YMCA Camp Lincoln Adopt-a- Cabin
Camp excels at teaching “hard skills” like swimming, canoeing, archery, nature and giving back to the community. The results are easy to see. The “soft skills” of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and trust are incorporated into activities but the results are harder to quantify. We live in an era where video games and the internet have limited child to child interactions. Following national research from the American Camp Association and YMCA of the USA, Camp Lincoln has undertaken the challenge to accentuate the ”soft skills” values that are essential for the development of our youth. Although this may sound like a strange concept, we must give campers the right setting to embrace positive values and, to thrive in structured and unstructured settings.
Camp is currently divided up into three age groups: Eagles - K-2, Middlers - grades 3-5 and Voyagers grades 6-9. Although each group has their own neighborhood with five cabins and a bathroom, most of their day is spent traveling from one program area to another (waterfront, ropes course etc.). Very little time is spent in their neighborhood. We need to find time in our camp day play to hide and seek and tag in our front yards, play checkers or braid our friend’s hair on the front porch and to build a fort in the woods. How can camp provide an environment for campers to engage in this time tested but lost art?
During the summer of 2006 campers will spend time in their neighborhood. While the current neighborhoods are clean, they are missing a couple key elements. Providing a wide variety of informal opportunities allows everyone to belong and feel connected.
The Adopt-a-Cabin program allows for the following renovations to create a home for our campers. 10 cabins are up for adoption at $2,500 per cabin.
| Add a deck onto the front of each cabin (14’ X 9’). They will all have steps and benches to encourage interaction and the development of friendships. They will have a game area incorporated for Mankala, checkers, chess, backgammon and cards |
| Extend roof line to create a covered porch over the deck. During inclement weather, the campers will still be able to spend time outside. |
| Add tongue and groove pine boards on the interior walls and ceiling. This will create a home like feeling and will make the cabins warm and inviting. Two additional windows need to be built and the current lights need to be replaced. This will create a brighter setting and campers will enjoy sitting on bunks playing cards and recreating as a family. |
| Replace shingles on the roof. They are all original shingles and are nearly 40 years old. While the cabins do not currently leak, damage will soon occur. |
| The neighborhood of cabins need to develop an outdoor game area to incorporate roof ball, four square, tetherball, corn toss, horse shoes, and carpet ball. |
| Some landscaping will enhance the space. |
Adoption benefits include:
2. When adoption takes place, the cabins are completely renovated
3. Donors receive a tax deduction for the entire adoption fee
4. Donation fees can be spread over one or two years
5. Donations can be made by cash, check or credit card
6. A plaque will be placed on the front of the cabin inscribed to the satisfaction of the donor
7. Recognition will also be published in the annual report, on the giving wall at camp and in a
For more information or to contribute to the project, please contact Rob McGregor, Executive Director at (603) 642-3361 or rob@ymcacamplincoln.org
