Welcome

North Star Reach
Camp-At-Home

Wherever you are, come celebrate what it means to be connected to one another. Together, we’ll create a community where friendship, laughter and kindness are what matter most. A place where we’ll reach for the stars and remind ourselves that anything is possible. We’re so glad you’re here.

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Photo: Eric Bronson, Michigan Photography

Love the Mooseness

Letter from Our
Director of Camping

We’ve always known that our camp is not about the place, but the people. People who clear away the everyday to make good things happen for children who live with serious illnesses and often miss out on chances to just be kids. That feeling of community coming together to create a brighter world for others, and ourselves, is something we call “mooseness.” Follow the link below to hear more about our remarkable community, and this moose I know.

More About Mooseness

Patrick Smith

North Star Reach Director of Camping

Photo: Eric Bronson, Michigan Photography

Love the Mooseness

We Are Here for You

Parents & Caregivers

We are proud to announce a series of new programs designed to deliver support, resources, improved well-being and hope to parents, guardians and caregivers of seriously ill children.

Parents & Caregivers

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Jun 21

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: This week is another “Close

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: This week is another “Close Up” challenge. We’ve zoomed into a photo taken at camp and it’s your job to figure out where it’s taken, with this clue: This is a perfect spot for watching sunrises, especially on this, the longest day of the year. To enter the challenge, simply comment your guesses below or send us a DM of where this photo was taken. We’ll reveal the location Friday afternoon along with this week’s T-shirt giveaway winner! Will it be you?

#summersolstice #firstdayofsummer #moosenesschallenge

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Jun 20

To all the Camp Dads out there, thank you for givi

To all the Camp Dads out there, thank you for giving our campers love and strength as they embark on life’s big adventures. #HappyFathersDay #loveourcampdads

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Jun 19

A day to remember, reflect and celebrate. #Junetee

A day to remember, reflect and celebrate. #Juneteenth #equity #diversity #inclusion

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Jun 18

MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN: We are beyond grateful to

MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN: We are beyond grateful to this amazing team of volunteers for the hours they've given to preparing and planning behind-the-scenes to make this week's session a HUGE success. What a blast we've been having with our campers! We can't wait for our final day together and tonight's closing campfire. Thank you Ashley, Rachel, Aisling, Meiko, Tina, Sarah, Hayley (all pictured here) and also to Sami, Brooke and Thia (featured last week) for making a difference in the lives of our campers. #loveourcampily #volunteersrock #transplantweek #campmichitanki

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Jun 17

“North Star Reach has become a true ‘North Sta

“North Star Reach has become a true ‘North Star’ to our family when we sometimes feel a bit lost in our daughter’s medical issues. We can always count on NSR programming to put us in the ‘right direction’ for a positive mindset, a break from our day to day worries, and a reminder that we are not alone. Our family is beyond grateful for all of the outstanding programming that has been offered both in person in past years and online recently. We would truly be lost without our ‘North Star.’"

Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your story and letting us know what a difference our programs have made to your family. We’re grateful you're part of our first 2021 summer camp-at-home session, and so many other programs. #loveourcampily #seriousfun #connectionsthatmatter

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Jun 16

Our camp-at-home Transplant (Camp Michitanki) sess

Our camp-at-home Transplant (Camp Michitanki) session is underway! We're honored to be spending time around our virtual campfire with these wonderful campers and volunteers. A special thanks our friends and donors at University of Michigan Transplant Center for supporting our Camp Michitanki campers.

Plenty more camp magic still to come!

#campily #seriousfun #mooseontheloose #campmichitanki #transplantcamp

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Jun 14

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: This week we’re featuring o

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: This week we’re featuring one of our awesome camp-in-a-box sticker designs. As our campily knows, our camp code features five core values: safety, respect, love, challenge by choice, and fun. With our first summer session of 2021 beginning this week, we are excited to challenge ourselves and try new things.

To enter this drawing, comment below or send us a DM and share with us a time when you chose to challenge yourself. Anyone who plays will be entered into our giveaway drawing on Friday for a chance to win one of these super cool Camp Code stickers. This week, we will be announcing our winner LIVE on Facebook right before our closing campfire! We look forward to reading your submissions!

#moosenesschallenge

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Jun 11

A huge thank you to all of our fabulous volunteers

A huge thank you to all of our fabulous volunteers who are helping us with our first summer camp-at-home session of 2021, which begins next week! Aisling, Hayley, Meiko, Rachel, and Sarah, we're excited to see each of you create camp magic and share the mooseness!

A special thanks to our Camp Club leaders Sami, Brooke, and Thiany! Sami’s camp club will feature a range of creative activities (our thanks to @healingnotesfoundation for sponsoring our music and drama programming this summer). Brooke’s camp club will feature sports and games and is sure to be energizing. Thiany’s camp club will feature science and nature activities and will undoubtedly catapult campers into fun! We can't wait to see our first session campers next week!

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Jun 10

S’MORE SUMMER FUN: We’re excited to introduce

S’MORE SUMMER FUN: We’re excited to introduce S’more Camp Clubs, a new weekly series of real-time activities, hosted by artists, illustrators, poets, yoga and martial arts instructors, and talented guests from the community. The free programs are open to any North Star Reach camper registered for our 2021 summer camp-at-home programming. We are so grateful to these community partners for sharing their talents with our campers, including Hero Circle, @zion.well, @ypsi_artscenter, @detroitpbskids, @michlearning, artist Nick Tobier, performer Mike Fedel, @spinningdottheatre, and @insideoutliteraryarts. Camper families: You can register today by visiting link in our bio.

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Jun 9

Be sure to tune into our Instagram Live feed tonig

Be sure to tune into our Instagram Live feed tonight at 8 pm (EST) to see Coach on the ‘Guillermo Goes’ talk show with Guillermo! #GuillermoGoes is an Instagram talk show where Guillermo chats with various people from his life, around the country, and world to gain a glimpse into their lives and learn some valuable lessons. Guillermo is an alumnus of Southern Illinois University’s @phikappatau, a fraternity that has been formally partnered with @SeriousFun_camps for over 25 years. Members of their chapter volunteered to be a part of our Fall Family Fest in 2019 and Guillermo also volunteered to assist in our “Under The North Star” event that same year. It’s sure to be a great conversation about all things camp.

#ThankYouGuillermo

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Jun 8

CAMP-IN-A-BOX: It’s almost time for our first su

CAMP-IN-A-BOX: It’s almost time for our first summer Camp-At-Home session of 2021 and we are having some #seriousfun filling each and every Camp-In-A-Box with fun supplies, a little bit of mystery, and of course, camp magic! You'll notice that we even spruced up the outside of each box with stickers that highlight some of our favorite camp traditions. We are tremendously grateful to the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor for their recent grant of $4,500 to support our camp-in-a-box supplies and delivery of camp magic to our summer campers. Keep an eye out because campers for our first session will be receiving a FedEx delivery this week!

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Jun 7

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: We’re excited to share exci

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: We’re excited to share exciting new program details for our upcoming camp-at-home season later this week. With s’more serious fun just around the corner, we’re toasting one of our favorite camp traditions for this week’s challenge. To play, simply share your tips for creating ooey-gooey s’more perfection. Comment below or DM and we’ll enter your name into our Friday t-shirt giveaway drawing. We can’t wait to hear how our camp friends weigh in on this hotly debated (and very delicious) topic. #smoreseriousfun #campcountdown

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Jun 5

COUNTDOWN TO CAMP: The start of our 2021 camp-at-h

COUNTDOWN TO CAMP: The start of our 2021 camp-at-home season is just 10 DAYS away! We can’t wait to welcome our first group of campers to Transplant (Camp Michitanki) Camp on June 15 and connect with our camp friends. Parents and caregivers: Applications are still open! Visit link in bio to register your camper today. Stay tuned next week as we reveal exciting new summer program features. Another season of #lovethemooseness is almost here! 💛💚💙

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Jun 4

“This was one of the best virtual camps! It was

“This was one of the best virtual camps! It was so much fun…my camper could be just a silly kid, without pain or feeling sick. I am so grateful.” Thank you, Janka, for your kind words about your recent spring family camp-at-home experience. We loved having you and your family, and all the other camper families who joined us in April and May. #lovethemooseness #seriousfun

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Jun 3

We are so grateful to @joyinchildhood for selectin

We are so grateful to @joyinchildhood for selecting North Star Reach as a recent grant award winner and supporting our programs for children with serious illnesses and their family members with $10,000 in funding. Thank you for helping us bring more joy and camp experiences in 2021!

#JICFgrantee #donorsmakeitpossible

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Jun 2

Happy #PrideMonth! We send our support to the LGBT

Happy #PrideMonth! We send our support to the LGBTQ community and celebrate your true selves—this month, and all months. 💙💚💛❤️

#rainbowsforall #respect #inclusivity #favoritecampphoto

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May 31

In memory of many and in honor of all those who se

In memory of many and in honor of all those who served, thank you! #MemorialDay2021

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May 28

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: Join one of our amazing progr

MOOSENESS CHALLENGE: Join one of our amazing program volunteers, Sami and special guest, Kevin, from @FlyingHorseFarms as they choose this week's #MoosenessChallenge winner!

Remember, with Memorial Day next week, we will be taking a short break from our Mooseness Challenge but don't worry, we'll be back with another challenge in early June. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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May 27

CELEBRATING SUPER KIND VOLUNTEERS: Help us send on

CELEBRATING SUPER KIND VOLUNTEERS: Help us send one more camp cheer to the fabulous volunteers who generously helped during our two recent spring family camp-at-home sessions. We are so grateful to Sami, Dani, Brooke, Mack, Tina, Nadine, Jake, Thiany, Tyler, Alexandra, Ashley and Derek (aka, Nigel). Swipe to see a few pictured in the last image, taken just before our afternoon camp clubs last Saturday. Thank you for taking time to join us and our families, for leading camp clubs (drumming, volcano making and origami) and for coming along on our Jumanji adventure. These memory-making experiences wouldn’t have been possible without you! (And with thanks to our families for sharing their camp club photos!)
#volunteersrock #campmagic

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May 26

Drum roll please!🥁....Our two spring family cam

Drum roll please!🥁....Our two spring family camp-at-home sessions were a "smashing" hit, thanks to the generosity of @healingnotesfoundation! Their partnership and donation of DIY drum kits, for our afternoon camp club activity, gave campers a chance to find their inner beat and creativity! Thank you again, Healing Notes Foundation! We so appreciate your passion for helping us to bring music and creative expression to our camper families. 🎶 🌟

#donorsmakeitpossible #healingnotes #drumsofjumanji #familycamp #virtualcamp

Get in touch!

EMAIL

info@northstarreach.org

PHONE

FAX

North Star Reach Camp

1200 University Drive
Pinckney, MI 48169

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

North Star Reach is an independent nonprofit medical speciality camp based in Pinckney, Michigan. We provide life-changing camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses and their families, at no charge to them. You can support us today by making a donation.

Click Here & Donate

Stay Connected

PHONE

North Star Reach Camp

1200 University Drive
Pinckney, MI 48169

Stay Connected

FAX

EMAIL

info@northstarreach.org

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

North Star Reach is an independent nonprofit medical speciality camp based in Pinckney, Michigan. We provide life-changing camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses and their families, at no charge to them. You can support us today by making a donation.

Click Here & Donate

GuideStar Platinum

North Star Reach is a platinum-level
GuideStar participant

American Camp Association

American Camp
Association Accredited

Visit North Star Reach

Photo Credit: Leisa Thompson Photography