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By Gabrielle Ostroski, Director of Camp Matollionequay It’s 7:45 pm on a Monday night and the day is winding down.  It’s time to put PJ’s on, brush teeth and get ready for bed. We sit down in a circle with a candle in the middle. Tonight’s topic is “What is your rose and thorn of the day?” We go around the circle and as each person is speaking, everyone else is present. Still. Listening. Giving that person their full attention. It’s an opportunity to share and be vulnerable. To hear how that person’s day was. It just so happened that [...]

by Susan Miller, Director of Marketing We say it a lot - and we really mean it .... camp changes lives for the better. There are so many examples we could share, and the article below highlights a great one. It all came about when Kelsey Henry, our Teen Program Coordinator, was interviewed by the YMCA of the Rockies about her work with the BOLD & GOLD (Boys Outdoor Leadership Development & Girls Outdoor Leadership Development) program, and she shared a story from this past summer. The timing of this article is poignantly bittersweet. as Kelsey is set to leave [...]

by Cate Wobbe, Assistant Director, Lake Stockwell Day Camp I have been a member of the Stockwell family since 2012. In all of this time, I have seen firsthand that part of what makes camp so special is the relationships that people form while they are here. Everyone finds a connection with someone while they are at camp. I especially observe how strong these relationships are during the last few weeks of camp. I see tears as campers say goodbye to their new friends, as staff says goodbye to each other, and as staff members say goodbye to the campers [...]

by Gabrielle Ostroski, Director, Camp Matollionequay “How can I write a blog when I’m not a writer?” I ask myself.  “Who wants to hear what I have to say?”  Sometimes we convince ourselves that we are not good enough.  Which got me thinking …  “Maybe I am a writer. I do have a message to share.”  I have been pondering a lot lately about the things we choose to tell ourselves. Not too long ago, before the summer, my daughter was tasked with learning to tie her shoe laces for school. She had been avoiding this for a while now [...]

There are so many reasons why an overnight summer camp experience is beneficial in the life of a child! Author Michael Thompson even wrote a book about it - Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow. Read this interesting interview to learn about Thompson's insights into the wonders of camp. And don't forget - Early Registration for summer sleepaway camp in 2019 is open. And keep in mind - if you sign up by Oct. 31, you'll  save 5% on camps Ockanickon for boys and Matollionequay for girls. https://www.nymetroparents.com/article/why-is-summer-camp-important-for-kids-and-teens    

  (Register early! You’ll save money, and ensure a positive, life-enhancing experience for your child) By Susan Miller When I was first hired as Director of Marketing/Communications of YMCA Camp Ockanickon back in 2015, I wondered what the full-time staff did here after summer camp ended in August. After all, the campers are gone, the counselors have returned to their non-summer lives …. what was there to do? Boy, was I in for a surprise! Not long after we wave goodbye to the last of the summer campers and staff, we dig right into planning for a whole host of [...]

YMCA Camp Ockanickon recently welcomed Carol Yard as the organization’s new Outdoor Center Director. She comes to the Medford camp from Asheville, NC, where she worked as the Program Director for YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. “I’ve been working and learning and growing in the outdoor education field for most of the last 20 years or so,” said Carol, who will be residing on the camp property. “I got involved with the YMCA through working at the Seattle Y’s BOLD & GOLD (Boys and Girls Outdoor Leadership Development) wilderness trips program.”  In her previous position, Carol oversaw programming, on and off-site, [...]

by Susan Miller, Director of Marketing/Communications The last of our Summer 2018 campers are gone (sniff, sniff!) but that doesn't mean we won't be thinking about them! We want them - and you - to know that there are still plenty of fun things to do in the great outdoors, all year long. After all, being outside is good for your health and well-being. Check out this article for ideas: http://www.ymca.net/summer-buzz/fun-fall-outdoor-activities

By Suzette Belz, VP of Development and Major Gifts Last week, I decided to go fishing with a group of Ockanickon boys as part of my Customer Experience hours. I haven’t done it before so I challenged myself to try something new. Today’s experience taught me a lot about life in such a short period of time. I could have chosen to do something I knew how to do but instead I took a chance at trying something new. We live our lives afraid of trying something new. We also are always expecting something or chasing something, most of the [...]

by Greg Keresztury, Director of Operations Last year I wrote about blog post called "The Power of Yet!" which chronicled Oneida Tommy’s unsuccessful attempt to earn the rare “Archer’s Hand” at Camp Ockanickon.  As you may recall, the “Archer’s Hand” is when one earns all 5 archery emblems in the same summer.  Tommy had earned 4 of the emblems from our Emblem Guide which at Ockanickon is a guide of challenge goals, but the emblem for Everdeen Archery (our 3-D archery course in the woods) had eluded him. I wrote about how Tommy tried multiple times that summer, and came [...]