Camp Oz

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: 

• Stay overnight at Camp Oz for the week
• 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.)

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.

No, we do not set up formal group support conversations or provide education about what it means to live with epilepsy. We want kids to feel safe talking as much or as little about their epilepsy as they’d like but any connections on this topic are created organically simply by spending the week surrounded by other kids who understand what living with epilepsy is like.  

Our primary goal for Camp Oz is to create a safe place for youth with epilepsy to have a traditional summer camp experience. Our medical supports are designed to make it so kids don’t need to think about their treatment plans and only need to focus on being themselves, making friends and having fun.  

Campers have a chance to participate in swimming, working with horses, rock climbing, archery, arts & crafts, outdoor cooking, team building, camp games and much more.

These photo albums from 2024 and 2025 show great camp details! 

Campers spend most of their time at camp with their 6-10 cabinmates, providing plenty of time to make new friends. 

A pediatric epileptologist serves as our Medical Director, spending most days on site and is on call 24/7. The Medical Director consults with camp nurses, Oz and YMCA staff as needed to support both routine and emergency camper health.
 
A mental health provider (social worker or psychologist) is on site daily to support camper mental health needs like homesickness, anxiety, group dynamics and more as needed. 

Each cabin of 6-10 campers is assigned a 24/7 on-site camp nurse (RN or LPN) who is charge of medication handling and dispersal, first aid and emergency response for their campers. Our group of nurses have well over 50 combined summers of Oz experience! 

Every YMCA Camp Counselor undergoes Seizure Smart Camp Personnel Training in order to recognize different seizures and learn how to respond to keep campers safe. 

Four golf carts are used throughout the week for routine and emergency medical support.      

Each camper needs a Health Examination Form filled out by their epilepsy-treating physician that details their medication regiment. 
 
A few weeks before Camp Oz, we mail a medication schedule card and a medication pillbox organizer to each camper. Families write in their camper’s most up to date medication schedule with dosages and times and then pre-fill the medication pillbox with the correct medications for the entire week of camp. Liquid medications and any emergency/rescue medications are brought to camp in their original bottles/packaging.   

Medication is processed through our volunteer pharmacists at camper check-in and then resides in our central Health Hub for the week. 

Camp nurses are responsible for administering each medication dose as indicated by the camper medication schedule card. Nurses will individually draw each liquid medication dose when needed.   

Follow our registration link above to start the guided registration process. 

You will initially be asked to fill out household information and then a camper application.  

After application review, if approved, you will then need to fill out additional online forms about your camper’s background, medical history, seizure history and signing off on other various waivers.  

Each camper also needs a Health Examination Form filled out by a physician before the end of May.  

You can save $50 with our Early Bird Pricing by registering before February 28th.

Additionally, during the registration process you have a chance to select financial support to ensure that cost isn’t a barrier to your child participating at Camp Oz. Thanks to a generous endowed gift, we do not have any income limits or require any eligibility documentation.

By adding a specific discount code before submitting your registration, you can select $100, $200 or the full camp fee off.

Camp Oz Counselors are full-time YMCA Summer Staff who sign up to work with campers throughout the entire summer, not just our Oz week. Contact the YMCA if you are interested in a full-time summer job.  

If you would still like to experience some of the Camp Oz magic yourself, we highly recommend signing up to become a daily Camp Oz Volunteer.

Working from 8:15 am – 4:45 pm, our volunteers interact with campers and help assist YMCA Counselors with activities. Volunteers can choose one or more days to help but we do not have overnight accommodation so multi-day volunteers would need to commute each day.

Contact Lisa Necastro at lisa.necastro@efmn.org for more information.