When we called 11 year-old, Lucia, she was very excited to talk to us about her experiences at Camp Wood YMCA. She is returning this summer for 4 weeks and we’re thrilled to have her enthusiasm back at camp! We also spoke with her mother, Noelle, about why they make camp a priority each summer.
Lucia (2nd from left) and her cabin mates waiting for evening campfire to start.
Lucia’s first year as a camper
Lucia’s mother, Noelle, initially chose to send her daughter to Camp Wood YMCA because she knew the YMCA’s reputation and trusted that it would be a good, safe camp for her young daughter. She was right. “During her first year, she got really attached,” reflects Noelle. When Lucia returned home after her first camp session, she couldn’t stop talking about the experience. The next year she signed up for 2 weeks at camp.
What keeps Lucia coming back each year?
Lucia shares that her favorite things about camp, the things that keep her coming back year after year, include “new friends, good counselors and all the fun activities!” Friendship especially has become an important reason to return. During her second summer, she became good friends with two girls in her cabin. After summer ended, Noelle shared that the girls all wrote letters back and forth to stay in touch. Later, they worked with their parents to choose which sessions they would all attend the following year. The girls look forward to reuniting as friends at camp each year.
Waiting for summer
For kids who love camp, waiting for summer to arrive can be difficult. “Lucia talks all year about it,” shares her mother, Noelle, “and keeps asking to come back.” This year, Lucia is excited to build her horsemanship skills during several sessions of Basic Horse Camp. Her final session of summer, Advanced Horse Camp, will be the culmination of all her hard work and learning during the 3 previous weeks spent up at the barn. In addition to friendships, this skill-building and increased confidence are what summer camp is all about.
Many thanks to Lucia and her mother, Noelle, for sharing their Camp Wood story. We’re so glad Lucia is coming back for another summer! Returning campers always bring a special enthusiasm and spirit to their sessions.
Are you a returning campers who hasn’t registered yet? Sessions are filling up fast—especially horse and leadership camps. Sign up soon to guarantee your place in 2016!