YMCA Camp Chingachgook

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YMCA Camp Chingachgook

Oct. 21, 2013

Kattskill Bay, NY

http://www.cdymca.org/locations/CampChingachgook/Home.aspx

Chingachgook was founded as a wilderness and sailing camp. Located on the beautiful Lake George in the Adirondacks of New York their program takes advantage of their beautiful surroundings. Campers take 3 days during 2 week long sessions and paddle to a nearby island or climb one of the 46 high peeks. Lesley the summer camp director talked about how when prospective families come to tour Chingachook they are very up front about their wilderness based program. They advise parents and campers to find the right camp for them much like picking a college. Campers who are not looking for an outdoor, adventure based experiential learning experience may not necessarily succeed at camp. Lesley spoke passionately about the importance of camp for every child but how there are so many camp and so many different niches that camps fill and that finding finding another camp that resonates with what that child and family is more important. Another corner stone of Chingachgook is their beautiful and iconic waterfront. They run an intense sailing program and they also are host to the YKNOT sailing program that provides people with physical disabilities a sailing experience and a chance at mastery. Talking with Lesley and Derrick the wilderness director over a beer last night we learned more about the deep set values and how dedicated their staff are. They have campers who are begging for a chance to be one of the magic making counselors. It was also interesting to talk with Lesley and Derrick about their successes as a camp as well as their shortcomings proving they are always looking to expand and improve on what a great camp can provide.

- Laura

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Camp Winnebago

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Camp Winnebago

October 18, 2013

Fayette, ME

http://campwinnebago.com

Camp Winnebago in Maine, set a pretty high standard for North East camping. Andy the Director and owner came out to camp to walk us around. It was a perfect fall day and we spent some time laying in the grass and talking about the rich history of Winnebago and Andy’s philosophy about camping and management. It was clear from the moment we arrived that the corner stone of the Winnebago experience is the relationships and community that are build among the boys in 8 weeks. Andy talked a lot about how Winnebago focuses on the relationships and the deep connections that can only be formed at camp. The close knit community and network of campers is what makes Winnebago unique. Andy spends time getting to know each new family individually by visiting them, whether they live in Maine, San francisco or Shanghai! It is a place where everyone knows your name. We can only imagine the tight bonds that campers must form by the end of summer. As far as activities go there are beautifully kept sports fields and facilities but there is also an emphasis on the liberal arts. Every section of campers will perform a play or a musical production after 2 weeks of planning and practice. Campers leave Winnebago well rounded, and with connections and knowledge of self that will last a lifetime.

-Laura

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Sherman Lake YMCA

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Sherman Lake YMCA

Augusta, MI

Oct. 7, 2013

http://www.shermanlakeymca.org

We finally got, what felt like a long awaited, tour from Luke Austinfeld at YMCA Sherman Lake. I say long awaited because Luke has been an idol of ours since early on in the trip. His name comes up often due to his travels around the country about 20 years ago to do research on the best camp facilities across the country. From this information Luke and his team stitched together the best aspects of all the best camps he visited to form a quilt, Sherman Lake. We had a chance to talk on the phone to Luke last winter and we were instantly fascinated by his insight and view of what makes a great camp. Two of the things that Luke reiterates about his trip is that camps always resemble what the executive directors office looks like and that a great camp director is a great story teller. Sherman Lake adheres to both of those criteria. First a high school art teacher, then the CEO and rebuilder of Camp Wood in Kansas, then the executive director at Jones Gulch and then the master mind behind and CEO of Sheman Lake, Luke has had a fascinating camp career. Everything at Sherman Lake is thought out and the details are valued. As a result you feel as if you are walking in a piece of art. It was fun to talk to Luke about the decision to put the office/ welcome center, where it is or why the color of the roofs are teal- greenish blue. As Luke walked us around camp he poetically highlighted why certain bricks were chosen and what artists’ paintings spaces at camp were modeled after. One of the unique features of Sherman Lake is that it is the only YMCA Camp to have a full Y gym facility on sight. Both campers and the outside community can take advantage of the Y and yet the branch itself seems to disappear into the fabric of the trees, grasses and the other buildings at camp. Meeting and spending the day with Luke gave us new insight in to the importance of the structure of camp, and a renewed belief that creative facilities lead directly into the magic each camper experience at camp.

- Laura

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YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin

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YMCA Camp Manitou-lin

Oct. 7, 2013

http://www.grymca.org/camp

Middleville MI

We were welcomed in to camp Manitou-lin by Kevin. He gave us a tour and talked about the magic that lives in the little details of camp. Their dining hall is filled with painted plaques and paddles, each one scrawled with signatures of campers past and present. Their all camp campfire pit, like at most camps, was a place that inspired some stories about the traditions and the silly things that make their camp unique. One of the things that Kevin brought to camp was the “magic fire". Kevin explained us to us the process, but its top secret. Camp Manitou-Lin also has a very successful day camp program that has its own facility on site, as well as a high quality horse program, and an on site skate park that and there for skate camp that keeps kids coming back summer after summer.

-Laura

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YMCA Camp MacLean

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YMCA Camp MacLean

Oct. 4, 2013

Burlington, WI

http://www.ymcachicago.org/maclean/

While driving through Wisconsin we were lucky enough to be contacted by Andrew from Camp MacLean. Andrew is a year round program director who helps with the fall, winter, spring groups that come through camp. Camp is beautiful and it is clear as soon as you walk onsite that they have a lot of pride for the place. One of the main attractions is the Mount MacLean Skyway, a huge ropes course that has some very unique elements to it. The Skyway was built by some car manufacturers and resembles the way that a car would glide along a factory line. The efficiency along with all of the cool elements is what makes it unique. There is no wait time because once you are up in the skyway you are free to move around and no one on the ground is responsible for your belay line. This frees up counselors to actually go climbing and playing with their campers, forming those personal bonds and connections that camp is all about. MacLean also has a great looking waterfront. Their lake is small enough so that it is not trafficked by big boats and big enough that they can host lots of water sports and an iconic blue jump tower. Andrew told us an interesting piece of history. Camp used to be a place where they harvested ice from the lake and transported it in box cars to the city of Chicago. One of these box cars has sunken to the bottom of the lake and they have a camp where kids can put some gear on and go diving down to see it!! In the winter months they use the pond to skate on but the also have the largest wooden toboggan run in the state of Wisconsin. The slide itself is incredible but so is the massive field that you land in. Check out the pictures!

- Laura

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Camp Gray

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Camp Gray

Reedsburg, WI

http://campgray.com

Oct. 3, 2013

Where to begin? Camp Gray was more like family, their freely given advice and love was truly a boost. Leaving this morning Jack and I were re-energized and racking our brains for how and when we might bump into the Camp Gray family again. When we first arrived in the office the entire staff poured out of their side rooms and greeted us with big smiles and laughter. We had a chance to walk around camp Colleen and Darleen. They showed us the Chapel, Lake Jake, and the entrance to the secret land of the explorer campers. The explorers are the oldest group at camp and they create they’re own space and adventure while at Camp Gray, it is a mystery to the younger kids what happens in this “Narnia” like land, campers come back to be apart of it. We also heard about the Cassidy Games which is a version of color wars that happens once a week. The competition is fierce and provides a cool opportunity for staff to promote good sportsman ship while still having a blast in the silly memorable challenges. Camp Gray is founded on the Catholic faith and the staff and the directors point to that shared faith as one reason for their close knit and loving community. One of the intentional ways that they ensure a solid support system for their staff is during staff training everyone gets paired us and becomes a Christ Friend, through out the summer they make sure to check in with one another and watch out for when their friend might need a boost.

We had a chance to hike around “Devil’s” (Devil’s Lake) a state park near by, the fall colors were breathtaking and we enjoyed laughing and sharing stories with the staff. Topher, the Assistant Director, has a contagious sense of humor and had a comforting way of making us feel part of a big inside joke.

We were invited over to the Directors house for dinner. All of the staff that live on site were there and lots of little camp children! It felt like Christmas. So after lots of warm homemade food, delicious apple pie, and lots of great advice and laughter we headed to bed truly inspired.

- Laura

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