Big things are happening at Camp Quality Illinois these days! Welcome to the first of a series of blog posts that will help keep you in the know!
I hope that by reading these, you’ll feel more engaged in what we are doing and how we are growing CQ locally and nationally. Change can be scary, but it’s also very exciting!
First and foremost, let’s talk about the question everyone has…” when can I apply for summer camp?” The answer is…now! While we know CQ offers year-round programming, summer camp will always be a focus and is the heart of Camp Quality! This year’s camp is August 2-8, with volunteer staff arriving on August 1. Applications are up now on our website as of February 10th for both campers and staff. Please make sure that you spread the word! If you know a child who has been recently diagnosed, don’t assume their hospital is spreading the word! Feel free to have them reach out if they have questions too! We are also always looking for quality volunteers, particularly for the male companion role!
We have all sorts of year-round activities going on right now! We just finished up teen weekend. We have our Family Day at the Chicago Wolves Game and our Family Overnight coming up in the next couple of months. We are very excited to add two new events this year, specifically for our parents. We are starting with a dad’s day this month and are in the process of planning a mom’s day. Not only are we looking forward to giving our moms and dads a well deserved fun day, but we hope to have an opportunity to get to know you better and give you the chance to meet other parents who are walking this journey alongside you.
Nationally, Camp Quality is making some big changes by regionalizing! I’m fortunate that I was asked to join the committee to help determine what this looks like. For most of you, you won’t see a single change, but we are adjusting our management structure to meet the growth we’ve experienced over the years. I’m blessed to be able to serve Camp Quality Illinois in a volunteer capacity for all these years and I will continue to do so, but it will be a huge benefit for me to have a larger support system and more guidance at the national/regional level.
With all this change and growth comes a great need to continue crushing our fundraising goals! We have had some amazing success over the last few years with our summer peer to peer fundraising campaign! We need your help to keep that campaign going this year. Always keep a lookout for grant opportunities and employer matching programs and make sure you are wearing your Camp Quality swag and telling all your friends, coworkers, and family about the amazing things happening at Camp Quality Illinois!
We are looking forward to a great 26th year of camp and are excited to be sharing it with all of you!