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Director's Corner
In the spirit of our camp motto "Help the Other Fellow", I thought I'd take this opportunity to thank some of the people and organizations that have helped out camp in the last year.
First and foremost, thanks to our dedicated list of volunteers on our Camping Services Committee. This loyal group helps us year round with guidance and support. Chaired by our fearless leader, Ray Jacoby, the team included in 2009: John Alden, Bob Cain, Janice Valgoi, Vickie Brown, Jim Van Orden, David Dustin, Jen Adrian and Jeff Morin.
Each year we are also very fortunate to have the support of local companies helping us with projects at camp. A big thanks to Ben and Jerry's and IBM Corporation for your continued support at camp over the years. We couldn't open and close up camp each year without your help! |
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Ben & Jerry's employees painting the deck of the camp store.
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| Upcoming Event
Saturday, April 24: Spring Help the Other Fellow Day.
While winter may still be in the air, camp is only 4 months away from it's first group of the spring. Join us at camp on Saturday, April 24 for opening projects and cleaning. Your time and efforts will help camp be ready for the nearly 1,000 people who will visit before the start of camp in June. To help,
contact the camp office for details.
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YMCA Camp Abnaki
Since 1901, Camp Abnaki has been providing a quality camp experience for boys. Thank you for being a part of the Camp Abnaki Family.
YMCA Camp Abnaki
North Hero, Vermont
Camp Abnaki is a program of the Greater Burlington YMCA.
(802) 862-9622
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Greetings!
Welcome to the first new online version of the Camp Abnaki Herald! As part of Camp Abnaki's effort to go green, we are reducing the number of paper Heralds we mail each year, lessening our impact on the enviroment.
Please feel free to let me know what you think of our online format--it's a work in progress. I hope you and your family are well, and I look forward to seeing you back at camp!
Sincerely,
Jon Kuypers
Camp Abnaki Director |
Waterfront Renovations Continue
Retaining wall is newest project 
The Skipper Shack, completed before the summer of 2009, was the first (and, perhaps, most visible) phase of the ongoing development and improvement of the Camp Abnaki waterfront.
The beautiful new building, however, called even greater attention to the condition of the retaining wall.
So, this January, Island Excavating spent a few days at camp tearing out the old wall (which had been comprised of wooden railroad ties) and installing the new one, comprised of stone. The wall has also been extended, the boat ramp enlarged, and a new set of stairs installed to help campers access the boat dock area.
These ongoing improvements have occurred thanks to the generosity of everyone who gave to our Save Our Shack campaign in 2008 and 2009.
The physical structures of the waterfront are but one aspect of our waterfront improvements. The Camp Abnaki Alumni Association is in the midst of fundraising to replace kayaks at camp, and are tentatively planning to fundraise for new sailboats in the coming years.
The program at the waterfront is also being improved, with the quality of skill class instruction improving, and in-house lifeguard training now a component of the Counselor-in-Training program.
With these improvements in place, the Camp Abnaki waterfront is sure to be THE place to be for a long time to come. |
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Day Camp Grows in 2010
The summer of 2009 saw the successful launch of Day Camp at Camp Abnaki. By offering a "greatest hits" of camp programming each week, day campers had the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends, and enjoy the wonderful natural environment that make for an
outstanding summer experience.
The success of the 2009 program has encouraged camp to make some changes designed to help Day Camp expand in 2010.
The first change is the inclusion of a camp-provided lunch for all day campers. This will allow day campers to pack less each day, and adds great value to the experience.
The other change to the program is the addition of bus transportation for day campers. In partnership with YWCA Camp Hochelaga's day camp program for girls, Camp Abnaki will be offering bus transportation for families. The bus will begin it's route at the Chimney Corners Park & Ride, make a stop in Colchester (at Bear Trap Road), and proceed to Camp Hochelaga. From Hochelaga, the bus will make stops at Folsom Education and Community Center and Grand Isle School to pick up more Abnaki day campers. The final stop of the day is Camp Abnaki.
The bus service will make it more convenient for families from Milton, Burlington, Colchester and Essex to attend the Abnaki Day Camp. Parents will still have the option of dropping off and picking up their boys in person at camp. Thanks to our partnership with Camp Hochelaga, we are able to do all of this while raising our rates only slightly (to $175/week). |
What Does "ACA Accredited" Mean?
2010 is an Accreditation Summer 
YMCA Camp Abnaki is accredited by the American Camp Association, the nation's largest camp organization. For over 100 years, the ACA has provided professional training and support, advocacy, and accreditation for summer camps of all shapes and sizes throughout the United States.
As an ACA Accredited camp, YMCA Camp Abnaki adheres to over 200 standards in all areas of it's operations. In 2010, Camp Abnaki will be visited to renew it's accreditation status (camps are visited every 3 years). Many of the standards camps are evaluated on relate directly to safety, from the placement of guardrails on top bunks to emergency procedures. Camps are also evaluated on areas of communication, program quality, staff hiring practices, food service, facility maintenance, camper health care, and much more. Jon Kuypers, Camp Abnaki Director, has served as a visitor who visits other camps during their accreditation for the past 4 years. |
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The Camp Abnaki Herald
