Camp Programs

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The Epilepsy Foundation’s Camp Programs provide safe, educational, and fun camping experiences for children and teens with epilepsy. With on-site medical staff and counselors trained in seizure first aid, campers and their parents can rest assured they will be safe and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

To make sure a camp experience is accessible for youth of all abilities, we also offer Day Camps and a Family Camp that are each designed to accommodate youth with different needs.

Camp Oz

Founded in 1982, Camp Oz is a traditional summer camp that provides a safe and fun camping experience for youth ages 9–17 with epilepsy. Siblings of children with epilepsy are also welcome to attend!

Campers enjoy activities like swimming, horseback riding, team-building exercises, and more. The space includes 24 cabins, two modern bathroom/shower buildings, indoor lodge/dining hall/activity center, and beachfront access.

A panoramic photo shows a large group of kids and counselors gathered around a plaza at camp, sitting on wooden benches.
A group of adult counselors at camp pose in matching purple t-shirts that say Camp Oz.

Camp Oz Details:

  • June 16–21 at YMCA Camp St. Croix
  • Cost is $300, which includes a $50 nonrefundable deposit (financial assistance available)
  • Cost includes room, meals, activities, and medical staff for the week

Camp Oz Requirements:

Camp Oz requires campers to function independently, with a positive attitude, within a structured group setting. For the safety of all participants, campers must be able to do the following: 

  • Understand and follow directions
  • Stay involved in camp activities (up to 2 hours)
  • Interact in a respectful way with other campers and staff
  • Move among different camp areas and activities with limited supervision
  • Participate in outdoor activities within a hilly/wooded setting
  • Capable of performing activities of daily living (e.g., showering, eating, etc.).

If your camper does not fit this description, please view our other camp options.

Safety and Medical Support:

Safety is our priority. Registered nurses are on-site 24 hours a day, as are physicians, psychologists, pharmacists, and a neurologist from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All Camp St. Croix staff and volunteers are trained in seizure recognition and response. Two counselors per cabin of 8–10 youth meet campers’ personal needs and develop a sense of community.

Camp Oz registration for the 2019 season is now closed. To get on the waiting list, please contact Mary at mmewwissen@efmn.org. 

Read the Latest From Camp

2019 Camp Oz – Day 5

It took until the end of the afternoon on the last full day for us to see the first tiny bit of not-so-great weather. Pretty lucky, if you ask us! We had warm temps and sun for the majority of the day, until the clouds started to gather around 4pm

Camper play game inside a wooden arena

Camp Oz 2019 – Day 4

Wednesday marked the start of the second half of the week for Camp Oz, and you could definitely feel a more relaxed, low-key feeling around camp. Campers were getting fully into the routines of their daily schedule and knowing what to expect when. Day 4 also marked ANOTHER incredibly nice

Day Camp

Day Camp, for youth ages 6–12, is designed to help prepare eligible campers for future attendance at Camp Oz. Campers must meet all requirements listed under the Camp Oz section. Activities include sports, horseback riding, arts and crafts, outdoor adventures, and more. This year we are offering two separate Day Camps to make attendance easier.

Several children on a bridge lean over a lily-pad pond with nets
An adult and a child, both wearing helmets, work on a ropes course at camp.

Locations

  • East Metro: Saturday, July 13 at YMCA Camp Streefland
  • West Metro: Saturday, August 17 at YMCA Camp Christmas Tree

Day Camp Details:

  • Cost is $50 per camper (financial assistance available)
  • Cost includes all activities, snacks, and medical support

Safety and Medical Support:

There will be a nurse on-site to dispense medication along with EFMN staff, camp staff, and volunteers.

Thriving with Epilepsy

Meet Camper Mara

Mara LeRoy is always looking for her next activity. She recently learned about indoor skydiving, which naturally she had to try, and just finished up her eighth year of adapted downhill skiing. She’s eager now for the snow to back off and plans to attend the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota’s (EFMN) Family Camp for the third consecutive year this July.

Mara's Story
A young girl in bright green leans forward in her wheel chair, smiling

Family Camp

Family Camp is for youth ages 6–17 with additional medical, developmental, social, or emotional needs that cannot be accommodated at Camp Oz. Activities include arts and crafts, climbing wall, games, team building, and more. Each camper is required to have at least one parent or guardian attend camp with them.

Family Camp Details:

  • Saturday, September 7 at YMCA Camp Christmas Tree
  • Cost is $50 per camper (financial assistance available)
  • Cost includes all activities, snacks, and medical support

Safety and Medical Support:

EFMN and camp staff will be on-site. Each parent/guardian is responsible for their child and any medication needs.

A group of four girls stands near a wooden platform in a wooded area at camp.
A camp counselor helps a younger boy draw his bow on an archery feild
Thriving with Epilepsy

Meet Camper Ben

Ben Stowell has carried both friendships and memories from camp into his adult life. It helped him become more comfortable with his epilepsy, and as he puts it, "Camp Oz taught me the only job I have is to be myself, and that's the best thing there is."

Read Ben's Story
Young man sits in front of a tree, arms crossed and smiling

More programs for youth with epilepsy

In addition to our camp programming, we offer a Shining Star program specifically for youth to help kids and teens with epilepsy meet and support each other.

Learn More

This program is funded in part by:

Chasing Dreams Fund Logo