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Today, more than ever, our kids and families rely on community organizations like the Y. At the Y, we are a culture of caring, empathy, respect, and empowerment. We welcome everyone, including campers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, visual impairments, and children infected or affected by disease. We’re committed to providing children a place where healthy meals, attentive role models, and quality activities promote learning and growth. […]

Alumni Tales is blog segment where alumni write in to us to tell us stories about their time at camp, be it a favorite memory, or about how camp changed during their time here, and how camp changed them! This first volume is written by a Lake Stockwell’s alumni Chris Gallagher! […]

The Ranger Program is a unique leadership adventure program that both overnight camps host. This program does not start off with the campers’ arrival to camp, it starts with weeks of training before the summer even begins. All of the ranger leaders arrive at camp two weeks before the campers and undergo a series of trainings and certifications. They receive such trainings as wilderness first aid, back country skills, boating, CPR, AED, and lifeguarding. They even learn bivouac skills which includes learning how to build a fire and a shelter quickly. The Rocks and Rafts leaders also receive an additional [...]

In 1990, Lake Stockwell Day Camp opened for the first time ever and now in 2015, it celebrates its 25th anniversary! Since its opening, the camp has continued to grow and over the past few summers, camper and counselor numbers have skyrocketed. Back in 2011, MaryAnn Birchler and Lynn Passarella joined as camp director and assistant camp director and over the years, Stockwell’s size has nearly doubled! In 2011, there were only about 60 staff members and 250 campers. In 2014, Melissa DiMona joined as assistant camp director and we had about 110 staff members and nearly 500 campers! Since [...]

  “The Counselor In Training program strives to impress upon participants skills that relate directly to working as a camp counselor, as well as skills that can be used in everyday life. This is accomplished in a fun and supportive environment that encourages growth as individuals and as a team” – CITs […]

Hi. My name is Darleen Blesi and I have the pleasure of serving as the Director of Development at YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. I found camp when I responded to a help wanted ad in The Central Record in 2008. I was eventually hired in 2009. I have truly fallen in love with camp. My favorite moment at camp occurred at the 2014 Wine, Beer and Whiskey Tasting. A camper parent spoke to the guests about the impact that camp had on his son. The parent also shared with the audience how vital the scholarship money had been in bringing [...]

Last Tuesday, the 23rd of June, a large storm hit New Jersey and Pennsylvania wherein thousands lost power. YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. was no exception and like most of Medford, also lost power. As the storm hit, all of the overnight campers were moved into their respective dining halls. Once the backup generators started kicking in, plans were made for the evening’s activities. In both dining halls, a dance party was held, after which the campers watched a movie for the night! As these activities went on, counselors gradually made their way to cabins in order to carry back mattresses for the [...]

Hello from the CEO’s office! You may notice some changes at camp this summer so I wanted to take a moment to reflect on those changes. In an effort to role model a healthier lifestyle for our campers, YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. has signed up to be a part of the Y of the USA’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) initiative. The HEPA initiative provides a series of guidelines for how to help improve our participants’ overall health. […]

What is it that makes a camp have the great influence that it does? It is not the facilities or the activities, while great those things may be at YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. It is the staff that help make camp a life changing experience and every year, staff members come to our camps excited and ready for the summer! While many of the counselors are from New Jersey, we have staff from as far as Hawaii and even international staff. For some, this is their first camping experience but many staff members went to camp when they were younger. Each year there are always staff that return from [...]

For quite a few years, YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. has been hiring international staff to work in all three of its summer camps. For some, it is their first time in America and even their first time at a camp while others are returning for another fun filled summer. Even Matolly’s camp director, Gab Ostroski, started out as an international staff member back in 2000 when she arrived from Australia! This summer, we will have a diverse international staff from a variety of countries and cultures including but not limited to Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and the United Kingdom!  I [...]