2024 Dates announced - Sunday, July 28th to Sunday, August 4th, 2024
Open to children ages 6 to 17 who have experienced burn injury and smoke inhalation injury. Campers attend at no charge thanks to generous community support. Free transportation to camp is provided from St. Louis, Columbia, Springfield and Kansas City. Attendance at camp is subject to medical approval. Contact Us for more information or Apply today to be a Camper.
At Midwest Children’s Burn Camp, youth have new adventures including ropes courses, canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, and lots of dancing! MCBC offers a safe and supportive environment where young burn survivors spend a week with others who have also experienced the trauma of burn injuries. Burn Camp provides campers with life-long friends to share their journeys with as they get back to living.
Since all campers at this unique camp are survivors of burns, everyone has scars on the outside. Campers learn they are not defined by their “wrapping paper”. Emphasis focuses on the beautiful person on the inside, not the scars on the outside. Camp positively impacts each child’s attitude and self-image. It’s a chance to have fun without the staring and questions that are too common for burn survivors. “At camp I can put on my swim-suit and not worry about having to answer questions from strangers or re-live my accident.”
This year’s camp dates are Sunday, July 28th to Sunday, August 4th, 2024. Camp takes place at Camp Taum Sauk in Lesterville, Missouri. Attendance at camp is subject to medical approval. Applications will open on February 1st, 2024 and caregivers have the option of completing an application through our registration portal, CampDoc, or can complete a paper application. Contact Us for more information or call the Burns Recovered office at (314) 939-1550.
Our Camp Goals
This camp is dedicated to providing children who have experienced burn and smoke inhalation injury with an opportunity to face social and physical challenges among their peers in an accepting setting. The goals to be met by this camper experience include, but are not limited to:
- Building self-esteem
- Learning about nature and self through direct experiences
- Providing freedom for experimentation and growth outside the expectations of a society based on conformity and physical appearance
- Providing a social network for children who have had similar experiences
- Providing an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and love
- Teaching the value of responsibility for personal and group actions
- Giving young burn survivors an opportunity to participate in activities they otherwise would not be able to in their home, community, or educational settings
- Providing activities that give children a sense of conquering and accomplishment
- Increasing public awareness of burn injuries as well as increasing public recognition and acceptance of burn survivors
Our Camp Community
Midwest Children’s Burn Camp recognizes and honors the inherent value of an individual regardless of their ability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender identity, ideology, income, national origin, race or sexual orientation. MCBC volunteers and staff are committed to respecting the rights of individuals in our care through collaboration, open communication, and respectful interactions.
MCBC is an inclusive community that values and respects the uniqueness of each person we serve. We welcome and accept all campers regardless of their gender identity or expression and encourage campers and staff to bunk in a group that best fits their gender identity. We are happy to make reasonable accommodations for privacy but do not have gender-neutral housing onsite. We encourage any camper, staff member or parent to contact us to discuss how to best address their situation for the benefit of our entire community.
What To Expect
Campers are grouped into cabins based on age and gender. Our Pony Campers are ages 6-9, Mustang Campers are 10-13 and Stallion campers are 14-17. Campers spend the week in this communal living environment and are responsible for not only themselves but also for the well-being of their cabinmates. Living in a cabin builds community, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of being a part of something bigger than themselves.
Every day begins by gathering around the Flagpole while our Camp Director, Uncle Larry, shares the Word of the Day and sets the tone for the rest of the day’s activities. Campers travel in activity groups split by age to the different activities on their schedule. Rest hours are built into the day for campers to relax and spend quiet time with their cabin mates and counselors to continue building community and group cohesion. Every evening there is a camp-wide evening activity and the day closes with quiet time in the cabin to reflect on the day and bring it full-circle.
