DISCOVERY DAY CAMP
~A week long day camp full of fun.~
A traditional outdoor camp for children aged 6 – 12. Different themed activities provide a unique experience each session. Regardless of which session campers attend, their days will be filled with organized games, arts and crafts, swimming, and hiking and exploring our 167 wooded acres.
All Meals and snacks are provided.
2026 SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION!
Please check back for Summer Camp 2026 registration information.
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A Message from the Youth Camps Supervisor
Hello Camp families,
As winter fades, we turn our attention to the future and many family’s favorite time of year: summer camp season. Last year, we heard from many parents that they would like the registration date to be pushed back a little bit, and we have listened. This year, our registration day will be held (online only) on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 and will begin at 10:00 AM.
Thank you for your unwavering support of the Godman Guild Association’s Summer Camp Programs at Camp Mary Orton (CMO). Your dedication to our mission has been instrumental in providing transformative experiences for the youth we serve. This year has been particularly challenging for the camping community, not just at CMO, but across the country. Many camps, including some of our own, have faced significant funding cuts, placing their futures—and the programs they offer—in jeopardy. Our Summer Youth Enrichment Program is among those affected, and as a nonprofit organization, these reductions pose a profound challenge to the summer experiences that mean so much to the children and families we serve. And yet, like the uplifting aroma of s’mores wafting through the air, we carry on. With determination, and your steadfast support, we face these challenges head-on, confident in our mission and perseverance.
This year, Camp is excited to continue with a few of the changes that we saw implemented last year. We will continue to have more of a full camp mealtime where Adventure Academy and Discovery Day Camp can enjoy their lunchtime meal together and socialize with campers, they may not be able to see otherwise. Our Career Exploration Track for Discovery Day Camp will continue into 2025 with the return of a medicine program (07/28 – 08/01). This program is possible through our continued partnership with our friends at the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS).
Our traditional Back to Nature and Adventure Academy programs are also back with 8 full weeks of Day Camp Fun. Discovery Day Camp will have a mix of new and old themes from years past, and Adventure Academy will be running its regular program for the entirety of the summer (no overnight will be offered this year). As with last year, all campers will enjoy daily meals from The Godman Guild’s Blue Bow Tie Catering and snacks provided by CMO.
The last change we want to inform you of is that the Discovery Day Camp program will expand. We will add two more groups to each of the 8 weeks of “Back to Nature” programming!
As mentioned earlier, many campers and their families who were eagerly anticipating their camp experience have been deeply affected by the federal funding cuts. These reductions have placed their opportunity to attend a summer camp program in jeopardy. To address this, we invite you to consider sponsoring a camper, either in full or in part. Your support can make a profound difference in ensuring children from our community can experience the joy and growth that camp provides. For more details, please see the “Help Sponsor a Camper” section of the 2025 Policies and Information below.
I appreciate your consideration, and we look forward to seeing your campers this summer.
Jason Peck,
Youth Camps Supervisor,
Camp Mary Orton/Godman Guild
Activities
Camp includes the following:
- Games
- Crafts
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Creeking
- Archery
- Ravine Crossing (weather dependent)
- Nature education
Discovery Day Camp
Ages 6-12-
All activities listed above
-
Lunch and snacks provided
2025 SCHEDULE
Waitlist status is NOT in real time, last updated 6/28/25 @ 6:27 PM
Learn about some of the animals that call Ohio home! Build shelters, play animal-themed games, identify tracks, and see some birds of prey with a visit from the Ohio School of Falconry.
This week’s presenters: Joe Dorian with the Ohio School of Falconry, and Highbanks Metro Parks.
Please note Camp Mary Orton will be closed Thursday, June 19th, 2025
Cost: $352.00 (Pro-rated due to four-day week)
Ages 6 – 12
This week, your camper can express their artistic side. In addition to our regular programming, we will delve into arts and crafts, improv games, songs, and a talent show at the end of the week.
This week’s career development presenter: will be a local artist.
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
During our Wild, Wild Wilderness Week, our campers will spend time in and out of the woods. They will not only be able to participate in all of our regular camp activities but also learn basic wilderness survival tactics such as shelter building, finding food, and fire safety.
Please note Camp Mary Orton will be closed Friday, July 4th, 2025
This week’s guest presenter: Michael Durst with Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Cost: $352.00 (Pro-rated due to four-day week.)
Ages 6-12
Get your game face on! During this week, campers will form teams and compete in camp-wide games and activities in an attempt to win the CMO Cup. Whether they are defending Yellow’s 2024 win or trying to claim the Cup, a good time will be had by all.
This week’s guest presenter: Joe Dorian with the Ohio School of Falconry.
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
Get your thinking caps on. This week, the word is invent. The Campers will learn about different simple machines and use that basic knowledge to create an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine with their travel groups. We will also learn about basic physical reactions as we create a variety of camper-friendly lab during our week.
This week’s guest presenter: Home Depot and a variety of industry professionals from within the Godman Guild.
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
Find out a little more about what happens just past the tree line, as our campers learn about the trees, animals, and ecosystems that occur all around us out at camp.
This week’s guest presenter: Joe Dorian w/ Ohio School of Falconry and Michael Durst with Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
During this fun and interactive week, led by NCUS campers will spend half of their day in the “lab” where they will participate in age-appropriate demonstrations/projects, explore different career fields and paths within the healthcare industry, learn what a typical day is like, and what education is required. When not with NCUS they will enjoy our regular outdoor activities.
Cost: $440.00
ages 6 – 12
Our wettest week of the past four summers is returning. Get ready to get wet with an over-pouring of water-based activities.
This week’s career development presenter: Jason Brunton (Lifeguard) and Worthington Fire Department.
Cost: $440.00
Ages 6 – 12
2025 Policies and Information
A non-refundable deposit of $75/session is required to reserve a space for your camper. Paid deposits are counted as payments toward the full registration fee. You can make payments towards your registration balance at any time up to Friday May 2, 2025. Any remaining unpaid balance will be automatically charged to your credit card on file at that time.
If you register your camper within four weeks of the first day of the season, you will be required to pay the total registration amount.
Being outdoors in small groups, regular hand washing, sanitizing surfaces, and ongoing health monitoring by camp staff are our primary defenses against the spreading of communicable diseases at camp. We ask that families do their part by keeping campers home if they are showing signs of illness within a 24-hour period prior to coming to camp. Campers will be isolated, and parents notified to pick them up if they show signs of illness, such as:
- A temperature of at least 100.4 in combination with at least one other symptom of illness
- Diarrhea
- Severe coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Evidence of untreated lice
- Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
- Vomiting more than one time or when accompanied by any other symptom of illness
See the parent handbook or downloadable policies for more detailed information.
Starting in the Summer of 2025, Camp Mary Orton will use Procare Solutions to collect camp forms electronically, including waivers, pickup authorizations, and medical and emergency contact information. Procare replaces paper forms and allows us to communicate with you in the event of an illness, injury, or larger-scale emergency.
How it works:
- After registering your camper through Procare, you’ll receive notification to complete your summer health forms for Camp Mary Orton.
- Create a free account or log-in if you already have an existing ProCare account.
- Enter the required information, like medical conditions, and share it with Camp Mary Orton so that program staff has access.
- ProCare health forms are due no later than 14 days prior to the beginning of your camper’s session. A late $15 late-fee will be charged to the card on file for forms not submitted by this point. Campers will not be permitted to be at camp with incomplete forms.
Deposits are never refunded except when a program is canceled by Camp Mary Orton. Registration fees minus the deposit can be refunded when cancellation occurs at least 14 days prior to the start of your child’s camp session. Participants assume risk and responsibility for changes in personal schedules or health.
To cancel a registration, please contact the Camp Mary Orton office at 614.706.2550. You must speak with Camp Mary Orton administrative staff to cancel. A voicemail message will not be considered proper notification of cancellation for refund purposes. Please note that your $75 deposit is non-refundable if you cancel your registration.
Because of the additional cost of processing a change request, a $15 fee will be assessed for changing your camper’s week once you have registered.
We believe that making new friends is a core value of our camps, and when too many campers already know each other in one group, the experience of any new campers is less positive. Accordingly, ANY friend request is limited to 2 friends in total. If requests are made, the SAME requests must be made from ALL parties. Please note that we do our best to ensure that all campers in a group are close to the same age, and requests between separate camp programs Discovery Day Camp, Adventure Academy Base Camp A, and Adventure Academy Base Camp B are not possible.
We ask that you honor the scheduled program times, Adventure Academy 9:00 am-4:00 pm and Discovery Day Camp 8:30 am-3:30 pm, as closely as possible.
For any camper not picked up by 3:45 pm for Discovery Day Camp and 4:15 pm for Adventure Academy, a $15.00 fee will be charged for every 15 minutes (or portion thereof) that your camper remains at camp. This fee will be applied to your ActiveWorks account and automatically charged to the card on file.
During the original interest form a question will be asked regarding your interest in sponsoring a camper for a Camp Mary Orton program. If you would like to sponsor a camper who may not have an opportunity to attend camp please fill in the amount you would like to contribute. This step is 100% optional. We thank you for your consideration.
We would like to thank all of our 2025 Discovery Day Camp Partners and look forward to working with them this summer.
