YMCA OF THE PINES
SUMMER CAMPS | RETREATS |
FAMILY PROGRAMS | CHILDCARE | WILDERNESS TRIPS
As I have come to grow older birthdays have held less significance for me in terms of my age. I have long since hit all of the ages where I gain new rights and am considered more an adult (I do not count the right to rent a car and drive a recreational vehicle that I earned on my most recent birthday as milestone privileges). As a result, my birthday has meant that when people ask me how old I am, I need to remember to give a number that is one larger than the age that I had been [...]
Please come out and join us at Camp Ockanickon, Camp Matollionequay and Lake Stockwell for our 3rd open house of the season. Tours will be leaving from the Ockanickon Dining Hall (Ocky & Stockwell) and the Matollionequay Dining Hall (Matolly) from 1-4pm on Sunday May 19th. This is the perfect opportunity to learn about all the fun and exciting program we have lined up for this summer, meet our summer camp staff and enjoy some delicious s’mores! There is no RSVP needed…just swing on over! All of our open houses are rain or shine…but we always keep our fingers crossed [...]
Watching the seasons change our environment is one of the great benefits to living here at camp. I love the sudden change when the leaves grow back and everything is green again. The changing seasons always bring about new families staying here at camp. For instance the geese are raising five babies that follow them around near the lake everyday. Behind Ockenhouse there are two wood ducks named Wilma and Fred waiting on their eggs to hatch. Watching deer in the Matolly field eating with their young is a sight to see. If you haven’t gotten a chance recently to [...]
Well...yesterday was the final class for the Intro to Mountain Biking program. This class is part of our Discovery Programs that we have offered this past spring. These programs are designed to introduce kids to some of the various activities we have at Camp. If you are interested in any of our Discovery Programs, please keep an eye out in August for some new and exciting classes!
A huge thanks to the Haddonfield Y's Men for coming out and building some new boat racks for Camp! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151588264785743.1073741831.558140742&type=1
Hello all... We here at YMCA Camp Ockanickon would like to congratulate Scott Partenheimer and Stevie Neale in their marital union that took place here at Camp this weekend... and what a beautiful weekend it was. We couldn't have ordered better weather... and Spring was popping everywhere around Camp... including a family of Canadian Geese with newly hatched goslings living right near the foot of the Chapel Island Bridge where the ceremony took place. Scott is an alumni of Camp and we couldn't be more honored to have hosted the happy couple and their event here for the weekend. From [...]
This amazing letter was submitted to the Medford Sun this past week by Kaya McKenna age 9 who is a member at YMCA Camp Ockanickon...I thought it was an amazing piece and wanted to share it with you. I love summer because I love to swim at the lake at Camp Ockanickon, or as the locals call it, "Ocky." I get excited on hot sunny summer days when the air is filled with laughter, shrieking and happiness coming from the camp. I can hear them all the way here at my house. I'm thrilled with anticipation of going. I put [...]
Yesterday was our class for the Intro to Mountain Biking Discover program and we had a blast! I was really excited about this class because 3 of the 4 kids had done earlier Intro to Mountain Biking last season. Our 1st class was pretty straightforward, we did some introductions and some expectations for the class. We also did some great exercises that are designed specifically for mountain bikers. I felt this was something that my previous classes had lacked so I was excited to add this essential step into the program. After stretches, we saddled up and headed onto the [...]
In the 21st century, it is safe to say that when most people look at the stars, they think of science. Perhaps they are reminded of lessons that they learned in school about what causes the motion of celestial objects, or perhaps they are looking for something they heard about in the news. What we often forget; however, is that before we were able to scientifically explain astronomy, the stars were more of a cultural phenomenon than a scientific one. Before television, electricity, the printing press, or even a written language, parents of ancient times had the same monumental task [...]
When you volunteer at Camp Ockanickon, you take an active role in bringing about meaningful, enduring change right in your own neighborhood. For RUYS, our Camp staff develops a task list ranging from jobs that require no specific skills to jobs that require someone with carpentry, plumbing or electrical skills. RUYS is an amazing opportunity for students looking to fulfill community service hours and companies, individuals and families who just want to make a difference and help give back. We look forward to seeing you! https://ycamp.org/documents/2013SpringRUYS.pdf