GREEN: There is an implied compliment to being called a “best-kept secret.”
But Camp Y-Noah Director Carl “Rocky” Wargo would be happier if that idiom wasn’t needed to describe the YMCA’s 250-acre property in southern Summit County.
On Sunday, a quarterly free Family Fun Day sought to lure a new generation to an institution that’s been around for nearly 90 years.
“So often I hear from parents, ‘I had no idea this existed,’ but my job is to change that,” said Wargo, who served as a counselor in the special-needs division during college before returning two years ago to take the top spot.
Some 260 people toured Y-Noah on a cool but sunny afternoon, peeking in on its cabins, walking around its 30-acre lake and visiting with horses at the equestrian center.
The camp is open year-round — several staff members live on the property — and activities range from weeklong day camps to the overnight variety.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 youngsters ages 6 to 17 are served every year with typical outdoor activities like canoeing, archery, swimming, climbing and horseback trail riding.
But also popular are literary camps where youngsters spend a week immersed in the world of Harry Potter, Star Wars, Percy Jackson or Rangers Apprentice.
During Harry Potter week, for instance, registered campers are “invited” to the magical school with a letter that includes an owl feather, camp counselors are called “professors,” the game of Quidditch is played on a zip line, and robes are worn to Muggle Studies class.
And new this year: camps built around the popular games of Minecraft and the Legend of Zelda.
‘Healthy living’ skills
The first parcel that makes up Camp Y-Noah was purchased in 1930. Back then, the YMCA was a men’s organization, so the camp was aimed at boys. Eventually, girls were admitted to the club, but Wargo said the core concept is the same as it’s ever been — giving kids a chance to get out of the city while learning some “healthy living” skills.
“We teach five character values,” Wargo said of the nonprofit. “Caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and faith.
“Our tools are canoes, basketballs, arrows, BB guns,” Wargo said, explaining that a simple afternoon in a canoe can emphasize everything from the teamwork of rowing to the responsibility of caring for equipment.
The YMCA was founded as a Christian organization, but all faiths can — and do — take part, and chapel activities can range from “Robert Frost to the Bible to aboriginal beliefs,” said Summer Camp Director Ben Hunsicker.
Like most of Camp Y-Noah’s staff, Hunsicker grew up a camper and spent his college years as a counselor, nurturing a passion for the way outdoor activities can build a better person.
Marketing Director Judi Christy added that camp is a place where youngsters can disconnect from their electronics and “go back to just being a kid.”
International draw
Sarah Neal of New Franklin and her two children visited the camp for Family Fun Day, but they already know the grounds well.
Her 8-year-old son, Ethan Ansel, is spending his fourth summer at the camp and looking forward to archery, BB guns and horseback riding, his favorite activities.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old daughter Mackenzie Rickelman has five summers under her belt and enjoys socializing with other teens around a campfire and evening walks. This year, she intends to begin training to become a counselor.
Camp Y-Noah participates in programs that bring in counselors from many countries. Flags in the dining hall mark their homelands: South Africa, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Great Britain, to name a few.
“It’s nice meeting people from around the world,” Rickelman said.
Neal said it’s a benefit of camp life that her children get to “see how other people live and experience their cultures.”
Price range
Weekly camps can range in price from $280 for Mini Adventure Camp to $590 for the literary camps and Ranch Camp, but scholarships are available for families who need financial assistance. Ask for an application.
There are also six- and eight-week horseback riding lessons and shortened camps in the spring, fall and winter that give first-time campers a chance to experience an overnighter without committing to a full week.
YMCA members get a discount on prices, and transportation is provided to some day camps from other YMCA sites.
Camp Y-Noah is at 815 Mount Pleasant Road in Green. For more information, visit www.gotcamp.org or call 330-896-1964.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.