Champaign County

"Helping Teens Find Their Own Way!"

Mailing Address:
809 S. Fifth St., Champaign, IL 61820
Tuesday Night Meeting Address:
805 S. Sixth St. Champaign, IL 61820
217-337-5809
ccos@champaignsnowball.org

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First Time Op Snowball Registration Card

Retreat Application: A Parent/Guardian must sign both sides of this application.

Before Retreat please attend two or three Tuesday Night meetings, especially the week before.
Meeting is at 805 S. Sixth St., Champaign, corner of Sixth and Daniel; entrance on Daniel street.

Questions? Call Executive Director, Robert Silverman: 337-5809.


Retreat Location and Directions 4-H Memorial Camp at the Allerton Park, Monticello, Illinois. Transportation is provided from Champaign and teen participants must ride the bus.

The cost$55: PAID WITH APPLICATION. Scholarships are available and no teen is turned away due to lack of funds. Price includes activities, food, lodging and transportation.

Missing School Parents MUST call the school to excuse the absence on FRIDAY, MARCH 28. CCOS cannot and will not do this.

Scholarship Help Over 50% of CCOS teens cannot afford the Retreat fee. Please consider doubling or quadrupling your check so that scholarships can be provided. Donations are tax-deductible. THANK YOU for participating in the CCOS "Community of Caring."
Things to Bring on Retreat:
  1. Sleeping bag and pillow.
  2. Clothing for all weather, specifically cold, wet and muddy.
  3. Two pair of shoes.
  4. Many pairs of warm socks.
  5. Showering items and towel.
  6. Musical instruments, artwork, poems, camera, etc.

Be Careful What You Bring

  • OP SNOWBALL has no responsibility for items brought to Retreat.
  • All food is provided.
  • No need for money.
  • Cell phones must be turned in.
  • Teen participants must ride the bus to the Retreat. Parents who attend on Sunday have the option of taking their teen home with them. But don't be surprised if your teen wants to ride the bus home. Some teens like to squeeze every last moment out of a great Retreat experience.

    • IMPORTANT TIMES:FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17:
    8:30 a.m.: The bus boards at the same location as Tuesday Night Meeting: 805 S. Sixth (Daniel street entrance.)
    9:00 a.m.: Bus leaves. BE ON TIME!
    SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19:
    NOON: Parents are invited to lunch and a 1:00 Large Group Session.
    2:00-2:30: Bus leaves 4-H camp, returning to the Champaign location at, approximately, 3:00 p.m.

    MAHOMET: IMPORTANT TIMES:FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17:
    7:30-8:30 a.m.: The bus boards at the Mahomet Area Youth Club (MAYC).
    8:00 a.m.: Bus leaves MAYC for Champaign. BE ON TIME!
    SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19:
    NOON: At 4-H camp, parents are invited to lunch and a 1:00 Large Group.
    2:00-2:30: Bus leaves 4-H camp, returning to the Champaign location at, approximately, 3:00 p.m.
    3:15 p.m.: Bus leaves Champaign, returning to MAYC at, approximately, 3:30.
    AT RETREAT:
    1. Teens find support not solutions.
    2. Teens receive no counseling treatment, but those receiving counseling elsewhere can attend.
    3. Tobacco is not allowed.
    4. CCOS must call the Piatt County Sheriff if illegal drugs or alcohol are found.
    5. CCOS staff have the right to search belongings brought to a Retreat.
    6. CCOS staff are mandated reporters in the reporting of physical and/or sexual abuse.

    Challenge Course and High Adventure Activities The 4-H Challenge Course and High Adventure Activities are voluntary, but to participate a signed UIUC release is mandatory. This release form is on the right side of the CCOS application. Without a parent/guardian signature participation in these activities WILL NOT be allowed. We encourage all teens to have this release signed even if he/she is unsure of participation.

    Norms CCOS Retreats follow the "Norms." In fact, at Retreat the Norms are even more important than usual since we are together for days at a time in a relatively small place. A successful Retreat is when the Teen participants, Teen Staff and Adult Staff all leave on Sunday feeling high energy and positive and good feelings. For that to occur, we all need to work together which only happens if we all follow the Norms.

    		 WHAT'S THE POINT? OP SNOWBALL HELPS DEVELOP FOUR SKILLS:
    1. Self-Awareness
    2. Self-Expression
    3. Responsible Decision Making
    4. Teen helping teen peer leadership


    Partipants Say . . . . "For the first time I'm not afraid to show feelings."

    "I've met many others and learned that there are caring people."

    "It showed me that people care and that I'm worth more than I sometimes admit."


    Small Group Teens are assigned a Small Group which are faciliated by Teen and Adult Staff. All Staff go through months of Staff Training to be skilled enough to facilitate a Smalll Group. Each Small Group meets five or six times so group members get to know each other in meaningful ways. The Small Group is the heart of the OP SNOWBALL experience.

    Retreats Since 1979 The first CCOS Retreat took place in the Fall of 1980. Since then there has been a Weekend Retreat every Spring and Fall until now. Spring 2008 will be 58th consecutive weekend Retreat. Pretty impressive if we do say so ourselves.

    Applications Available at Many Schools and Youth Service Orgnizations Most teens get to OP SNOWBALL when their friends bring them. Many others are referred by their parents or older siblings. But you can also pick up an application from your school or another youth organization.

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