Family Camp 2026 Dates Announced: Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, 2026
Family Camp provides anyone who has experienced burn and smoke inhalation injury and their families a safe and supportive environment where families can begin to heal, develop closer connections to themselves and other burn survivors, and participate in challenging activities in a safe setting.
The goals to be met by this Family Camp 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 families who have had similar experiences
- Providing an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and love
- Giving burn survivors and their co-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 families a sense of conquering and accomplishment
- Increasing public awareness of burn injuries as well as increasing public recognition and acceptance of burn survivors
Attendees will engage in fun, recreational activities such as river activities and ropes courses, while also building a sense of community and empowerment through shared experiences and perspectives. The Family Camp will provide a safe environment where families can play, learn, grow, gain self-esteem, and make new friends.
Family Camp 2026 will take place from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, at YMCA of the Ozarks – Trout Lodge in Potosi, Missouri. There are several transportation options available to your family to get to/from the campsite, including bus pick-up and drop-off locations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, and Rolla. Families can also drive their personal vehicles to Family Camp.
We welcome any individual that the burn survivor considers to be part of their “family” according to the burn survivor’s personal definition of “family”. We ask that each “family” bring no more than six individuals. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of the Director of Programs. There are no age restrictions to attend Family Camp. The cost of attending is $25 per person. A limited number of financial scholarships are available. Please contact the Burns Recovered office at (314) 939-1550 for more information.
Applications for Family Camp will open on August 1, 2026, and will close on September 1, 2026. Families can either complete a paper application or can use our registration platform CampDoc to apply. Applications will be posted on the website on August 1, 2026. Please do not hesitate to contact our office at (314) 939-1550 with any questions you may have!
Burns Recovered 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. Burns Recovered volunteers and staff are committed to respecting the rights of individuals in our care through collaboration, open communication, and respectful interactions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Burns Recovered Family Camp?
Family Camp is a weekend-long overnight program that provides anyone who has experienced burn and smoke inhalation injury and their families a safe and supportive environment. At Family Weekend, families can begin to heal, develop closer connections to themselves and other burn survivors, and participate in challenging activities in a safe setting.
Who can attend Burns Recovered Family Camp?
We welcome any individual that the burn survivor considers to be part of their “family” according to the burn survivor’s personal definition of “family”. We ask that each “family” bring no more than six individuals. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of the Program Director.
When is Burns Recovered Family Camp?
Family Camp 2026 is scheduled for Friday, September 25, 2026 to Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Where is Burns Recovered Family Camp?
MCA of the Ozarks – Trout Lodge,
13528 State Highway AA
Potosi, MO 63664
What is Burns Recovered doing to reduce the risk of communicable disease transmission among the community while on campus?
As of January 2026, Burns Recovered will continue to practice mitigation strategies such as health screening, washing hands frequently, and testing when a participant is symptomatic. Program 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?
The cost of attending is $25 per person. A limited number of financial scholarships are available. Please contact the Burns Recovered office at (314) 939-1550 for more information.
What about transportation?
Chartered transportation will transport families to Family Camp from St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Springfield. Families are also welcome to drive their personal vehicles to Trout Lodge and park on campus for the duration of the program. Families can indicate their transportation preference on their application.
How are families divided into cabins?
All families are assigned their own cabin to allow for privacy.
Who are the Family Camp staff?
Family Camp Staff comprises full-time employees of Burns Recovered, full-time employees of Trout Lodge, and volunteers with Burns Recovered. All staff members, regardless of employment status, undergo training and a background check prior to serving at Family Camp.
What about my family’s special dietary or medical needs?
Burns Recovered collects dietary information on each family member during the application process. This information is shared with the kitchen staff at Camp Taum Sauk to make sure meals are planned with these dietary restrictions in mind.
Burns Recovered will provide a medical professional with at least a license to practice as a paramedic in the state of Missouri. This medical professional will be available 24 hours a day to address any medical needs that surpass the training of the adults in any one family unit.
What about medication at Family Camp?
Adult program participants and program volunteers are responsible for bringing and administering their own medication and medication to the minors in their care that weekend. By enrolling in Family Camp, you agree to keep all of your medications, including OTC medications, in your locked room and not on your person. Exceptions to this are albuterol inhalers and Epi-Pens.
Burns Recovered will have a limited supply of first aid items and OTC medications but it is the primary responsibility of the adults coming to Family Weekend to make sure they have what they need to participate in the weekend safely and to continue any care instructions of their medical provider while they are at camp. Burns Recovered will provide access to a refrigerator in the case that a family needs to keep medication cold.
Tell me more about the Activities at Family Camp!
Most camp activities will be facilitated by Trout Lodge staff. Trout Lodge 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 Trout Lodge include:
- Riflery
- Archery
- Arts & Crafts
- High Ropes Challenge Course
- Nature
- Hiking
- Fishing
Additionally, once a day there is a time where the adults and young people are separated. At this time, the adults will join our Community Support Specialist for adult-specific burn survivorship programming, and young people will get to choose an activity to engage in. These activities are supervised and facilitated by Family Camp staff.
In the spirit of helping burn survivors and their families 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.
Please note that the terrain at Trout Lodge can be uneven and many of the surfaces are dirt, grass, or gravel. Families who attend Family Camp should expect to walk from activity to activity and at times walk up and down an incline. Please bring closed-toed shoes.
What are my responsibilities in terms of supervision and management of my child during Family Camp?
Except for the time mentioned above where adults and young people are separated, the adult in the Family Unit is responsible for the supervision and management of the children in their care for the duration of the weekend. Family Camp staff do not assume sole responsibility for the safety or behavior management of minor participants at any point during the weekend.
Are we allowed to bring cell phones to Family Camp?
Program participants are permitted to have their phones with them for personal use, but please keep in mind that one of the beneficial outcomes of a program like ours is the development of communication and problem-solving skills. Unfortunately, ready access to a cell phone can become an immediate and easy distraction that not only reduces the potential for growth through challenge, but also removes the participant from their group, the program, and the experience they are engaged in.
