The day at Girls Camp began like any other typical Miniwanca day with a morning Polar Bear dip before breakfast followed by cabin CORE (Connect, Orient, Reflect, Empower) sessions. The...

With the first two full days of camp complete, campers are learning the routines of life at Miniwanca. The daily theme for these fun days were “wonder” and “intention,” two...

The air was buzzing with excitement for Opening Day as staff welcomed campers back to Miniwanca. Beginning at noon and lasting just past 5 p.m., campers arrived on site with...

The sun is shining, Lake Michigan is roaring, and staff are smiling as summer 2022 staff training is almost finished. With just one day left until Session A campers arrive,...

One of Emily Jones Knuth’s fondest camp memories is serving as Quad Leader in eighth grade and again as a high school senior. She relished the chance to add the...

Regan Gibson Wiesler first encountered the American Youth Foundation when she attended National Leadership Conference in 2012, an experience that created lasting bonds with her class and the AYF. Since...

Three weeks ago, Camp Miniwanca sprang to life after 18 months of cocooning and the first missed summer in almost 100 years. The sacred spaces and places welcomed the Rekindle...

The chorus of bird song seemed to pause momentarily as the Turn of the Road bell rang out over the Draws, Dunes, Ridges, and Trails to wake up the campers...

As our three-week voyage of discovery heads into its final few days, the community has become deeply intertwined, cabins feel like home, and everyone has accepted the dare to discover...

At Miniwanca, Quads support each other and people flourish as they dare to dream. The golden sun shined brightly above downtown Miniwanca to kick off Dreams Come True, Adventure Day!...

“Polar Bears! Polar Bears! Come on, all you Polar Bears!” traveled through the cabin bays as the lifeguards made their way down to Lake Michigan to start the morning. Brave...

After the Polar Bears went for a dip, a golden Miniwanca day began with a morning stretch that included learning the dance moves to the rekindle summer flash mob. Next,...

The Founder Family is a deeply connected community that spans far beyond the 360 acres of Miniwanca’s beachfront sand dunes, forested trails, sun-drenched ridges and moss-covered draws. This family expands...

As the morning sun peeked through the shelter of the trees, the Darers woke up in the Hollow. On the Green Acre, the Seeker age group peeled back their sleeping...

Almost one week into this three-week journey, the Camp Miniwanca community is settling into a balanced rhythm. Under the umbrella of Miniwanca magic, campers are seeking new adventures, building connections,...

LITS rang the Turn of the Road bell as an invitation to rise and gather on the beach for Evening Reflection. Cabin groups arrived donning shirts, hats and even pants...

We’re pleased to report that all Miniwanca campers and staff have tested negative for COVID-19. Thank you so much to all our camp families for adhering to our pre-camp COVID-19 protocols and...

Summer 2021 has officially begun at Miniwanca! The Media Specialist will share periodic dispatches from Girls Camp and Boys Camp here on the blog. Check back often as we share...

Summer 2021 has officially begun at Miniwanca! The Media Specialist will share periodic dispatches from Girls Camp and Boys Camp here on the blog. Check back often as we share...

Below, Ollie Williamson, a former and current Boys Camp staff member shares his experience of his first summer on staff at Miniwanca. We hope you enjoy and if you’re interested...

“I dare you, whoever you are, to share with others the fruits of your daring. Catch a passion for helping others, and a richer life will come back to you.”...

Happy days indeed, here at Miniwanca. Our Polar Bears went to slip in the dip one last time and enjoy the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan after waking. Our Voyager...

Today at Camp Miniwanca we had a not so typical day. We started off with the famous Doc Wheels Fun Run, where campers get to run on a path that...

Today we had another typical day filled with campers’ Interest Groups. We started the day with our normal Polar Bear call and Morning Stretch. Today our topic was wonder, and...