About Us

Mission Statement

At Camp Milldale, we provide a safe, fun and nurturing environment, which promotes positive Jewish values and experiences. Athletic, artistic and cultural activities create lasting memories and friendships, all within a beautiful natural setting.

Camp Milldale seeks to provide its participants with the warmth and support of a communal Jewish environment. The Camp integrates into its daily schedule Jewish experiences that reflect the commitment to Jewish peoplehood, values and culture.

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Accreditation and Certification

Camp Milldale is accredited by: The American Camping Association; The State of Maryland Youth Camping Safety Law; The Baltimore County Department of Health Division of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

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Safety

Safety is priority number one! Milldale boasts an excellent staff-to-camper ratio. And, of course, our staff are trained in CPR, AED and first aid. Our waterfront staff members are Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructors and lifeguards.  In addition, we have a full-time Registered Nurse on camp grounds.

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Directions

Take I-795N to the end. Turn left at Route 30-N (Hanover Pike) and follow it approximately 3 miles to Mt. Gilead Road. Turn left at Mt. Gilead Road and follow to stop sign. After stopping, proceed straight into camp.

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Facilities

Camp Milldale, located in Reisterstown, MD, has athletic fields for soccer, baseball, kickball, and softball; courts for playing basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, and “Ga Ga;” a sprayground for keeping cool, a large playground, a lake for canoeing, shaded structures for arts and crafts, dancing, music; and so much more! Milldale has three pools: one Olympic-sized pool and two large shallow instructional pools, one with a water slide. Campers develop an appreciation for the “great outdoors” at the Kayam Farm, on nature hikes, and on our own team-building Ropes Challenge Course with a 300-foot long zip line. On especially hot or rainy days camp programming is held inside our two air-conditioned facilities: the Big Max or the Hess House. Arts Camp, housed on the lower level of the Big Max, enjoys the comfort of an indoor cooling system all day long.

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Staff

Dori Zvili, who has worked with youth at the JCC for over a decade, will continue as director of Camp Milldale. Working alongside Dori will be Co-Assistant Directors David Mitnick and Amanda Max. All three of these talented full time JCC professionals come with a wealth of camp knowledge and enthusiasm and are a great team to lead the way to summer 2013!

Our staff are:

• Full-time Jewish Community Center professionals
• Certified full-time teachers
• Certified specialists and instructors

Camp Director Dori Zvili	Assistant Camp Director David Mitnick	Assistant Camp Director Amanda Max	Special Needs Coordinator Stacy Israel
Aquatics Director Bill Kirkner	Office Administrator Dianne Newborn	Registered Nurses Mindy Wassel; Wendy Quartner	Sports Camp Director Roman Gertsovich

Counselors

In our regular day camp program, our bunks (groups of 12-15 children) have 2 counselors:

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade bunks:

Senior Counselor: Certified teacher in elementary or early childhood education
Junior Counselor: 12th grade student or rising freshman in College

3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade bunks:

Senior Counselor: college student & older
Junior Counselor: 11th grade student & older

We strive to staff the bunks with senior counselors who have teaching, child care or social services backgrounds.

•  Most bunks will have 1 or 2 Counselors-In-Training (9th or 10th grade students) who rotate throughout the summer.

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History

Camp Milldale's roots go back to 1914, when the Hebrew Benevolent Society purchased a country home in Catonsville to provide relief from sweltering summer heat for poor Jewish mothers and their children. For many years, it was known as Woodlands.

In 1948, it became known as Camp Woodlands, offering a full range of summer activities for children only. The youngsters came out by streetcar on Tuesdays for two-week stays. This campsite was closed in the early 1950s to make way for the Beltway.

In 1953, the camp moved to a site on Keyser Road in Stevenson and was given the name Camp Milldale. It had a swimming pool and 12 bunks for rainy day activities.

Thirteen years later, in 1966, Camp Milldale moved to the magnificent 150-acre site on Mt. Gilead Road where it now resides, thanks to a gift from Helen and Hugo Dalsheimer.

Today, Camp Milldale has become a tradition in our Jewish community-providing an outstanding camping experience for hundreds of children and teens every summer.

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