The patio lights glowed softly above the Firefly deck as music played quietly in the background. Nearby, a campfire crackled while a group of campers gathered around it, making s’mores and holding popsicle sticks in their hands. Before the sticks went into the fire, each camper was invited to write down a wish. It was one of the final moments of their week at Camp Joy. Throughout the summer, cabin closings can look very [...]

“I didn’t like camp at first because I was homesick a little bit and also just coming off of a bone marrow transplant,” McKenna Crews remembered. “It was all just kind of new.” Her story with Camp Joy began in 2009, when she and her sister attended Camp N’Joy It All, a specialty camp for children impacted by hematology and oncology diagnoses. McKenna was adjusting to life after a bone marrow transplant, and her [...]

The Budget Dilemma  Every leader I talk to right now is saying the same thing: budgets are shrinking. The loss of federal funding that used to be dependable and the rising cost of nearly everything, from supplies to training tools, software to salaries, has forced organizations to face difficult choices about what to shift and it can be difficult to prioritize team development. I hear versions of this same struggle from many of the [...]

Introducing Joy Drop  For more than 40 years, Camp Joy has helped leaders and organizations across the tri-state area grow through immersive, experience-based leadership development. Along the way, we have seen what helps teams build trust, navigate change, communicate more effectively, and turn shared experiences into meaningful progress. Now, we are bringing those lessons to you through Joy Drop. Joy Drop is a new newsletter featuring practical insights, useful activities, and honest conversations about [...]

Pudding, our feral Rock Dove (pigeon), has become a familiar face in Camp Joy's Nature Center. Curious, social, and always eager to interact with guests, it's hard to imagine that his story began with a serious injury that threatened his survival. Found shortly after hatching, Pudding's journey from an injured young bird to a beloved animal ambassador is a testament to his resilience. How Pudding’s story started At just two and a half weeks [...]

There's a moment at the top of the pamper pole when the world goes quiet. The trees, the sky, the voices below, all of it softens. And you're left with one question: Am I doing this? Judy answered that question on her 68th birthday with a resounding, joyful yes. The leap that started long before the climb Judy is the mother of Elyse Lohrbach, our Executive Director. But to understand what happened on that [...]