Question 1

Are there any prerequisites to apply?

Accepted Answer

Yes - regular counselors must be 18 years old by February 1, 2026. Counselors in Training (CITs) must be 18 years old byJuly 4, 2026. All staff must be Orthodox Christians in good standing with a blessing to volunteer from their parish priest.

Question 2

What is a "Counselor-in-Training" (CIT)?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the Camp St. Mary of Egypt Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program is to provide those who turn 18 years old after February 1st but prior to camp (must be 18 by staff training on July 4th) the opportunity to learn and experience the responsibilities of being a counselor with CSME.  The CITs will have the opportunity to work with a host counselor, living in the cabin with that counselor and his/her campers. The counselor will help to instruct and guide the CIT through this experience by allowing the CIT to assist with the every day responsibilities of being a camp counselor.

Counselors in training (CITs) are assigned to a Counselor and are delegated responsibilities by the camp director.

Question 3

What are the steps to apply?

Accepted Answer

The first step is to talk to your parish priest and receive his blessing to apply. Next, read through the Staff Handbook so that you can gain an understanding of what is expected of staff and what camp is like. 
Now you are ready to apply! Once you have completed the application and your references have completed the reference form, either the Camp Director or Clergy Director will reach out to you to schedule a phone interview. If both you and the Camp Director or Clergy Director still feel like camp is a good fit, we will be in touch with you on next steps.

Question 4

I can attend camp but not the pre-camp staff training. Is that okay?

Accepted Answer

No. In order to serve as staff at Summer Camp, you must be able to attend, in person, the staff training that begins on Saturday, July 4th at 10 am. The training not only provides valuable information you will need to serve our youth, it is also a time for you to get to know your co-counselor and bond with other staff.

Question 5

Can I choose the co-counselor I am paired with?

Accepted Answer

No - we do not accept co-counselor requests. 
We try to pair counselors based on individual strengths that compliment each other. Additionally we try to pair experienced counselors with new counselors and young counselors with older adults. Whoever you are paired with, you will surely become fast friends and quickly learn to work as a team!

Question 6

What is expected of staff?

Accepted Answer

Aside form being an Orthodox Christian adult in good standing, we also expect that you are volunteering to foremost to serve and not to be served.  It really is a labor of love with a lot of work and very little down time. If you desire to volunteer simply to have fun and be with your friends, this is not the ministry for that!

Question 7

Will I be able to participate in activities?

Accepted Answer

Most definitely! Counselors on duty during FACT are free to participate in activities with the campers (in fact we encourage it!) as long as there are enough staff stationed as lookouts. Often, counselors will take turns rotating as lookouts so that whoever wants to participate in a given activity, has an opportunity to do so. If you are on break during a FACT session you are welcome to spend your break engaging in an activity!

There are also many other activities during camp in which counselors participate alongside campers as part of the fun. For instance - be prepared to take part in a skit with your cabin!

Question 8

How many campers will I be responsible for?

Accepted Answer

The number of campers in your and your co-counselor's care will range between 8-12 campers depending on the cabin in which you are assigned.

Question 9

I would like to volunteer as support staff, do I need to go through the same application process?

Accepted Answer

Yes - the application process is the same as is the application. There is a section  in the application where you can specify for which role you are applying. Please keep in mind that moving forward, any support staff who have never served at camp are required to attend the onsite training beginning July 4th at 10 am.

Please note that support staff are expected to remain for the duration of camp.

Support staff will receive a 50% discount off the cost of one of your children if attending camp. Discount cannot be transferred.

Question 10

I would like to volunteer as medical staff. Is the application process the same?

Accepted Answer

At this time we do not have any openings for medical staff. If you are interested in volunteering as medical staff for future camps, please contact Kh Kara at: kara.vollman.csme@gmail.com

Question 11

What do support staff do?

Accepted Answer

Support staff work hard to ensure that camp runs smoothly by:

Inspecting cabins for safety and cleanliness
Filling in for counselors during their breaks and staff meetings 
Purchasing, prepping, and distributing pre-packaged snacks to each cabin
Acting as a "lookout" during FACT sessions
Running errands for the Camp Director as needed
Assisting with check-in and check-out of campers
Escorting campers to the infirmary for their medications
Other duties as needed

A note to parents: We all know just how special camp is to our children and it is understandable that any parent would want to be there to witness it and to take part in this very formative time for their child(ren) but this is not the role of any staff member at camp. Each and every staff member works morning, noon, and night to help ensure that camp runs smoothly for the entire week and, as such, may miss out on special events like the talent show, the candlelight ceremony, and many other activities -in order to tend to the needs of all of our campers. It is not uncommon for a staff member to only see their camper(s) in passing as they are also busy- having fun, making new friends, spending quality time with clergy, and learning to be independent and take responsibility for their faith.  Please take this into consideration before choosing to apply as a volunteer at camp.

Question 12

I have more questions - where can I go to find answers?

Accepted Answer

Our Staff Handbook contains a wealth of information on camp! You can access it via the link below. If, after reading through it, you have additional questions- please feel free to send them to: kara.vollman.csme@gmail.com (Kh Kara)

LINK TO STAFF HANDBOOK:
https://www.campstmary.org/_files/ugd/ac73b4_6368e762c3974626828db51dd0c4249b.pdf

Volunteers

Information & Resources

July 5th - 10th

Aldersgate Camps and Retreats
(Ages 9-17 )

Must be an Orthodox Christian in good standing with the blessing of your parish priest

Please note that due to rising camp costs, we no longer offer a "one-free camper" pass for volunteers. For Summer 2026, volunteers will receive 50% off the cost of one of their campers.

Volunteer FAQs

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