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Meet the Staff

Director's Message

Dear Families of the Diller Home,
This past year has been a challenge for everyone. In 2020, we made the difficult decision to close the Diller Home due to the global pandemic Despite this setback, our camp counselors offered.a digital experience, which 65 campers participated in over the summer. We felt like it was a great success, given the circumstances.

Although it has been a long year, we now know much more about COVID-19 than we did this time last year. We have access to an ample amount of research, information, and guidelines that we used to drive our decision to open our camp in 2021. The Board retained a Covid Consultant, who sought input from Camp Administration to determine if a summer camp was something we could successfully organize. As always, our top priority is the safety and health of our campers and staff.

We are so pleased to announce that we will have an “in person” camp this summer. We will be at a 60% capacity, offering vacations to 12 campers per week (instead of 20). All registered families from 2020 will be given first priority, starting with older campers. I will be in touch with all families (via phone) who were registered in 2020 to choose their preferred week in the month of April. Applications will be sent out at a later date and will not be available on the website.

There will be COVID restrictions that all campers/parents must agree on prior to attending camp this summer. Although our plan may be adjusted slightly prior to June (based on updated CDC guidelines), the following will be a part of our plan for sure:
● All employees will be vaccinated
● There will be 2 campers per bedroom (we will pair siblings together)
● All campers will need to be tested 72-48 hours prior to their arrival (no
matter if the camper is vaccinated)
● All campers will be tested 48 hours after their arrival (test done by the
Diller Home)
● Masks will be worn when we are in town (with the exception of the beach)
● Masks will be worn in the house (with the exception of sleeping) from
arrival time to the time campers test negative on (Tuesday).
● Daily temperature checks
● No Saturday transportation will be offered this summer

These restrictions are non-negotiable. If these restrictions are not something that you feel comfortable with, we hope to see you and your child again in 2022. In addition to the news of opening this summer, I have some personal information to share with you all. My husband and I are expecting our second child in June. What a year!

With that being said, the Diller Home will be welcoming a new Camp Director for 2021 as I will be on leave this summer. Jim Moreland, who has been with the home for 6 years, will transition from Assistant Director to Camp Director. Jim has been a wonderful addition to our staff over the years and I am confident this season will be a great success with him as Director!

Thank you all for your support as we continue our mission this summer as the Helen Diller Home for Blind Children. Please email me at dillerblindhome@gmail.com or call 610-329-6133 if you have any questions. I will talk to you all soon!

Regards,
Emily O’Donnell

2021 Dates
Week 1: June 13-19
Week 2: June 20-26
Week 3: June 27-July 3
Week 4: July 4-July 10
Week 5: July 11-July 17
Week 6: July 18- July 24
Week 7: July 25-July 31
Week 8: Aug. 1-Aug. 7

 

We Are Hiring for the 2021 Season

The Helen Diller Home is hiring for our 2021 season! All applicants must be 18 years or older and be available to work from June 10th to August 7th. Please click the link and fill out the online application.

https://dillerblindhome.campmanagement.com/apply

Fred Fynan

Project Engineer/Van Driver

Hello Diller! My name is  Freddy Fynan and I am a part of the support staff at the Diller Home. During the summer, I drive the van on Saturdays to pick up and drop off the campers.  I am  a year-round resident on the island and volunteer with Avalon and Stone Harbor  Fire Departments. In the off-season I take care of the property and maintain the historic building.  I do the handyman work as needed and coordinate improvements to the facility.  As Project Engineer, I help with upgrades to security, safety and energy efficiency. I  also assists with the application for grants and funding so the camp can continue to exist for many years to come. I am a member of Avalon Lions Club and assist with their fundraising activities for all of the charities they support.  A graduate of Franklin and Marshall College and Thomas Edison University, I  also work as a K-12 substitute teacher at several local public schools.

Savannah Murphy

Camp Counselor

Hi! My name is Savannah Murphy and I am 19 years old. I’m originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania but now I live part time in Avalon and part time in Naples, Florida. I attend college at West Chester University in West Chester, PA, and I will be a sophomore this fall. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education and minoring in Spanish. I hope to be an elementary school teacher and eventually get a master’s degree and become a school psychologist. I have had a house in Avalon and spent every single summer there for the past 15 years! I am so excited to be a camp counselor and meet all of the amazing campers!

Amanda Strunk

Camp Counselor

My name is Amanda Strunk and this will be my second summer at the Diller Home as a girls’ counselor! I am currently finishing up my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education through Liberty University and will be graduating this May 2019. I plan to start working towards my master’s degree in the spring of 2020. During the school year I volunteer at a program called Project Purpose. Kids who are considered at risk come and we work with them on their homework for that week, play games, and just have fun! I also teach a few Sundays a month in a class at my church for those with special needs. Some of my favorite memories from last summer were taking the kids to Sea Isle for the dance party and to the waterpark and rides in wildwood. I had an absolute blast last summer and I can’t wait to come back and make new memories with the campers!

 

Jimmy Moreland

Assistant Director

Hello! My name is Jimmy Moreland and I am looking forward to another summer as the assistant director for the Diller Home.  In May, I will be graduating from Penn State University with an Elementary Education Degree and a Minor in Special Education. This will be my second year as the assistant director, after spending two years as a boys’ counselor. My favorite part of this job is getting to know the campers and seeing their reactions after conquering the Sea Serpent roller coaster in Wildwood or taking their first swim in the ocean! Wildwood was my second home growing up, so I am very familiar with the Jersey Shore. Outside of camp, I enjoy traveling, going to the beach, and am an avid Cowboys, Sixers, and Phillies fan! I’m looking forward to the opportunity to meet some of our future families at open house and cannot wait to see some of our familiar faces this summer!

The Diller Home is a registered 501c3 charitable corporation under the name Challenged Children’s Charities Corporation.