We are incredibly thankful that all of our campers and staff were accounted for and safely evacuated. We are also grateful for our Camp Taum Sauk staff and parents, Reynolds County Emergency Responders, Vandalia Bus Lines, the Arcadia Valley Community, the National Guard, and the many volunteers who made this all possible. To see an entire community come together to support us is truly inspiring. The magnitude of love, prayers, and offers of support from people all over the world have meant more to our family than we can ever express. We are forever grateful for you and we know everything else can be rebuilt.

After much thought and many families reaching out, we have decided to create a GoFundMe to support the restoration of Camp Taum Sauk. The devastating flood left extensive damage to parts of our property, its buildings, furniture, and infrastructure. Many of our camper’s and staff’s belongings were damaged or are missing. Help us support our staff after the abrupt end to the summer season. We can’t even begin to quantify the emotional and physical damage our camp community has experienced, but we plan to support them in any way we can and continue to find new ways to uplift each other. We are so thankful that our staff and campers are safe, however we are devastated that many of our horses whom we consider family are either still missing or have passed away.

For many of us, this camp isn’t just a place we go each summer. It’s a second family, a home where friendships and memories are made to last a lifetime. Many people talk about how Camp Taum Sauk is magic. However, we believe that the true “magic” comes from the campers and staff that come together each year, to make a totally unique experience that empowers all members of this community. Camp is a place where its members get to unplug from social media, discover themselves, build self-confidence, and foster friendships. There are hundreds of thousands of summer camps all over the country, but there is only one Camp Taum Sauk. Lining the ceiling of our dining hall are the boards commemorating the names of over 60 years of campers and staff who have dedicated their summers to creating this “magic” and making camp the amazing place that it is. Whether you are an active member, alumni, or this is your first time hearing about our camp, you are now part of our story and can help ensure future generations of campers will have the opportunity to experience this same sense of belonging, growth, and wonder that has made this place feel like home to so many people for more than eighty years.

We are determined to hear those first few crunches of gravel under our feet, to feel the energy of a Color Wars morning, and to watch the fireworks on the tennis courts after a Friday night dance again in the 2027 summer season. With your support, whether that is a donation, sharing this post, or simply sending love, we are confident that together our community can rebuild. We cannot wait to welcome new and returning faces back to the place that so many hold close to their heart.

Thank you for all of the love and support you have shared with us over these past few days.

Nicholas Smith - Director, owner

Peter Smith - Assistant Director, owner

The Smith Family - owners

Camp Taum Sauk Team

Camp Taum Sauk is a privately owned, coed, for-profit, overnight summer camp. From our understanding, this donation is not tax deductible

With this being such a fresh event, we are still doing our best to assess the best way to support Camp Taum Sauk with any funds raised through this GoFundMe. These items are not listed in any specific order. Our intentions with the funds raised are as follows: