Hidden in the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains, the sound of water gently flowing in a creek and wind blowing through the trees invites campers to experience their summer adventure to the fullest at YMCA Camp West Mar.
Operated by the YMCA of Frederick County, Camp West Mar provides campers with an opportunity to build new skills and create friendships while connecting with nature. Camp West Mar offers overnight camps for campers ages 9 to 14 and day camps for campers ages 6 to 14. For kids ages 6 to 17, the YMCA additionally offers traditional, themed, specialty and teen camps.
Making Memories
Camp West Mar welcomes campers from Frederick County and surrounding areas—including Pennsylvania and Delaware—to experience life immersed in nature and unplugged from technology. With more than 100 children in attendance for day camp, Camp West Mar provides campers with many unique opportunities to connect and start friendships with children from outside their local communities.
“Even in classrooms, everything is so digital today,” said Sara Robertson-Ryan, Executive Director of Camp at the YMCA of Frederick County. “Being outside all day in a wonderfully natural environment is the best part.” Camp West Mar is full of activities for campers to have memorable outdoor adventures, including archery, swimming in an outdoor pool, playing a variety of sports and exploring the natural world around them during outdoor education.
Another activity campers can’t get enough of during the summer at Camp West Mar is gaga ball. If you’re not familiar with the game, imagine a gentler version of dodge ball played with a soft foam ball inside a contained area, called the pit. Camp West Mar has gaga pits nestled beneath the tall trees on the camp’s property, where campers can exert their energy during a fun, fast-paced game. “The kids would play gaga ball all day if they could,” Victoria Anderson, Director of Camp West Mar said.
Boosting Confidence and Building Life Skills
At summer camp, kids learn and practice new skills they can feel proud of. Their independence and sense of responsibility is strengthened as kids spend time away from their parents, allowing them to discover their inner strengths.
For campers who are spending time away from their parents for the first time—and parents who haven’t experienced their kids being away overnight—having camp counselors who genuinely care for the kids makes a difference. “Last summer there was a young girl in the overnight program who was quite homesick,” Victoria said. “Her dad was worried about how she would cope emotionally. And, while she appeared sad or stoic through most of the week, her father emailed us after she went home and said, ‘She literally had the time of her life at camp and thanks so much for a great week...she still talks about it every day.’”
The core values at the Y and Camp West Mar are represented through core value beads: red represents caring, blue is honesty, yellow is respect and green represents responsibility for ourselves, others and the environment. Camp counselors make note of campers who display the core values and award campers with a bead at the camp’s core value bead ceremony.
“It’s cool to see campers attend camp all summer and rack up so many beads,” Victoria said. “Kids will want to show off their bead and chat about it with their parents...they’re a good conversation starter.”
Well Suited for Working Families
Getting campers to and from summer camp is made easy with transportation options provided by the YMCA. Campers can be dropped off at the Natelli Family YMCA or the Downtown YMCA location for bus service to Camp West Mar.
The camp hours of operation were created with working parents in mind. Regular camp programming occurs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with before and after care opportunities. For overnight campers, drop off is on Sundays and campers are picked up in the evening on Fridays.
Each summer, Camp West Mar employs staff from around the world through their international program, providing campers with a unique opportunity to understand new perspectives. The staff at Camp West Mar create a safe environment for campers, but they also build relationships and connect with campers on a deeper, more personal level. “They create family among themselves,” Victoria said.
Camp West Mar offers an enriching experience for campers and counselors from Frederick County and beyond to enjoy nature and forge new friendships away from screens. Camp West Mar is the ideal retreat for children to bond, play, learn and create memories to last a lifetime.
FrederickYMCA.org
Camp West Mar provides campers with an opportunity to build new skills and create friendships while connecting with nature.
