A Call To Action

We are fortunate to live in a place where people believe in helping neighbors, supporting local business, and strengthening the children and families in our community. The Provident Bank is generously donating $20,000 to area non-profits as part of their annual “Our Community, Your E-Vote”. YOUR e-vote will determine how this donation is allocated.

We need your vote! Southern District YMCA/Camp Lincoln serves thousands of children every year. With School Age Child Care programs in 15 local schools that meet morning and afternoon of every school day, and YMCA Camp Lincoln summer camp that rounds out the non-school days of summer with full day programming, a child in southeast NH can spend their entire year meeting new friends and engaging in fun, educational, and active YMCA programs. That is if they can afford it, right?

Wrong. Southern District YMCA does not turn any child away for inability to pay. Now let that sink in for a minute.

We would not be able to offer such diverse options for programs, to so many children and families, without your help. We need your vote.

Click here, look for the “Our Community, Your E-Vote” logo, and vote for YMCA Camp Lincoln. Do it today, and then share this blog and ask your friends and family to join you. Help us grow our community impact by increasing the depth of our Scholarship Program.

We are a strong community, and the Southern District YMCA is honored to be a part of it.

Sports In May

A new month means a new theme for YMCA School Age Child Care. The theme for May is SPORTS! Each school site has designed creative afterschool curriculum that involves sports. In Danville, students are participating in YMCA Olympics. In Brentwood, the focus is on team sports: Soccer, Frisbee, Basketball and Kickball. Raymond students can choose to participate in sports month as an athlete or an artistic sports fan. In Hampstead, students and staff will try a new sport each day, from Hockey to Running and Whiffleball to Cheerleading. May is an especially active and athletic month for the YMCA!

Camp Clean Up and Open House

Thanks to some generous volunteer groups, Camp Lincoln is in great shape, and almost ready to welcome thousands of campers this summer! Fifteen staff and their family members returned to camp on Saturday to move firewood, paint signs, and rake and sweep cabin roofs. Docks are back to their floating positions on the lake. On Friday, the office exteriors will be painted and camp’s token Adirondack Chair will get a structural makeover. Thanks to all these volunteers!

On Sunday, over 300 families attended an Open House at camp to tour the facilities and talk about summer camp with staff. Thank you to the eighteen staff members who helped out at the Open House!

Cyrus Champey and Ryan McKernon at Camp Clean-Up Day

Vacation Camp with the YMCA

Reflecting on April Vacation Camp boasts great participation, new and active camp options, and a lot of fun! Over 180 children from 143 families spent all or part of their April vacation with the Southern District YMCA. The camp consisted of a variety of daily programs, from visiting the Franklin Park Zoo, to a Fisher Cats baseball game, to an active day of games and ropes course at Camp Lincoln. As the activities changed daily, one thing did not: the incredible enthusiasm and positive energy of children who spent their vacation outside, with friends, doing cool things. Thank you to our friends who participated in April Vacation camp this year!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Earth Day With Timberland

Last week, 65 employees from Timberland laced up their boots, pulled on their work gloves, and revitalized Camp Lincoln facilities as part of Timberland’s Earth Day Service projects. Over 60 employees spent the sunny day completing tasks at camp that help us continue to deliver high quality, year-round programming. Projects include building new stairs in the amphitheater to prevent erosion, painting the dining hall floor, sweeping cabin roofs, building a new canoe rack, painting pottery and arts and crafts cabins, re-building the sportsfield backstop, sanding and polyurithaning adirondack chairs and picnic tables, building mystery touch boxes for a new summer program, and completing general maintenance on mountain bikes. On top of this impressive list, Timberland generously donated a new scoreboard for Hobbs Field. Wow!

Thank You, Timberland, for pulling on your boots and making a difference!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Dust Off The Camp Trunk

It has been a number of years, perhaps nearly a decade, since the camp trunk has made its way down from the attic. That trunk carries a lot of memories; Camp Nellie Huckins decals, and remnants of pine needles and sand from the shores of Lake Ossipee still wedged in the corners. Summers have come and gone, and just like her big sister (now in college) this summer is Anna’s first opportunity to head off for two weeks of overnight camp at Nellie Huckins. She will have the chance to discover for herself all the magic and adventure that overnight camp brings.

The camp experience is like no other and as a parent I know that my daughter, who is in 4^th grade, is ready for her first two weeks away from home. Anna’s summers at Camp Lincoln helped to prepare her for overnight camp…and they helped me too! I know that the YMCA philosophy of nurturing and encouraging our children to be independent, to develop new skills, and to grow socially in a safe and responsible environment is the foundation of all Y camp experiences. As a parent I am assured that my daughter will have the opportunity to improve her skills on the waterfront, archery range, tennis court and outdoor programs and most importantly will become more independent. There is something that happens at camp…special camp songs, traditions that become your own, and a sense of friendship that runs deep beyond the last giggle before the flashlights are turned out.

As a parent I am thankful for the skills and sense of confidence that Anna developed during her time at Camp Lincoln, and when we pack the camp trunk this year and head off to Huckins I know Anna will be ready…and so will I.

Karen Prior and family live in Exeter, NH. Karen is a YMCA enthusiast and we are grateful for her service! Best wishes to Anna as she heads off to overnight camp this summer.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

YMCA’s Celebrate Youth and Government

The YMCAs of New Hampshire hosted 30 schools and 300 teens, school advisors, and YMCA volunteers at the 65^th annual YMCA Youth & Government session this month. Governor Maggie Hassan welcomed participants to the State House during the opening ceremony. She spoke about her entry into politics and encouraged students to continue to be engaged in civic life no matter where their future path may lead them.

The motto of the YMCA Youth & Government Program is “Democracy must be learned by each generation.” The program gives high school students the opportunity to learn first-hand about state government during the two day model legislative session. Student delegates discussed and debated some 110 bills they prepared as part of the program. Bills focused on issues such as the legalization of marijuana, credit card surcharges, and validity of civil unions.

The Exeter High School Delegation, under the direction of teacher Amy Vandersall, brought one of the largest groups of student participants. EHS students Alex Rose and Doug Marino were recognized for their contributions during closing ceremonies.

Executive Councilor, Raymond Burton, and Henry Veilleux, Sheehan & Phinney Capitol Group serve as Co-Chairs of New Hampshire’s YMCA Youth & Government Program which is sponsored by the NH/VT State Alliance of YMCAs. Corporate sponsors for 2013 are: The Duprey Companies, Nextera Energy, and Waste Management, Inc. The Southern District YMCA supports and offers financial assistance to high school delegates from the Rockingham District.