Greetings from Camp
We’re excited to send you our inaugural edition of Letters from Camp. This new magazine is designed for campers and camp alum, to tell great camp stories and keep you connected with all the happenings in our great outdoor spaces. This is our first, and so expect that future editions will change. Send us your feedback at letterstocamp@ymcanorth.org.
Our camps are such special places and such an important part of fulfilling the mission of the YMCA. As alumni know better than anyone, camp changes lives.
When I reflect on reasons why camp makes such an impact, a few things stand out:
Camp is for everyone–Family Camps welcome babies to seniors, Day Camps welcome wee backpackers as young as four years old. Teen wilderness trips, adults-only retreats–there is truly an experience for everyone.
Camp is an experience that gives campers the chance to grow in confidence, learn new skills, work as a team, build friendships, and so much more.
Camp has a dedicated community of passionate supporters that includes current participants, as well as those alumni who have remained involved for many years.
I am proud of the work our camps are doing and look forward to continued growth in the future.
Glen Gunderson
President
YMCA of the North
DEAR CAMPERS,
In my tours across our Y camps this summer, I woke up many times on the edges of lakes, surrounded by trees, in awe of the beauty and serenity they provide. In the distance was always the sound of young people waking, talking and laughing, planning their day, packing for a long-distance trip or simply getting ready for whatever journeys their schedule had in store.
These may seem like simple things, but in a time when face-to-face conversations are often swapped for phone apps and reels, and holding space to care for each other and build relationships is fit in between class crossings and extracurricular activities, these simple things hold enormous value.
There’s no question summer camp is a fun and adventurous experience for all. The benefits of spending a week or more away from home, meeting others from all walks of life, extends beyond the fun and friendships. Studies by the American Camp Association show that camp experiences help prepare young people for adulthood.
Our programs help develop self-confidence, independence and resilience. They create opportunities to learn new skills and grow as a person. They leave campers of all ages with relationships that stand the test of time, a belief in their own abilities that shows up to guide them in times of doubt and fear, and the tools to be a thoughtful, confident member of the greater world we all call home.
I know across all our Y camps, we are creating community by giving voice to the many young people who will lead us forward to care for the future world. This is often at the heart of what makes our former (and always!) campers hold their camp story close throughout their lives, to be shared with their children and grandchildren.
I hope your camp story has been defining in your life. We invite you to come visit us, to reconnect with the people and places that detail your memories and plant the seeds of dreams for the next generation.
Michel Tigan
Vice President of Camp Operations
YMCA of the North
Features
- Choosing Camp as a Celebration Site
Camp du Nord - A New Kind of Trip So All Feel Welcome
Camp Icaghowan - Spruced Up Spaces
Camp Icaghowan - Four Generations of a Family Tradition
Camp Ihduhapi - 100 Years of Wonder in the Wilderness
Camp Menogyn - Taking S.T.E.P.S. Toward Equity and Inclusion
Camp Northern Lights - Growing and Gathering for Campers and the Community
Camp St. Croix - Decades of Camp Memories Help Celebrate 95th Anniversary
Camp Warren - A Canoe's Long Absence From Camp
Camp Widjiwagan