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.

Photo: Eric Bronson, Michigan Photography

Love the Mooseness

Welcome 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.” After you’ve experienced our programs, we hope you too will come to love the 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

@northstarreach on Instagram

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Oct 1

We are sending our Under the North Star guests, do

We are sending our Under the North Star guests, donors, and volunteers the biggest camp hug. We are so grateful for the generous community that came together in support of our mission to positively impact children living with serious illnesses and their families. It was an incredible evening and we loved connecting with you in so many ways, including for our live program and @fiftyampfuse concert under starry skies in our amphitheater at the end of a glorious fall day. Thank you all. (We will have an event photo album to share soon.) 💛💚💙

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Sep 29

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY! We are so looking forward

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY! We are so looking forward to hosting 2022 Under the North Star tomorrow and seeing our guests at camp starting at 5 p.m. To our Facebook and Instagram friends: You are invited to join us virtually for the live program, (8-9 pm, EST). See link in bio to RSVP and join our Zoom gathering or tune into our Facebook page for the livestream.

You can also help support camp by bidding on auction items. See link in bio to register for the auction before bidding starts at 5 p.m. tomorrow. A huge thank you to the amazing volunteers and who have been helping get camp ready, including hanging banners on the outside of The Observatory. It’s going to be a spectacular night! 💛💚💙

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Sep 28

A huge thank you to the group of amazing volunteer

A huge thank you to the group of amazing volunteers who helped make our second Fall Campily Retreat magical! We are also incredibly grateful to each and every family who joined us last weekend! Be sure to check out our Facebook album to see all of the fun we had🦝🍂

We can't wait to see the next group of families and volunteers at our third Fall Campily Retreat on October 21-23!

#CampilyRetreat #FindYourCampfire

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Sep 27

As we head into the Fall Season, we want to remind

As we head into the Fall Season, we want to remind our community that we are hosting ongoing virtual camper meetups and parent/caregiver support groups. These facilitated, bi-weekly gatherings give participants a chance to connect with peers for community and support. Our camper meetups are for North Star Reach campers and camper alumni (ages 7-24). Our parent/caregiver support groups are open to any parent/caregiver of a child with a serious illness. To learn more and register for these free programs, see link in bio. 💛💚💙

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Sep 24

This year we’ve been thrilled to welcome campers

This year we’ve been thrilled to welcome campers and families back to camp for the first time in two years. As we reflect on this season of camp magic, we are reminded of how lucky we are to play a role in being part of life-changing experiences for our camper families.

Despite our recent program excellence, North Star Reach is confronting a set of very real challenges, including a gap in resources needed to sustain our high-quality medically supported camp experiences in a safe and meaningful way. As a result, we are sharing the announcement today that the board and camp leadership have made the difficult decision to suspend in-person camp programs for 2023.

We will use the next several months to review our operations, restructure as needed, while at the same time improving our fundraising outreach. Additionally, we are grateful to @seriousfun_camps for providing a variety of support services to North Star Reach, including financial resources and operational planning expertise. (Please see link in our bio for the full strategic planning update on our website.)

To transform, sometimes we need to dig deep. This difficult decision is a necessary part of our journey as a young nonprofit. We are tremendously grateful to our entire camp community for the patience and support that we now need to ask of you.

In this spirit, we also want you to know that we plan to host our “Under the North Star” signature event at camp on Sept. 30. This will be a beginning—the start of our bridge to the future.

Today, as always, North Star Reach is here for our camper families: They are our North Star. We pledge to be as proactive as possible with sharing information about our future fundraising and program plans as we work to build a strong foundation for a brighter future.

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Sep 21

We're incredibly proud of North Star Reach camper,

We're incredibly proud of North Star Reach camper, Kateri, for finding her own way to give back.

We heard from her recently that she has created beautiful hand-painted works of art for a fundraiser to benefit Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit resort that provides critically ill children and their families with week-long wish vacations at no cost.

We're inspired by you, Kateri, and all the campers who find ways to share your gifts and help brighten the lives of those around you💛💚💙

#GiveBack #CampMagic

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Sep 19

Archery is consistently a camp favorite during eve

Archery is consistently a camp favorite during every session. Over the summer, we were lucky enough to have Miguel as our Archery specialist, teaching the campers everything they need to know about using a bow and arrow safely🎯

"Camp as a scout was a routine duty, summer camp a yearly trek just to get out into nature; North Star Reach was like Brigadoon, an escape from the world even as a staff member. These kids get to escape too and be a part of that… I almost didn't want to get paid. It was worth it. But from first year to second I have to up my game for hopefully more campers overall to have an amazing experience."

Thank you, Miguel, for your commitment to helping campers safely have fun over the summer and for teaching all of us some new skills along the way!

#summermemories #magicalmoments #campmagic #summer2022

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Sep 17

Sending a big camp cheer to the @seriousfun_camps

Sending a big camp cheer to the @seriousfun_camps colleagues and board members (including our own Matthew Denenberg and Lisa Schwartz) who gathered yesterday at our sister camp, @flyinghorsefarms, to share expertise in supporting our shared mission. 🙌🙌🙌

📷: @seriousfun_camps

#weareseriousfun #anfchallenge

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Sep 16

Tune in later tonight for a social media takeover

Tune in later tonight for a social media takeover by Faith, a North Star Reach Camp Champion! Starting this evening (9/16) and running for 24 hours, she will share stories about the lasting impact camp has made in her life. Help her reach an ambitious $10,000 fundraising goal in just 24 hours—donations that will go twice as far thanks to a generous match from @anfchallenge.

To donate, see link in our bio. Thank you in advance for helping to raise vital funds to support North Star Reach’s free life-changing camps and programs for children like Faith living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

#supportcamp #anfchallenge #10thousanddollartakeover #seriousfuncamp

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Sep 15

Our “Under the North Star” signature fundraise

Our “Under the North Star” signature fundraiser is just around the corner! As part of our outdoor community celebration at camp on Friday, September 30, the evening will feature a fabulous online auction. Bid on incredible experiences, like the “Suite Life," to support our mission of FREE life-changing camp experiences and support programs for children with serious illnesses and their families.

For avid sports fans, we can hardly imagine anything sweeter: Luxury seats (for a party of four) to an event at each of the following professional/college sports competitions: @nfl, @nba, @nhl, @umichfootball, @umichbball! (All sporting events will take place in southeast Michigan.)

See link in bio to get your tickets today and learn more about this and other exclusive auction items!

#UNS2022 #UnderTheNorthStar #NFL #NBA NHL #UofM #umichfootball #umichbball

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Sep 14

We are incredibly grateful for the families and vo

We are incredibly grateful for the families and volunteers who joined us for an amazing Fall Campily Retreat last weekend! Be sure to check out our Facebook album to see all of the fun we had🦝🍂

#CampilyRetreat #FindYourCampfire

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Sep 12

A huge thank you to the amazing group of volunteer

A huge thank you to the amazing group of volunteers that made our first Fall Campily Retreat a huge success! 💛 💚 💙

#CampilyRetreat #ThankYouVolunteers #FindYourCampfire

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Sep 8

We feel incredibly fortunate that campers, familie

We feel incredibly fortunate that campers, families, volunteers, and even seasonal staff members come from near and far to experience North Star Reach. During the summer of 2022, Lauren traveled all the way from New York to spend her summer as a cabin counselor and nature specialist!

"I, coming from New York, was so nervous and anxious coming to Michigan to work at North Star Reach. I didn't know a single soul nor have I been to Michigan before. It didn't take long after I was surrounded by the most amazing people, that North Star Reach is where I belonged. Everyone is incredibly genuine and carries around such positive energy that truly is unmatched to anything I have experienced. Not only was the staff amazing, but the campers were incredible too! Every camper was just so happy to be there and so appreciative for their time at camp. North Star Reach is such an amazing camp that is only surrounded by love and acceptance that is absent from outside of camp. North Star Reach will forever hold a special place in my heart."

Thank you, Lauren, for having the courage to come join us for the summer! You had a remarkable impact on so many campers and we're honored to have you as part of our Campily💛💚💙

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Sep 7

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY: We all know that Wednesdays a

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY: We all know that Wednesdays are great for being wacky but they are also great for checking out our Amazon wish list! With items ranging from permanent markers to folding tables, every single donation makes a significant difference in the lives of campers and their families. To see the full wish list, visit the link in our bio!

#WishListWednesday #DonorsMakeItPossible #ThankYou

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Sep 6

It's a new week and you know what that means...a n

It's a new week and you know what that means...a new summer testimonial! Today, we're shining the spotlight on another sibling duo, Ryan and Reid!

Ryan and Reid both attended our second summer session and enjoyed activities such as Gaga Ball and eating popsicles in hammocks. Their mother, Melissa, had this to share with us after their return home:

"We are so grateful to North Star Reach, Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, and all the volunteers and donors that make camp possible for kids that might not otherwise be able to attend due to their medical challenges. Ryan and Reid had such an amazing time and can’t wait to come back next year!"

Thank you for sharing Ryan and Reid's joy of camp with us. We can't wait to see you all again soon!💛💚💙

#summermemories #magicalmoments #campmagic #summer2022 @epilepsyfoundation_mi

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Sep 2

Be sure to check out our September TrailMix eNewsl

Be sure to check out our September TrailMix eNewsletter. From upcoming Fall Campily Retreats to Under the North Star (our signature fundraising event on Sept. 30) and Fall Virtual Meetups and Support Groups, we've got a lot of great experiences coming this month. Click link in bio to read all about it.

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Sep 1

Keep an eye out for the North Star Reach table at

Keep an eye out for the North Star Reach table at @uofmichigan Festifall 2022!💛💙

Stop by and visit a few friendly camp faces including Coach, Casey, and Mitch between 2:30-5:00pm on north university in front of the kinesiology building. There are so many ways for students and faculty to get involved with our organization and help provide life changing experience to campers and their families!

#UofM #UniversityofMichigan #GoBlue #Festifall2022 #WelcomeWeek #AnnArbor #Nonprofit

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Aug 31

We would like to extend a huge camp thank you to L

We would like to extend a huge camp thank you to Laurie Gross with @grosselectric for donating 1000 children's masks to be utilized during our first summer back in person at North Star Reach in over two years! We are incredibly thankful for your generous donation and for helping us to ensure all campers, volunteers, and staff enjoyed a safe and fun camp experience.

#DonorsMakeItPossible #ThankYouDonors #Summer2022

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Aug 30

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...and we're back with another summer

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...and we're back with another summer testimonial from one of our fantastic camper families!

Christopher, Quinton, and Sophia are another group of siblings that got to experience North Star Reach all together during our second session this summer. All three brought so many smiles to the faces of volunteers and staff alike. Their mother, Debbie, shared "North Star Reach is so special to our family. It is truly like a home away from home. Christopher cannot stop talking about Andrew!!! I cannot thank him enough! This was Christopher’s first time away from me and he is so excited to go back next year! Quinton and Sophia had such a good time - they are all ready to go back as well!!!"

Thank you, Debbie, for sharing these kind words with us. We are incredibly grateful to have you all as a part of our Campily💛💚💙

#summermemories #magicalmoments #campmagic #summer2022

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Aug 29

Have you voted for us through Target Circle? If no

Have you voted for us through Target Circle? If not, there’s still time!

Vote for us now through September 30th and help direct @target’s giving to benefit our mission of providing no-cost life-changing camps and programs to kids with serious illnesses and their families. 🎯

From your mobile device, simply follow these easy steps:
1. Choose “My Target” in the Target app
2. Tap on “Target Circle™”
3. Select “Vote for nonprofits”
4. Find North Star Reach & vote!

On your computer? It’s just as easy:
1. Click on link in our bio.
2. Log into your Target account
3. Cast your votes for North Star Reach!

Please share this post with your family and friends. The more votes we get, the larger the donation! 💛💚💙

#thankyoutarget #targetcircle #CommunityGiveBack #powerofcommunity #backtoschoolshopping

Get in touch!

EMAIL

info@northstarreach.org

PHONE

FAX

North Star Reach Camp

1200 University Camp 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 Camp 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