Midwest Children’s Burn Camp is for any child who lives in the Midwest, ages 6-17, who was treated for a burn injury or smoke inhalation injury.

Camp Taum Sauk
499 Country Road 368
Lesterville, Missouri 63654.

Midwest Children’s Burn Camp will take place from Sunday, July 30 – Sunday, August 6, 2023.

As of January 2023, MCBC will continue to practice mitigation strategies such as health screening, washing hands frequently, and testing when a participant is symptomatic. This is not an exhaustive list and COVID-related practices will likely change prior to the start of the camp session. Camp leadership will maintain an open channel of communication about these practices and will share updates with caregivers as they become available.

Nothing. Camp is made possible by generous donations. Campers are only required to bring their own clothing and supplies.

Charter buses will transport the campers to camp from St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Cape Girardeau, and Springfield. Angel Flight provides free air transportation for children who do not live near a bus departure location.  While at camp, campers are transported to and from off-campus activities on vehicles provided and maintained by Camp Taum Sauk.

Campers are grouped according to their age range and gender identity.  In 2023, MCBC is shifting our age group breakdowns to align with social and emotional developmental stage and camper grade levels more closely.  Our age group breakdown beginning summer of 2023 is as follows:

• Ponies: 6-10 year-olds
• Mustangs: 11-13 year-olds
• Stallions: 14-17 year-olds

Campers can elect to live in a cabin that affirms their gender identity, regardless of their sex assigned at birth and are signed up for these cabins by their caregiver.

We make room in our cabins for up to 9 campers and three staff members.  We maintain a counselor to camper ratio of 1:4 in most cabins and an even higher ratio in our Pony Age group.

Our counselors all have different backgrounds. We have adult burn survivors, firefighters, medical staff, teachers and more. All counselors and staff are thoroughly background checked and appropriately trained for camp.

MCBC will have a medical infirmary open 24 hours a day staffed either by our Camp Nurse or a First Responder. This person will dispense medications, change dressings (if necessary), provide first aid, and perform other routine medical duties. If your child is allergic to certain foods or his/her diet is restricted, please let us know before camp, and we can accommodate them. Please let us know if your child takes any medications, which make them more sensitive to sun exposure, or would alter their ability to participate in the activities at camp.

Midwest Children’s Burn Camp will always make sure your camper gets the appropriate medical attention they need.  Families will be contacted whenever your child’s medical situation involves an overnight infirmary stay, a prescription, or off-site medical treatment for any issue.  Camp Taum Sauk annually makes contact with local emergency services and ambulance services are available if a camper needs to be transported to one of the area hospitals.

All Camp Activities are facilitated by Camp Taum Sauk staff.  Camp Taum Sauk (www.taumsauk.com) is currently accredited through the American Camping Association and requires activity facilitators to be appropriately trained and licensed in their respective activity areas.  Activities offered at Camp Taum Sauk include:

• Riflery
• Archery
• Arts & Crafts
• High Ropes Challenge Course
• Canoeing
• Nature
• Hiking
• River activities (kayaking, tubing, floating, paddle boarding)
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Caving (off-campus for campers 14+)
• Horseback riding

Campers may go off-campus for activities throughout the week.  For example, campers go to Elephant Rocks as well as a local ice cream parlor.  When activities take place off campus, both MCBC Volunteers and Camp Taum Sauk staff work together to provide appropriate supervision to promote safety and have fun.

In the spirit of helping our campers master challenging environments, we encourage all campers to participate in all offered activities unless the camper’s medical provider or caregiver advises us in writing that it is unsafe to do so.

If you have any questions, please call us at 314-939-1550 or email us at mcbc@brsg.org.  See you this summer!

Camp is an investment in your camper’s growth and a wonderful opportunity for them to disconnect from their usual routine.  We encourage communication via our contact form here, or snail mail (our recommendation is that these letters are sent before campers depart for camp as mail service is intermittent at Camp Taum Sauk). 

Consistent with recommendations from leaders in the camping industry, we discourage phone calls home as a remedy for homesickness.  MCBC volunteers and staff are trained in responses to homesickness and how to handle these issues when they arise.  If, however, a camper is in extreme distress to the point of not being able to participate in camp activities, we will offer to help make a phone call home.

You can reach the Director of Youth Programs, Madeleine Carson (camp name: Maddog), at (314) 399-8516.  During the camp off season, Madeleine is reachable from 8AM to 4PM, Monday through Friday.  During the week of camp, Madeleine is reachable 24/7.  You can also reach the MCBC team anytime via our contact form here.  You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for posts and photos of camp every day!”

Campers are permitted to have their phones with them for personal use while riding chartered transportation to camp at the beginning of the week and home from camp at the end of the week.  If a camper brings a cell phone or any other electronic device to camp, their cabin counselors will collect them on the first night and they will be kept in locked storage in the camp office.  Phones and electronic devices will be returned to campers before they get on chartered transportation to depart camp. 

One of the beneficial outcomes that a program like ours offers is the development of communication and problem-solving. During camp, there will be times when a camper might communicate their requests, needs, suggestions, or solutions to their peers and adult leaders. These challenges can be new and informative for a young person, and require creativity, independence, and courage. Unfortunately, a ready cell phone can be an immediate and easy alternative that not only reduces the potential for growth through challenge, but removes the camper from their group, the camp, and the experience they are engaged in.  We are working to create opportunities for your child to develop the life skills that will serve them at our programs and in other areas of their lives.