This document provides information about YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps, which have been providing wilderness experiences for children for over 100 years. It outlines the camps' missions of fostering individual value and building relationships. Details are given about the two camp locations on Arbutus Lake and Torch Lake, including acreage, facilities and activities. A variety of wilderness trips are described that campers can take as they progress through grade levels. Information is also provided about staff training and qualifications to ensure camper safety.

1. For over 100 years our girls’ and
boys’ camps have given thousands of
children unforgettable wilderness
experiences.
YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha
Camps
Each For All, All For Each

3. Our Mission
Foster the value and potential of every individual.
Build relationships through shared experience.
Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility

7. Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha
on Arbutus Lake
•T. Grace Macdonald Dining
Hall
•137 acres of property
•½ mile of lake shore on
Arbutus Lake
•22 cabins
•Activities lodge
•Outdoor riding arena
•Indoor riding arena with 10
stalls
•New Health Center (opening
this summer)

8. Camp Hayo-Went-Ha
on Torch Lake
•115 Years of Tradition
•10,000 feet of Torch
Lake frontage
•640 Acres
•Located on the
3rd most beautiful
lake in the world
•Year round facilities
•New Health Center!

9. Activities
• Archery / Riflery
• Arts & Crafts
• Camp Fires
• Canoeing
• Team Building
• Climbing
• Games
• Nature
• Sailing
• Swimming
• Scuba
• Horseback Riding
• Ropes Course
• Zipline
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Dodgeball
• Gaga

11. Hayo-Went-Ha
• Established in 1904
• Oldest boys camp in the country on
the original site
Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha
• Established in 1914
• Hayo-Went-Ha for girls (1993)
• Hayo-Went-Ha purchased Arbutus
(1996)
* Generations of families attend
100+ Years of Traditions
1
1

12. Single Gender
• Challenge gender stereotypes.
• Women is positions of leadership
• Men as caregivers
• Free from distraction. Free to be
themselves.
• Excellent role models.

13. Two and Four Week
Sessions
• Allows relationships between campers and
their peers to develop at their natural pace.
• Gives a longer break from the digital world
• Independence - sustained period without
reliance on home support systems
• Time for skill development in both activity
and social areas

15. Why we do wilderness trips
• Fuse the group together through a shared
challenging experience
• A sense of real accomplishment over adversity
• A progression of skills

16. Before they go… campers will learn all aspects of the
trip, learn the Leave No Trace Principals, proper use of
the equipment, permit/map explanation and conducting
a practice overnight.

17. Completed Third Grade
Ranger
Sleeping in the Camp Caboose
Adventurer
Overnight under the stars on a quiet
area of camp property.
2-Week or 4-Week

18. Completed Forth Grade
Trailblazer
The Boardman River winds its way
through beautiful Northern Michigan
forests and flows all the way to West
Bay in Traverse City.
Woodsmen
Canoeing the Jordan River
and overnight camping in the
Woodsmen Willow, part of our
amazing 640 acres on Torch
Lake
2-Week or 4-Week

19. Completed Fifth Grade
Pathfinder
2 Night Camping at Sleeping Bear
Dunes
2-Week or 4-Week

20. Completed Fifth or Sixth Grade
Path Bikers
3 Day Overnight Bike Trip on VASA
Trail System
2-Week

21. Completed Sixth Grade
Bushwhackers
Canoeing the AuSable River and
Backpacking Pictured Rocks National
Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula
Voyageurs
3 Day Canoe Trip on the Pine
River and 7 Days on Lake
Superior's Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore
2-Week or 4-Week

22. Completed Sixth or Seventh or Eighth Grade
Equestrians
Overnight Trail Ride along Boardman
River
2-Week

23. Completed Seventh Grade
Viking Outpost
Seven day backpacking trip to the
Porcupine Mountains in the western
upper peninsula of MI.
4-Week
Viking Sailor
7 Day Sailing Cruise Near Drummond
Island, MI
Bikers
Biking on the North Central State
Trail, Mackinac Island and Eastern
Upper Peninsula

24. Completed Seventh or Eighth Grade
Trekkers
4 Nights Camping on an Island in Lake
Michigan
Trooper
The North Country Trail near
Mesick, MI
2-Week

25. Completed Seventh or Eighth Grade
Viking Biking
Seven Day Biking Trip to Marquette in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
4-Week

26. Completed Eighth Grade
Helmsmen
8 Day Challenge on the North Channel
of Lake Huron
4-Week

27. Completed Eighth or Ninth Grade
Kayakers
Kayaking Lake Superior in Ontario
Canada
4-Week
Scuba
The shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary
Isle Royale
14 day hiking trip to Isle Royale
National Park

28. Completed Eighth, Ninth, or Tenth Grade
Islanders
Kayaking the Les Cheneaux Islands in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
2-Week

29. Completed Ninth or Tenth Grade
Navigator
15 Days of Sailing on the North
Channel and Georgian Bay of Lake
Huron
4-Week
Bush Ranger
14 Days of Outstanding River and Lake
Canoeing Along the Portaging.
Explorers
2 Weeks Canoeing in Canadian
Provincial Park
Bush Biking
9 Day Mountain Biking Trip to Copper
Harbor and the Keewenaw Peninsula
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

30. Completed Tenth or Eleventh Grade
Ext. Alaska
3 Weeks Sea Kayaking, Ice Climbing,
White Water Rafting and Hiking in
Alaska
4-
Week

31. Completed Eleventh Grade
Leadership Corps
This Program Trains and Encourages
Past Campers to Become Staff
Members.
4-
Week

32. Where are campers come from…

33. Camp can offer your camper….
•A sense of belonging
•A feeling of acceptance
•A safe community to establish solid
relationships with peers and adult role
models
•A period of time to be unplugged and enjoy
nature

34. Self-Confidence
Recognized not for always being the
best, but for accomplishing
something.
Self-Reliance
Kids at camp must identify the
resources that can help them meet
personal and group goals, resolve
conflicts, and find success.
Exploration
Learning about oneself, learning
about others, and learning about
new ways to approach the world.
Responsibility
Young people who have attended
summer camp are significantly more
likely to feel good about their
relationships and to take positive
risks

35. •Independence
•Team work or group work
•Communication
•Inclusion or Cultural learning
•Problem solving
•Goal setting
•Bob Ditter, M.ED., LCSW

36. American Camp
Association
•Annual inspection with 320
national standards for health
and safety that exceed state
requirements
•Only 24% of all US summer
camps are ACA certified

37. Waterfront Safety
• Waterfront Director on duty at all times
• American Red Cross Lifeguard trained
• Life jackets required for all boating activities
• Buddy board system in effect at all times.

38. Health Center
•Health center staffed by a certified
Health Officer
•Routine medical care
•All medication will be locked and
distributed by qualified staff

39. Advanced Medical Care
• We will notify parents of any significant injury
• Hospital locations:
• 20 minutes to the Charlevoix Hospital for the Boys Camp
• 15 minutes to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City for
the Girls Camp

40. Communication at camp
• Regular photos on the website – limited trip photos
available upon return
• One way email option for you to email your camper
• Ticket Tuesday – letter home every week
• Parents will receive email progress reports once
every two weeks sent by key staff

41. Staff
Requirements
•Must be 18 years old or
graduated from High School
•Criminal background check
•Driving check for all drivers
•Personal interview with 95% of
the staff we hire (including
international staff)
•3 reference checks

42. Staff Training
•Two weeks prior to the campers
arriving
•Program description and
participation
•Camper characteristics
•Rules and regulations
•Liability issues
•Learn traditions
•Diversity training
•Staff bonding and team building
•Emphasis and practice HCRR
(YMCA core values)

43. Certifications
• American Red Cross Lifeguarding
• American Red Cross CPR and Wilderness
First Aid
• Certified Horsemanship Association
training
• PADI (profession association of diving
instructors)
• Epi pen training
• Bloodborne Pathogen training

44. Where do our staff
come from?
• States including - Michigan, Ohio, California,
Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii, New York
& Virginia
• Countries including - Australia, England,
Poland, Spain, France, New Zealand, Scotland,
Ireland & India

45. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
STAFF RETURN RATE CAMPER RETURN RATE AVERAGE STAFF AGE STAFF TO CAMPER RATIO
50
48
18
6
80
68
20
4
Statistics! – Obligatory Bar graph
National HWH Camps

46. Thank You
www.hayowentha.org