February 10^th, 2013

Pre-Camp Staff Training (You will be notified if you are needed to be in attendance for this): May 22-24
Camp Staff Training (all staff): May 28-31, June 3-7
*All staff report the night before each session (Sunday) at 7pm for a weekly required staff meeting.

Session 1 – June 10-13 – MLK Leadership Academy Session – ages 8-11 year olds – CO-ED
This special session is set aside just for Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Academy students. Join us for the best of the best camp experience filled with swimming, low ropes challenge course, sports, campfires, songs, rock climbing, nature explorations, and much more!

Session 2 – June 17-21 – X-Treme Team Challenge - 11-14 year-old – CO-ED
Do you crave adventure, challenge and excitement? Tackle a different task with your team every day and challenge your skills at the high ropes course, zip line, team competitions, tubing, archery, capture-the-flag and a first ever “O’Malley X-treme Rally” adventure race.

Session 3 – June 24-28 – BEST OF THE BEST - 8-11 year-olds CO-ED
This will be a week filled with all of the BEST camp activities and super fun experiences! Spend the week swimming, climbing the wall, biking, fishing, teambuilding, camp fires, and playing Capture-the-Flag!

Session 4 – July 1-3 – DISCOVERY CAMP – 6-8 year-olds – CO-ED
This camp is a great week for the first-time camper! Campers will get a taste of what camp is all about with this three day, two night experience! Enjoy swimming, arts & crafts, climbing wall, games, songs, exploring nature, and water games!

Session 5 – July 8-12 – HIGH SCHOOL CAMP – 14-17 year-old – CO-ED
This will be a week filled with all of your favorite Camp experiences! Spend the week tubing, canoeing, archery, doing the high ropes course, swimming, biking, teambuilding, and playing an extreme game of Capture-the-Flag! Come and chill with us, meet new people and have a blast!

Session 6 – July 15-19 – GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN for 12-14 year-old – GIRLS
“Girls just wanna have FUN!” Join this all-girls camp for arts and crafts, swimming, dance parties, late nights, high ropes, tubing, talent shows, relaxing and all your other favorite camp activities!

Session 7 – July 22-26 – SUPER HEROES CAMP – 8-13 year-old – BOYS
Kapow! Spend the week like a superhero would! Join forces with the staff to become the ultimate superhero! Climb walls, make your own comic book, catch a super villain, dress in disguises, swim, and capture-the-flag!

Session 8 – July 29-Aug. 2 - GIRL POWER for 7-11 year-old – GIRLS
During this totally awesome, girls-only session, you will be able to relax by the pool, get papered at Spa Night, express yourself at the talent show, exercise to hip hop, make new friends, and tap into your inner girl power! Red carpet dinner night is also the annual highlight of this week! Don’t miss out!
 

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August 27^th, 2012

Warm and fun memories of tubing, fishing, splashing around in the pool, singing crazy camp songs, seeing wild animals up close, and flying down the zip line fill the minds of Campers who attended Camp O’Malley this summer as they anticipate the beginning of the school year. The Camp just completed another successful summer serving 584 campers over an 8 week period; a 22% increase in attendance from last year. Since 2011 Camp O’Malley has built a new cabin, added a week of camp, established a new partnership with the Outdoor Discovery Center, and is working their way toward an American Camping Association Accreditation.

Camp O’Malley is growing! For years, the camp has been only able to serve 72 campers at a time. With the addition of our new cabin, Camp O’Malley is able to serve 80 more kids in a summer. On the opening day of the Camp season, Camp O’Malley welcomed 83 bright-eyed and excited Campers. “Our dining hall was packed! It’s an exciting problem to run out of chairs in our Dining Hall. It’s all a part of growing,” commented Ceara Goree, Lead Camp Staff.

In an effort to attract more campers, the Camp has expanded the camper age requirements from 8 through 14 year-olds to 6 through 17 year-olds by adding two new themed sessions to the Camp program. The Discovery Camp session geared towards 6-8 year-olds was designed to for the first-time camper allowing them to get a taste of what camp is all about with a three day, two night experience. The High School Adventure Week allowed older campers to continue experiencing their favorite camp activities and meet new friends.  Both of the new weeks of camp were well accepted by parents and attendance was at or near capacity for both weeks.

With the new found partnership with the Outdoor Discovery Center (ODC) based in Holland, Camp O’Malley is now able to offer Environmental Education opportunities for the Campers. Each camper had the opportunity to participate ODC’s educationally and environmentally focused programs during their time at Camp. Campers enjoyed many different wild animal demonstrations, habitat explorations on the Camp’s nature trails, and lessons on our Wetlands. “We’re excited about our new partnership with Camp O’Malley and had a great time working with the kids at camp this summer,” commented Jamie Krupka, Program Director at the Outdoor Discovery Center. In addition to the programs offered by the ODC, the ODC staff also provided training to the Camp O’Malley staff on facilitating educational nature walks and the basics on archery instruction.

Camp O’Malley has been working for over a year to have the Camp Accredited through the American Camping Association (ACA) and the Camp will receive word in October if they have received this important Accreditation. What does Accreditation mean? It means that Camp O’Malley has worked to ensure that over 300 ACA health, safety, and program quality standards are in compliance this national accrediting organization of leading camp professionals. This Accreditation process has allowed our Camp leadership to be educated in the administration of key aspects of camp operation, especially those related to program quality and the health and safety of campers and staff. “We are very excited about this accreditation and believe it will allow us to serve more campers in the most safe and effective way,” mentioned Rick Huisman, Executive Director.

Camp O’Malley serves kids ages 6-17 through a residential summer Camp experience. No child is ever turned away because they cannot afford to pay. This summer, 89% of our Campers fell below the poverty line qualifying them for a Camper Scholarship. Campers who attend our adventure Camp participate activities like the climbing wall, swimming, canoeing, tubing, high ropes course, team-building, low ropes, sports, arts & crafts, hiking, biking, fishing, dance, archery, healthy living, and nature exploration.

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July 25^th, 2012

By: Stacy Michell

While most of my friends have been willing away the summer months making burritos or playing video games, I have been living every moment to the fullest at Camp O’Malley. This is not your typical summer job. It is simultaneously the most difficult and most rewarding job I have ever had. You’re probably wondering what has been happening this summer at camp. Let me take you through a week of summer, Camp O’Malley style.

On Monday morning, a new batch of campers timidly arrive at Camp. The returning campers squeal and run to hug their old friends and favorite counselors. Some campers are excited, but most are nervous as they shyly meet their new counselor and cabin mates. That day the counselors work hard to build a sense of family in their cabin, teach the safety rules, and make sure that everyone is having fun and excited about the rest of the week. Even the nervous campers can’t help but smile when they get to jump into the pool for a refreshing swim.  On Tuesday, the campers begin their workshops. By this time they’ve made friends with some other kids in their cabin, and now they get to meet some new kids by joining a workshop group. With their workshop group, campers go on nature adventures, ride bikes, float down the river in tubes or canoes, aim for the bulls eye in archery, and show their bravery on the high ropes course. It is a special moment when a beaming camper turns around to look at his counselor after he overcame his fear and climbed to the top of the rock wall. After venturing out for workshops, campers return to their cabin family for meals and cabin time. Here they get a little down time to share about their day, read or listen to a book, or take a nap. Being a camper is hard work after all.

Night time in the woods can seem like a scary time for a kid who has always lived in the city. Not at Camp O’Malley, if you peeked in a cabin you might see campers having a balloon party, or sitting on the floor braiding each other’s hair and telling stories. If you keep watch through the trees, you might see the flashlights of a sneaky counselor taking their cabin for a night hike or a kitchen raid. When it’s bedtime, the campers barely hear the first chapter of their bedtime story before their busy day has them zonked out for the night. This brings us to Thursday, the night before the campers go home. We celebrate with a talent show. The campers and their counselors show off their skills with songs, dances, skits and more. On Friday morning, the campers get busy packing up and saying their goodbyes, exchanging phone numbers and addresses with their new friends. They yell “Find me on Facebook!” to each other and ask their favorite counselors to sign their t-shirt. In one short week, they have met new friends, tried new things, and gained some independence. It was my job to guide them through all of that and while it is not easy, each moment was totally worth it.

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June 28^th, 2012

Erhardt Construction is celebrating its 50th Anniversary by recognizing and supporting the work of people and organizations that are serving others in our community. Together with their project partners, Erhardt is giving away a construction project and prizes totaling $50,000 to area non-profit organizations through our Building Our Community contest.

Erhardt will award one “Grand Prize”. The “Grand Prize” will be a construction project on property owned or operated by the winning charity within Kent or Ottawa County, Michigan. The “Grand Prize” will be valued at $45,000. The “Grand Prize” will be awarded to the eligible charity that receives the most votes.

Help Boys & Girls Clubs of GRYC win this contest! All you have to do is vote and spread the word to your friends and family to support all the hardwork this organization does for the future of our youth!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

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April 25^th, 2012

For many of us going to camp was an exciting adventure where we got to meet new people, and experience new things. It’s a place where we grew and made memories. But for many youth in West Michigan, camp is a luxury and families cannot afford to send their children to camp. Their summers are spent at home within the confines of their city block where there is little access to enrichment opportunities, nature, healthy food, and the attention of caring role-models.

Billy’s story is a new beginning and the start of a journey that will continue to provide him the confidence to lead and succeed in life. Shy and awkward he came to camp last year for the first time ever. The staff could tell he lacked confidence, exhibited low self-esteem and had a hard time making new friends. His cabin counselors encouraged him to sing in the talent show, try the high ropes, and provided him with opportunities to lead his cabin group. Billy experienced the high ropes and loved it! He sang a solo, and even led camp songs during meals with the staff. He helped dissolve a bullying situation in his cabin with his new found self-confidence. After his first week, he begged us to come back again for another session. We couldn’t say no and had him back again the next week.

At the end of camp season, Billy wrote us saying, “Thank you for letting me come to camp again, it was awesome! I met some new people, made some new friends, and I hope I can go back!”

Donate Now!

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February 22^nd, 2012

On Saturday, March 17, 2012, The 2nd Annual Irish On Ionia will close Ionia street from the blocks of Weston to Oakes and will consume city lot #3 across from McFadden's (58 Ionia S.W. Grand Rapids, MI). The event will include a stage with live Celtic bands, Celtic dancers, DJ's, drum & pipe players, beer tents, and an Irish inspired food pavilion.

From 4-7pm there will be a VIP Party on the 3rd Floor of McFadden's to benefit Camp O'Malley's summer Camp program for West Michigan Youth. Tickets are $15 and include an "All Access" pass to all Irish on Ionia festivities as well as the VIP Party which includes an Irish Buffet, Drink Specials, DJ, and dancing. Come and show your support!! It will be a fantastic time!!

The $15 VIP Tickets can be purchased ahead of time or at the event.

Irish on Ionia officially begins at 7am on Saturday, March 17th, 2012 at McFadden's for their annual "Keg's and Egg's Breakfast". The Irish on Ionia outdoor festival opens at 10am, with live bands, DJ's, food, and contests throughout the entire day.

Show your support for Camp O'Malley and tap into your green side!

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February 16^th, 2012

2012 Camp O’Malley Summer Schedule

Staff Training
May 29-June1 & June 4-8
*Staff report the day (Sunday) before each session for a staff meeting. Meeting starts at 7pm.

Session Dates

Session 1 – MLK Leadership Academy Week
(8-11 year-olds) - June 11-14
This special session is set aside just for Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Academy students. Join us for the best of the best camp experience filled with swimming, sports, fishing, campfires, songs, rock climbing, biking and much more!

Session 2 – X-Treme Team Challenge 
(11-14 year-olds) - June 18-22
Do you crave adventure, challenge and excitement? Tackle a different task with your team everyday including Mohawk walk, high ropes, zip line, canoeing, Nitro Crossing, and the climbing wall!

Session 3 – Ultimate Adventure Week
(8-11 year-olds) - June 25-29
Looking for a week of Adventure? Here it is! Conquer the wall, Capture-the-Flag, explore wilderness trails, defeat “Life Aquatic” in the pool, venture across the Nitro Crossing, and show off your skills at the Camp O’Malley Show!

Session 4 – Blah Buster Week
(11-14 year-olds) - July 2-6
Bored sitting on the couch just watching TV? Fend off those mid-summer blahs and make new friends! Spend the week playing games at the pool, Minute-to-Win-It activities, climbing the wall, biking, Nature Adventures and team-building!

Session 5 – High School Adventure Week
(14-17 year-olds) - July 9-13
This will be a week filled with all of your favorite Camp experiences! Spend the week tubing, canoeing, climbing the wall, doing the high ropes course, swimming, biking, teambuilding, and playing an extreme game of Capture-the-Flag! Come and chill with us, meet new people and have a blast!

Session 6 – Discovery Camp
(6-8 year-olds) - July 16-18
This camp is a great week for the first-time camper! Campers will get a taste of what camp is all about with this three day, two night experience! Enjoy swimming, arts & crafts, the climbing wall, games, songs, exploring nature, and fishing! Learn what Potato Round-up, Grannies’ Candies and the Talent Show are all about!

Session 7 – Girl Power Week - REGISTRATION FULL FOR THIS SESSION!
(8-14 year-old Girls) - July 23-27
“Girls just wanna have FUN!” Join this all-girls camp for arts and crafts, swimming, dance parties, late nights, talent shows, relaxing and all your other favorite camp activities!

Session 8 – Superhero Week
(8-11 year–old Boys)  July 30-Aug.3
Kapow! Spend the week like a superhero would! Join forces with the staff to become the ultimate superhero! Climb walls, make your own comic book, catch a super villain, dress in disguises, act out your favorite superhero comic, swim, and capture-the-flag!
 

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