VOLUME VI – Pick Your Niche

Dear South Jersey,

What’s your niche? Are you a blue collar, manual labor machine? Do you have efficiencies in accounting? How about computers? Are you a writer? Do you have experience in mediating people?

Whatever it may be, you can use that very skill of yours at YMCA Camp Ockinickon! The Y is a volunteer based organization. They have about 20 people on regular salary, but much like the United Way, their Board of Directors is entirely made up of volunteers.

The camp itself teaches four core values: Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility and is specifically geared for kids ranging from ages 7 – 16. There is also a School’s Out program in the summers for boys, girls, families, and will even put on group retreats for scouts, businesses and youth groups. Other programs include cooking courses, wilderness survival camps, climbing courses and breakfasts with Santa and the Easter Bunny.

I recently toured the 600 acre camp, located off of Stokes Road past the Trading Post, with Senior Program Director Joe Elliot. He had some very nice insights that revealed that almost anyone with a clean background and an open window of availability can volunteer with the camp, year-round!

The camp is actively soliciting volunteers for anything and everything they can get. For example…

Peer mediators, sports teams and even the National Honors Society at Shawnee High School have come out and helped clean the property and cabins before, but they aren’t the only people that can come out to clean the property. According to Elliot families looking to give back to the community can do work on a daily or weekly basis at the camp, as long as they are able to.

While people looking to fulfill small amounts of community service hours probably won’t fit in at Ockinickon, they will take people that can do a few weeks.

There are also two featured volunteer weekends per year. There is one before summer and one before winter. The weekend does cost a little bit of money, but that is mainly for food for the weekend. The weekends are labeled “Roll Your Sleeves Up” weekends.

So, South Jersey, I would strongly encourage checking this one out. Like I said, whether you have a skill or not, you can certainly find a place to volunteer there, especially if you’re looking for regular work.

Elliot referenced two remarkable guys that have taken full advantage of their personal skillsets to help the camp out.

Dave Crane has volunteered in maintenance for a number of years. According to Elliot, Crane is very handy and will make his rounds to fix bumps and bruises around the camp.

Another interesting volunteer is Bernie Hoski, who does astronomy programs all over South Jersey, but specifically likes to use the camp’s observatory. Hoski brings schools and mens groups out to the observatory and perform night sky programs with the groups. He refuses any type of award or money from the camp. Elliot recognized the great amount of passion that Hoski has for the YMCA.

Overall, Elliot wanted to stress that the camp hones a “what can you do for us” type attitude. So, come out with your sleeves rolled up and your mind open to showing off your skills. Camp Ockinickon would love your help!

Throughout February and March, Elliot will be hooking me up with various opportunities to volunteer with the camp. I will be reporting back periodically to let you, the volunteers of South Jersey, know just what to expect when volunteering at the camp!

Stay tuned, South Jersey. Up next will be a review of the Medford Arts Center’s upcoming show on Feb. 11.

Yours,

Kevin Haslam