Every Child Needs A Camp Home

One of the truly wonderful things to observe and be a part of at our camp is watching a community form as the bonds of friendship grow between children from diverse backgrounds.  In an age where specialization of youth activities thrives, the remarkable diversity of children in a traditional YMCA summer camp setting  is truly a marvel to behold.  Each one gains something they need in their development and offers something another needs.  Many parents wonder and ask if camp is the right place for their child, and the answer is yes, because it is the right place for every child.

• Children with wonderful loving homes and supportive parents and mentors have the chance to develop self-reliance and the kind of confidence that can only be gained by doing something on your own.
• Children with family backstories that would break your heart have the opportunity to gain mentors and feel supported and loved by a community in a way they need and deserve.
• Children from "the city" who are growing up in urban environments experience the majesty of nature in ways and quantities they did not know existed. 
• Children growing up on a farm, hunting and fishing from the time they can walk might take a Lego Robotics lesson for the first time or participate in a hip hop dance class.
• Children from the Midwest have the opportunity to learn about and form friendships with people from different continents and cultures. You can see their understanding and appreciation for the size of the world and the people in it grow.
• Children from Madrid, Paris, and Istanbul  experience the deliberate pace of camp life in a rural American setting and see their first baseball game.
• A gifted athlete and a self proclaimed "harry potter nerd" laugh and talk and each walk away with a better understanding of how much they have in common.

The list goes on and on, but the true magic is watching this diverse melting pot of children and counselors come together in a loving community.  I use the word magic deliberately, because if you have ever attended a closing campfire you would know that something indescribable and wonderful was occurring in this place.

Camp is not a utopia and conflict happens.  Those are some of the best learning opportunities that take place.  When you see children successfully work through conflict at a young age, it gives you great hope for the future of our communities, country and the world.  Sound a bit cheesy and overly optimistic? It is and that is part of the magic.  Camp makes everyone that calls it home more optimistic about the future, and that is more refreshing than the cool river water on an August day.  You can help kids be a part of a camp home in a variety of ways and it is never to late to find your own as a volunteer and supporter. 

There are wonderful camp homes all across this country, but if you are searching for one for your children or your support, I know a beautiful one in St. Paul, Indiana on the banks of the Flat Rock river.  Wonderful people are working each day there to make it the Best Camp Ever for every child that attends and love nothing more than to continue to grow the family that calls it home.