Camp Ondessonk

Camp Ondessonk is a Catholic youth camp run by the Belleville Diocese. It is located in Ozark, Illinois. Camp Ondessonk states their mission to be "to provide an environment that inspires physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth for individuals and groups through the appreciation and stewardship of nature." The vision of the organization is "to be the world’s best youth camp. Inspired by positive role models, campers will experience the wonders of God’s creation through adventurous, challenging activities in a unique, rustic environment."

History

Camp Ondessonk was founded in 1959.

Name Sakes

Major structures and other important areas at Camp Ondessonk are named after the North American martyrs.

The name "Ondessonk" is the Huron word for "Bird of Prey." It is the name that the Huron gave to St. Isaac Jogues when he was serving among them as a missionary.

Facilities

Camp Ondessonk is a rustic outdoor camp. It consists of ten units to house campers as well as a variety of program areas.

Units

Each of the units at Camp Ondessonk consists of a group of camper cabins and one staff cabin. Each unit is named after one of the North American martyrs or another significant figure to Catholicism. The units are arranged around Lake Echon with girls on the East side and boys on the West.

Unit Name	Unit Type	Gender*	Camper Cabins	Camper Bunks	Unit color	Spirit Animal	Musician Cabins Are Named After	Notes
Amantacha	Tree House	Boys	4	32	Forest Green	Swallow	Grateful Dead
Brebeuf	3 Sided Cabins	Boys	5	40	Dark Blue	Raccoon	Simon and Garfunkel
Chabanel	Cave	Girls	4	32	Golden Yellow	Bear	Jethro Tull
Daniel	Tree House	Boys	5	40	Black	Eagle	The Beatles	One of the original four units.
Garnier	Tree House	Girls	5	40	Kelly Green	Bobcat	Led Zepplin
Goupil	Tree House	Girls	5	40	Purple	Fox	Bob Dylan
Lalande	Tree House	Girls	5	40	Red	Owl	Tom Petty
Lalemant	Tree House	Girls	5	40	Orange	Beaver	The Doors
Raganeau	Tree House	Boys	5	32	Turquoise	Squirrel	Pink Floyd
Tekakwitha	Lodges	Boys	3	36	Light Blue	Deer	None	Each lodge includes a small staff room.

• Gender only applies during coed season during which boys and girls are separated into units on different sides of camp. During girls season and boys season all available units are open to all campers reguardless of whether the unit is located on the "girls" or "boys" side of the lake.

Other Sleeping Areas

Camp Ondessonk also has two additional camper sleeping areas.

• The BOQ is on the boys side of the lake. It is used to house male CITs and adventure campers. It also provides overflow housing for male staff. The BOQ is the only camper housing that has electricity.

• Lakeside is located on the girls side of the lake. It consists of one long bunkhouse style cabin as well as two smaller cabins. It is used to house female CITs and adventure campers.

Summer Camp Program

Traditional Camp

The original camp program of Ondessonk, traditional camp allows participants to experience all the long-standing activities camp is valued for. The traditional camp session at Camp Ondessonk is known for offering the basic camp experience, but in a more nature enriched way than may be found at other summer camps. During their week-long session campers have the opportunity to try their hand at a variety of activities including archery, riflery, handicrafts, horsemanship, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and outdoor skills. In the evenings campers are part all-camp activities including campfires, a variation of flashlight tag, an overnight campout, and a Native American ceremony. As part of their camp experience campers stay in “rustic” units usually consisting of three-walled structures open in the front. The units give campers the chance to bond more closely with their cabin mates as well as the 30 or so other campers in their unit. Traditional Camp is open to campers ages 10-15 and offers sessions in three variations of gender settings. They are co-ed camp, girls camp, and boys camp.

• Coed Camp: These sessions feature all the activities of camp, just presented in a coed setting. This allows campers to develop their skills in a real-world setting of coed living. Sleeping quarters in camp and on the overnight are gender specific and campers are supervised by the appropriate staff.
• Girls Camp: Referred to as “girls season,” two weeks of each summer are dedicated to providing a single-gender environment for girls who want to experience camp without the social expectations, popularity contests, or worries about outward appearance. Participants of girls camp take part in all of the same activities as coed and boys campers. All available units are open to all campers during girls season and all units are staffed by female staff members.
• Boys Camp: One week of each summer is “boys season” during which only male campers are in camp. The single-gender environment is meant to encourage campers to grow and enjoy camp without the pressure to perform in front of the opposite gender. Boys camp participants engage in all the activities of coed and girls camp. As with girls camp, all available units are open to all campers during boys season and are staffed by Ondessonk’s male staff members.

Mini Camp and Mini Camp Explorers

Designed with 8 and 9 year old campers in mind, mini camp is meant to be an introduction to the camp experience. At just three days and three nights long, mini campers are able to get a taste of many of the activities of traditional camp. Some activities are modified to account for the difference in age of mini campers from traditional campers. Participants of the program stay in one of the units and are accompanied by extra staff members at all times to provide enhanced guidance and companionship for the younger campers. All mini camp sessions are coed with campers living in gender-specific units as during a traditional camp coed session.

Mini camp explorers is for more adventurous 8 and 9 year olds who feel capable of spending the entire week at camp. Because of the extended nature of their stay, campers are able to participate in all the activities of traditional camp in a modified form for their age and abilities. Campers spend their nights in one of the units with staff trained to take on the challenges of younger campers experiencing their first week-long sleepaway camp stay. As with regular mini camp, all mini camp explorers sessions are coed and follow the same format of a traditional coed camp session.

Adventure Programs

Camp Ondessonk offers specialized programs, referred to as adventure camp, that allow campers to focus on one set of skills in a particular area for an entire week. The three main areas of focus are horsemanship, rock climbing, and backpacking. The programs take a limited number of campers and provide them with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills of a particular area. Campers are assisted by two or three specially trained staff members. As with traditional campers, all adventure campers are eligible for induction into Lodge. The adventure programs are divided into three levels based on the challenge offered and skill required by each program. Level one is the first level meant for campers who want to build their skills while still enjoying a traditional camp experience in the evenings. Campers stay in a unit as in traditional camp. No prior experience in the area of focus is required. Level one camps include Horse Camp and Rock Camp. Level two programs offer a more intense experience and greater challenge to campers. During a level two program, campers spend more time away from the main area of camp in the natural areas surrounding Ondessonk. Most nights of the program are spent camping out under the stars in the back-country. Level two programs give participants the chance to receive more advanced instruction and develop their skills to a greater level. Although campers spend most of their time away from main camp, they do return at the end of the week to participate in the all-camp activities on Friday. Level two programs include Horse Adventure, Rock Adventure, and River to River Backpacking Adventure. Level two programs do not require prior experience in their field of focus, however it is recommended. The final level of adventure programs is level three. This level is recommended for only those experienced in the Ondessonk adventure programs. Level three offers an intense and challenging opportunity to expand on the skills learned in levels one and two. As with level two, campers spend most of their time away from main camp building their skills on the trails around camp. Currently, Horse Expedition is the only level three program offered.

Horse Camp

This program is designed for participants wanting an enhanced experience in horsemanship while still enjoying many of the all-camp activities of traditional camp. Campers spend their days in the stables learning such things as how to care for and groom their horses, as well as receiving more in-depth instruction in riding skills and general horsemanship. Participants are able to experience longer trail rides than in traditional camp while still utilizing the trails and pastures in the nearby surroundings of camp. Each evening campers return to main camp to participate in the evening activities and stay in one of the units. This is a level one adventure program and is open to campers ages 12–15.

Horse Adventure

One of the longest running adventure programs at Ondessonk, Horse Adventure offers a unique in-depth horsemanship experience for campers wanting an enhanced journey away from the main areas of camp. Although campers do return to main camp at the end of the week to participate in the final all-camp activities, most days and nights are spent on the trail in the back-country. Each evening, campers help to take care of the horses, cook meals, and set up the campsite. As night falls, campers have the opportunity to relax around the campfire before sleeping out under the stars each night. During the program, campers receive instruction and supervision from CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) certified instructors that help them to not only expand their horsemanship skills, but also to develop their outdoors skills. This is a level two program open to campers ages 13-16.

Horse Expedition

The most intense adventure program offered, Horse Expedition takes campers on a two week journey that pushes them in their equestrian skills. Participants receive advanced instruction in horsemanship, horse-packing, trail stewardship, and outdoor living skills as they are led on a backcountry pack trip by experienced Ondessonk wranglers. Campers are able to discover much of the natural beauty of the Shawnee as they ride through the various trails encompassed within the forest. The intense nature of the program mandates prior experience and possible participants must have completed a level one or two equestrian program prior to entering Horse Expedition. This is a level three program open to experienced campers ages 14-18.

Rock Camp

Designed as an introduction to rock climbing, campers learn the basics about climbing knots and safety systems while developing their climbing technique. Participants have the opportunity to try out the high ropes course as well as having the chance to climb multiple sandstone top-rope routes in the Pakentuck area just outside of camp. Following the same format as Horse Camp, participants of Rock Camp spend their days climbing but return to main camp in the evening to be a part of the all-camp activities, and to bunk in one of the units. This is a level one adventure program and is open to campers ages 12-15.

Rock Adventure

Offering a more advanced approach to rock climbing, campers on Rock Adventure take the basic climbing skills covered in Rock Camp and spend more time on the natural sandstone rocks in the area further enhancing their climbing skills. Participants experience the highlights of Southern Illinois rock climbing while taking on progressively more challenging routes. In order to maximize climbing time, campers spend their nights sleeping out under the stars along the shores of one of Camp Ondessonk’s various lakes as well as in the Jackson Falls climbing area. Rock Adventure is a level two adventure program open to campers ages 13-16.

River to River Backpacking Adventure

As Ondessonk’s only backpacking adventure camp, River to River is meant to teach campers the backpacking skills necessary for future trail endeavors while also giving them an intense and challenging experience. River to River is a two week program which allows campers to spend a total of 12 days on the trail. During their time out on the trail, campers learn a variety of skills including expedition planning, backcountry travel preparation, energy conservation techniques, and group management. They also gain a solid knowledge of ‘Leave No Trace’ skills as they put them to use in their daily activities. The route participants take follows a challenging section of the River to River Trail, which is encompassed by the larger American Discovery Trail. Along the path, campers will discover many of the natural wonders Southern Illinois is known for. This is a level two program open to campers ages 13-16.

Notable People

Camp Ondessonk Rangers

• Ralph Rheinecker
• Jim Klein
• Morgan Rheaume
• Royce Reeder
• Larry Barger
• Dave Bretscher
• Mike Jennings