Located on 270 acres of beautiful Big Bear wilderness, Camp Cedar Lake creates of mountain retreat for teenagers from our community. Campers explore all kinds of activities such as canoeing, swimming, and relaxing on the private lake, ropes challenge courses, archery, and campfires and singing. By engaging teens in goal setting programs, camp promotes positive values to develop self-esteem and create lasting memories.
Participants are able to develop positive relationships and a sense of belonging. YMCA resident camps nurture the potential of youth and create a sense of community among campers through a wide variety of skill building outdoor program activities. Summer camp combines well-trained leaders with teenage campers for an extended number of days in exceptional outdoor environments that provide outstanding physical activity and healthy living experiences. During summer camp programs both staff and campers develop lifelong friend-ships and memorable experiences.
YMCA Summer Camps offer campers opportunities to build and strengthen positive character values and appreciate the differences in others. Bonds built, bring participants back year after year and can lead to lifelong engagement with the Y. Campers of all abilities find success through the skill-building opportunities of camp programs, having fun and learning confidence and values take home from their Y resident camp experience.
PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION
Teen Camp has a wide range of activities for our campers to enjoy while staying with us.
ACTIVITIES AT TEEN CAMP
Archery
Hiking
Canoeing
Ropes challenge course
Swimming pool
Songs & skits
Campfire
Teambuilding activities
Personal goal setting program
A typical day at camp…
7:00 am: Rise & Shine
7:30 am: Morning Inspiration – songs, skits, daily theme
8:00 am: Breakfast
8:45 am: Cabin Time & Clean-up, Campers get ready for the day
10:00 am: Morning Activity Period (all activity areas open)
12:30 pm: Lunch
1:15 pm: Afternoon Activity Period (all activity areas open)
4:30 pm: Activity Period Closes
4:45 pm: Quiet Hour
5:45 pm: Dinner
6:30 pm: Twilight Activity Period
7:15 pm: Get ready for Camp Fire
7:30 pm: Camp Fire – songs, skits, fun times
9:00 pm: Cabin Devotions & Daily Reflection
10:00 pm: Lights Out
CAMP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The YMCA camp program provides a positive atmosphere of safety, support, and care for each child while allowing for personal growth and development in spirit, mind, and body. Aside from the day-to-day activities that the camp itself offers, our volunteers plan a structured program centered around our theme for the week. During the week, the theme is talked about at our daily morning inspiration and during nightly discussions. Our program also includes dances, group team building activities, and friendly cabin vs. cabin competitions. Our nightly campfires include skits, songs, reflection and tons of laughs. Our program also includes YMCA Character Development, implementing the core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility in everything we do. Lastly, Y camp incorporates the Ragger Program. This is a goal setting program built for those who choose to challenge themselves spiritually, mentally or physically. The benefit one gets from the ragging program is lifelong.
CABIN LIFE
We organize campers with similar age peers in groups of 8-10, with an adult volunteer counselor assigned to each cabin. Cabin leaders stay in the cabin with their campers and lead group and cabin activities.
Some activity periods are assigned as a whole cabin group, such as the ropes course and canoeing, other activities are open ended and campers can participate with friends from other cabin groups.
HOW WE’RE KEEPING CAMPERS SAFE
There is no higher priority than the safety of our campers. We closely monitor and follow recommendations from medical professionals, YUSA, The American Camping Association (ACA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local government and health agencies, and internal teams to ensure our procedures meet and exceed expectations. We are taking the following steps to help keep everyone safe and healthy while at camp.
Sleeping bag OR bed roll (blankets/sheet) & pillow
T-shirts, one for each day
Shorts, 3-4 pairs
Long pants, 2 pairs
Socks for each day
Underwear for each day
Sweatshirt or warm jacket
Pajamas
Hat/Visor/Sunglasses
Swimsuit
Tennis shoes
Towels (2 suggested: shower & swim)
Tooth brush/toothpaste
Shampoo/conditioner/soap
Comb/brush
Chapstick and sunscreen
Laundry bag
Menstrual products (if applicable)
Glasses, contacts, braces products (if applicable)
Medicine (DO NOT PACK, BUT GIVE TO CAMP NURSE AT CHECK-IN)
Extra HEAVY DUTY trash bag to bring stuff home (dirty clothes, bedroll)
Rag (if your camper is part of the Rag Program)
PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION
Essential and detailed information will be emailed to the parents/guardians of enrolled campers leading up to camp. Please contact Cristina Casas, Community Engagement Director, at ccasas@anaheimymca.org with any specific questions
CAMP TESTIMONIAL, SARAH F.
“YMCA summer camps are not just about the fun activities and creation of lifelong friendships, but most importantly about teaching our children how to be the best version of themselves. The character lessons that I was taught as a young camper at the YMCA and now volunteer are the reason that I am the person I am today, someone who is so willing to give back to this community. campers will experience thrilling weeklong activities such as arts and crafts, high ropes, swimming, and nature hikes along with learning how to live out their authentic selves.”
