Alumni Archives - YMCA OF THE PINES

Historic Anniversary and 6 Degrees of Separation…

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-08-28T18:04:59-04:00August 28th, 2013|

Hello all… Today marked the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic “I Have A Dream” speech. It is noted as one of the largest political rallies in United States history for human rights. Just over a year later Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the youngest recipient of the award at the time. The man standing in the photo above, Thich Nhat Hanh, was nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for that very same honor in 1967… but there [...]

The Y….MCA

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-08-10T15:10:12-04:00August 10th, 2013|

So, in 2010 the YMCA officially became known as just The Y. In 1844, industrialized London was a place of great turmoil and despair. For the young men who migrated to the city from rural areas to find jobs, London offered a bleak landscape of tenement housing and dangerous influences. Twenty-two-year-old George Williams, a farmer-turned-department store worker, was troubled by what he saw. He joined 11 friends to organize the first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), a refuge of Bible study and prayer for young men seeking escape from the hazards of life on the streets. Although an association of [...]

Camp is Changing

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-05-14T05:14:14-04:00May 14th, 2013|

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 [...]

Once a Camp Director, Always a Camp Director

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-25T12:38:06-04:00April 25th, 2013|

It was truly a pleasure to watch former Ocky Director and current Pitman Principal, Chris Morris, lead his students during their stay at Camp Ockanickon last week. Having worked with many school groups over the years, I can tell you that I have not seen too many principals get as involved with their students' activities as Chris did! You can tell he still has a passion for Camp and for working with young people. I guess you can take the man out of Camp, but you can never take Camp out of the man! Having had Chris as my Ranger [...]

Roll Up Your Sleeves

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-13T06:20:27-04:00April 13th, 2013|

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

The School Flyer Shore Route

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-12T18:03:01-04:00April 12th, 2013|

Every year, we deliver thousands of Summer Camp flyers to schools during the week after Easter Break. There is one route that I especially enjoy for a few different reasons. A few years back, we started delivering to some schools down at the Jersey Shore from Absecon to Cape May. Since we had such amazing weather this week, it made for a beautiful drive with the windows down and the radio cranking. Summer is almost here! The other reasons that I love this delivery is that it takes me right near my favorite restaurant and that restaurant is right across [...]

1-2-3

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-02-19T12:17:19-05:00February 19th, 2013|

Philadelphia often feels like the farthest place one can be from camp. With the lack of trees, the tall buildings, and the millions of people that swallow one up; it does not radiate the feeling of a welcoming tight-knit community that one feels out among the trees at camp. “The outside world,” can be a place where we are not as comfortable expressing ourselves in the way we do at camp for fear of negative judgment. However, for those of us who often lament that we are unable to be our camp-selves outside of camp, hopefully this story provides encouragement [...]

School In Disguise

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-01-22T12:38:25-05:00January 22nd, 2013|

I recall Wayne Holmes saying, “Wouldn’t it be great if you could just go to camp all year? I mean, camp is school in disguise, but way cooler.” Well, Wayne, apparently you can. The coolest head of school seems to be in Fort Worth, Texas at the Trinity Valley School, “an independent-college preparatory school with the mission of providing students with academic and character development.” Gary Krahn, PhD, advocates for the need for school-camp partnerships and the importance of exposing students to the outdoors in to meet new people, develop relationships, and confront new situations. Students under Krahn participate in [...]

The Lockout is Over

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-01-15T13:37:28-05:00January 15th, 2013|

For those of you who may not have known, there was a lockout in the NHL this past year that resulted in over half of the games in the 2012-2013 season being cancelled. Anyone who spends time with me has learned from me either proudly (pre lockout) or begrudgingly (during the lockout) that for the first time in my life this past year I became a season ticketholder for the Philadelphia Flyers. Needless to say the recent news that the lockout had ended made me very happy. Strangely enough as I reflect back on it, my relationship with the sport [...]

Volunteer Opportunities!

By YMCA of the Pines|2012-11-03T12:19:30-04:00November 3rd, 2012|

Not sure if you are going to participate in this years Annual 5k Gobbler Run. Or are you planning on just coming out to Camp to support the runners and walkers? Well, we are in need of volunteers to help ensure that all participants know where to go, stay hydrated and get registered quickly. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Darleen at [email protected] and thanks for your support! Register on-line: https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Medford/Gobbler5kRunFamilyFunWalk Registration Form: http://www.tnteventmanagement.com/Forms/2012/2012%20Gobbler%20Run.pdf