YMCA Camp Fitch, Springfield, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. During the summer months it offers seven sessions of traditional summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
, each of which are one week in length. In addition the camp runs several “specialty” camps, including computer camp
Computer camp
A computer camp is a summer camp which focuses on computer instruction. These camps usually operate on college campuses during the summer months due to the availability of housing, computer labs, and dining facilities...
, soccer camp, swim camp, music camp, diabetic camp and Camp FROG (a camping session for campers with epilepsy). During the winter months, the camp runs an outdoor education program for middle school students and hosts several weekend groups.
History
The Youngstown YMCA began hosting camps for young boys in the early 1900s, the first of which was conducted at Muddy Lake near Ravenna, Ohio in 1906. In 1907, the camp was moved to Grand River between Orwell and Ashtabula and the following year the camp was moved to a site on Lake ErieLake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
between Saybrook and Geneva-on-the-Lake.
In 1914 the Board of Trustees of the Youngstown YMCA adopted a permanent policy of conducting a summer camp for boys. The campsite in 1914 was established at Cannon's Mills on Little Beaver River. Thirty-two campers where enrolled. The camp continued to operate at that site for the summers of 1915, 1916 and 1917. During these summers, campers were never permitted to leave the camp site without a forked stick, due to the abundance of rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
s and copperhead
Copperhead
Copperhead may refer to:Snakes:* Agkistrodon contortrix, a venomous pit viper species found in parts of North America.* Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. the cottonmouth, another venomous pit viper species found in North America....
s in the area.
Due to growing enrollment, in 1918 the camp was moved to West Point, also on Little Beaver River. At the close of the 1918 camping season, the family of the late John H. Fitch donated $10,000 to purchase the West Point camp site and make permanent improvements. The property consisted of 26 acres (105,218.4 m²) of land and a lodge. The total purchase price was $4,500. In gratitude, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution changing the name of the camp from Ot-Yo-Kwa to Camp John H. Fitch.
In 1923, the camp once again reached its capacity at eight tents and one ball diamond. A 93 acres (376,358 m²) site in North Springfield, Pennsylvania was picked to serve as a new permanent site for the camp. The wood land, located on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, was located 72 miles (116 km) from Youngstown. Heirs of John H. Fitch contributed $25,000 for the purchase of the site. In 1924, the tenth anniversary of Camp Fitch, camp was moved to its present site. The new site consisted of many acres of woodland and a half-mile (800 m) of beachfront.
On the present day site, the camp emphasis was on program and the camp was staffed with a doctor, chaplain, directors for crafts, nature study, riflery, waterfront, village directors for each of the three villages (Windy City for boys 9-11, Chicagami for boys 12-14, Ot-Yo-Kwa for boys 15 and older), an assistant camp director for program, a camp steward to handle the dining room and camp store and a tent leader for each tent.
Camp Fitch operated exclusively as a boys’ camp until the summer of 1951, when a two-week program for girls was initiated. This received an enthusiastic response, and the following years additional periods just for girls where added. By 1957, attendance for boys and girls increased to the point that the camp finally saw the necessity of simultaneously operating both a girls’ camp and a boys’ camp. The girls’ camp (Chicagami) occupied the original site of the boys’ camp. An area of forest was cleared to the east of Chicagami for the establishment of the new boys’ camp, Ot-Yo-Kwa.
In the early 1970’s, the camp purchased 284 acres (1.1 km²) of wooded flatland and a half-mile of shore line on Lake Erie. In addition, the eastern boundary was expanded to run along Crooked Creek. In 1984, the French Creek Boy Scout Council
French Creek Council
The French Creek Council serves Boy Scouts in six counties in northwestern Pennsylvania and one township in Ohio. The council was organized in 1972 from a merger of the former Washington Trail Council of Erie, Custaloga Council of Sharon and Colonel Drake Council of Oil City, Pennsylvania...
in Erie sold its Camp Sequoyah, located just east of Camp Fitch. Fitch purchased all of Sequoyah south of Ables Road, along with 300 feet (91.4 m) of lake front property. This expansion brought the camp to its current size of over 450 acres (1.8 km²) with 1 mile (1.6 km) of frontage on Lake Erie. To date, only about 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) of camp land has been developed. The remaining lands have been left as undisturbed wilderness, which is used for outdoor camp programs, hiking trails and extended overnight camping.
The Cabent
Facilities and activities
Camp Fitch’s facilities include a 4-story climbing tower, an indoor climbing center, rifle range, archery range, swimming pool, horseback riding, air-rifle range, an inland Lake (Lake MVIMA) and an indoor nature activity center. Activity areas include: Horseback Riding, Air-Rifles, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Sailing, Crafts, Canoeing, Boating, Water-skiing, Archery, Riflery (22 mm), Rocketry, Horsemanship Lessons, Campfires, Swim Lessons, a Paintball Safari, golf program and daily age-group specific programs.In Camp Chicagami (Girls' Camp) ages groups are divided as follows: Inca Village (8-10 years), Aztec Village (11-12 years), Cherokee Village (13-16 years). Camp Ot-Yo-Kwa (Boys’ Camp) is divided as follows: Sioux Village (8-10 years), Shawnee Village (11-12 years), Apache Village (13-16 years).
Specialty camps
Blue Dolphin Competitive Swim Camp This program stresses swimming techniques. All applicants must have experience in high school, USS, Country Club, YMCA or YWCA competition.Soccer Camp- Partnered with Major League Soccer, the camp is based on two major themes:
- Play S.A.F.E. (Play\Soccer\Awareness\Fun\Education) developed for players 8 to 11
- A.T.T.A.C.K. (Attitude\Training\Techniques\Awareness\Competition\Knowledge)for players ages 12-17. Daily Elements include Skillbuilders, Backyard Soccer, Soccer-Robics, Netbusters and All Out Attack.
Distance Running Camp This program follows the American pattern of training; marathon, interval, repetition, and speed training. Training is done with counselorson trails, grass, dirt roads, and some paved roads.
Music Camp The Camp Fitch String Camp is intended for students that have played the violin, viola, cello, or string bass for a minimum of one year. This specialty camp is designed to have two sections. One section is geared toward intermediate students while the other is designed for high school students. All string campers participate in string orchestra rehearsals , sectionals, and small group instruction. Free time is also scheduled so campers can participate in all traditional activities that Camp Fitch offers.
Counselor-in-Training
Counselor-in-Training
This article is about the program at a summer camp, i.e., church, Scouting, or other organization.Counselor-in-Training can be both a person’s designation and a program, intended to prepare the individual for the leadership and responsibility of being a counselor...
(CIT) Camp Fitch's CIT program is designed for high school students aims to provide leadership training applicable in many facets of life. Camp Fitch's CIT program is directed by two experienced staff members. Their role is to guide trainee's personal development and instill leadership values. A unique aspect of the CIT program is the partnership forged with the YMCA of Spain. Early in summer, the YMCA of Spain sends several young adults to train at Camp Fitch. They are then giving placements at camps all over the northern Pennsylvania area, giving both campers and counselors a chance to experience a new culture.
Trip Programs Every summer Camp Fitch offers several multi-week off-site camping trips. Typically, these trips include a bike tour of Cape Cod, a white-water rafting experience and a rock climbing trip.
International Programs
Camp Fitch works extensively with YMCA España, the YMCA ICCP Program and other international partners to coordinate international camping experiences for foreign children and young adults. Every year, Fitch hosts several international staff members, campers and CITs.External links
- Computer Camp Homepage of Camp Fitch's Computer Camp.
- Camp FROG A link to the EFWCP's site detailing Camp FROG, a camp for children affected by epilepsy/seizure disorders hosted at Camp Fitch.
- Camp Barclay Link to page for information on Camp Barclay, a camp for children affected by diabetes.
- Blue Dolphin Swim Camp Link to the Blue Dolphin swim camp hosted at Camp Fitch.
- Youngstown YMCA Homepage Homepage of the YMCA of Youngstown, Ohio.
- Girl's Camp Information Site A site created by an alumnus of Girls Camp. It was last updated in 2000.