Robert “Bob” McArthur is named the eighth Executive Director of the American Youth Foundation. Under McArthur’s leadership, the AYF embarks on a two-year strategic plan to address declining enrollment and stave off threat of closure. This plan prioritized fiscal responsibility, community partnerships, initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion, expanding the religious origins of the camp to include other faith traditions …
1984
The camp conferences programs (now known as NLC) return to Merrowvista for the first time since WWII.
1924
Pursuing a broader vision of youth leadership education, the founders establish the American Youth Foundation to train people for leadership in all life’s vocations. They create the AYF motto, “My own self, at my very best, all the time.” The founders acquire property in Stony Lake, Michigan, which they call Miniwanca. This name came from conversations with Native Americans in …
1910 – 1915
Founders John L. Alexander, William H. Danforth, Preston G. Orwig and Richard A. “Dad” Waite meet at a conference in Lake George, New York. The Founders pioneer the first youth camp conference based on the principles of four-fold, balanced living, including locations at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, and