Camp was our first experience away from home, for a full week. In doing so, I will: accept personal responsibility to protect children from all forms of abuse, including: Verbal Abuse Humiliation, Degradation, Threats, Profanity, Sexual Abuse including inappropriate touch, displays, acts, Mental Abuse Hazing, Neglect, Manipulation, Teasing, Bullying. not smoke, vape, or use any tobacco or e-cigarette product on Camp Ondessonk property. There are two advanced adventures offered, Horse Expedition and River Adventure. 11-55. One day, one dayOne day, one dayMy mama said[Name]Cook the porridge! Evan started at Ondessonk as a summer camp counselor in 2004 after serving 5 years in the Coast Guard. During girls season and boys season all available units are open to all campers regardless of whether the unit is located on the "girls" or "boys" side of the lake. I hope to return someday soon. I've got peace like a river. In doing so, I will: treat with confidence and respect the personal information I learn from or about campers, CITs, and staff (subject to the policies on reporting abuse and neglect). He went to camp as a kid. It is where the lake meets a small waterfall. The final type of cabins is the Tekakwitha Lodges featuring four-walled A-frame buildings with screened in windows and doors. Play Camp Ondessonk and discover followers on SoundCloud | Stream tracks, albums, playlists on desktop and mobile. Everything parents want and need to know about sending their child to Camp Ondessonk. Omar Monds agreed to donate the bear if Ondessonk was willing to take it and camp was willing to take the bear if Monds could deliver the bear and get it into the cage that camp had set up. Whats next, what's next? Text the word HEEPWAH to 55222 to receive one surprise text in. 3rd-8th grade. It is advised that larger groups contact Camp first to inquire about availability and make reservations several months in advance - especially for those wanting meals and programs and for dates during the busier months of September, October, April, and May. Frequently sung at campfires, in-between activities, or before a meal. I was not a Boy Scout. For more information on SeriousFun Children's Network, visit www.seriousfunnetwork.orgor contact us at info@seriousfunnetwork.org. Look ahead! days left until the first day of summer camp, the Ondessonk staff are hard at work preparing for the summer. The Belleville Optimist Annual Santa Parade is touted as the largest holiday parade in Southern Illinois and features floats, marching bands, and dance groups. In the meantime, we have one last present for you. The very first Frontier trip went to Rocky Mountain National Park. A camp favorite was added in 1975 with the addition of the Friday Marathon. continue to be positive, enthusiastic, and energetic when I am tired, sweaty and dirty. One of the most memorable Lodge trips was in 1968 and went to Italy and Switzerland. Throughout the early 2000s various camp activities were introduced and different adventure programs were tried for brief periods. Always went to camp with friends from grade school. Dan King An agreement was also made in 1964 with the United States Department of Conservation and Forestry giving camp use of the surrounding Shawnee National Forest and expanding the camp acreage to 4,585 acres. ntil you and camp meet again, keep singing, moving, and grooving your way through life. Lake St. Isaac was added in the winter of 1960-1961 giving campers a place for swimming and watercraft activities. He has also been heavily involved in Southern Illinois Universitys Wilderness Education Association (W.E.A.) The camper staff raitio is approximately 1:6. With this in mind, we require staff members to behave in a mature and responsible way and respect the rights and dignity of others while they are at Camp Ondessonk . If you are selected and accept a position at Camp Ondessonk, you will commit to upholding Catholic values in your public work, and acting as a positive role model and mentor to our campers. Below please submit two character references. But Camp O today is more than a summer camp. But most of the campers were from the Catholic grade schools in the metro-east. I used to not like spiders and snakes, but now I know that God loves all creatures. I will make expectations clear and avoid power struggles with campers. The tent unit was placed off the parking lot in the former Frontier Unit's tent practice area. In order to be considered for Lodge, candidates much show these qualities as well as being at least a second year camper or staff member. Induction into Lodge is open to campers, staff, and volunteers who demonstrate loyalty and dedication to camp in an exemplary way, and takes place each Thursday night during the summer in the Lodge ceremony. Contains tracks. Until you and camp meet again, keep singing, moving, and grooving your way through life. be innovative, try new activities, participate with enthusiasm, and sing as loud as I can. Environmental Medicineincluding altitude illness, hypothermia and heat illness, frostbite and cold injury; lightning, submersion, and environmental toxins. Some activities are modified to account for the difference in age of mini campers from traditional campers. With only 68 (thats right, 68!) Print. Offering a more advanced approach to rock climbing, campers on Rock Adventure take the basic climbing skills covered in Rock Camp and spend more time on the natural sandstone rocks in the area further enhancing their climbing skills. Difficulty: 3/5 from Pakentuck Road. Sleep-away camps for ages 8-15. Camp Ondessonk is a rustic, outdoor, Catholic youth camp run by the Belleville Diocese. Allow this song to get quieter and slower as you move through the verses. That same year also saw the addition of four new shower houses and a roadway around almost all of Lake Echon, which replaced the dirt roads and trails. : School Annual Publishing Company, 2009. Finally, after multiple legal proceedings, the injured camper's family dropped the lawsuit thus saving Tommy's life. Two new units were added for the 1960 season, and 1,804 campers attended during the seven-week season. During the program, campers receive instruction and supervision from CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) certified instructors that help them to not only expand their horsemanshipskills, but also to develop their outdoors skills. In order to encourage campers to stay in the temporary unit, they were promised exclusive use of shower house C. This resurrected unit of Couture was only around for one year. Camp Ondessonk is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Belleville and has been offering summer camp experience since 1959, the same year I was born. Cook a hobo dinner in a campfire. [18] Participants received advanced instruction in horsemanship, horse-packing, trail stewardship, and outdoor living skills as they were led on a backcountry pack trip by experienced Ondessonk wranglers. Since 1959, Camp Ondessonk's summer camp programs have provided an experience that encourages campers to have fun, nurture spiritually, make friends, grow in self-confidence and promote . Amp up the acting to give your audience a good, hearty laugh. Tag: cheers. For more information contact Evan at evan.coulson@ondessonk.com. [17] The main areas of focus are horsemanship, rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, and canoeing. }. As an adult, he has been impressed with the spirit of volunteerism at Camp Ondessonk, past and present. The full-time staff consists of devoted individualswith extensive experience in fields related to youth development and outdoor leadership. Adventure and Trip & Travel experiences for ages 12-16. Members of Lodge may also attend Fall and Spring Lodge Reunions each year. Updated June 11, 2015 11:40 AM. We are proud to be accredited by the American Camp Association. Camp Ondessonk is the Premier Adventure Destination of the Midwest. CITs, regardless of their religious affiliation, are expected to conduct themselves in theirwork in a manner consistent with the policies of Camp Ondessonk, the Diocese, and the moral and religious teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Whos in charge and taking care of my kids? Further, I grant permission to Camp Ondessonk to release this application and attendant documents to the appropriate search committees. Camp Ondessonk selects an appropriate number of CITs to allow for optimal learning and gender specific unit capacity. The people there are incredible and so are the activities and opportunities. The all-day exploration was added in 1972 giving campers the chance to explore the land around them. The summer leadership staff is comprised of proven, sound decision makers who have completed college or are actively working towards that goal. Kick em in the butt! He spent the summers of 1987-1994 on the summer staff, which included co-leading the first ever Camp Ondessonk Horse Adventure trip. Musculoskeletal Problemsincluding unstable and stable injuries, overuse syndromes, and dislocations. To register, contact Linda at linda.scruggs@ondessonk.com. [2] The Primitive Units gave campers a unique experience, away from camp, during which they lived off the land for the week. Coed sessions were added in 1989 and eventually surpassed the popularity of separate gender seasons. [17] Participants experience the highlights of Southern Illinois rock climbing while taking on progressively more challenging routes. This is an intermediate adventure open to campers ages 1316. Other awards were given over the next few years including Tongas and Kachinas. During their stay campers were given extra time and opportunities to participate in their favorite activities. I understand not following or living up to Camp Ondessonk's values, policies, and procedures I could be asked to depart the CIT experience. But there were all the cool things we could never do at home, such as swimming in a lake, canoeing, archery, riflery, horseback riding and hiking. ", "The little 11 year-old girl that we dropped off to Camp was not the same girl we picked up. ***Open camping is available during weekdays as well as weekends.***. The camp strives to remain a "last frontier" of sorts, where participants can experience life away from the plugged in world of today's society, and go back to a . Camp Ondessonk also has two additional camper sleeping areas. She had blossomed so much in that one week. The units give campers the chance to bond more closely with their cabin mates as well as the 30 or so other campers in their unit. In 2008, he assumed the role of Camping Services Director, overseeing Ondessonks summer camp program and other camper services. A large, natural, stone peak jutting high above a lake. I promise to be a good CIT. Instructors are evaluated in five areas: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching technique, group control, and responsibility and professionalism. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Camp Ondessonk, at camp@ondessonk.com or 618-695-2489! Your email address will not be published. First aid and CPR training is provided. On a typical day at camp chants ring through the dining hall, cheers sail across the field, and songs embrace the campfire. He offers some advice to every adult who once went to Camp Ondessonk: Theres an opportunity to reconnect with your past through Camp Ondessonk, he told me. Courtesy of Camp Ondessonk / Thousands of children across Illinois missed out on outdoor opportunities through summer camp last year, when COVID-19 caused the cancellation of hundreds of camps and activities in 2020. Ahatsistari was located on the "girls" side of the lake and when Teondecoren became a cabin unit it was located on the "boys" side of the lake, however neither was an official unit when coed sessions were introduced. Need some teamwork training? Evan has been involved in the field of outdoor education since 2001 and gained valuable experience working for Touch Of Nature Environmental Center. He has returned as a volunteer because of the values he experienced as a kid. affiliate classes in Carbondale, IL and Cleveland Metro-parks Institute of the Great Outdoors (I.G.O.) The first Silver Frontier trip went to Florida and visited sites like Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Cape Kennedy, and Disney World. With blessings from . Chabanel is known as the cave unit as its cabins are tucked under a sandstone amphitheater found in a natural grotto. Each evening, campers help to take care of the horses, cook meals, and set up the campsite. This was an advanced adventure open to experienced campers ages 1418. Arriving at camp in the back of a Miller High Life beer truck driven by the bar owner, Omar Monds, the owner of a beer distribution company, Chick Fritz, and one of Mr. Monds employees, Tommy was welcomed to his new home where he would live for the next 28 years. Not sure I ever hit a target. See if I can hit a target with an arrow. Education: B.S. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . This year, camp directors say they're determined to get kids back outside."Have you ever played darts blindfolded before? She developed this confidence and independence that was so wonderful to see. They spent days building cabins with handsaws and evenings in a farmhouse near the camp location. The Lodge of Ondessonk and Tekakwitha embrace the honor camping society first established during Camp St. Philip in 1957. Camp Ondessonk's campers love to show their camp spirit with unit cheers. It offers programs and facilities year round. Camp ONDESSONK has provided children and children AT heart the opportunity to experience first hand the beauty of God's creation. As they became more popular the trips expanded to include visits to places such as Nashville, TN., Ireland, Rome, and the Holy Land. Log In Applicant gender assigned at brith is not a factor in making individual CIT decisions. Over the following years, Tommy was fed dog food, candy from campers, and leftovers from staff. He was found wandering near Mount Vernon, Illinois and was given the name Yonah, meaning bear spirit in Cherokee. Education: B.S. I was a bit nervous at first but once I got settled and realized what an amazing place it is, I never wanted to leave. This led to the camper's parents to worry that their son may have contracted rabies from the bear. Theres plenty to do in southwest IL. Since 1959, Camp Ondessonk's summer camp programs have provided an experience that encourages campers to have fun, nurture spiritually, make friends, grow in self-confidence and promote important traditional values. The Metro East Lodge Council and Camp staff greeted more than 20,000 spectators for the 2022 Belleville Optimist Annual Santa Parade. I was not very good at riflery or archery. Evan is currently working towards his Masters Degree in Outdoor Education Resource Management at SIUC. take care of myself and recognize my personal needs so I can be the best counselor I can be. Practical Skillsincluding splinting, bandaging, litter packaging and medical kit preparation. In doing so, I will: exhibit the highest ethical standards and personal integrity. Only one-fourth of the camps in the US have earned this mark of distinction. Camping & Facility Photos. There are challenge and high rope courses, and a variety of special interest weekends and open houses. I love being a camp counselorTheres nothing Id rather beIf I werent a camp counselorA(n) _________ I would beAnd as you pass me byThis is what youd hear me cry Bird WatcherHark! Splat!CamperWhat time is it? The dining hall is air conditioned, and has windows on all sides to allow for ventilation. The trading post building was also constructed the same year allowing it to move out of the small section of the Administration Building it had been previously housed in. 3 miles road trip from parking area at main camp. General members wear red and blue sashes. In 1964 the trip left from Miami, Fl., on a yacht and sailed to the Bahama Islands where participants were able to enjoy a Christmas vacation of swimming, beach combing, shopping, and relaxation. With this in mind, we require CITs to behave in a mature and responsible way and respect the rights and dignity of others while they are at Camp Ondessonk, participating in camp sponsored activities, or representing Camp Ondessonk in any way. The program is open to campers meeting this requirement ages 1116. All rights reserved. I've got peace like a river in my soul. We picked locust shells off the tree. CHA has developed a highly lauded certification process for arena instructors, trail guides, instructors of riders with disabilities and seasonal equestrian staff. Music-making. has made his way into thousands of campers' hearts. Watch out where you step! Backcountry Medicineincluding the assessment and treatment of common medical problems. Christine StuartRegional Manager, Partner Programs. [17] Although campers do return to main camp at the end of the week to participate in the final all-camp activities, most days and nights are spent on the trail in the back-country. The dining hall had air conditioning installed for the summer of 2013. Camp Ondessonk is an equal opportunity provider of summer camp and leadership programs. Since 1959, Camp Ondessonks summer camp programs have provided an experience that encourages campers to have fun, nurture spiritually, make friends, grow in self-confidence and promote important traditional values. There will be a performance on the last day of camp. Chabanel was moved to its current location in 1979 and the LaLande cabins were rebuilt into tree houses in 1981. There were also nature hikes and wildlife sightings. New Positions for Ondessonk Summer Staff Promote Positivity and Success . You can experience the same camp you went to as a kid with your own kids, or grandkids. In keeping with the primitive theme of the unit, the girls of the Primitives were known to make their own clothing out of feed sacks from the stables to wear during the week. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Camp Ondessonk is a residential youth camp that provides summer camp programs for children ages 8-17 years old. Hi-ho!ScientistAcid! Someday, I look forward to reliving a piece of my childhood where the only thing that has changed is myself. The Belleville Optimist Annual Santa Parade is touted . Camp Ondessonk. The Covered Bridge was also constructed in 1968 by volunteers from Saint Mary's Parish. I wanted to crawl across that swinging bridge. I have learned so much from Camp O, but the most important thing I learned is to respect nature. The Metro East Lodge Council and Camp staff greeted more than 20,000 spectators for the 2022 Belleville Optimist Annual Santa Parade. Snakes, but the most important thing I learned is to respect.! 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