First-year
Family Guide

Each summer over 7,000 kids choose to spend a session or more at Incomparable Camp Ozark. Find out the top 5 reasons why Camp Ozark is the best summer camp in the world.

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#1 OUR PROGRAM

maximum fun

Explore our age-specific daily programming for kids 7-17.

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#2 OUR PEOPLE

EXPERIENCE

Unparalleled industry leading experience

  1. FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED
  2. CAREFULLY SELECTED SUMMER STAFF
  3. COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING
  1. FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED
  2. CAREFULLY SELECTED SUMMER STAFF
  3. COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING
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#3 OUR SETTING

NOWHERE ELSE

God has not created a more beautiful, useful site for a summer camp.

  1. SPRING-FED WATERFRONT
  2. NEWLY CONSTRUCTED CABINS
  3. 66,324 ACRE PRISTINE LAKE
  4. BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN REGION
  1. SPRING-FED WATERFRONT
  2. NEWLY CONSTRUCTED CABINS
  3. 66,324 ACRE PRISTINE LAKE
  4. BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN REGION
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#4 THE CAMP OZARK DIFFERENCE

NO ONE DOES IT BETTER

Our program has been refined over the years to carry out our mission.

  1. ACA ACCREDITED FOR PAST 14 YEARS
  2. 10 ACA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
  3. RIGOROUS INSPECTIONS EVERY 3 YEARS
  4. COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
  1. ACA ACCREDITED FOR PAST 14 YEARS
  2. 10 ACA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
  3. RIGOROUS INSPECTIONS EVERY 3 YEARS
  4. COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
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#5 THE EXPERIENCE

LIFE-CHANGING

How value-based camping can become part of who you are

  1. BUILD SELF-ESTEEM
  2. BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  3. DEVELOP INTEGRITY
  4. LEARN TEAMWORK
  5. LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP
  6. INDEPENDENCE
  1. BUILD SELF-ESTEEM
  2. BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  3. DEVELOP INTEGRITY
  4. LEARN TEAMWORK
  5. LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP
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We know choosing a summer camp is an important decision. If you have additional questions contact us below.

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Camp Ozark

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Each Summer Over 7000 Kids Choose To Spend A Session Or More At Incomparable Camp Ozark, Exploring Over 400 Acres Of Beautiful, Forested Terrain, Participating In More Than 150 Activities, During Our 11 Week Camping Season. 7000…400…150…11. All Important Numbers To Be Sure, But It Is Our Unique Philosophy At Camp Ozark That The Only Number That Really Matters Is The Number “1”, Which Represents Each Individual Child That Becomes A Part Of The Ozark Family.

Our mission, our philosophy, our core values and our efforts all focus on investing fully in each individual child and family as if they were the only “1” at Camp Ozark.

Why?…because although deep down we “might” admit that the one, two or three weeks that kids spend at Camp Ozark may not be “the most important” time of their life, to us it is. Our program has been refined over the years to carry out our mission.

CAMP OZARK

Our Program

Our daily program, which features over 150 different Activities in a variety of areas, our famed Team Competition, our unbeatable, unbelievable Special Events, and our upbeat and inspirational Lifeline services, are designed so kids will have an absolute, total blast! After all, to the child, that is what summer camp is all about.

Speaking of “total blast,” the Camp Ozark program also features Mish Mash! Mish Mash, the camper’s favorite time of the day, is when the campers get to do any camp activity they want.

Campers aged 7-17 can ride horses, work on craft projects, ride the waterslides, jump on the Blob, practice their tennis skills, fish in the fishing pond, challenge our Ropes Course, shoot hoops with their friends…the options are practically unlimited!

A Day at Ozark

Never been to Camp Ozark? Don’t worry, click the “launch” button below to see what all the hype is about. 

LAUNCH

TEAM COMPETITION

Legend has it that the very spot on which Camp Ozark is located is the ancient battle ground of these two fierce teams. Upon arriving at Camp Ozark, each camper is initiated into one of these two teams in a secret and solemn ceremony. From that moment on, the two teams lock horns in a series of unique competitions.

TEaM COMPETITION

THREE FLAMES

At Camp Ozark, we believe there are very valuable lessons to be learned through our team competition. We constantly focus on the “three flames” of team competition:

  • Maximum Effort
  • True Sportsmanship
  • Maximum Enthusiasm
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FIRST IS THIRD (F.I.T.)

OVERRIDING THEME

Place God First.

Our belief is that in order to “win” in our lives, we must place God first, others second and ourselves third. By placing ourselves third, by being “F.I.T.”, we actually come in first in the “game of life.”

To learn more about F.I.T. watch this short video.

WATCH VIDEO
MISH MASH TIME

SWEET FREEDOM

It’s Mish Mash Time!!! is the cheer that rings through Camp Ozark as campers begin their favorite time of the day. Mish Mash is a little over two hours every day of structured free time when the campers are free to do any camp activity they want. 

FAVORITE ACTIVITY
WATER FRONT
ARTS & CRAFTS
WOOD SHOP
SHOOTING SPORTS

What will you do?

Mish Mash provides a time during the day for each camper to experience new activities or to master their favorites.

VIEW ACTIVITIES
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SPECIAL EVENTS

Whether campers are boot scootin’ at Western Night, enjoying the fireworks show at Red, White, & Blue, or jumping onto the Velcro wall at Planet Ozark, each night promises a fun-filled, out-of-sight experience!

Sam & Susan
Torn

Sam and Susan Torn, owners, have dedicated their lives to serving today’s youth through the incomparable experience that is Camp Ozark.

Sam and Susan Torn have been the owners and operators of Camp Ozark since 1985.  

However, Sam’s association with Camp Ozark began much earlier.  Sam first came to Camp Ozark (then known as Ozark Boys Camp) in 1951 at the age of 3 with his family.  He later spent five summers as a camper at Ozark Boys Camp and six summers as a counselor before he married Susan.

Sam and Susan are totally involved in the camp operation and live on the camp premises in the summer where they oversee all aspects of Camp Ozark on a daily basis.

Sam and Susan have been married since 1970 and they have three children – Scott, Chris and Angela – who are all part of the Camp Ozark staff.  They also have thirteen grandchildren and count them as the greatest joys of their life.

Directors

LEADERSHIP

RECRUITING TEAM

CAMP OZARK

Our Setting

What is it that makes Camp Ozark so truly incomparable? Start with our magnificent setting.
Nowhere else will you find a more beautiful, useful site for a summer camp. Nestled in and amongst the Ouachita mountains and tall pine trees; surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest land; overlooking the beautiful Ouachita River; bisected by a natural, refreshing, spring-fed, crystal-clear lake, Camp Ozark occupies the perfect setting for this uniquely wonderful camp experience.
LAUNCH INTERACTIVE MAP

Lake Ouachita

But that’s only where it starts, nestled in the hills of the Ouachita National Forest, Lake Ouachita boasts over 1000 acres of shoreline and over 200 islands. Rated by the EPA as one of the cleanest lakes in the country, Lake Ouachita is the ideal spot for the Camp Ozark Lake Program. Whether you are looking for water “like glass” in a secluded cove or catching a nice wind in the open water, Lake Ouachita offers the perfect spot for and unforgettable lake experience.
SAFETY & CAMPER CARE

SAFETY

Your child’s safety is our number one priority while he or she attends Camp Ozark. While Camp Ozark cannot completely eliminate the possibility of a child becoming ill or being injured while at camp, we do recognize that before the “camp experience” can be anything else to the child, it must be a secure environment for the child to learn and grow.

Every session is staffed by a licensed, on-site Physician and at least 10 Registered Nurses who live in one of our 2 Health Centers.

In addition, Camp Ozark has access to Ambulance service in nearby Mount Ida as well as air evacuation services, if needed, in the case of an extreme emergency.

Quick Facts

  • ACA Accredited 14 Years In a Row
  • Awarded ACA Award of Excellence
  • 2 Health Centers
  • On-Site Physician
  • 9 Registered Nurses
  • Emergency Medical Kit (Banyan)
  • Multiple AED Defibrillators
  • Air Evacuation Services
  • 1:2 Certified Lifeguards to Swimmer Ratio
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SAFETY AND CAMPER CARE

STAFF RECRUITING
AND TRANING

Only The Best

At Camp Ozark, it is our goal to create a secure environment for your child. Camp Ozark goes to great lengths to ensure that our staff is properly screened during the application and interview process and then thoroughly trained so that your child will be surrounded by the finest young Christian role models that colleges around the country have to offer.

Camp Ozark is highly selective during the interview process and only selects about 550 summer staff members from approximately 2200 interviews at 35 college campuses around the country.

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SUMMER STAFF

ONLY THE BEST

role model

Christian role models

LEADER

Spiritually, Emotionally, and Professionally

HIGHLY TRAINED

Tthoroughly trained in the areas of
camper safety and well-being

INTEGRITY

Honest in all situations

HIGH CHARACTER

Has strong moral principles

compassionate

Understanding your Camper's
emotional needs

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SAFETY AND CAMPER CARE

HEALTH
AND WELLNESS

Comprehensive Approach

At Camp Ozark, our goal is to treat your child “like one of our own.” One of the ways we strive to do this is by taking a comprehensive approach to your child’s health and wellness. Ways we do this include, but are not limited to, hygiene checks, medication dispensation, allergy management plans and a proactive and preventative approach to sanitizing and disease control. In addition, we place a strong emphasis on the “Big Five”:

  • Hand Washing
  • Hydration
  • Nutrition
  • Rest
  • Sun Protection
SAFETY AND CAMPER CARE

CABIN LIFE

Your Home Away From Home

Cabin Square is home to our youngest campers. We have embarked on a 5-year plan to completely renovate the original cabin square area. Our new cabins will be a little bigger, a little roomier and will enhance the traditional summer camp experience for our youngest campers. In addition, our new cabins will have “in-cabin bathrooms” and are duplex style for an even more incomparable cabin experience. 

Middle school aged boys bunk in Frat Row, the Foothills and the Condos. For middle school the girls, it’s the Waterfalls, Suburbs and Condos. Bigger Cabins, awesome views.

High Schoolers bunk in a completely separate part of the camp called THE SUMMIT or THE PINES. They have their own dinning hall and separate lounging areas. 

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SAFETY AND CAMPER CARE

CAMPER CARE

"Like One of Our Own"

The Camper Care Program is an integral part of camp and is designed to help make the Ozark experience truly incomparable for campers and their families. Among the many facets of Camper Care are the Camp Moms. Camp Moms serve as a mom away from home and help make the transition from home to Camp as smooth as possible.

Camp Moms Cover

  • First Year Camper
  • Parent Communication
  • Homesickness
  • Nutrition
  • Special Situations
SAFETY AND CAMPER CARE

CAMPER MONITORING

"incomparable"
Camp Experience For All

Camp Ozark firmly believes that all campers deserve to have an “incomparable” camp experience, and, while rare, any camper behavior that negatively affects the experience of others should be addressed in a decisive and timely fashion. Camp Ozark has developed a system of Camper Monitoring designed to prevent, identify and resolve camper behavior issues.

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WHY CAMP OZARK

Values Based Camping

Our world class setting and facilities combined with our meticulous attention to creating an incomparable environment and experience for kids is the hallmark of Camp Ozark.

In addition, we work hard to assemble what we think is the finest summer staff in the camping industry. From our setting, to our program, to our staff, Camp Ozark wants to do everything possible to make the summer camp experience incomparable for our camp families. This standard of excellence is the real VALUE of Camp Ozark.

Camp Ozark is fully committed to be an aid to families in the nurturing and development of children and adolescents. In addition to adherence to our mission and philosophy, this is achieved through our positive, energetic emphasis on a relationship with God through Christ carried out through our Spiritual Emphasis Program and our unique Values Based Camping Initiative borne out in the following:

6 Core Values

  • Self-Esteem
  • Self Confidence
  • Integrity
  • Teamwork
  • Friendship
  • Independence
6 CORE VALUES

SELF-ESTEEM

Feeling Positive About Who You Are

Many psychologists believe that the single most important character trait a well-adjusted person can possess is a positive, healthy self-esteem. A healthy self-esteem involves a positive sense of self-worth. Self-esteem also includes a healthy self-image and a feeling of being “valuable” to others. Many kids today suffer from a poor self-esteem. They don’t like themselves. They don’t feel good about themselves. They don’t know if anyone likes them. Unfortunately, this is often reinforced at school, in sports and even in the home.

Many of the ills of society – drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, gang violence, failed marriages, etc. – can be attributed in large part to a lack of a healthy self-esteem on the part of the individual. At Camp Ozark we believe that a positive self-esteem is brought about by genuine affirmation, consistently and sincerely given, and by recognition of the uniqueness of each individual and the worth that is inherent in that uniqueness. Our goal is to increase self-esteem in kids by constant affirmation as to their inherent worth.

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6 CORE VALUES

SELF CONFIDENCE

Feeling Positive About What You Do

Self-confidence may be contrasted with self-esteem in that self-esteem is feeling positive about who you are, while self-confidence is feeling positive about what you do. The biggest hindrance to self-confidence is a fear of failure, which leads to a refusal to even try.

At Camp Ozark, we do not believe that self-confidence means knowing you are the best at something; rather self-confidence flows from knowing you can overcome any fear of failure, and from having the courage to try, to give maximum effort, to participate without regard to the potential, often self-inflicted, pitfalls of failure. Self-confidence means understanding that victory is in the journey, not the often uncontrollable result. Therefore, at Camp Ozark we want to instill self-confidence by encouraging our campers to try new things and validating their efforts, as well as encouraging our campers to find their passions and pursue them whole-heartedly. We want our campers to understand that failure is found only in the failure to try, the failure to dream, the failure to look beyond the possible and the pre-set limitations of others or society.

6 CORE VALUES

INTEGRITY

Making The Right Choice, Regardless Of The Consequences

Personal integrity is perhaps the single most endangered value that exists in American society. Society teaches us that expediency is more valuable than integrity, that the end always justifies the means. The true character of each of us is found in our integrity – or lack thereof. Integrity means doing the right thing, regardless of the consequence. It is honesty and moral soundness. It includes truthfulness, honesty, respect for others, commitment and work ethic. The way this is best communicated at Camp Ozark is when our summer staff members, model these very attributes to our campers and when they, in a loving, respectful manner, require it of them. 

At Camp Ozark, personal integrity will be tested every day. We know this because in life integrity is tested every day. We want kids and staff to be conscious of developing a worthy personal integrity.

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6 CORE VALUES

TEAMWORK

Promoting The Common Good

If you look at today’s sports world, you will see that a defining metamorphosis has occurred in the realm of team sports. It is no longer about the success of the group; it is about the success of the individual. Teams are used simply as a means to an end on the part of the individual. This same attitude permeates much of society and can lead to a breakdown of the family, a marriage, businesses and any of the other myriad groups in society that depend on the ability of individuals to act collectively for the common good.

At Camp Ozark, we want the concept of the benefit of the group, over the benefit of the individual, to be modeled and taught. We want kids to understand that it is really true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, that it is the responsibility of the gifted to assist those not as gifted, that it is the responsibility of the individual to develop a greater concern for others than himself, and that ultimately the ability to create success in a group leads to greater success in life. This value will best be taught in the cabin, but also in team competition and other areas of camp as well.

6 CORE VALUES

FRIENDSHIP

Learning How To Be A Friend, Make A Friend And Keep A Friend

Friendship is rapidly being replaced in society by “acquaintanceship.” Due to the internet, texting and especially social networking, where friends are made and lost with the simple click of a mouse, the art and value of true friendship is being lost in modern society.

At Camp Ozark, we want the kids to learn that friendship takes initiative, effort, investment, transparency, forgiveness and time. We want kids to leave Camp Ozark with new friends. We want them to strengthen previously existing acquaintanceship. We want them to observe the initiative, effort, investment, transparency, forgiveness and time that our staff chooses to give to each of them. We want them to learn there is value in friendship.

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6 CORE VALUES

INDEPENDENCE

Empowering All Campers To Be Self-Reliant

An independent child is an empowered child. Self-reliance, critical thinking and social confidence are all important results of a healthy sense of independence. Independent children have an easier time making friends, confronting challenges and staying positive.

At Camp Ozark, we know campers flourish and grow in confidence when allowed to exert some independence. Of course this means different things for a 7 year old and a 17 year old, but we encourage all campers to explore what it means to make choices on their own. Perhaps this is as simple as allowing a camper to set their own course during Mish Mash, to choose what to do with this 2 hours of free time. Or maybe it involves making a decision about changing their schedule. Maybe it is about learning to make their bed without being told, or making a choice to help a friend. Regardless of the way it happens, we love it when we see campers growing in their independence, when they spread their wings and try new things. Our goal is to provide a safe environment where kids can make choices, grow in independence, and discover they are capable of much more than they previously thought.

CAMPERS BUILD

THESE 6 CORE VALUES

SELF ESTEEM

Feeling Positive About Who You Are

SELF CONFIDENCE

Feeling Positive About What You Do

INDEPENDENCE

Empowering All Campers To Be Self-Reliant

INTEGRITY

Making The Right Choice, Regardless Of The Consequences

TEAMWORK

Promoting The Common Good

FRIENDSHIP

Learning How To Be A Friend, Make A Friend And Keep A Friend

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We are here to help. Tell us about you and a Camper representative will help answer any questions you may have.

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ABOUT CAMP OZARK

Each summer over 7000 kids choose to spend a session or more at Incomparable Camp Ozark, exploring over 400 acres of beautiful, forested terrain and participating in more than 150 activities during our 11 week camping season.

CONTACT US

155 Camp Ozark Drive
Mt. Ida, AR 71957

(870) 867-4131

[email protected]

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OZARK LIFE

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SEE OZARK IN ACTION

Camp Ozark 2020 - Introduction
Camp Ozark 2020 - Introduction
Camp Ozark 2020 - FAQs
Camp Ozark 2020 - FAQs
Camp Ozark 2020 - Conclusion
Camp Ozark 2020 - Conclusion
SESSIONS

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