Who can attend Midwest Children’s Burn Camp?
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 and meets the following criteria:
- Between the ages of 6 and 17 and
- Received care from a burn care specialty team and
- Sustained a burn injury of over 5% or more of their body and/or
- Have burns to their hands, feet, or face and/or
- Received skin grafts
If you have questions about your child’s eligibility for camp, please call us at (314) 939-1550 to discuss!
Where is Midwest Children’s Burn Camp?
Camp Taum Sauk
499 Country Road 368
Lesterville, Missouri 63654
When is Midwest Children’s Burn Camp?
Sunday, July 26 – Sunday, August 2, 2026
What is MCBC doing to reduce the risk of communicable disease transmission among the camp community while on campus?
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 Camp leadership will maintain an open channel of communication about these practices and will share updates with caregivers as they become available.
How much does this cost?
Nothing. Camp is made possible by generous donations. Campers are only required to bring their own clothing and supplies.
What about transportation?
Campers are transported to camp at no cost to camp families. Charter buses will transport the campers to camp from St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Rolla, 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.
How are campers divided into cabins?
Campers are grouped according to their age range and gender identity. Our age group breakdown is as follows:
- Ponies: campers entering elementary school in the fall (typically 6-10 year-olds)
- Mustangs: campers entering middle school in the fall (typically 11-13 year-olds)
- Stallions: campers entering high school in the fall (typically 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 after a conversation between camp administration and the caregiver.
How many people are in each cabin?
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.
Who are the counselors?
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.
What about my child’s special dietary or medical needs?
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.
My camper takes medication. How is that handled at camp?
All medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), are stored and administered by the camp medical team only. Upon your arrival at either the bus stop or Taum Sauk’s campus, a member of our team will collect all your camper’s medications and give them to the medical team. For the safety of our program participants, we do not allow any prescription or OTC medications – except for birth control and albuterol inhalers – to be kept in cabins where campers are sleeping. A camper who uses an inhaler will either always keep that inhaler with them, or the camper’s counselor will have it with them during the day.
On dismissal day, the medical team will give your camper’s medication either directly to the caregiver or to the adult chaperones on the chartered transportation. You can find more information on our medication storage and administration policies.
What happens if my camper gets sick?
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.
Tell me more about the Activities at Midwest Children’s Burn Camp!
All Camp Activities are facilitated by Camp Taum Sauk staff. Camp Taum Sauk 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
- Off-campus overnight (for Stallion campers)
- Yoga
Campers may go off-campus for activities throughout the week. 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 click here to email us. See you this summer!
Can I speak with my camper during the week of camp?
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, 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.
How can I speak to camp staff when my camper is at camp?
You can reach the Camp Director, Jen Clark, at (314) 271-0556. During the camp off-season, Jen is reachable from 8AM to 4PM, Monday through Friday. During the week of camp, Jen is reachable 24/7. You can also reach the MCBC team anytime via our contact form. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for posts and photos of camp every day!”
Is my camper allowed to bring a cell phone to camp?
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.