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For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Matt Geurtsen and I am the trips coordinator (among other things!) here at camp. However, I will only be holding that title for a little bit longer as I will be attending George Mason University in the Fall to fill my brain with economics and data analytics. It was a difficult decision for me to make as I have absolutely loved the last six years that I have spent at camp. As I reflect back on my time here, I wanted to share what I consider to be the [...]

by David Herron Volunteer-in-chief (and board president) YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc.   Every time I meet someone from the YMCA and they learn that I am a volunteer, they say, “Thank you for volunteering.” And every time I hear that, it strikes me as an odd thing to say. The truth of the matter is that I think I should be thanking them for the opportunity to be a YMCA volunteer.   Being a volunteer at Camp Ockanickon means to me that I can have a positive impact on the lives of the boys and girls that attend camp and [...]

This Rotarian had a change of heart about dreaded ‘coin toss’ fundraisers. (by Susan Miller) It’s a familiar sight, especially on pleasant weather weekends: orange vest-clad do-gooders, standing at intersections, holding out buckets near signs that announce they’re collecting spare change for one good cause or another. As a driver, I would often cringe at the approach to such a scene. What are they collecting for now? This is dangerous, it’s holding up traffic - and, darn it, I feel pressure to kick in! And so it was that I found myself in the very position of collector on a [...]

Why Kata McKenna loves her summers in Medford (written when she was 9 years old)....   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 the anticipation of going. I put on  my bathing suit, get my towel and I’m ready to go. When I arrive, I see my lifeguard buddies, friends [...]

I joined Camp early in January because I believe in the mission of the organization. I knew that I wanted to work here, but what I didn’t know was the true impact that Camp has on everyone. I grew up in Venezuela and I never got to experience Camp myself. For the past five months, I have been witnessing what Camp has given back to so many. Camp truly shapes the lives of thousands of children; Camp gives children the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive and to discover their potential. Camp for so many is where they met their [...]

What is BOLD & GOLD? This past week, our Y was very fortunate to be included in a brand new national YMCA program called BOLD & GOLD. BOLD (Boys Outdoor Leadership Development) and GOLD (Girls Outdoor Leadership Development) will aim to breathe some new life and intentionality into our existing Ranger program. With the BOLD & GOLD grant, we are going to be able to offer scholarships for our Ranger programs, which would not otherwise have been available. Our goal is to make sure that anyone who has the want and the drive to improve themselves through a tripping program, [...]