First published in the Grand Traverse Insider - Sunday, March 28, 2010
Y Day Camp – Summer 2010
By Dave Eitland
Y Director of Development and Marketing
I was at a meeting of the Bay Area Senior Advocates, a group of 80 people working with seniors, when one of the directors came up to me. She is a social worker in an assisted living center in the region. “You know I was in Leaders Club at Day Camp when I was a child and it changed my life,” she said. “It gave me the confidence at an early age to know that I could succeed in anything I put my mind to.”
The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA has been changing lives at Day Camp for 25 years. The lives we continue to touch are many. The YMCA of USA is celebrating 125 years of camping this year. For more than 125 years, children of all ages have discovered a whole new world for fun, memories and friendships to last a lifetime at YMCA summer day camps.
Molly Brown, Grand Traverse Bay YMCA director of day camps, explained the upcoming 2010 Day Camp summer activity. “Day Camp is an all day camp full of activities that happen from 6:30 am – 6:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays. Our Day Camp season this year is from June 14th to September 3rd. Most activities will happen at the YMCA just south of Airport Road in the Boardman Nature Area.”
“Day Camp provides a camp style setting where children from ages 3 ½ to grade 9 will not only build lasting friendships but will also experience programs based on the core values of the YMCA of caring, respect, honesty, and responsibility,” commented Brown. “Each camp will have team building, activities, projects, arts and crafts, and field trips based on a weekly theme for each of the day camp groups.”
The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA continues its tradition of summer day camps supervised by quality adult staff in a State of Michigan licensed program. During the summer some 200 children will experience each week a different themed camp based on age group.
K-Camp will provide children 5 years old and those going into Kindergarten an age appropriate level of activities similar to the traditional day came.
The Traditional Day Camp features a variety of everything for children going into grades 1 to 6. Each grade forms its own group within this traditional day camp.
Sports Camp will give children going into 4th to 6th grades the opportunity either to be introduced to new sports for them or polish their skills. Each week will feature a new sport ranging from basketball, soccer, flag football, lacrosse, baseball, and golf. Activities will include specific sports drills, skills, and scrimmages. Whether campers are trying it out for the first time or enhancing their skills, all will feel comfortable with the basics of each of the sports by the end of camp.
In its second year, our Y Arts Camp is a four week program for grades 4 to 6 featuring a different theme each month. This year’s Arts Camp will be from July 12 – August 6 with themes of “Pure Nature”, “African Safari”, “Art History: Paint like Picasso” , and “Art Expression: Imagine, Design, Create.” This camp includes field trips and hands-on use of various media for children to express themselves.
Leaders Club is for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders moving to model values and leadership throughout the various camps. These campers will proceed through an application process with references to be considered for this camp. These campers will also be in charge of creating the YMCA National Cherry Festival parade float.
The 40-acres of the Boardman Nature Center provides enough area for each group to have their own camp site. The fields, hiking trails, and canoeing on the Boardman River are an ideal setting for these camps. Kids bring their lunches each day except for Friday when camp wide “Forks and Foil” lunches happen.
The Young Explorers Camp will be located at the Y Child Care Center at 1100 Woodmere, Suite B in Traverse City and will be for 3 ½ to 4 ½ year olds. Camp will be shaped through the YMCA’s values based curriculum and activity will be in our 9,600 sq.ft. facility. The Child Care registration process will be required of these children to participate in this camp.
Quality staffing with training, back ground checks, first aid and CPR certification provides the base to the wonder experience each camper will have. Some 25 staff will be hired for these camps throughout the summer. The activities at camp will provide the bonds of friendship for each of the campers supported by a caring staff. The goal for each camper is to display the four values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and this is reinforced by the values bracelets campers receive when “caught” doing these value in the life of the camp. Katie Winslow will serve again as camp supervisor.
Every Friday is full of camp wide activities where campers will prepare meals, skits, or songs featured a large group gathering.
Registration cost varies with camp. Members always receive a reduced rate. At registration a $10 deposit for each week will be required. All non-members will pay a $25 program membership in addition to all registration fees. Registration payment is paid on the Monday for the following week of camp. Information about the Y 2010 Day Camp is featured on the YMCA website at www.gtbayymca.org where forms and the Camp Policy Booklet can be downloaded. A blog at dcgtbayymca.blogspot.com keeps parents and the public updated on Day Camp activities and announcements. Day Camp information is also available from Katie Winslow at the main YMCA facility at 3000 Racquet Club Drive (231-933-9622) or Molly Brown at the Y Child Care Center (231-421-3568) or childcare@gtbayymca.org .
Registration begins on March 29th!
