Camp Hillcroft, a non sectarian camp, was founded in 1950 by the Buttinger family. It is located in Dutchess County on Rte. 55, about 20 minutes east of Poughkeepsie. It’s a Summer Day Camp where children Pre-K through 9th grade learn to do things for themselves and others.
Camp Hillcroft is where children can learn new skills, make new friends, experiment with ideas and grow in self-esteem.
Camp Hillcroft, under the guidance of our mature and supportive staff, helps children achieve these goals. Camp Hillcroft prides itself on not only having a superior program but also in facilitating the growth of friendships, values and community awareness.
From 1950-1992 Camp Hillcroft was a resident camp for children, owned and operated by its original owners, Louis and Friedl Buttinger. In 1972, their son Dennis and his wife Judy took over the leadership role and a small day camp program was started in 1987.
For several years the resident and day program ran side by side but in 1993 Hillcroft emerged as solely a Day Camp. In 2007 Dennis and Judy’s son, Greg, a 3rd generation Buttinger and his wife Sally proudly took over the role of Owners and Directors.
For over 40 years Greg has been at Camp Hillcroft, originally as a camper then as a staff member. Greg is a graduate of Pace University with a BA in Business. Sally obtained her Masters in Education in England and taught and coached for 10 years in the UK and the US before Greg and Sally started their family and their full-time commitment to Hillcroft.
People always ask..”What do the Buttingers do the rest of the year?”..the answer is “WE DO HILLCROFT!!”. It is our full-time occupation and we are proud of our passion and dedication to what we believe a summer camp experience should be!
Members of our staff are selected for their integrity, uniqueness, and respect for each individual, for their educational backgrounds, and for the specific skills they offer. Many return year after year, insuring the continuity of our values and traditions.
Our head counselors have professional backgrounds that equip them to handle any problem which may arise. A majority of group leaders and instructors are graduate students and teachers, and counselors have at least some college education. All are distinguished by their dedication to their important role.
Staff participate in regularly scheduled meetings guided by the administrative staff, where we focus on the dynamics of each group, and staff effectiveness in meeting campers’ individual and social needs as requested by parents.
Ongoing in-service training is related to issues of health, safety, and the planning of special events. We strive to maintain an open channel of communication with all families.
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