About
Our Mission
To develop and operate an accessible, innovative, and inclusive facility for children and young adults with medical conditions, who otherwise would not have the opportunity to attend camp.
Our Vision
Provide memorable experiences that empower campers of all abilities to participate, develop life-long skills, create lasting friendships, build independence, and have fun.
Our Vision
Provide memorable experiences that empower campers of all abilities to participate, develop life-long skills, create lasting friendships, build independence, and have fun.
Values
In fulfilling our Mission and Vision, Zajac Ranch for Children is guided by the following Values:
RESPECT and appreciation for the value and diversity we each represent
INCLUSIVE opportunities that welcome all participants regardless of ability
EMPOWER through opportunities
COMPASSION empathy and concern for the well-being of others
EMBRACE the possibilities
EXPERIENCE the thrill of participating
Leadership & Staff
Ranch & Foundation Staff
Mel Zajac, Chairman
Kelly Baker-Pabla, Senior Director of Development
Early in life Kelly’s father, who was an entrepreneur, taught her that to find happiness you have work hard, be a little uncomfortable and have a vision of your future. Kelly’s mother on the other hand was a life skills coach who instilled in her the passion for helping others. These lessons form her parents shaped her career choices.
In 2010, with her parent’s teachings in mind, she began her career in fundraising working with an international consulting firm. Here is where Kelly found joy in helping companies access grants and government funding to help them grow.
After a successful decade in the firm, Kelly found that something was missing. As her career grew, Kelly had opportunities to work within the charitable sector, and it was during this work when she felt a life altering shift. Upon witnessing firsthand, the impact of how collaboration over competition affects positive change she was hooked! Kelly found that this could be a way to combine her entrepreneurial spirit with her desire to help others. Deciding to take what she had learned from her fundraising career, she dedicated herself to applying her skills to a variety of non-profits fundraising for important causes such as mothers and children, the homeless population, and mental health supports throughout the pandemic.
When the opportunity to work along side of the legendary Mel Zajac presented itself, Kelly jumped at the chance! Presently as the Senior Director of Development, Kelly is driven to help the Zajac Ranch for Children continue its mission of “raising spirits” of children with moderate to severe medical diagnoses and conditions through the gift of summer camp.
Kelly has finally had found a place where her passion has met her purpose and where she can apply her vison for the future – leaving this world a little bit better than we found it.
Carmen Zajac, President
In 1986 and 1987, Carmen’s two brothers, Mel Jr. and Marty, tragically passed away in separate sporting accidents. To honour their memories and create a family legacy of caring in our province her father, Mel Zajac Sr., founded the Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation. The Zajac Foundation is committed to supporting seniors, children, and persons with special needs through innovative community projects focused on developing life long skills and independence.
For over 20 years, Carmen has served as the President of the Zajac Foundation. She works closely with her father in the management of their various community initiatives, such as the Zajac Norgate House and the Zajac Ranch for Children. Part of Carmen’s role as President is to meet with government officials, voluntary health organizations, corporations and service groups to ensure the development of the Zajac Ranch, which provides a unique camping opportunity for children with life threatening and chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Carmen lives in North Vancouver with her husband and two sons.
Breeze Doner, Office Manager/ EA
Zajac Ranch Society Board of Directors
Matt Carver, Student
Tom Wong (Chairman, Treasurer), TCW Associates Ltd. (Director since June 2018)
Sheila Smith, Retired Administrator
The Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation Board of Directors
Mel Zajac (Chairman) – Founder, The Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation (Director since June 1997)
Howard A. Blank – President & CEO, Point Blank Entertainment (Director since 2018)
Rick Bourne – President, Langara Fishing Adventures (Director since 2019)
Justin Carver – Data Scientist, Intact Insurance
Gino Crudo – Owner & Operator, Paramount Projects General Contractors
Wendy Hartley – Principal, Hartley PR (Director since 2019)
Stephen Jagger – Co-Founder, addy Technology Corp.
Alexandria Lee – General Manager, Cactus Club Cafe
Bradley Scharfe – President, Co-Chairman & CEO, Scharfe Group of Companies (Director since 2019)
Jeffrey Uppal – President, Mack Capital Group (Director since 2014)
Lisa Williamson – Marketing & Communications Manager, Canadian Association of Public Schools – International
Tom Wong – TCW Associates Ltd. (Director since 2012)
Corinne Zajac – Corinne Zajac & Associates
The Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation Advisory Board
David Aisenstat – President & CEO, Keg Restaurants Ltd.
John Devita – President, CT Control Temp
Honourable John Reynolds, P.C. – Senior Strategic Advisor, McMillan LLP

Careers
At Zajac Ranch for Children we work hard to ensuring hundreds of children with long term medical conditions and disabilities can come to camp each summer. We share a passion for helping children and take pride in our work inspiring others within our community.
Seasonal Positions
We are hiring a variety of positions to work during our off season until June 2023, assisting with our rental groups, weddings and outdoor schools.
Wrangler (Camp Counsellor)
We are looking for staff to help facilitate private camps and group rentals at our Ranch in the off-season.
This is a live in position. Staff receive free accommodation during rental sessions. They will be scheduled to be on-site according to the booking schedule.
Responsibilities:
- Serving as a role model and support.
- Facilitate and assist campers in having a safe, fun and enjoyable session.
- Lead campers to and from activities while providing constant encouragement and positive reinforcement.
- Provide supervision and assistance, including but is not limited to: serving meals, cabin clean-up, camp fires, facility set up, etc..
Qualifications:
- Be camper-focused with a professional attitude.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Be able to facilitate an empowering organized program through encouragement and support.
- Have leadership and communication skills.
- Have experience with outdoor recreation/camp activities.
- Be willing and able to work in a physically and mentally demanding environment on a daily basis.
- Have a friendly, caring personality.
- Be effectively able manage self-care.
- Be able to apply behaviour management techniques (as covered in staff training) to ensure a caring, positive, and fun experience for all campers.
- Provide original Criminal Record Check and valid First Aid Certificate
Camp Director
The Zajac Ranch for Children is seeking a motivated and experienced individual for the position of Camp Director who will work with the Zajac Ranch team to carry out our mission to develop and operate an accessible, innovative, and inclusive facility for children and young adults with medical conditions, who otherwise would not have the opportunity to attend camp.
Responsibilities
• Planning
• Design, deliver, and evaluate camp programs that meet the needs and interests of the camps target populations and ensure their delivery in a safe and quality manner.
• In conjunction with the management team, develop/review annually the Risk Management Plan, Crisis Management, Emergency Evacuation, and Emergency Procedures for Zajac Ranch.
• Conduct staff evaluations, camper evaluations, programming supplies inventory counts and control, and make recommendations for the following season. Operation
• Adhere to and implement the policies and procedures of Zajac Ranch including health and safety policies,
• Create and update programming to keep in line with current trends and Zajac Ranch mission. Programming must cater to each group based on abilities, mobility, and health concerns.
• Coordinate with Registration Coordinator to plan and cater to the needs of each group.
• Assign campers and counselors to their housing and living groups. • Oversee the daily operation of the summer medical camps including food service, programs, camper and staff supervision, and health care.
• Liaising with parents and group leaders before, during, and after their camp session.
• Administer and maintain complete records during the camp, including camper lists, daily attendance, health and medical forms, and incident or accident reports.
• Provide a written report at the end of each summer medical camp session.
• At the end of the summer, receive written evaluations from staff, prepare written evaluations of the staff for the personnel files, and prepare a written report for the Zajac Foundation office
• Develop and maintain an effective evaluation system of all staff and programs. • Develop and maintain an effective screening and referral process for reported child abuse, neglect, and accusation of misconduct.
• Work collaboratively with the Maintenance Facilitator, Nursing Director and Chef.
• Management / hosting of rental groups to ensure adequate staff and / or volunteers for programming and services, including food service.
• To ensure provision of exceptional customer service and hospitality to all guests. Financial
• Assist in creating and monitoring the budget for the camp operations.
• Assist in the fundraising strategies for the camp program and facilities.
• Responsible for managing camp expenditures in your areas of responsibility within budget.
• Managing inventory and balancing/ordering inventory with camp sessions.
• Assist in maintaining the budget and inventory for all activity areas. Human Resources
• Recruit staff based on camper enrollment and program management requirements.
• Interview and hire staff in discussion with the management team.
• Directly supervise, schedule, and coordinate Zajac Ranch staff including, but not limited to, the Assistant Camp Director, counselors, and any volunteers.
• Supervise and coordinate the activities of all Ranch staff and oversee their professional development and address any concerns or misconduct.
• Train, supervise, and evaluate seasonal and year-round staff.
• Remain current with information on the developmental needs of youth.
• Annually seek and analyze input from youth, families, and staff regarding the quality, safety, and enjoyment of the program and staff.
• Hold staff meetings on an as-needed basis to build team camaraderie, address issues and concerns, and to receive updates from all departments Marketing
• Assist with marketing Zajac Ranch as an off-season rental facility, including attending trade shows, school presentations, and promotional campaigns.
• Develop and support relationships in the community with medical groups, schools, churches, clubs and organizations, and other key players within the community.
• Perform any duties necessary to deliver outstanding customer service to the rental groups during our non-medical camp season, including scheduling and managing programming staff and volunteers.
• Conduct other duties as required by the General Manager or the Chairman. Skills and Experience
• Must be at least 25 years of age (per BC Camping Association Accreditation)
• Have a firm belief in the value of summer camp for children with special medical needs.
• Have experience working at summer camps.
• Experience delivering top-notch customer service.
• Have a college or university Degree in Recreation Management or a related discipline and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Must have a minimum of 5 years of camp management experience.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, understanding, ability to be a positive role model, patience and self-control.
• Have a demonstrated ability in the recruitment and management of a camp staff team.
• Ability to plan, organize, and carry-out daily, weekly and special programs.
• Ability to supervise and evaluate staff, volunteers, and campers.
• Must have experience with managing budgets.
• Experience with developmental disabilities, special needs, and behavioural management.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to proactively manage multiple work tasks in a timely manner.
• Ability to act under pressure and keep a clear head.
• Must have own transportation, possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to live on site year-round
• Have computer skills and data management experience, with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Hold valid Standard First Aid and CPR Level C or the ability to obtain.
• Possess and maintain a clear Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Search
• On-Site Accommodations provided
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: $55,000.00-$60,000.00 per year
Nurses Urgently Needed Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Nurse Practitioners (NP)
ed on the shores of Stave Lake in Mission, BC, just one hour east of Vancouver, Zajac Ranch for Children is situated on over 40 acres of pristine forested land. During the summer months, Zajac Ranch provides camps for children and young adults with chronic, life-threatening and/or debilitating conditions.
We are urgently looking for nurses to be on site this summer to help care for our campers.
We’re looking for medical staff to stay on site and provide support in our care centre for our summer camps. Food and accommodation are provided during camp dates.
Contract length: 3 months / flexible work weeks also available
Salary: $31.28-$50.00 per hour based on designation and experience
COVID-19 considerations:
All staff and campers are required to be vaccinated. Camps may have regulations that are additional to current provincial protocols
Application question(s):
What level of first aid do you hold?
Are you fully vaccinated?
Are you capable of passing a criminal record check for the vulnerable sector?
Work Location: One location at Zajac Ranch for Children
Main Duties
Responsible for supporting the good health of the campers, staff and volunteers at Zajac Ranch for Children.
Camper intake at check in: includes review of medication with family/caregiver including scheduled times and route of administration.
Information entry on medication record for each camper; any changes from application
Head checks at check in
Responsibilities at camp include dispensing and administering medication, treatment for minor illness, accidents or mishaps. This includes full documentation of medication administered, any treatments delivered with ongoing care or any accidents or mishaps involving campers, volunteers and staff.
Assist staff with camper personal care if needed and provide support.
Interested applicants can please get in contact with Wendy Hartley, Executive Director, WendyH@Zajac.com and 604.817.2758.
Find more information about Volunteering at the Ranch
Learn more about our Summer Staff opportunities