Read Our Blog

We are half-way through Session 5 at Ockanickon, our final 2-week session of the summer. This has been a summer of change at Camp Ockanickon, and the campers are letting us know that they’re enjoying the program by enrolling for additional sessions as the summer progresses. We’ll detail most of the programming changes in the fall, as there is too much for a single blog post!  However, I am happy to discuss some of the changes made as a direct response to our customer feedback efforts, as my fourth post in our series of blog posts.  Check back next week [...]

By Susan Miller Director of Marketing/Communications What a way to start a beautiful, blue-sky kind of summer day! Happy, expectant children being dropped off at camp, converging at Stockwell Field for the start of activities. They gather in little clusters, chatting joyously, feeling excited about the day ahead. So much to do … archery, arts & crafts, land sports, science, swimming, cooking, fishing, etc. They each carry backpacks filled with things like water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, a bathing suit, a towel. What they don’t have packed are electronic games or cell phones. No need! A day at camp will [...]

Session 5 at Matolly has begun!  For those in the know, Session 5 is one of our most exciting sessions, as it is #ColorWars!  After the #BlackTeam scored a decisive win in 2016, the #RedTeam will look to rebound in 2017.  This is also a great time to check-in on some of the changes we made at Camp Matollionequay for the 2017 Summer in response to our camper feedback efforts from the fall of 2016.  This is the third in a series of blog posts in which I highlight some of our changes for this summer.  Check back next week [...]

Here’s what some of our campers have to say about us:   (From the journal of a Matolly Ranger): “I think the greatest thing about camp is that it brings out the best in people; I know it does for me. Because in the real world, we all put up massive barriers and try to act tough (or tuff), but as soon as I get to camp, it (the barrier) crumbles. Everyone at camp is so welcoming, friendly and courageous. We all just really love and support each other. I can’t tell you how many lifelong friends I have made [...]

By Greg Keresztury, Director of Operations We are in Session 5 at Lake Stockwell Day Camp, and this feels like a great time at the mid-way point of the summer to check-in on some of the changes we made at Stockwell for the 2017 Summer in response to our camper feedback efforts from the fall of 2016.  This is the second in a series of blog posts in which I highlight some of our changes for this summer.  Check back next week for a Matolly-specific blog post. So what is new at Stockwell? The Lake Stockwell Day Camp experience is [...]

By Greg Keresztury, Director of Operations In the fall, we undertook an extensive camper/guardian feedback effort to help us improve the camp experience for our campers at each of our camps: Ockanickon (sleepaway camp for boys), Matollionequay (sleepaway camp for girls) and Lake Stockwell Day Camp (coed).  We surveyed parents/guardians of returning campers through Seer Analytics, LLC so we could measure our camp programs against average scores from other YMCA camps all around the country.  We also surveyed guardians of campers who did not return in 2016 to find out why, and we conducted focus groups involving camper guardians and [...]

By Susan Miller, Director of Marketing/Communications Here’s what it’s like to prepare for most typical, modern-day, week-long vacations: We assemble a variety of comfy and dressy clothes in neat piles, making sure we have the right shoes to go with our outfits. We grab an extra suitcase if we’re feeling indulgent. We stash our credit cards and extra cash and plan to splurge on meals and such. We pack the bare essentials for grooming and beautifying; safely assuming that our climate-controlled hotel will provide the basic necessities like soap, shampoo, towels, hair dryers along with clean bathrooms, beds with soft [...]

    Camille Aguilar is the quintessential camp girl. She's been a Matolly camper for years and now she's our head lifeguard at Cherokee Beach and she also works at our Challenge Course. Earlier this spring, Camille helped with our marketing effort.  She recently wrote the following, sharing her feelings about Matollionequay: From ages 6 to 16, girls have the opportunity to be a part of something special at Camp Matollionequay. Beyond the adventures Matolly girls have playing Gaga, Egyptian Ratscrew, climbing towers at challenge course, zip-lining, hiking, woodworking, dancing, singing, making s’mores, and more every day at camp; there [...]

By Susan Miller Director of Marketing/Communications July 14, 2017 This week, 19 boys and girls, members of Camp Ockanickon and Camp Matollionequay’s Leaders-in-Training program, went to the Food Bank of South Jersey and helped assemble enough meals to feed 3,500 children struggling with food insecurity in the counties of Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Salem. The Food Bank’s Summer Meals program provides kids with free breakfast, lunch and snacks on a daily basis during the 10 weeks when schools are not in session. According to the Food Bank, the summer months are often a vulnerable time, food quantity-wise and nutritionally, for [...]

By Jason Ostroski (Food Service Director – and husband of Gab Ostroski, the Director of Camp Matollionequay) Some of you may know, I'm a pin addict. I have a constantly growing collection of unique pins from all sorts of great artists, collectives and some basics like the Zoo or local sports teams. Well, I finally got the chance, through my amazing job, to design and see through to completion, a set of 25 different pins! I have worked this summer camp (YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc.) for the last 22 years and through my obsession, we have created a Recognition program [...]