Share Your AYF Story

This place feels like my second home. I feel so great here, like everyone who’s here truly belongs.

I love the sense of community it brings. I think that's one of my favorite memories, is just how everybody can come together.

What surprised me most about camp was just how welcoming everyone was. I mean, I’ve never been here before, and this is my first year working here. I’m going to keep talking to the people I met even after camp ends.

We got to hike to the Wells Site with backpacks, set up campsites, and make s'mores and stuff. ... It helped me gain confidence for next year, because I'm thinking of doing Trailblazers, and now I have a better idea of what it might be like.

If I could tell a future camper one thing about camp I would tell them that no matter who you are, they will be accepting of you. Don't be afraid to be yourself. Don't be afraid to be weird. Just be you and everything will be so much more.

"I can’t overstate how much this organization has shaped who I am today. Supporting the AYF helps keep these vital programs strong, maintaining beautiful and safe facilities that are ideal for learning and personal growth."

"Something I will always remember about Merrowvista is one night on the A-Field when a couple of people from the cabin and I just stared up at the stars."

If I could tell a future camper one thing about this place, it’s a place where you can truly be yourself.

I believe that people should support the AYF, because this place is special. How many other places exist for the sole purpose of empowering the youth to become their best selves?

I'll always remember ... my first cabin of campers came in. It was some of their first years. They were all pretty nervous about making friends and everything. By the end of the week, they were all writing each other's emails and phone numbers down.

At camp, I learned a lot about self-control—how to balance my ADHD, when to let it shine during playtime, and how to manage it when I needed to focus. But the most important part of camp was the time spent with my friends.

The thing I'll remember most about camp is all the people and the community that they built here.

"The most important lesson I’ve learned at camp is how to work with people of all ages. There’s so much to learn from the campers and from the staff. It’s incredible to see the campers embrace the freedom to be themselves. That’s one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to Miniwanca."

What Miniwanca provides is a chance for reflection: Who are you? Who do you want to be?

"People should support the AYF because there are very few places on Earth that provide an intentional community where the motto, My own self, at my very best, all the time, is truly lived out."

"Something I’ll always remember is one of our last nights on the trail. We were boiling water for dessert, waiting for it to boil while it was pouring rain. All of us were huddled under a rainfly, singing songs together. It was such a special moment for me, and I’ll never forget it."

"’ll always remember when me and all my cabinmates met this 63-year-old thru hiker on trail. He told us about his childhood and how he grew up in Italy. He went to the summer camp just like this. It was such an amazing memory. I cried. It was awesome."

"The things I will never forget about being at camp include the singing. The beautiful harmonizing that happens in these spaces is truly special. It's not just specific memories; it's more about the feeling I have when I'm here—walking through the woods, sand under my feet at the beach, and experiencing the love that people show each other in their interactions."