Setting Sail at Sunset Point: Behind the Scenes, Volunteers and Staff Get Sunset Point Camp Ready for Another Summer of Fun

With Catholic Charities Sunset Point Camp’s opening day just a few weeks away, volunteers, staff, and longtime members of the Hull community have been busy sprucing the camp up and preparing for another summer of new adventures and cherished traditions.

From donating gifts to the children to ensuring their rooms are clean and inviting before they arrive, these individuals, working behind the scenes, are a key part of the magic that is Sunset Point Camp.

The Faces Behind Treasure Night

Arguably the highlight of Sunset Point Camp activities, Treasure Night occurs at the end of each camp session, offering campers the opportunity to compete in games and raffles and earn prizes. For the past 30 years, local volunteers Mary McCarthy, Joanne Barbary, Betty Crowley, and Maureen Cox and others have kept the tradition alive by facilitating the games and donating toys, prizes, and gift baskets that contain anything from beach toys to everyday items like shampoo and bath soap.

“Seeing the happiness treasure night brings the children is what I love,” said McCarthy. “Often times, they remember us and come up to say hi. We get to be a meaningful part of their day.”

We are actively collecting items for Treasure Night. If you are interested in contributing, please visit this link.

Friendly Faces

Joanne, Betty, and Maureen are part of the larger Friends of Sunset Point Camp group, local parishioners and volunteers who help raise funding to ensure the camp stays open. From raising money for field trips and activities for the campers, to encouraging young people to get involved and volunteer, the Friends of Sunset Point Camp have been crucial members of the Sunset Point community. Members of the Friends of Sunset Point visited camp on June 15 for a luncheon with Catholic Charities leadership before the start of the 104th season. Spring Cleaning

From weeding the gardens to sweeping the floors to setting up games for the season, volunteers from the global asset management group in Boston, Columbia Thread Needle, joined a team of Catholic Charities employees earlier this month to clean, organize, and beautify the grounds and common spaces before the season begins.

Generations of Good Neighbors

As a child, Jeff Menice and his siblings traded their snacks for candy from the Sunset Point Campers, through the hedges outside the main lawn. Growing up in a house directly across from Sunset Point Camp, Jeff said that the camp has always been an integral part of his family and community. At a young age, he began working there as a camp counselor, followed by the Activities Coordinator before eventually becoming the Director of the camp for 25 years. Though he is no longer working there, he continues to play a key role in overseeing the camp, keeping an eye on it throughout the year, mowing the lawns, and checking up on the facilities. During the summer, he periodically teaches art lessons to the campers, while several of his children continue to work there in various roles.

“When I get together with people that work there and my siblings, we always talk about all the fun that we had there. We talk about the kids and the connections and the impact that the camp has every summer. There is a lot of love there.”

Sunset Point Camp in Hull provides day and overnight camp experiences to children ages 6-14 from Greater Boston and the South Shore areas. Campers develop independence, new passions, healthy habits, and lasting friendships. Learn more at ccab.org/sunset.