The entire family is invited to lend a hand this spring at Miniwanca and Merrowvista! This year, Volunteer Weekend takes place April 26 to 28 at Miniwanca and May 17...

Katsu Okuma wasn’t a “camp kid” growing up. Instead, he spent summers traveling around Ohio playing baseball. The camp bug finally got him in high school when he attended the...

Before sites are flooded with summer campers, the facilities teams at Miniwanca and Merrowvista prioritize larger structural projects that enhance the quality of life for staff and campers each year....

The American Youth Foundation is proud to officially welcome Liz Marshall to her new role as president and CEO of the organization. As the AYF announced in October 2023, former...

Seven years ago, Jamie Sweetser’s family friend Kim Novotny convinced her to try something new. She joined the seasonal kitchen team at Merrowvista and, under Novotny’s guidance as Food Program...

On a clear summer evening, a group of Four Trails campers gather around a fire. They’ve just eaten a meal they prepared after a day of kayaking and have finally...

Summer 2023 was filled with cannonballs into Dan Hole Pond, songs sung at the top of campers’ little lungs, and bowls of chicken tenders. For the past six weeks, Merrowvista...

With arms linked and faces caked with dirt, 10 Merrowvista Odyssey campers and their two leaders finished the final stretch of their 16-day trip: the walk up Canaan Road into...

Kris Light has a 20-year history with the American Youth Foundation. His foundation with the AYF began as a seasonal Four Trails leader, camp coordinator, and Community and Schools Program...

When people think of summer camps, they don’t normally think of hard hats and power tools. However, the Wayfinder program at Merrowvista provides campers with the opportunity to put on...

Dayna Vuksinick never intended to work with kids as a career. In fact, the Utah native thought she’d use her outdoor education degree as a park ranger for the National...

Information Technology Manager Romauld Dugue works behind the scenes at the American Youth Foundation, ensuring the three sites stay connected to deliver quality youth programming year-round. Dugue first heard about...

Every summer, campers eagerly await one of Merrowvista’s most beloved traditions: the Four Fold Tournament. This tournament takes place during the last week of the session. The tournament divides campers...

A week at Merrowvista provides an opportunity for young people to embark on a summer of adventures and memory-making. Along with this excitement, campers also experience nervousness and fear, especially...

After a fun-filled session A at Merrowvista, the staff took a brief intersession and geared up for session B, and on Sunday, July 23, the camp community welcomed 147 campers....

{From left, volunteer Waterfront Assistant Missy Foote and Sailing Specialist Sarah Collier at Merrowvista} Every summer, Merrowvista campers converge on Dan Hole Pond for favorite waterfront activities like swimming, canoeing,...

Campers and staff linked arms with their villages and departments and lined the road to the waterfront to conclude session A with the candlelight sing ceremony. Each group walked down...

Towns across America flock to county fairs every summer ready for a day of face painting, sweet treats, and pockets full of paper tickets for carnival games. Merrowvista hosts its...