EXPANDING YOUR CHILD’S HORIZONS
Special Events & Experiences
Special visitors will be at Sawmill weekly and are sure to be the highlight of the week! Think Philadelphia Insectarium,
Magicians, the famous Yoyo Champion, and more! All of these and more will come to our camp so each camper can
experience the fun without leaving Sawmill!
Swim Lessons
Swim lessons provide important life skills that could save a life and will benefit youth and teens for a lifetime. Weekly swim
lessons are offered to campers ages 4 - 21 at various afternoon time slots beginning at 2:30 p.m. Swim lesson fee is $80 per week. Our swim instructors are nationally certified. Their training includes CPR, AED, First Aid, and Oxygen Administration.
Opportunities For Growth
We are proud to have partnerships with organizations such as the Girl Scouts, First Tee Golf, Zumba!, Penn Medicine, and more. These organizations will provide activities that will strengthen our campers’ social, emotional, and behavioral
competence throughout the summer in addition to all of the fun programming we have planned!
The YMCA Four Core Values
We strive to embody the core values of the YMCA - caring, honesty, respect, responsibility - which are the cornerstone of what we teach our campers. These values are used to highlight expectations, encourage positive behaviors and cement the meaning of the camp experience into the minds of campers.
Earning Y Bucks
When we see campers upholding our four core values and demonstrating things like sharing, displaying acts of kindness
and including others, they will earn Y Bucks! Y Bucks can be used in our camp store for fun prizes.
Weekly Awards
• Camper of the Week
• Core Value Star of the Week
• Counselor of the Week
• Lifeguard of the Week
Camper Accomplishments
We find that campers often accomplish things they never expected – like passing the deep end swim test, making their way through the climbing wall, meeting new friends and we will recognize that throughout the week to show everyone that Anything is Possible
Caring & Well Trained Staff
Each of our staff undergoes a series of interviews, reference checks and a complete background/criminal history check. Our leadership team are college graduates who are working professionals in the fields of education and child development with more than 40 years of camp experience. Our senior counselors are at least 18 years of age with prior experience working with children. Many of our staff have been former campers and have gone through our counselor in training program. All staff participate in over 35 hours of YMCA pre camp training. Topics include age appropriate activities, behavior management, risk management, health and safety, child abuse prevention and more. All staff are certified in First Aid and CPR. There is a camp nurse on-site each day.
Parents Trust Us
When you drop your child off at camp, we know that you are trusting us to provide high-quality care. With a low, camper-to-staff ratio, each child receives the attention they need to grow in a safe, supportive environment. The Hamilton Area YMCA has been proudly serving the Community for more than 70 years and over two decades at our Sawmill Branch.
Everyone belongs at the Y.
We believe in serving the needs of all members of our community including those who may be unable to pay the full cost of membership or programs. Financial assistance applications are encouraged and are due by May 1. The process is confidential. E-mail: rturner@hamiltonymca.org for more information. We are an approved summer camp for State Subsidies such as Child Care Connection.
Theme Weeks
WEEK 1 • Battle of the Decades
We’ll bring back styles from our favorite decades.
WEEK 2 • Holidays Around the World
We’re celebrating some of our favorite holidays.
WEEK 3 • Wet, Wild & Wacky
Experience a wet, wild, & wacky week of thrilling activities.
WEEK 4 • Color Wars
Campers will be split into teams & compete in challenges, contests and games.
WEEK 5 • Y’s Got Talent
Campers will showcase their talents throughout this week!
WEEK 6 • Olympic Week
Campers join in some competitive fun as they compete for the gold.
WEEK 7 • Camp-i-con
Learn what it takes to become a camp superhero.
WEEK 8 • Disney Week
Wish upon a star, travel under the seas, or take a magic carpet ride.
WEEK 9 • Nickelodeon Days
Our favorite television shows come from Nickelodeon
WEEK 10 • Camp Rewind
We’ll revisit our favorite themes from the summer.