Volunteer

Come volunteer with us!

Sometimes the most valuable gift one can give is the gift of time. Volunteer founded and volunteer led, YMCA Camp Hi-Rock is a community-based organization that depends on the generosity and dedication of hundreds of volunteers each year to help make the camp experience a tremendous success for all.

Camp Hi-Rock welcomes volunteers of all ages and has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to match your passion, skills and schedule. Volunteers are a critical working part of camp who change lives for the better through their efforts! Camp offers volunteers a chance to improve the lives of children and families either in their home town or at camp itself. Come visit camp or make a difference where you live!

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities at Camp Hi-Rock vary greatly in terms of commitment and intensity level. They range from one-time commitments such as helping at a volunteer work weekend to longer-term opportunities including belonging to a committee or serving as a fundraising volunteer.

There are lots of ways to volunteer for Camp Hi-Rock!

  • Volunteer Work Weekends where we use our time and talent to improve camp for all
  • Annual Campaign – where every dollar raised provides financial assistance to those in our community who would not have the chance to experience YMCA Camp Hi-Rock any other way. There are many ways to help every year with this initiative.
  • Various Committees
  • Board of Managers – this group gives their time to ensure that Camp Hi-Rock is the best that it can be for now and into the future.
  • Become a representative for Camp Hi-Rock to our Corporate Board of Directors with the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA
  • Hi-Rock Stars – where campers can volunteer and give back to the camp where skills are developed and memories formed
  • and more….

Benefits of Volunteering with the YMCA

Volunteering with the YMCA not only enhances the lives of others and makes our communities stronger, but it can also truly impact the life of the volunteer. In addition to feeling great about their contribution, volunteers have the opportunity to:

  • Experience personal growth
  • Give back to the community through service to others
  • Explore and/or discover a known or hidden passion
  • Be part of something larger than themselves
  • Expand knowledge and skills through experience and training
  • Increase confidence and leadership abilities
  • Enhance professional capabilities and qualifications
  • Deepen existing relationships and make new friends from all walks of life
  • Gain community service experience for school credit, or to add to college, financial aid, scholarship and employment applications
  • Learn, grow and HAVE FUN!

Volunteer Work Weekends

There are always opportunities to repair, spruce up or build new equipment at camp and with teams of volunteers it can be fun and energizing!!! It is amazing what can be done when many people work with a common vision. Twice a year we hold volunteer work weekends for campers, alumni, staff, families and community members to lend a hand to Hi-Rock. Volunteers receive free food and lodging in exchange for their help on various projects around camp. Participants can volunteer for a few hours or for the whole weekend. We have projects for all ability levels. If you are interested in volunteering for a work weekend, please contact Alison Irwin.

Spring Work Weekend

May 1st – May 3rd, 2026

Please join us for another great weekend with fellow Hi-Rockers. We’ll be getting camp ready for summer, tackling some important camp improvement projects, and catching up with our Hi-Rock friends.
Accommodations and meals will be provided. Volunteers who are under 18 who would like to join us must be accompanied by a parent or other supervising adult. Volunteers are welcome for all or part of the weekend. Meals served will include Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. Work projects will conclude Sunday morning by noon. Please use the links below to register.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

NEW GROUP PARTICIPANTS

Create an events dashboard account. Once you have created your account, you will receive details to log into your account. Complete Spring Volunteer Work Weekend Registration.

RETURNING GROUP PARTICIPANTS

Log into your events dashboard account. Complete Spring Volunteer Work Weekend Registration.

Annual Campaign

The Annual Campaign relies on volunteers to help raise critical funds which subsidize our youth camp programs and provide financial assistance to campers who would not otherwise be able to attend camp.  There are many ways to be involved with the campaign including setting up a personal online fundraising page (contact executive@camphirock.org for instructions), participating in phone-a-thons to call friends of Hi-Rock and ask for their support, calling or writing to friends of Hi-Rock from your own home to ask for their support, and soliciting and donating items to be used in auctions to support the campaign.  To find out more about helping with the Annual Campaign please contact Jessica Speer-Holmes.

Find Out More!

If one of these volunteer opportunities interests you or you want to chat about other possibilities, please give us a call at 413-528-1227 or email Jessica Speer-Holmes. We would love the chance to have you come volunteer with us!

Come join in the fun!