More local children go to YMCA of Greater Rochester camps than any others in the area. Roc Parent looked into “why” the Y, and found out the reasons are many.
“Camp is a very special place as it puts all kids on a level playing field, and it’s solely built for their enjoyment and their appreciation, to give them the skills and tools you simply can’t get at home,” said Mike Stevens, senior vice president of association advancement for the YMCA of Greater Rochester.
Camp story
“You need to be in a caring, enriching, nurturing environment, whether it’s for one week of your summer, or for two weeks, or for four weeks,” he said. “It’s an experience that you’ll look back on 10 years from now, 20 years from now, and think about the memories made at camp.”
While many camps in the region focus on skill development—such as swimming, archery, and ropes courses—the YMCA day camps and overnight camps offer a more holistic approach.
Y camps focus on relationships, a sense of belonging, and achievement. At the end of a week of sleep-away camp at Camp Cory in Penn Yan on Keuka Lake, the campers and counselors say aloud, “Camp wouldn’t be the same unless we were all here.”
“The more unique you are, the more you shine at camp,” said Michele Rowcliffe, vice president of camping services for the YMCA of Greater Rochester. “If a child is feeling anxious and not feeling part of a group, that’s where the Y comes into play.”
And why do unique kids shine at Y camps? “Because we hire staff members who were unique kids,” Rowcliffe added. These counselors are only three to 10 years older than the campers, so they can relate to and with them.
“I hear from the parents all the time, ‘I don’t know what you did, because my kid had the hardest time in middle school, but when we showed up, everyone was hugging them and making them feel like a rock star,’ ” Rowcliffe shared. “If I could package that and sell that, who wouldn’t send their kids to camp?”
Parents do not realize how much they talk for their kids and make decisions for them, she noted. Their world can be changed when they are away from their parents and are forced to be independent and responsible.
Rowcliffe realizes this may make a parent sad, because we as moms want it to be “me, me, me,” but she even sees a “different kid” at camp with her own teen daughter, Olivia, who is a counselor at Camp Cory.
At overnight camp you give up your phone and you leave the school cliques at home. No one is taking selfies and you are talking and laughing with everyone and anyone.
There has been a new (or renewed) focus in recent years for letting the campers slow down, Rowcliffe noted, building time into the day for kids to chill out together, to huddle up and talk and rest and have meals together.
“The demands on kids with school and athletics are getting so intense, so it’s more important than ever for them to unplug and get their exercise playing Marco Polo in the pool or hiking in the woods, vs. running 10 miles on a busy road,” Rowcliffe said.
While parents know the Y camps have pools, and sports, and arts and crafts, Rowcliffe said what parents cannot see is “the special sauce, the whole experience that kids can’t articulate to their parents,” like goal-setting, or making three great friends, or finding a role model in a 20-year-old counselor.
“Parents are leaving their most-prized possessions with us, for eight hours a day or for a full week or two weeks,” Rowcliffe said. “We have to do our due diligence, we have to have trained staff, and we have to provide the resources to ensure all children are safe and care for.”
By comparison, a town rec center summer program may have a 1-to-20 counselor- to-camper ratio, while the YMCA ratio is 1-to-6 for younger kids and 1-to 10-for older kids. This ensures safety and peace of mind, Rowcliffe noted, for parents as well as Y leadership.
Day Camps
2018 camp dates are June 25 to Aug. 24 or Aug. 31 (end date varies by camp)
CAMP ARROWHEAD
20 Arrowhead Road, Pittsford
At YMCA Camp Arrowhead we create a safe environment for kids to have an unforgettable summer. While our campers are taking part in unique experiences and adventures, they’re also building self-esteem, developing social skills and making lasting friendships and memories.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-arrowhead; (585) 383-4590
CAMP BAY VIEW
1209 Bay Road, Webster
Camp Bay View offers a wide range of different camps, including day camps, specialty camps, preschool camps, plus waterfront activities including canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, and wake-boarding.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-bay-view; (585) 341-4001
CAMP CORNING
127 Centerway, Corning
Our camp is an all-day adventure, with campers bused to the scenic Watson Homestead, which boasts miles of hiking trails, a swimming facility, miniature golf course, a climbing tower, an archery range, athletic fields, and so much more.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-corning; (607) 936-4638
CAMP CORY
140 East Lake Road (Route 54), Penn Yan
Camp Cory is expanding its day camp this year, with six new acres on the shores of Keuka Lake.
campcory.org; (800) 316-3977
CAMP EASTSIDE
1835 Fairport Nine Mile Road, Penfield
Camp Eastside offers a wide range of activities, including arts and crafts, group activities, aquatic adventures, outdoor adventures, rock climbing, archery, and activities on science and technology.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-eastside; (585) 341-4000
CAMP MONROE
797 Monroe Ave., Rochester
Monroe Y camps are smaller, more personal day camps and provide a sense of adventure. Camps include a fun-and-fit camp, sports camp, gymnastics, taekwondo, and teen cooking.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-monroe; (585) 271-5320
CAMP NORTHPOINT
North Greece Road, Hilton
Activities at Camp Northpoint include climbing tower, canoeing, swimming, archery, nature activities, group games, and more.
campnorthpoint.org; (585) 784-3800
CAMP NORTHWEST
730 Long Pond Road, Greece
Activities at Camp Northwest include gymnastics, dance, and aquatics at Northwest Family YMCA.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-northwest; (585) 227-3900
CAMP SOUTHEAST
111 E. Jefferson Road, Pittsford
Camp themes include Fun and Fish, Youth Sports, Gymnastics, and Taekwondo.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-southeast; (585) 385-4665
CAMP THUNDERBIRD
1 Round House Road, Rochester
Campers enjoy daily activities tailored for each age group in Genesee Valley Park.
camps.rochesterymca.org/camp-thunderbird; (585) 263-4282
Overnight Camps
CAMP CORY
140 East Lake Road (Route 54), Penn Yan (Finger Lakes)
Camp Cory provides campers with experiences like cabin life; land, aquatic, and creative activities; and building relationships with kids their age as well as counselors. They also offer options for day camps instead of overnight camps.
campcory.org; (800) 316-3977
CAMP GORHAM
265 Darts Lake Road, Eagle Bay (Adirondacks)
At Gorham, campers are immersed in the traditions of camp, on a private lake and hundreds of wooded acres. Activities include swimming, rock climbing, kayaking, sports, and horseback riding.
campgorham.org/overnight/traditional-camp; (888) 518-5671
