Volunteer
Application
FAQ
How can I help?
Can I volunteer if I am
under 18 years of age?
Is there a cost to
volunteer?
What are the living
arrangements for
volunteers?
Are there any
restrictions and/or
requirements of which I
should be aware?
Do you accept disabled
volunteers?
What are the specifics
of being a "volunteer
counselor"?
Is there any training
for Camp/Medical
Volunteers?
What do medical
volunteers do at Camp?
What is the licensure
requirements for nurse
volunteers?
What is the time
commitment for medical
volunteers? Are partial
sessions an option?
What are the living
arrangements for medical
volunteers?
Do you have a question
not answered here?
Please contact us at
610-298-1820 or at
info@dragonflyforest.org.
How can I help?
Dragonfly Forest is a
product of You and Us.
We could not provide a
camp for seriously ill
children without
volunteers, such as you,
that help to support our
mission.
For us to succeed this
year we know we will
need volunteers or
Believers like you to
help us create and
execute our plan for
Dragonfly Forest. At
Dragonfly Forest our
Believers do more than
just provide labor, they
are an integral part of
our philosophy and
desire for community
involvement.
Many people have told us
that they very much want
to help our kids, so we
created The Dragonfly
Believers Program.
People of all ages are
encouraged to sign up.
You can be a Believer in
any of the following
areas:
YEAR ROUND
- To sign up for
these opportunities,
email us at
info@dragonflyforest.org
-
Program
Development
- Assist in the
development of
the activities
and programs
that will fill
the camp
sessions.
-
Medical
Committee -
Help with
development of
medical process
and procedures.
Involved with
helping to
perform a
medical review
of camp
applications.
-
Student
Ambassadors
- Spread the
word about
Dragonfly Forest
to your schools
and
organizations.
Starting in
January,
Dragonfly Forest
will have a
special program
for our Student
Ambassadors.
-
Fundraising /
Special Events
- Help make our
parties, golf
event, galas,
etc happen
through a
variety of
functions. Such
events provide
us with the
needed funds to
host children at
our camp free of
charge.
-
Office
Support -
Filing,
Xeroxing,
organizing,
helping with
mailings, etc.
CAMP SEASON
- To sign up for
these opportunities
please complete the
volunteer
application.
-
Volunteer
Counselor
(must be at
least a high
school senior,
high school
graduates
preferred) -
The Volunteer
Counselors are
our largest
summer group.
Each cabin will
have two
volunteer
counselors with
two paid staff.
There should be
no distinction
made between
volunteers and
staff in terms
of duties. The
campers treat
everyone alike.
-
Special
Program
Volunteers
(must be at
least a high
school senior,
high school
graduates
preferred) -
Usually local
people who
commute to Camp
each day. You
will be assigned
as assistants in
specific program
areas, like arts
and crafts or
boating and
fishing.
-
Volunteer
Physicians &
Nurses - You
are selected and
supervised by
our Director of
Nurses and our
Medical
Director.
Together with
our medical
staff, you take
responsibility
for our camper’s
medical care.
-
Registration
/ Departure /
Camp Setup -
At the start of
our session, we
welcome children
to camp and then
7 days later bid
them a heartfelt
goodbye. On
these days and
prior to the
opening of a
session, we need
help to get
ready, and then
love and laugh
with the
children while
keeping track of
attendance and
belongings.
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Can I volunteer if I am
under 18 years of age?
Dragonfly Forest is
working to accept
volunteers that are at
least a high school
senior and/or high
school graduate.
If you do not meet this
requirement then please
contact our office
(610-298-1820) to learn
more about other
volunteer opportunities
available to this age
group.
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Is there a cost to
volunteer?
There is no charge to be
a volunteer. However, we
will be not be
responsible for your
transportation to and
from Dragonfly Forest.
Room and board is
provided for session
volunteers only.
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What are the living
arrangements for
volunteers?
Volunteers who make a
week-long pledge will
have on-site
accommodations provided.
During the day, you are
assigned to a camper
house or program area,
and in the evening, you
will sleep in our dorm
style housing. Meals are
taken with your house; a
vegetarian meal is
optionally available.
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Are there any
restrictions and/or
requirements of which I
should be aware?
There are some which
are necessary, given the
special needs of our
campers and the emphasis
of camp.
- Volunteers must
be at least a high
school senior or
high school graduate when
volunteering, have
references checked,
and sign a
background release
form in order to
ensure the health
and safety of the
children we serve.
- Smoking is not
permitted on the camp
property.
- Drinking and
drug use are
prohibited.
- Vehicles brought
to camp must be
registered upon your
arrival.
- Everyone at
camp, adults as well
as campers, need to
deposit all
medications with the
camp infirmary.
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Do you accept disabled
volunteers?
We do not exclude
disabled staff or
volunteers. Work as a
counselor is sometimes
strenuous, and
ultimately the safety of
all of our participants
is of utmost importance.
If you are disabled, we
expect that you will
help us to make a
reasonable assessment of
your ability to
supervise and assist
both able and disabled
children. Our site is
accessible to the
disabled.
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What are the specifics
of being a "volunteer
counselor"?
Volunteer
counselors are an
integral part of our
summer program. These
men and women serve for
a full camp session as
counselors and are
assigned to one of our
houses, together with
full-time counselors and
campers. Volunteer
counselors must be high
school seniors or high
school graduates or older
and are expected to be
“on duty” 24 hours a
day. We need to be able
to count on them to help
as the need arises, so
we ask that they not
leave the camp.
Volunteer
counselors participate
in the full range of
camp activities,
assisting our campers in
reaching our main goal -
having FUN!!! Generally
there are 2 volunteer
counselors per house.
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Is there any training
for Camp/Medical
Volunteers?
Every camp/medical
volunteer, new and old,
is expected to arrive at
camp the day before his
or her session starts
for an Orientation to
camp. Camp provides an
orientation on medical
care, and behavioral
modification
techniques…. as well as
all the fun stuff like
songs and cheers.
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What do medical
volunteers do at Camp?
Medical volunteers
are essential to our
camp program. Volunteers
bring their spirit,
fresh ideas, and energy
to our camp program.
- Volunteer
Unit Nurses -
Each session there
are volunteer
registered nurses on
camp. The volunteer
RNs work
side-by-side with
our staff nurses to
provide primary care
to a group of
campers which
consists of
following each
camper’s individual
plan of care as
detailed by their
home physician,
providing needed
treatments,
medications, and lab
draws, and assisting
with personal care
needs. Volunteer
nurses also spend a
portion of the
session triaging and
treating the
unexpected illnesses
and injuries that
come up during a
session.
- Medical Counselors -
Licensed practical
nurses, respiratory
therapists, physical
therapists, EMTs,
and other medical
professionals or
students are needed
as counselors in the
camper cabins. In
addition to
counselor duties,
the Medical
Counselor will
provide assistance
and instruction to
campers and
counselors regarding
transfers, 1:1 care
needs, early morning
medications, pumps
and other medical
equipment
troubleshooting.
These medical
volunteers will work
closely with the
Unit Nurses to
provide the best
care possible.
- Physicians
- There will be
volunteer physicians
each session
including
specialists and
general
practitioners.
Physicians work
closely with the
nurses in providing
routine and
emergency care to
campers. First year
medical students may
work in the Medical
Center with
supervision.
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What are the licensure
requirements for Nurse
volunteers?
Nursing volunteers must
be RNs and have a
current Pennsylvania
nursing license. If you
do not hold a nursing
license in PA, you must
obtain a PA – RN License
by Endorsement. Nurses
licensed outside this
state seeking
Pennsylvania licensure
as an RN or LPN who are
requesting licensure by
endorsement can download
the application for
licensure by endorsement
by clicking here. If
you hold or have ever
held a Pennsylvania
nurse license do not
complete the endorsement
application. Contact the
Board office at
(717)783-7142.
The cost for this PA –
RN License by
Endorsement is either
$100 or $135 (see
application for details)
and will be reimbursed
to you by Dragonfly
Forest at the end of
camp, if you volunteer
at camp for 3 or more
days during the summer.
Please provide Dragonfly
Forest with a receipt of
your PA- RN License by
Endorsement before
arriving at camp.
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What is the time
commitment for medical
volunteers? Are partial
sessions an option?
A full session
commitment is
recommended. For
continuity of care, we
do not recommend partial
sessions, however, if
you can only work for a
partial session we will
try to work with you to
be able to volunteer.
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What are the living
arrangements for medical
volunteers?
Volunteer physicians
and nurses will live in
dorm style housing.
Depending on the number
of campers at a session
you may need to share a
room
with other volunteers.
The dorms have
indoor bathrooms and
showers. Meals are
provided in our dining
hall and are taken with
the campers and other
staff.
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