Families drove up the gravel road on Friday, Aug. 4, to reunite with their children after this summer of fun and growth. They reunited with their campers and gathered to watch a slideshow of the session’s highlights.

Merrowvista summer programming officially concluded with a Closing Circle where camp and Four Trails coordinators shared highlights and each age group sang a song. Then, Odyssey and Wayfinder campers each received a very special item of clothing to mark their completion of these milestone programs.

Odyssey campers received vests for the completion of their 100-Mile Wilderness trek and the final leg of the Four Trails program. Wayfinder campers received rugbies for completing their greenhouse service-learning project. Traditionally, these items are presented to campers by close family or friends who’ve also completed the same programs, continuing the legacy of the Four Trails experience.

Merrowvista is honored to have welcomed all our summer 2023 campers into this community and cannot wait to see how they take all they’ve learned to their home communities. Until next summer, Founder Friends!

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The entire Merrowvista community lined path and cheered wildly as these campers entered camp and concluded their final Merrowvista trip. When they reached the Farmhouse, the Odyssey campers dropped their well-worn packs and huddled together, chanting “Merrowvista, Merrowvista, shall we tell you how we feel?” over and over until suddenly, they took off in a mad dash through camp to the waterfront. They flung themselves from the dock into Dan Hole Pond, basking in the cool water and the joy of completing their final trip as Merrowvista campers.

Completing Odyssey is no small feat. It’s a 16-day hike through the 100-mile wilderness in Maine, one of the most challenging parts of the Appalachian Trail. The high point of the hike – literally and figuratively – hits at the summit of Mt Katahdin, the highest point in Maine. This is the capstone trip of the Four Trails experience, and one longtime campers eagerly anticipate for years.

From a young age, Merrowvista campers hear the AYF motto again and again: “My own self at my very best all the time.” While their best selves may have looked different each day, each camper carried this motto with them as they accomplished this incredible feat.

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Wayfinders are campers entering grade 11 who spend three weeks completing a service-learning project. These projects are no small feat – previous years’ Wayfinders deconstructed and rebuilt the Ledge Shelter (now called the North Star Shelter), built a new shelter for the camp bell, and rebuilt a log cabin on the A-field.

The 2023 project is a complete rebuilding and renovation of the garden behind the Eating Lodge. Fourteen Wayfinders started from the ground up to build a greenhouse that will benefit the Merrowvista community environmentally, ethically, and socially.

Dayna Vuksinick, Director of Community and School Programs and Wayfinder group leader, said this Wayfinder group consisted of all returning campers who were particularly passionate about this project.

“This project allows Merrowvista veterans to appreciate the community they grew up in,” Vuksinick said. “This is a way for them to learn and respect and appreciate how far they’ve come since being young campers and be able to give to the future community that will come through here. I hope they take away a sense of pride from everything they have done and worked on.

Prior to this project, the side yard adjacent to the Eating Lodge housed a small garden consisting of a few raised beds that campers and staff occasionally used. Wayfinders breathed new life into this space to make it a fully functioning garden.

They started by removing the raised beds and all the grass and leveled the space with gravel. They also poured concrete for the foundation of the base of the poles for the greenhouse. Once they had a sturdy base, they constructed the actual greenhouse, which will house raised beds to extend the New England growing season. Additional raised beds and picnic tables were added to provide a more welcoming feel to the space.

Merrowvista will use it to grow food for the kitchen, as an interest group activity for future summer camps, and for programming during school and community programs.

Wayfinder camper Robin Murphy said the greenhouse taught him a lot about confidence and leadership in group projects. “It has taught me where I can be helpful and make decisions,” he said. “It has also taught me that chipping in looks different for every person.”

Learning these skills promotes healthy habits and relationships for campers when they head home and enter back into their daily life.

Murphy also said this project helps support the Wayfinder program for years to come. He said the project is visible. Younger campers and staff members can see the progress that has taken place.

Camper Maddy Wetlaufer said this project taught her about the power of coming together and everybody’s strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, it allowed Wayfinders to give back to their community.

“This project is just a little repayment to the Merrowvista community for what they have done for us over the years,” she said.

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The tournament divides campers into four large teams that compete in a variety of events all week. Each Four Folds Tournament kicks off with a staff skit that introduces the theme for the year. This summer, it is “Back to the Future,” with each team representing a different decade: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

Staff announced this year’s teams (with decade-appropriate playlists and staff costumes), and the campers raced back to their cabins to don their team’s color and prepare for the first Four Folds Tournament event: the Vista Grand Prix.

In this event, campers harness themselves together in cardboard boxes and climbing rope, then race around the Green Acre through a series of obstacles as though participating in a live-action Mario Kart game.

Other friendly competitions throughout the week include the Water Carnival, Duck Day, Camp Risk, Middle Earth Dual, and a final All-Camp Relay. The team that receives the most points during these events is crowned the victor of the tournament.

This year, the Session A Four Folds Tournament champion was the 2000s. Honorable mentions included the ’90s with the I Dare You award, the ’80s with the Founder Hearts award, and the ’70s with the Enkindled Spirits award. Each of these Merrowvista-specific awards highlighted the heart, spirit, and drive that each team demonstrated.

Session B will kick off their Four Folds Tournament next week before their final Closing Day on Aug. 11. This tournament continues to build camaraderie across Merrowvista.

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Merrowvista offers residential camp programming for children ages 8 to17 that ranges from 1 to 3 weeks. For campers leaving home for the first time, the one-week option (available to campers entering grades 3 and 4) provides a great chance to see what camp is all about.

During this week, campers participate in a variety of activities, from swims at the waterfront to friendship bracelet-making. Being away from home lays the foundation for a camper to begin to develop who they are as a person and introduces them to how they interact with new people and new environments. Feeling freedom and autonomy helps shape a positive camp experience.

After a week, families reunite with their campers, who are eager to share all that has happened in just a few days. Like every session of camp, the one-weekers mark the end of their time at Merrowvista with a Closing Circle. This allows campers, caregivers, and staff to celebrate the progress that these individuals have made during their time at camp.

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It was a beautiful, golden day as cars rolled up the dirt road into camp. Leaders lined the meadow in their red staff T-shirts and greeted each camper as they arrived.

After the final goodbye, campers and leaders headed to their villages to unpack and venture out on a tour of campus. Campers hit all important places in the camp, from the beautiful waterfront to the Farmhouse.

When the tour concluded, villages spent time with one another until the bell rang for dinner. In true Merrowvista fashion, the food program team served pasta, the traditional and much loved Opening Day dinner.

The conclusion of the dinner led campers to their first Night’s Doings, Opening Carnival. This event consisted of a variety of games in which campers had the ability to meet and get to know one another. Once the fun and games died down, each village made their way back to their cabins for Village Insight.

Village Insight takes place nearly every day at camp. Each village leader introduces a mini prompt or activity, and the village discusses the topic and reflects on the day. This quieter moment often ends up being one of the most memorable experiences for campers.

Opening Circle is another important moment at the start of each camp session. The entire camp gathers in the green circle, an fire circle in the woods where the Merrowvista community for nearly 100 years.

The smallest campers, Blueberry Village, start the ceremony by leading the rest of camp into the circle. Each village silently walks counterclockwise around the campfire and takes a seat. Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman opened this session’s ceremony with an explanation of how the opening circle works. “We do it in community together,” Dasman said.

Another way community is recognized is through land acknowledgment. A land acknowledgment acknowledges the people who stewarded the land before we were on it. At Merrowvista, we respect and are aware we benefit from the ancestral homelands of the Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabankai peoples.

Opening Circle also includes traditional songs like “Rise Up, Oh Flame,” which is sung as a round. A few staff members start the song to teach it to the rest of camp, and by the end of the song, the entire community has united as one. This song is used to open and close the evening’s program.

Another fire circle tradition requires sprinkling the ashes of previous fires into the Opening Circle campfire. At the end of each camp session, a bit of the ashes from the Closing Fire are collected and placed in this tin, ensuring that each camp session begins with just a bit of sessions past.

The ceremony includes fun moments, too, as each village gets the chance to introduce themselves to the camp and lead the larger group in a silly song. The night winds down with a final song called “On My Honor,” as everyone exits the green circle and quietly walks back to their villages.

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Each group walked down the road until they arrived at their seats by the waterfront. Once each group took their seats, the ceremony officially began. The community started singing “Merrowvista Our Camp,” while the fire tenders canoed in to light the fire. Throughout the event, each village introduced themselves and sang a song as their exit from camp and the community until next year.

Before this tradition ended, American Youth Foundation President Anna Kay Vortseg and Merrowvista Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman introduced the founder medal.

The founder medal is a small medallion with a long history at the AYF. Each year, campers receive one at the end of their camp session in recognition for all they’ve achieved during their summer. One side displays the AYF Founder Fire and the other shows the four-folds design: social, physical, mental, and spiritual/religious. The medals are meant to remind campers of their best selves discovered at camp when they return to their home communities.

Campers received the founder medals with their cabins as they exited the ceremony. Staff members circled the fire and sang the campers out as they journeyed towards their cabins for their last sleep at camp.

Candlelight Sing and the founder medal commemorate and close a wonderful session. We wish these Founder Friends safe travels home and dare them to continue to discover and celebrate their best!

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Merrowvista’s county fair has a variety of activities from rock impressions to face painting and photo booths to relay races. Music Jail was one popular station where campers could exchange a ticket for a chance to send a staff member to “jail.” The only way out? Karaoke for all camp to hear! In-camp leaders were challenged frequently, but everyone was excited to when Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman had to serenade camp with her rendition of “Call Me, Maybe.”

The county fair at Merrowvista provided an opportunity for kids to get silly and to take some time to enjoy the people and the surrounding spaces. The county fair creates a space for campers to engage with all who call Merrovista home for the summer.

Camp is an exciting place with many moving parts. People go out on trips and shuttle between many different spaces. Campers build small communities within their villages and activities, and these small communities are an important part of relationship-building and growth for campers.

However, activities like County Fair where all the in-camp villages mingle help strengthen the Merrowvista community as a whole. This event is just one way the entire camp community comes together in pursuit of genuine connections and a better Merrowvista.

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Older campers in our Four Trails program spend much of their summer away from Merrowvista on multi-day adventure trips. A camper begins their Four Trails experience as an Explorer during the summer between eighth and ninth grade. Preparing to enter high school comes with feelings of uncertainty and nervousness. The Explorer program fosters a sense of collaboration and resiliency, skills that will follow these campers into high school.

One Explorer group, Lincoln Village, embarked on their five-day canoeing trip on July 5, starting with a nearly four-hour bus ride to Aziscohos Lake in Maine. Lincoln Village consists of 10 campers and three leaders.

On Day 1, the group canoed two miles to Beaver Island, where they set up camp, cooked a meal, and relaxed for the rest of the day.

The next day was what trip leader Caroline Harmon described as their fun day. Lincoln Village woke up and had pancakes for breakfast. For most of the day, the Explorers swam in the lake and practiced different canoeing strokes and techniques, as well as capsizing drills. For the remainder of the day, the group enjoyed good food and relaxed.

Day 3 was the longest travel day for Lincoln Village. The group canoed six miles to a northern point on Aziscohos Lake. Harmon said they switched canoe partners and positioning every so often so campers could practice different skills and get to know one another better.

A storm was forecast later in the day, so Lincoln Village arrived at their campsite early. During the thunderstorm, the campers relaxed in their tents and concluded the day with more delicious food.

On Day 4, the group began their return journey south. With more storms in the forecast, Lincoln Village stopped early again and arrived at their campsite before lunch, where they had time to swim and hang out before the thunder rolled in.

That night, the Explorers ended their day with Village Insight, a quieter moment of reflection about their trip experience. This evening’s activity was called Rose, Bud, Thorn, where each individual talks about one highlight of their trip, one low moment, and one thing they are looking forward to.

On the final day, campers woke up early and devoured some oatmeal before the final three-mile paddle back to the main campground where the Merrowvista van and trailer were waiting for them. Lincoln Village loaded up their canoes and packs and headed back to camp, where they were greeted by staffers and other campers eager to hear about their journey!

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For about an hour before breakfast, campers have the option to do something active for their bodies and minds. Activities include swims at the waterfront, a running/walking loop, and games on the green top. They can even head to Club Bahn for an early morning dance party.

Go-Getters play a big part in strengthening the campers’ four folds at Merrowvista. The four folds of the American Youth Foundation are the values camper live by and strive to keep in balance: physical, mental, reflective/religious, and social.

Go-Getters fulfills the physical fold by getting campers to move their bodies, and the mental fold is met through the decision-making process. Campers exercise their minds when choosing which activity to take part in the night before.

The reflective/religious fold is met in different ways: showing kindness to fellow campers during the events or reflecting on their accomplishments after. Finally, the social fold is met by participating in this activity with one another. Specialists and in-camp leaders lead the activities, and the campers get to participate in them together, building community and relationships.

Go-Getters are also an example of how Merrowvista strives to provide challenge by choice. Go-Getters is optional – while it’s strongly encouraged, there is no pressure to take part in the morning activity. They can also choose which activity they want to try. Some mornings, they may want to challenge themselves more than others, and that is just part of being human. If a camper takes part in all Go-Getters each morning, they get a T-shirt at the end of of camp to mark their accomplishment.

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During the past two weeks, four villages ages 10 to 12 journeyed into the woods and waters that surround Merrowvista’s beautiful campus for one or two nights under the stars. These trips introduce younger campers to hiking and prepare them for a future Four Trails experience in high school. Each group went on similar trips but had unique experiences.

Tri-Pyramid
Tri-Pyramid Village hiked to Mount Flagg on the first day of their trip and the Ledge on the second day of their trip. Leader Sarah Walcott said one highlight of Tri-Pyramid’s trip was listening to a handful of newly released Taylor Swift songs on the Ledge while watching the sunset. This opportunity allowed these preteen girls to connect with nature, as well as listen to something they were eagerly waiting for. Village Insight was another powerful moment on the trip. The girls took part in a compliment circle and said nice things about their cabin mates. These small moments are what make these trips so memorable

Mahoosuc
Mahoosuc Village hiked to the Ledge on the first day of their trip and Mount Flagg on the second day of their trip. A special part of Mahoosuc’s adventure was when they approach the Flagg summit. Leader Jack Lilly said when the group approached the summit, he and his co-leader told all the campers to look away. When they officially arrived at the summit, he and his co-leader counted and had all the kids look at the same time and gasped as they took in the spectacular view together.

Whitecap
Whitecap went to High Point and ventured to Mount Flagg. They embraced the true camp spirit on their trip by singing endless songs. Leader Kate Tucker said campers made it all the way through the song “99 Bottles of Milk on the Wall.” Other highlights of the Whitecap trip experience included eating pita pizzas for dinner and creating their own fake news show.

Moosilaukee
Moosilaukee went to High Meadow and also ventured up to Mount Flagg. Leader Naomi Wolfe said the village really enjoyed the hike to Flagg Summit and eating their lunch at the top. One of the best feelings is a meal after a physically demanding activity. Being able to eat lunch with a beautiful view after some hard work made the trip worth it for Moosilaukee village.

All four villages had unique and wonderful experiences. The introduction to hiking can be scary at first, but so many little moments and opportunities leave villages wanting to come back year after year to continue their journey through the Merrowvista experience.

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“Can I have a snack?”

“What’s for dessert tonight?”

Camp staff hear these questions constantly during a typical day. Mealtime is one of the most anticipated parts of the day at camp, and Food Program Manager Kim Novotny and her team are happy to oblige.

Meals at Merrowvista are community-driven: everyone takes turns lending a hand.  Ten to 15 minutes before the meal, each village sends one or two cruisers to the Eating Lodge. Cruisers prepare their village’s table, laying out cutlery, plates, and all essentials needed for mealtime.

The ever-present bell sounds, beckoning the rest of camp to the Eating Lodge where they wash their hands outside and proceed to their table. A staff member leads the meal, announcing what’s on the menu and welcomes a camper to offer a moment of gratitude before everyone digs in. The moment of gratitude is a time for campers to reflect on one thing they are thankful for before they eat. A chime sounds, and the cruisers rise again to bring the family-style meals to their tables.

Cruisers get to serve themselves first, as a thank you for preparing their table for their friends. Then they pass the bowl or plate of food around so everyone else can serve themselves. Family-style meals allow campers to choose what is on their plate and to encourage them to consider there is enough for everyone to have a full serving. Mealtimes provide a great opportunity for campers to gather in community with their village, along with other villages. It provides time for campers to refuel and gear up for the next activity.

If the day’s menu doesn’t appeal, a variety of options are available to campers. An oatmeal and rotating cereal bar is available during breakfast, and a salad bar with an abundance of veggies, fruits, protein options, and dressings accompanies each lunch and dinner. Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are also available for those with dietary restrictions.

Once the meal has ended, cruisers return any leftover food back to the kitchen while their village mates scrape their dishes, separating trash from compost and stacking them for easy cleanup. Cruisers whisk away dishes to the dish room, often with their friends’ assistance, as a village can only issue a coveted song challenge to another table after they’ve completed this process.

After each meal, villages take turns at Arlos, Merrowvista’s name for dishwashing. (According to camp lore, Arlos was named for a pig who used to eat scrap food from the camp community in a pre-compost time.) Even tasks like Arlos are an enjoyable experience, as campers rock out and dance to music while they scrub and dry dishes in preparation for the next meal.

Overall, mealtime is a tasty part of the campers’ day, but tasks like cruising, Arlos, and even the nature of family-style meals are designed to strengthen the community and promote active involvement across the community.

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Session A of Miniwanca is already more than halfway over, and time has flown!

During our first week of Session A, Girls Camp welcomed 26 one-week campers, nearly all of whom were first time Miniwancans. We also brought in 43 three-week campers who have provided guidance to new campers and brought so much positive energy into camp. Campers got to experience a variety of interest groups and enjoyed some of our most loved Night’s Doings. Girls Camp quads also teamed up with their Boys Camp counterparts for an epic capture the flag game!

After sending our one-weekers home, we welcomed 46 more two-week campers into our community and really hit the ground running with a lot of special events. On July 4, Girls Campers had the chance to participate in our annual Pajama Polar Bear and run into Lake Michigan at 7 a.m. They also completed a 5k walk/run, played on the beach, and ate all the watermelon we could find.

We celebrated another round of quad games with Boys Camp and found some time to rest and recharge going into our final week of the session. This week, we also said happy trails to our Voyageur, Adventurer, Explorer, and Trailblazer trips. Each trip will be gone for different durations, and we can’t wait to welcome them home and hear about all their adventures!

As a first time Miniwancan myself, this first session has been a powerful learning experience. Getting to know all the beautiful traditions of Miniwanca can sometimes feel daunting, but each day I feel more and more connected to the history of this community. A camper told me she was a sixth-generation camper at Miniwanca! That is a beautiful legacy to carry on.

I am also deeply grateful to all the amazing volunteers who have been onsite, providing guidance and support for our campers and staff. They have been helping with everything from playing tetherball and nine-square with campers, to organizing quad and Polar Bear shirts, to leading songs in our fire circles. Their presence throughout camp is such a powerful reminder to our campers of what it means to be a Miniwanca camper not just for a few years while you’re young, but for life.

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This week, Miniwanca welcomed 124 two-week Darers and Pioneers to camp, kicking off the second largest camping session of 2023. The Dunes of Miniwanca are once again echoing with song and laughter.

Miniwanca Boys Camp staff and Session A three-week campers welcomed 66 new campers, while the Miniwanca Girls Camp Staff welcomed 58 smiling faces to their neck of the woods. Altogether, the two camps of Miniwanca are alive with 191 young Founders, eager to discover and develop their best selves.

After families hugged and said their goodbyes, camp quickly swept their new friends into their adventurous and exciting program – starting with dinner! Following the community’s first meal together, campers selected their Interest Groups for the first week at Miniwanca. Interest Groups, or IGs, are hour-long program blocks that take place three times a week. There is something for everyone, from high ropes and sailing to music and improved theater.

The camper’s first day ended with Opening Fire Circles at both Boys and Girls Camp, before campers hiked back to their cabin homes by the starlight and headlamp for a well-deserved night’s rest.

Throughout the remainder of Session A, our campers will hike, swim, and join in engaging relationship-building activities that last the whole day. They will also say “See you later!” to the Voyager and Odyssey Trips and compete in the Miniwanca-wide Quad Cup!

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A staff hiking trip before Opening Day combined all three of these elements. The trip contained two days of hiking and one night of camping. This opportunity built intentional communities among in-camp leaders, specialists, and coordinators, as well as gave staff the chance to test the camping equipment to make sure it was ready to go for upcoming trips.

This trip brought together people with different experience levels. Some were seasoned hikers and long-time Merrowvista community members, while others were with inexperienced campers or brand-new community and staff members.

Each group practiced leadership on trail. These moments sparked conversations of learning, growth, and openness.

Growth and genuine openness are qualities used to create healthy and intentional communities. Merrowvista strives to be a place where campers can be their true, authentic selves, and the staff lead by example. During staff training, people are challenged to be intentional and to get to know each other below the surface level. These communities and connections follow the staff into their final stretch of training.

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Already, more than 200 campers at Miniwanca and more than 100 campers at Merrowvista have begun the registration process, eager to explore the dunes of Lake Michigan and the mountains of New Hampshire.

“It’s always exciting to open registration and watch those first applications come in,” said Merrowvista Client Relations Manager Jamie O’Hagin. “The Merrowvista team is already thinking ahead to how we can make summer 2023 the best yet.”

This year, Miniwanca and Merrowvista are offering one-, two-, and three-week program options during Sessions A and B. These shorter sessions are intended to help new, younger campers take their first steps toward discovering their best selves.

“We’re thrilled to welcome so many new and returning families next summer,” said Client Relations Manager Jessica Cheney. “The one-week option is a great choice for a new camper to experience Miniwanca magic for the first time.”

The AYF is committed to making the camp experience accessible to as many youth as possible.

“Tuition revenue does not cover the true cost of our programs,” said Vice President Liz Marshall. “The foundation pays almost one-third of each participant’s cost, bringing the tuition down for all.”

In addition, participants and their families are invited to apply for financial support to make summer camp more affordable. Director of Community Life, Diversity, and Inclusion Ambrean Ford worked to make the need-based financial aid process more transparent this year.

“Offering financial aid makes the outdoors more accessible,” said Ford. “It’s important families know that support is available so their camper can experience the life-changing power of an AYF program in these beautiful natural settings.”

Marshall said generous donations from alumni and families make it possible for the AYF to provide this assistance. “Our community’s investment in youth directly supports hundreds of campers each year,” she said. “Their contributions ignite a spark in campers, helping unleash their best in the world.”

Contribute to the AYF Annual Fund to help more campers experience Miniwanca and Merrowvista next summer.

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