GET INVOLVED

For every Counselor willing to spend the entire week at Camp, two more Campers are able to attend, as each Counselor is assigned two Campers. Each Counselor/Camper set is then assigned to a Cabin with at least 2 other Counselor/Camper Sets. These “Cabins” spend most of their week together, at the different activities, meals, etc. As the entire team arrives at Camp on Saturday afternoon, before the Campers, the Counselors have time to prepare their cabins, with a theme, usually chosen and planned for in advance, by the Counselors in each cabin. On Monday morning the entire Staff welcomes the Campers as they arrive. This is a pretty big event, with banners & signs with each Childs name held up, and cheering, screaming and jumping up and down, to show these Kids how very excited we are to have them with us. For new Counselors, this is the start of a very special relationship. As the week goes on, and as the kids find out they are “Safe”, they begin to trust. And as that trust builds, these kids begin to open up. Sometimes with funny/fascinating stories, sometimes with heartbreaking never before told to anyone stories. Each Counselor is given time both morning and night away from their campers to shower, make phone calls, just get some quiet time. This is accomplished by handing the Kids off to the “Floaters”. The important thing to remember here, is you’ll never be alone, trying to figure out what to do, as we have about twice as many “Other Staff” as we do Counselors, and they are always willing/able to jump in and help!

Every Counselor has 2 kids, and we have 48 kids at our Camp. We usually have a total of 70-80 staff, which leaves approx. 50 people as “Other Staff. So as you can see “Other Camp Staff” is a large, and encompassing group within our Camp. We have many positions under this heading, but most are classified as “Floaters”, which is a great position, because you get to interact with all of the Kids, not just 2, or a cabin full. As a “Floater”, you might be doing photography, or helping teach a kid to fish, or to swim. You might be helping with arts and crafts, which we call “Creation Station”. You might be assigned to the “Tea Party” where the Kids and Staff alike get to dress up and be whoever they want to be. You might get to be a part of the weeklong “Drama” that is done for the kids, or watch as the kids create masterpieces with colored hair spray, and nail polishes @ “Spikes and Nails”. These are just some of the many needs we have. If you have a “Special Talent”, that you think the kids would enjoy learning, we are always open to new ideas!

For those who want to help, but don’t have an entire week to give, being a Registration helper is one of several ways to still help out. On Monday morning, about 15-20 of the Staff & the Leadership team come back to Des Moines to get the Kids Registered. This includes tagging their luggage as the Kiddos arrive, helping with checking the kids in, getting photos taken, checking in with the nurses, entertaining the kids, while all the other activities are going on, as well as helping to load the luggage on the bus, for the kids to get to Camp! This is always a position in need, especially if you have a nursing background!

This is another position for those who don’t have an entire week to give at this time, or for those who are just wanting to see what Camp is really about. Because all of our Kids come from a background, of being abandoned, neglected, or abused, many of them have “Never” had a Birthday party, and many have not even have had their Birthdays acknowledged. So every year, at every Royal Family Kids Camp, we have an all Camp Birthday Party. At our Camp this “Party” is on Wednesday. Every Child receives a “Birthday Cupcake” with their name on it, and get “Happy Bithday” sang to them. Then there are all kinds of games to play, mostly “Water Games” including two giant “Slip and Slides”. Then, after the Birthday Party, the kids go back to their cabins, to change into dry clothes, where a “Birthday Bag” full of surprises is waiting on their bunk!

These are other positions of need, where you don’t have to be able to spend the whole week at Camp. After a very fun and exhausting week at Camp, we have a sit down dinner for all the Camp Staff, and their families. This is a time for us to say thank you to the families, for letting us have their family member(s) for the week, and to show safe photos of our time at Camp. But it also a time for us to thank our Staff Members who have reached milestones with Royal Family Kids, whether it’s their first year, or their 5th year, or a few here in Des Moines, that will be receiving their twentieth year award soon. Food is usually donated by a local restaurant owner, so we just need 2-3 people to help set up, and keep the food line supplied. Make drinks, lemonade, coffee, etc.

For every counselor willing to spend the entire week at camp, another camper is able to attend. Training is mandatory. Counselors arrive at camp the day before the campers to prepare the cabins and welcome the campers as they arrive. Each counselor is responsible for two campers in order to provide the very best care for our campers. One assistant counselor works with every two regular counselors.