T1D Buddy Camp

T1D Buddy Camp @ Tamarack invites children and teens with type 1 diabetes (entering grades 3–12) to bring their buddies (siblings and friends) with them to enjoy the adventures and challenges on the lake, trails, and climbing routes. We teach kids to use the on belay concept – "I've got your back" – in both outdoor adventures and diabetes care, and to have an awful lot of fun in the process.

T1D campers are welcome to bring  more than one sibling or friend to Buddy Camp. In this way we hope to grow awareness and support for the T1D community. Buddies aren't required, but they sure make the transition to camp a little easier and more fun, especially for T1D kids who may not have ventured far from their parents' care since diagnosis.

T1D Buddy Camp offers each camper a unique opportunity to challenge their outdoor skills while improving self care, and make lasting friendships, all along the shores of Dark Lake in beautiful Central Oregon. We are lucky to have the beautiful facilities and amazing staff of Camp Tamarack partnering with us to host this program. They provide the venue, the fun, the good eats, and the positive spirit. We provide a team of medical staff volunteers who support your T1Ds through carb counting, testing, dosing, troubleshooting, and treatment – including those middle of the night checks, so you can sleep for a change.

Teens are welcome to attend as a camper or they may explore the teen leader opportunities.

Summer 2024:
Sunday, August 25 – Wednesday, August 28

Registration for the 2024 session is now closed
$395 per camper

Scholarships

Full and partial need-based scholarships to T1D Buddy Camp are granted on a first-come, first-served basis through generous contributions to Type 1 Oregon. Your camper will be expected to send a thank-you note or drawing that we can share with our donors. Plan to apply for a scholarship before you register: if approved, you will be given a coupon code to use when you get to the payment screen. Scholarship recipients are asked to pay a $25 registration fee to cover admin. costs. If this is a challenge for your family, please contact email@t1dbuddycamp.org to request a waiver.

Registration

Registration for the 2024 session is now closed. Sign up for our newsletter (see the link at the bottom of the page) to stay up-to-date on all Buddy Camp activities.

When you are ready to register, head over to Camp Tamarack’s site and be sure to choose the T1D Buddy Camp session when you complete your forms (it’s the last session and the only one that still has space, so scroll all the way to the bottom to find it). There will be a special health form to complete for your T1D camper and a medical staff volunteer will contact you to review/update it shortly before camp begins.

Want to help?

Whether you'd like to get involved with program planning, fundraising, or could take some time to be a medical staff volunteer at this summer's session, we want to hear from you!

And last but not least, your donation makes a difference to children and their families. T1D Buddy Camp strives to offer need-based scholarships to every camper that qualifies and to to keep camp as affordable as possible through the gifts and grants we receive. Please make a donation today.

Volunteer opportunities

It truly does take a village. We'd love to add you to the team.

Make a Donation

Your gift matters to a child or young adult with T1D.

Teen Leader Opportunities

If your teen would like to be a COUNSELOR at T1D Buddy Camp they must volunteer at Camp Tamarack Outdoor School during the spring semester in order to qualify. The outdoor school application opens on February 1 and spaces fill up fast. Be sure your teen mentions that they are applying to volunteer at Outdoor School in order to qualify for a position working at T1D Buddy Camp. Qualified counselors are paid a small stipend for working at Buddy Camp.

T1D teens make awesome mentors for the kids both at Outdoor School and in the summer camps.

If your teen would like to be a CIT (counselor-in-training, entering grades 9 or above) during T1D Buddy Camp, they can register for that program through the Camp Tamarack website here. As part of their time will be devoted to training and responsibilities, they are eligible for reduced registration fees. CIT candidates are eligible to apply for a need-based scholarship through T1D Buddy Camp, as are all campers.