Share Your AYF Story

"When I'm just in a new space, I always just remember to always be authentically myself, being my best self anywhere and everywhere I go."

"I will always remember the feeling of acceptance and home that I get at Miniwanca, which is why I keep coming back."

"One of the biggest lessons I learned at camp was to accept everybody. I think I’m more adventurous and more open to new ideas and new cultures because of my experience there. I ended up moving to Canada, and I don’t know if I could have done that if I hadn’t gone through what I did at camp. I’m more open-minded about everything in the world because of what I experienced there."

"A camper came to me who had diabetes. She was in the Four Trails program—which meant she was out of camp sailing, canoeing, and hiking for all four weeks. When I was talking with her, I shared a very personal experience about a dear friend of mine who had lived with diabetes for a long time. My friend had not been able to do many of the things she wanted to do, and I told the camper, 'I want you to be able to go out and do what you want to do'” I was just hoping for the best. "The next day, I found out that she did go up with the Village—and on all four trips, she never missed a beat. Even though some of her fellow campers came back with minor cuts and sprains, she completed the entire program. I was so proud of her."

"[Merrowvista] is where I met my wife. That’s what brought me to New Hampshire, and I’m still in New Hampshire to this day. We’ve tried to stay connected. Our kids came here to camp, and we helped run the family camp for a while, so we have deep connections to the camp."

"Something that this place instilled in me that I still carry with me now is being able to jump in when anyone needs help. I think that’s such a huge part of Merrowvista’s DNA. That is not waiting to be asked, but to put your best self and your best effort forward."

"I remember the time when we, as a village, built the shelter on the way to Flagg with Phil Stockman. We carved up the timber — whatever timber we could get up there — and carted up all the roofing and other materials. I think about camp fondly every time I come back. It’s a very special place."

"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."