Share Your AYF Story

"You don't have to act like somebody else. You don't have to know the songs that they do. You don't have to see the dance moves that they do. You just have to be here. And you need to be willing. And I think if you’re just willing, camp will be extraordinary for you."

"The joy that I have experienced in these past two years is more joy than I have experienced in these past 22 years of life. I get to connect with my inner child while sitting on the beach and hearing giggles all around me. My heart feels so full at the end of every day."

I see how much the kids grow at camp—how they discover who they are in an environment that is not school. They learn how to function as part of a community and how to bring their best qualities to the table."

"I think the idea of a mobile community is something that has really stayed with me: having a place you’re deeply attached to while also being able to move away from it and represent that place out in the world."

I attended Camp Merrowvista starting in 2002 with my high school, Codman Academy Charter Public School. We would go at the beginning of the school year to do team-building activities with our classmates and school faculty. I would have to say it was one of the best experiences ever because we really got to know each other in a different light and were able to truly bond.

"Back [when I was child], we had 'active' children… and then there was me — an 'overactive' child. Some of us had learning differences. Mine was dyslexia. But at Merrowvista, all of that melted away. You could just be — and be seen — as the person you wanted to be. For me, that was the place I wanted to be. It’s the place I sent my children to grow up."

"Every time I go into a new situation, I'm not sure if I'm going to be capable of what I'm about to do, I remind myself of all the times at Miniwanca where I thought, 'Can I really do this?' And then I did."

"People should support the AYF, because it's just a great mission. It’s all about finding yourself, and practicing a balanced life through the Four Folds. It's just a fantastic way to live."

"Camp has taught me not to take things for granted. I’ve met people from different backgrounds, and that has made me appreciate both the things I have and the responsibilities I carry even more."

"I realized that kids don’t have their phones at camp, and it was amazing to see them playing and collaborating with each other. They just knew what they wanted to do — whether it was going to the crafts house or playing nine square. They all instinctively knew how to have fun and connect without their phones."

"I saw lots of smiling faces, and just like how beautiful the beach was. We were following Griffin in her golf cart. She started talking about how much she loves it here, and how this place is full of love. I just couldn't get enough of it."

"Miniwanca is magical in pushing us outside of our comfort zones. When we are pushed beyond our comfort zones and do uncomfortable things, that’s when we learn and grow."

"I’ll always think about my time at camp, because I’ll remember being a part of it—going to the dinners, the breakfasts, and the lunches, and remembering all the people I met. I just really enjoyed my time there. I loved the paddling, craft medley, my cabinmates, evening reflection, the songs, the dances — basically everything."

"Our daughter’s been coming here since second grade. And every year when she comes here she comes back a little bit different. You can really see the change in her. I think self-confidence is one of the biggest changes. Her level of empathy is just unmatched at this point."

"My biggest lesson that I learned from camp was empathy. The ability to hear another person’s story, and not judge it from my own personal point of view. To try and live in their shoes for a little bit."

"I'd say the biggest lesson that I learned here at Miniwanca is that I have the ability to withstand challenging circumstances. I can get through it and even succeed after it."

"I'll never forget my camp counselor, Kristen. She did an amazing job of connecting all of us as a cabin group and making everything so fun. On our last day, we had some kind of special picnic dinner together, and she took us out to the dunes. She even had us take our bed sheets and do these really cool, artistic photos, which she later sent to us. So, months later, we'd open our mail and find these amazing pictures. I had never felt so special and included. I'll never forget that – it was such an awesome experience."