Many community organizations and schools flock the Cannan Valley in the fall and spring, but Megan Luce, Director of Community and School Programs, said winter programs offer unique outdoor options not many get to experience at Merrowvista.

“Winter is a magical time at Merrowvista! Our hills and surrounding mountains are blanketed in a sheet of snow, and we have many cozy indoor spaces to warm up,” she said. “A winter program here might include playing snowshoe games on the A-field, hiking to the frozen waterfall, roasting marshmallows on a fire outdoors, or doing our indoor high challenge course!”

Merrowvista currently has openings for winter programs from mid-February to mid-April 2026. Contact Megan at mluce@ayf.com for more information, and check out her answers to some of the most common winter program questions.

How much time do participants spend outdoors during winter programs?

As much as they’d like! We work with you to create your ideal schedule. We offer a variety of outdoor options, and, many of our indoor activities are available, too, such as team building challenges, leadership activities, games, crafts, and our high ropes course.

Groups can also take breaks inside to warm up around a fire and drink hot cocoa. We recommend a mix of indoor and outdoor activities to experience the best that Merrowvista has to offer in the winter.

What winter-exclusive activities are available?

There are so many great options: snowshoeing, winter shelter building, sledding, cross-country skiing, and winter outdoor survival. And we’ll always encourage an impromptu snowball fight or snowman building session!

What are accommodations like during winter programs?

Participants stay in our cozy Danforth Lodge, which is fully winterized and has its own sleeping accommodations, bathrooms, and common areas. Danforth can accommodate 58 people in 14 bunk rooms. There are shared bathrooms on each floor, and a few rooms have private bathrooms.

Thanks to a full commercial kitchen and dining space, Merrowvista staff can prepare meals right in Danforth, and there is ample space for group programming. Everything feels cozy and intimate since the whole group is staying in the same building.

Do participants need special winter gear?

Merrowvista provides all specialized winter gear like snowshoes and cross-country skis. Participants need to bring winter boots, warm layers, hats, and gloves. We provide all groups with a packing list specific to the season.

To book your winter CSP experience, email Megan Luce at mluce@ayf.com.

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Recently, AYF leadership updated its program outcomes to better illustrate how the organization’s timeless approach to youth development best addresses the needs of youth today.

Vice President of Strategic Programs Kris Light said the AYF remains grounded in the original philosophies of the four folds and best self.

“These program outcomes are as important now as ever, and this updated language does not change what we do, but instead further explains the ‘why’ of the AYF’s approach,” he said.

Outcome 1: Discovering and Developing Your Own Best Self
An open, inclusive environment where everyone can thrive is key to helping campers find their best self. Miniwanca Girls Camp Director Bethany Wise said AYF camp programs emphasize the value of individuality, acceptance, and freedom of expression, often reflected in the creative, eclectic costumes campers don for skits.

“Their outer appearance can represent their inner thoughts and feelings,” Wise said. “They’re always coming up with the silliest ways to put pieces together and design characters. I think that’s a great example of this environment fostering authentic self-expression. Outside of camp, so many girls’ clothing choices are scrutinized. Here, they can be themselves.”

Wise said the AYF’s philosophy of “challenge by choice” also supports this program outcome: knowing and accepting that not everyone’s goal will be the same. “During an activity like high ropes, some will aim to make it to the top of the rock wall, others want to go farther than they did the previous time,” she said. “It’s all a path of personal growth and discovery.”

Outcome 2: Growing Through the Four Folds

Once participants begin to identify best self, 2024 Merrowvista Director of Community and School Programs Dayna Vuksinick said they continue to grow through the four folds: mental, physical, social, and reverent (formerly the religious or spiritual fold). Her CSP participants often explore those concepts as they hike for the first time, get to know people who are different from them, and have conversations where everyone may not agree.

Miniwanca Conference, Community, and School Programs Director Michael Harter emphasized it’s important to spend time on the four
folds without expecting or demanding perfection. It’s something he and his fellow National Leadership Conference co-directors have spent a lot of time discussing.

“Young people are surrounded by so many conflicting messages,” he said. “We never want to them to confuse the pursuit of best self and balanced living with the concept of perfection, and we make that distinction in program.”

Light said the four folds serve as a lens through which to view life. “They help participants assess where they are strong and confident and where they would like to grow and challenge themselves,” he said. “The programs then provide opportunities to follow through on that
assessment.”

Outcome 3: Working Together to Build Community

Vuksinick said even just a few days is enough for kids to develop a deeply connected community. She recalled a group of students who asked to hold their senior prom at Merrowvista last year because they wanted to celebrate with the friends they made during a school program in sixth grade.

“Knowing that these kids hadn’t been there in six years, but they still had such a strong connection to us and really felt like they needed to be here to celebrate the end of their time together, was very beautiful to watch — and it was so fun,” she said.

Light said bonds created in these intentional communities do more than create lasting friendships. “When participants work together to achieve a common goal during program, they also develop positive leadership skills and find opportunities to put their best selves into action,” he said. “They recognize their impact as part of a larger whole and their responsibility in caring for and creating a sense of belonging within a community.”

Outcome 4: Making a Positive Difference in the World

The final program outcome is the hardest one to see in the moment, but all the directors have heard from families and teachers about participants who return home and make meaningful change in their lives, whether that’s trying out for a new sport or volunteering in their communities.

“It’s been amazing to see how different they are when they go back home,” Vuksinick said. “They help their families, they seem a lot kinder, and they’re a lot kinder to themselves. And I think that’s important — making that positive difference in yourself, so it turns around and feeds back into the world.”

Wise said each program outcome sets up the others for success. “I see the program outcomes as concentric circles,” she said. “They all
support each other at the same time, with this idea that you’re starting within your innermost self and then bringing that innermost best self out into the world.”

Harter said the foundational four folds and approach to balanced living combined with these updated program outcomes will propel the AYF and the youth it serves into the next 100 years.

“Many program activities look different than they did 100 years ago, but the actual work we do is very similar,” he said. “At the end of every program, we want participants to feel more prepared and empowered as young adults. We believe in their capacities to shape the world and confront issues facing their communities.”

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Former American Youth Foundation President Anna Kay Vorsteg first established the internship program in the 1990s, envisioning a months-long experience for young adults to work in youth education while developing their interpersonal skills.

“It’s a really great opportunity for these young adults who are just getting out of college, who are unsure of what they want to do next, to come and learn these skills,” said Dayna Vuksinick, Merrowvista Director of Community and Schools Programs.

The pandemic shifted the internship program for a few years. Vuksinick said staffing shortages post-COVID limited its structure and activities, and it was a challenge to balance intern growth opportunities with workload to avoid burnout.

This fall, Merrowvista returned to the internship’s original iteration: a two-part program with the same cohort. Each group has about six to 10 interns, who must be at least 21 or a senior in college. This year, Merrowvista has eight fall interns and two lead facilitators, who are previous interns, to help train and coordinate programming.

The fall portion of the internship typically lasts about 12 weeks, starting right after summer camp and running through November. The interns can opt to return in the spring to work CSP from February to May.

Up to 2,000 students come through Merrowvista CSP every year. The interns do everything from connecting with schools and clients to creating programming and working in the kitchen to cleaning the site between groups.

Vuksinick said after COVID, CSP shifted to focus on students’ social and emotional learning, as well as developing their leadership and communication skills. She said the interns are encouraged to be creative and put their own unique stamp on the activities, rather than just following a strict curriculum.

“At the end of the season, they have this sense of ownership over the entire space,” Vuksinick said.

In the spring, they also work on a special project when kids aren’t on site. In 2019, Vuksinick said the interns worked with a nonprofit to create a more robust composting system for Merrowvista and then created programming for kids to learn about composting.

“These projects are their chance to leave their mark on Merrowvista,” she said. “The idea is to build something that can better the camp.”

The connections made during the internship create lasting personal and professional bonds.

Matt Loper, former AYF Director of Programs, said his 2007-2008 intern cohort remains close. They attend each other’s weddings, celebrate the birth of their children, and this year grieved together when one of them passed away. He said the program is set up to create an “incredible group identity formation process.”

“It was probably the best year of my life,” he said. “We really bonded. We were forged in the fire of these intense days together.”

Like Loper, some Merrowvista interns go on to full-time work with the AYF. Former Merrowvista Camp Director Lauren Abrami, Miniwanca Boys Camp Director Tiwi Freeman, and Vice President of Strategic Programs Kris Light are also former Merrowvista interns.

A more recent intern, Hannah Harris, has been a part of the Merrowvista community since she was a baby; both her parents were educators. Her 10-person intern cohort began in fall 2019 but was interrupted in spring when the pandemic shut down normal operations.

She still considers her fellow interns close friends. “The early spring was so awesome,” she said. “We were really thrilled to be reunited when we came back to program.”

While interns get the chance to work with kids, Harris said the program’s other significant appeal is that it acts as an accelerated course for college grads to learn skills they wouldn’t necessarily learn in a traditional office setting, particularly social-emotional intelligence skills.

“Your people skills are really what grow the most,” she said. “You get to essentially play for your job, which is so lucky, but it’s tough, too, and there’s a lot to navigate socially with that.”

Loper agreed. “You’re learning skills that you’re putting into practice day after day after day — and you’re getting the chance to learn your own specific approach, your style,” he said.

For more information about the 2025 Merrowvista internship experience, email Vuksinick at dvuksinick@ayf.com.

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MMLI returned to Miniwanca this October for the first time since 2019. Students from four schools participated: Notre Dame Preparatory School in Pontiac, OJ DeJonge Middle School in Ludington, Pentwater Public School in Pentwater, and Whitehall Middle School in Whitehall.

Miniwanca’s Michael Harter, who serves as Director of Conferences, Community, and School Programs, said the goal of MMLI is to teach middle school students how to be active participants and agents of positive change in their local communities.

“By bringing together students from different schools in Michigan, our goal is to create an active community of middle school-aged leaders who are equipped with concrete leadership tools and ready to act should the opportunity present itself,” said Harter.

MMLI is funded through a combination of generous donations from local community partners like the Oceana County Community Foundation, individual school funding, and the American Youth Foundation.

Whitehall teacher Aaron Boyd returned to Miniwanca for his 11th MMLI. “It’s a great opportunity for schools to get outside of their walls and explain how to go about student leadership,” he said.

Miniwanca staff facilitate four days of community building and leadership development activities specifically developed for children in grades 6, 7, and 8. Advisers from each school observe the activities or partner with Miniwanca staff to aid in the curriculum, tailoring it to meet their students’ needs.

“The favorite moments are definitely watching the kids laugh and engage in their positive communities,” Boyd said.

MMLI lays the foundation for continued leadership opportunities when the students return home. “During MMLI, each school group creates a plan to address a community need,” Harter said. “The Miniwanca team meets with each school quarterly to follow up on those projects, debrief, and reconnect on lessons learned at MMLI.”

Pentwater teacher Kelly Sisung said her students plan to create a support group that, with the aid of a counselor, helps their peers navigate stressful situations and resolve conflicts. This was the first year Sisung experienced MMLI and Miniwanca, and she was impressed at how much the program impacted her students.

“The confidence my students gained in themselves has stayed with them and the staff, and I see it in their daily interactions with the rest of their peers,” she said. “They are more willing to listen to others before they speak, and when they do speak, they do it in a way that reflects that they heard what the other person said.”

Harter said Miniwanca is thrilled to bring MMLI back to west Michigan, and he looks forward to welcoming more students next year. “As we are rebuilding the program, we hope to add more schools in 2025,” he said. “I encourage any interested schools to reach out for more information.”

Sisung hopes to bring more Pentwater students to MMLI at Miniwanca next year and urges other schools to join, too.

“Other schools should consider sending their students to MMLI because seeing your students in a different environment is an incredible opportunity,” she said. “As a result of being in that different environment, they sometimes show hidden aspects of themselves. They then bring that back to school and can be a catalyst for change.”

To learn more about MMLI, contact Harter at mharter@ayf.com.

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CSP welcome participants from grade school through high school and college to disconnect from everyday challenges and focus on community building, leadership development, and the stunning natural world.

Both sites have full-time staff dedicated to the creation and facilitation of CSP: Miniwanca Conferences, Community, and School Programs Director Michael Harter and Program Coordinator Presli Schumacker and Merrowvista Community and School Programs Director Dayna Vuksinick and Program Coordinator Kate Murphy.

“Many camps offer facility rentals during the school year, but our Community and School Programs take it one step further,” said Harter. “We work closely with our community and school partners to understand their learning objectives, then design an age-appropriate program that meets their goals and aligns with AYF program outcomes.”

Truly collaborative partnerships like these are why schools like Breton Downs Elementary in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Codman Academy in Boston, Massachusetts have returned to Miniwanca and Merrowvista for decades.

“It’s wonderful to see the same adults bringing new kids to Merrowvista year after year,” Vuksinick said. “They see the real-world impact of AYF programs in their classrooms and communities and they can’t wait to watch the next group transform in just a few days.”

Dedicated seasonal staff join the full-time team each year and receive extensive training in youth development and empowerment. Both sites provide a 1:12 ratio of staff to participants.

“Our programs really are an all-inclusive experience for our partners,” Vuksinick said. “People are always surprised when I tell them there’s no additional cost for multiple activities, meals, or accommodation. If you want to incorporate the high ropes course into your program, great! Let’s make it happen.”

Harter said the growth CSP participants experience in such a short time never fails to impress him.

“These transformative programs create so much impact in just a few short days,” Harter said. “These groups leave camp with stronger bonds and are empowered with the tools they need to create lasting positive change in their communities.”

If you or your school want to learn more about CSP, email Harter at mharter@ayf.com for information about Miniwanca in Michigan or email Vuksinick at dvuksinick@ayf.com for information about Merrowvista in New Hampshire.

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Aubriana Foster, Zen Jones, Sova Jones, and James Galindo received the Student Volunteer of the Year award at the United Way of the Lakeshore’s annual awards banquet in April. The four teens all participated in the Oceana County Leadership Lab, a collaborative program between the American Youth Foundation and the Community Foundation of Oceana County. The awards ceremony recognizes “everyday heroes in the community who make our Lakeshore a better place to live, work, learn and play.”

Sara Sherwood, Community Engagement Coordinator for United Way of the Lakeshore, said the the Oceana Youth Leadership Lab lives up to its name.

“These young citizens of Oceana County see that they have a place to lead others to do good in their community. They met through attending the National Leadership Conference, and they were encouraged by the AYF to organize and establish the Leadership Lab. This allowed them to use their knowledge of the community and what they have seen to begin to implement projects to create positive change,” Sherwood said. “They believe in starting with small acts of kindness and building from there, recognizing that positivity builds exponentially. They seek to make a positive impact whenever they can, knowing that small act can create large ripples.”

Michael Harter, Director of Conferences, Community and School Programs, said the leadership labs bring the AYF values and programs into the wider community. During this partnership with Oceana County students, the teens created and implemented plans to collect personal hygiene and medical products for those living at a domestic violence shelter.

These leadership labs are more than just service projects, Harter said. “Community programs like this one help youth discover their capacity for leadership, which can be learned and practiced. These leadership lab partnerships open a world of possibility to youth who didn’t know it existed before.”

The teens have also previously participated at National Leadership Conference participants.

Harter said he was thrilled the west Michigan community chose to recognize these young leaders. “Zen, Sova, Abrianna, and James all took the values of the AYF to heart,” he said. “In such a short time, they grew in leadership and learned firsthand how they can make an impact on their community. The more the AYF can work with partners like the Community Foundation of Oceana County, the wider the ideas of best self, and balanced living, and positive community can spread.”

Since completing the project earlier this year, the group has continued to serve their community with former AYF staff member Katana Valle Sloane mentoring the group. They are currently planning a concert to raise money for an Oceana County pet shelter.

“While this organization is relatively new, they have spared no time in getting started with their acts of kindness,” Sherwood said. “The Oceana Youth Leadership Lab not only wants to grow their programming and impact on the community, but they also want to grow from within. They are currently seeking out new members to grow their ranks and create more positive change across Oceana County. They truly believe they can create a stronger community by being better together.”

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Once she arrived and began working program, she was hooked on the American Youth Foundation mission and values. She jumped at the chance to join the full-time team and now serves as Director of Community and School Programs for Merrowvista. Here, she shares the best parts of her job, how she tailors CSP programs to partner organizations, and her first impressions of the New England wilderness.

What were your first impressions of Merrowvista and CSP program?
“I started in a nontraditional season, but it was the most fun I had ever had at a job. I loved the idea that we get to serve kids who may not have the chance to come to a place like this and experience it to its fullest. I love watching the team challenges and watching the kids learn how to communicate effectively with one another. I’ve watched kids grow in a matter of three days, and there is something so special about witnessing that.”

What about the AYF mission and values resonated with you?
“I really appreciated how it felt like an open invitation to be myself. I was happy that it was a place that wanted
people to be the best versions of themselves, whatever that means to them.”

Why did you want to take on a full-time role with the AYF?
“I’ve never felt so comfortable at a place or job like I have with this one. It felt like such an easy choice to want to be part of this community full-time, to be able to serve and work with kids in this capacity.”

How are community and school programs different than summer camp? How are they similar?
“The major differences are that the programs are much shorter, anywhere from one to five days, and the programming is more intentional when it comes to a focus on building community and communication with each other. At the end of each activity, the facilitators will always debrief about what they just did. They discuss what they learned and how they can take it back with them into school and regular life.

“As far as similarities, we do song challenges at mealtimes, we do dishes, we dance like no one is watching, and we get to be our authentic selves.”

What are some of your favorite things about things about working with CSP partners?
“Meeting a wide variety of people. We work with private and public schools from rural New Hampshire to inner-city Boston. We work with different health-related programs, such as kids who have had heart surgery, kids with asthma, kids with diabetes, and their families. There are so many beautiful programs that allow Merrowvista to be part of their community.”

The AYF works closely with CSP partners to create a program that combines the values of both organizations. How do you find that balance?
“We really lean into the values the programs bring and add undertones of our own values. At each closing fire, the volunteers say something about each value the partner organization brought with them. We weave our own values in, too, using the AYF language of best self and the four folds throughout the activities.”

You’re originally from Utah. What were the biggest differences when you relocated to New Hampshire?
“I cannot believe how green it is here! The weather has really been the biggest change for me. I’m used to dry, desert weather, but here, everything is green and luscious and damp. The winter is totally different, as well. The amount of snow we receive, along with how it turns into ice overnight – it’s so wild to me!”

When you’re not working, what are some of your favorite things to do?
“I love camping and especially hammocking. Any place by water with big trees is the type of place I want to be. I also enjoy reading, puzzling, and playing a little Zelda.”

What TV show has left a lasting impression on you?
“‘Schitt’s Creek’ and ‘Our Flag Means Death’ – both of them have characters who are truly authentic to themselves and nobody bats and eye. Everyone just wants everyone to be happy and be who they are without judgement. I think they have wonderful messages.”

What’s one of the best pieces of advice you’ve ever received?
“When I had to decide between two things, my mom used to tell me, ‘Flip a coin – you’ll always know which side you want it to land on.’ It’s helped me make a lot of big decisions in my life. It makes me truly realize which decision I want to make without having to truly choose.”

Where is your favorite place on Merrowvista’s campus?
“On the Farmhouse porch in a rocking chair early in the morning with a cup of coffee in my hand. There is nothing better than that.”

The post Staff Spotlight: Merrowvista’s Dayna Vuksinick appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Michael Harter, Miniwanca Director of Conferences, Community and School Programs, facilitated the leadership workshops with the support of Nestlé Purina. This valuable partnership is rooted in the founding of both organizations (William H. Danforth founded Purina and co-founded the AYF.) and continued company culture.

“Nestlé Purina is committed to increasing engagement with youth in their communities, and they give us the opportunity and space to offer high-quality programming for leadership and youth development.”

During the daylong program, the participants first toured the Purina manufacturing facilities in Davenport or Clinton, Iowa. Then, Harter led them in teambuilding activities focused on leadership and collaboration.

“The leadership lab opens up a world of possibility to youth who didn’t know it is existed before,” he said. “In a short time, it challenges them to question what they know about leadership. It’s not just being in charge. Every young person has the capacity for leadership, and it’s a skill that can be learned and practiced.”

He said the Purina Leadership Labs offer teens a sample of AYF programs, and all are encouraged to attend the weeklong National Leadership Conference.

“NLC and the Purina Learning Lab are both based in experiential education,” Harter said. “The learning labs take place in a short amount of time, but we want to give these students a taste of what leadership development can feel like outside of an academic experience.”

Harter said programs like this are vital as the AYF works to increase its reach and relevance.

“The work of the AYF is not the experience at camp. It’s what a person brings home with them, how they have grown and how they can make an impact on their community,” Harter said. “The more the AYF can reach out into communities, the wider the ideas of best self, and balanced living, and positive community can spread.”

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Park School’s Liz McColloch, Grade 6 Grade Level Coordinator and French Teacher, and Emma Hobart-Sheran, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, recently shared the sixth graders’ powerful CSP experience at Merrowvista in their school newsletter, Park Perspective. Check out an excerpt from their article below.

Merrowvista offers a full-time knowledgeable team onsite with more activities for students to choose from. With indoor and outdoor facilities, the options are limitless: rain or the rare snowflake have no chance of stopping the fun-filled trip. The program has a summer camp atmosphere and creates an intentional experience for all students to experience nature, make discoveries, and overcome fears. While there are many camps targeted at elementary and high school-aged kids, Merrowvista’s staff understand sixth graders at their core.

Upon arrival, the Merrowvista team whisks the students away for the immediate launch of collaborative, community-building games. Without exception, the sixth graders are captivated, fully locked on to the new faces, as they dive into the tasks. Park faculty are observers, taking note of student engagement.

__________________

“My favorite experience was our night walk. We didn’t bring any lights and relied on our eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. Our group leader showed us if we rubbed two quartz rocks together we would make them glow. Did you know that pirates wore eye patches so that one eye would be adjusted to the darkness when they went below deck?” Asher B., Grade 6

__________________

From the very first moment, Park teachers are there to support, and Merrowvista staff (with infinite patience) take the reins. They wait for quiet, even if it takes more time than they hoped. They don’t mind confusion but ensure that it always leads to clarification. They encourage questions. They redirect as necessary and celebrate regularly. They inspire respect and require kindness. Park students and teachers alike benefit from their modeling.

A highlight for many students is the dishwashing experience, and we swear it’s a highlight for teachers as well. While there may be some groans at the beginning, once the music starts, the fun begins. Those on the outside observe with envy as students sing and laugh with their arms up to elbows in bubbles. One lucky participant gets to use the massive sprayer – neighbors beware! And the dishes get clean!

In the afternoons, the Merrowvista staff take a well-deserved break, and Park teachers are on duty for low-key games. Students can play cards or board games, read quietly, or take to the soccer field or basketball court. Though their age shows, many teachers jump into the games, much to the students’ delight. This downtime feels as important as all of the structured activities. Students find themselves in games with new friends or trying a new sport. It can be hard to peel them away when it’s time to start setting up for dinner.

__________________

“I had never been away from my parents like that before, and some of my classmates hadn’t either. I helped my friend face his fears of being away from home after dark when we went to sleep in our cabin. We played games and told stories. Helping him overcome his fears made me realize that I could do it, too.” Harrison L, Grade 6

__________________

The final fire is steeped in tradition, one that becomes automatically inclusive for the students experiencing it for the first time. They enter quietly into a round amphitheater space with a roaring bonfire. They have been asked to prepare reflections based on the Park mission and motto.

The first two groups reflect on simplicity and sincerity. Others talk about curiosity, creativity, hard work, and joy, connecting their themes to experiences they’ve had at Merrowvista. The speakers are thoughtful and at times profound, illustrating the growth they’ve shown over two short days.

The energy then shifts for the song contest! The groups have prepared a variety of songs ranging from singalongs to silly call-and-response songs to top 10 pop hits. This year, not one but two groups managed to Rick Roll the crowd. Joy illuminates individual faces, glowing in the firelight. Giggles echo through the space as many voices become one.

Merrowvista embodies the next chapter for Project REASON’s goal: to help students connect with nature, their peers, and faculty, to create a community they would bring back to Park. The Grade 6 trip to Merrowvista lays the groundwork for upcoming trips to Washington D.C. in Grade 7, and an international trip in their final year at Park in Grade 8. These trips are the ultimate applied-learning experience and result in a deeper understanding of the world and one’s role in it.

Photos and article reprinted with permission from Park School

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Merrowvista and Miniwanca work with other mission-driven organizations and area schools to create collaborative programs that fulfill the partner organizations’ needs and incorporate the values of the AYF. Community and School Programs take full advantage of the sites’ many assets, including talented staff, youth-focused facilities, and programmatic elements.

One such successful partnership between Merrowvista and Camp Meridian has flourished for nearly 20 years. Founded by pediatric cardiologist Dr. Naomi Gauthier, Camp Meridian is a three-day weekend program for children with heart conditions that prohibit them from participating in more traditional camps.

The program is free for youth to attend and staffed with doctors, nurses, and medical staff to ensure the campers’ safety while they participate in activities designed with them in mind.

“To see the kids flourish outside of the hospital and outside of the clinic is really rewarding,” said Leigh Hardiman, Camp Meridian Executive Director. “We encourage the whole idea behind why Dr. Gauthier founded this organization, which was that these campers are so much more than a heart condition and capable of doing more than they think they can.”

Merrowvista Client Relations Manager Jamie O’Hagin said Merrowvista staff advise on programmatic elements, such as scheduling and activities (think climbing walls and ropes courses), and provide paid and volunteer staff who bring energy, joy, and playfulness to the weekend.

“We call ourselves Camp Meridian staff that weekend because we try to keep it immersive — and so the kids themselves might not even know that there’s a difference in staff,” she said.

Meanwhile, Camp Meridian puts together the program, builds relationships with campers, and brings the mystery.

“In previous years, there is this mystery storyline the campers get to follow, and every activity they do provides clues,” O’Hagin said. “The campers and staff got really into it, and it created this awesome sense of wonder and joy.”

Gauthier founded Camp Meridian in 2002 with other medical professionals and Astrid Wielens, Merrowvista Director of Programs at the time.

“Gauthier just has an amazing mind for creating magic,” O’Hagin said. “Joy is one of the great outcomes of this program. All the kids are so excited about everything, and they just want to have a fun weekend where they can be kids and not have to think about all the things that can be pretty worrying in their life.”

The camp, which took place in-person this October for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, offers tailored programs for three age groups: youths ages 8 to 12, teens 13 to 15, and older teens (called Navigators) ages 16 to 17. Hardiman said Camp Meridian created the two older groups when the original campers aged out of the program but wanted to continue attending.

“In 2008, we got some very kind funding to start a teen program because some of the kids just didn’t want it to end,” she said.

While partnership with Merrowvista provides a beautiful landscape and quality facilities, Hardiman said the staff makes the program so special.

“The staff there year after year is phenomenal,” Hardiman said. “I don’t know where they find everyone. Everyone has hearts of gold, is in it for the right reasons, and definitely wants to watch the campers grow and experience new things and challenge themselves, which is huge. And we’re able to provide some medical supervision so that nobody’s worried.”

The camp is funded solely through fundraising by and donations made to the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and Health Foundation.

Hardiman said the program “fosters a lifelong bond and connection that they’re not going to make with everyone else.

Camp Meridian has found a similar bond with Merrowvista, as staff and volunteers from both organizations plan what can be a camper’s first overnight experience away from home.

“Camp Meridian has been lovingly held through a lot of different hands at Merrowvista,” O’Hagin said. “Looking back, there were many people who passed the torch along. It’s such a neat program, and I feel like we’re really lucky to get the chance to work with these folks.”

Hardiman said working with the AYF has been an amazing experience. “I love everyone I’ve worked with at Merrowvista and have just been continually impressed by the quality of people and the experiences they provide,” she said.

For more information about Merrowvista Community & School Programs, email Director of Community and School Programs Dayna Vuksinick at dvuksinick@ayf.com.

For more information about Miniwanca Community & School Programs, email Conferences, Community, and School Programs Director Michael Harter at mharter@ayf.com.

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Merrowvista and Miniwanca work with other mission-driven organizations and area schools to create collaborative programs that fulfill the partner organizations needs and incorporate the values of the AYF. Community and School Programs take full advantage of the sites’ many assets, including talented staff, youth-focused facilities, and programmatic elements.

AYF Community and School Programs intentionally designed with the partner organization to develop individual skills, enhance group effectiveness, and positively influence school or organizational culture. The program teams at Merrowvista and Miniwanca customize a multi-day program to meet the specific needs of the school or organization.

As summer camp wrapped up in mid-August, the Merrowvista team quickly turned their attention to the slew of CSP clients arriving in just a few days. Client Relations Manager Jamie O’Hagin said so far, Merrowvista will serve 16 organizations and schools this fall, including Codman Academy, Camp Meridian, and Tuftonboro Central School.

“We’re so pleased that our fall has been so busy,” O’Hagin said. “Community and School Programs expand access to Merrowvista, welcoming even more youth, educators, and youth advocates to our site.”

Miniwanca will also welcome seven CSP partners such as Chicago Jesuit Academy and Washington University Danforth Scholars back to the dunes. Chicago Jesuit Academy Head of School Kelly Tyson said her students returned to school invigorated and inspired.

“Our principal said he was able to observe the students as they got off the bus to meet their parents. He said they were all smiles and full of stories of everything they experienced and accomplished,” Tyson said. “Miniwanca is truly a magical place.”

Learn more about Community and School Programs at Miniwanca and Merrowvista at the links below.

Miniwanca CSP

Merrowvista CSP

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