Your Volunteer Assignment

Few things are more rewarding than helping a photosensitive child expand their boundaries and achieve things they never thought possible. We are so appreciative of your willingness to play a role in making our first camp experience a memorable one.

As a volunteer you will fall into one of two categories

FAMILY PALS

Family Pals are paired with a family and serve as their guide throughout the weekend

That means welcoming your family to camp, escorting them throughout their camp experience and enjoying the joys of camp with all members of the family. Your role is very important because as the initial face of Sun Escape and the family’s constant representation, you have a major part in the feel of camp and the community that is established. In short, laugh, play and care for your campers

PROGRAM PALS

Program Pals assist a specific activity area for parts of the weekend.

Program Pals provide programming which gives our campers the opportunity to try new things and push beyond their comfort zone. Volunteers in this role are assigned to oversee a program area such as Arts & Crafts, Woodshop, Archery, Boating, Fishing, Adam’s Race Shop or the Fab Shop. As a Program Pal you will join a family when your program area is closed so you can continue to experience all of the magic of camp.

Volunteers can expect their assignment no later than Wednesday April 1st

  • Family Pals are chosen from our group of volunteers based on who we think will be the best match for each individual camp family. In certain instances, volunteers who are photo-sensitive may be given priority as Family Pals.

  • Not at all. Your role is to serve as the main point of contact for all your family's inquiries and to guide them around the camp during activities. It's essential that you are never alone with your campers, and caregivers should not leave their children in your care. If you're uncertain, allow your family to dictate how much or how little you should engage.

  • Program Pals might be assigned to a specific area, but keep in mind that areas may open and close throughout the day. During Thursday's Orientation, you will be designated to a family and a volunteer to accompany when your assigned area is unavailable. Additionally, there are various group activities scheduled throughout the day and into the evening when no program areas are operating.

  • Absolutely! We encourage you to establish a connection with your camp family. Prior to camp, you and your camp family will receive each other’s basic contact information. Feel free to reach out or respond at your own discretion.

  • We will do our best to maintain specific volunteer pairings, but we cannot make any guarantees. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of opportunities over the weekend to enjoy the fun together, even if you have different roles.

  • All volunteers are expected to arrive at camp on Thursday afternoon for an orientation that covers all camp activities and includes a tour of the facilities. We are sure that after this training session, you will feel prepared, as the job itself is low maintenance. If you find that you need assistance during the weekend activities, please don't hesitate to reach out to another volunteer, a member of the VJ staff, or Craig and Kristen for support.