin or activities counselor, but will not be left alone in charge of a group of campers.

    Medical volunteers:

    • Volunteers who are medical professionals may volunteer for our Med Shed. These volunteers are responsible for providing medical care for campers throughout the week under the supervision of the Medical Director.

    • Med Shed volunteers should be doctors, nurses, physicians assistants, paramedics or EMTs who are currently licensed in Massachusetts. Medical volunteers can choose to volunteer for a single day or multiple days during the camp session— you do not have to commit to the full session.


    Leadership team:

    Each camp is organized and run by a team of volunteers who work throughout the year to make each camp our best week ever. Our leadership team is selected and supported by our staff Program Director, Krystin “Lo” Whitacre.

    At Day Camp, our leadership team is made up of:

    • Camp Director:

      • Responsible for the internal aspects of Camp Casco, focusing on the needs and well-being of campers, volunteers, and medical personnel.

    • Head Counselor:

      • Responsible for cabin counselors and junior counselors, ensuring they have everything necessary to provide their campers with the best week possible. Any issues with campers or fellow counselors will be first brought to the attention of the Head Counselor.

    • Activities Manager:

      • Responsible for the planning and execution of all Camp Casco activities and is directly responsible for the Activities Counselors.

    • Medical Director:

      • Responsible for the administrative aspects of the Med Shed and oversees the medical volunteers.


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