Camp John Marc depends on volunteers to achieve its mission of providing high-quality camping opportunities to children with chronic illnesses and physical challenges. Over 1,000 volunteers serve at CJM every year! Opportunities are available throughout the year for you to volunteer a day, a weekend, or even a full week.
In the fall and spring seasons, we host teen and family camps and heavily reply on volunteers from the community to help make it happen. During our weekend camp programs, volunteers lead activities that do not require a certification—fishing, weird science, nature, cooking, sports and games, etc. Volunteers generally arrive at Camp John Marc on Friday evening and the weekend program is finished by early-afternoon on Sunday.
At week-long summer camps, volunteers serve as cabin counselors. Each week a team of at least three volunteers lead a cabin of no more than seven campers. Counselors are responsible for the daily non-medical care of the campers in their cabin and assist in keeping campers engaged in traditional camp activities led by the Camp John Marc summer staff.
Volunteers who are comfortable around horses serve as side-walkers and lead-walkers in our horseback program. They accompany campers during rides while also providing companionship and assistance. These special volunteers are also trained to respond in an emergency. Campers ride horses Monday-Thursday during the summer and side-walkers and lead-walkers can volunteer on individual or multiple days.
Annually, the second Saturday in May is Work Day. As we get Camp John Marc ready for the summer season, volunteers are needed to paint, clean, organize, etc. Work Day is a family event and volunteers of all ages are welcome. Work Day volunteers do not need to complete an application. We work from 9-12 and then celebrate with a hamburger grill out.
Volunteer Requirements
* Must be completed annually for all current volunteers
Each of the week-long summer camps has their own volunteer disqualification criteria. Following is the disqualification criteria for Camp John Marc weekend camp volunteers.
Persons with the following types of criminal convictions or deferred adjudications (or any like offense under the law of another state or under federal law) shall be disqualified from volunteering or being on staff at Camp John Marc:
(a) Any felony offense, regardless of type* within the past 10 years;
(b) Any offense against a person or family. This includes but is not limited to homicide, false imprisonment, kidnapping, assault, sexual assault, injury to a child/elderly individual/disabled individual, abandoning or endangering a child, leaving a child in a vehicle, and interfering with child custody;*
(c) Public indecency and/or stalking;*
(d) Robbery;*
(e) The criminal solicitation of a minor;*
(f) Failure to stop or report the aggravated sexual assault of a child;*
(g) Crimes or misdemeanors relating weapons-use, violence, or arson;
(h) DUI’s and DWI’s within the last 5 years (Please note that recent court cases have determined that a recent DUI is an indication of poor judgment. Texas law requires a written evaluation for any volunteer or staff with an alcoholic beverage-related violation within the last 10 years);
(i) Possession or distribution of controlled substances or paraphernalia within the last 5 years;
(j) Any person appearing to have a mental or physical health condition that is judged likely to endanger the health or well-being of a camper or other staff or to subject campers to negative or undesirable influences or which indicates they may not be able to perform the essential functions of their duties; or
(k) Residing on the same premises as a Registered Sex Offender.
Individuals currently on work release programs or sentenced to community service will not be accepted as a Camp John Marc staff/volunteer, although they may be utilized for tasks when camp is not in session, when campers are not present, or that can be performed off site.
Statement of Inclusion
Camp John Marc welcomes all campers, staff, volunteers, and board members regardless of age, race, nation of origin, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, or sexual identity. Camp John Marc is committed to inclusion and values the diverse cultures that make the camp community so special.