IMAGINE.
CREATE.
LEAD.
Frost Valley Life Painting a Brighter Tomorrow | WINTER 2015 FROST VALLEY YMCA
| frostvalley.org
PAINTING A BRIGHTER TOMORROW
FROM THE DESK OF JERRY HUNCOSKY CEO | Frost Valley YMCA
Now the scenery is a gleaming winter wonderland, but I know in a matter of weeks it will be transformed into a green landscape of wildflowers and sunny skies. Similarly, I’m often humbled and awestruck by the profound transformation that occurs in seemingly every child and family that comes here. It makes me wonder what it is that causes such a change. Is it the beautiful scenery? Is it the variety of programming? The peaceful location? But then, I look at our staff, volunteers, and donors, and I immediately know the answer – we’re blessed with individuals, like you, who whole heartedly embody the spirit of leadership. Our campers, families, and school students exhibit leadership here on a regular basis in their tenacity to explore the outdoor world, deepen their connections with others, and build values-based character. Leaders like these can be seen throughout the following pages, whether it’s in cross-cultural connections or giving back to communities in need. And the future leaders who come here, including our Counselors in Training (CiTs) also represent all the qualities that exemplify true leadership. I recently heard a Chinese proverb that perfectly describes the philosophy these individuals posses: “If you are planning for a year, plant rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant a tree; if you are planning for a century, educate your children.” As can be seen in the following pages, the future looks bright thanks to the trailblazers in the stories of this issue. However, we wouldn’t have any of this without the support of exceptional leaders like you. Our donors – often unseen – pave the way as leaders who, through their generous contributions, understand that giving the gift of camp to a child, or a relaxing getaway to a busy family, or a new program space where life-changing lessons will be learned is to give a gift that reaches far beyond the sum of its parts. The kind and caring generosity of leaders like you is what makes Frost Valley so special.
Jerry Huncosky
2014 IN REVIEW January
February
March
For the third year in a row, Frost Valley hosts the annual Northeast YMCA Camp Conference, which brings 316 professionals in the Y Camping movement to learn, grow, and connect.
Frost Valley program instructors make their annual visit to Centereach High School in Long Island to deliver our “No Room for Bullying!” curriculum that incorporates our 8 core values to help prevent bullying.
Frost Valley’s 11th Annual Women’s Wellness Weekend allows 127 women the chance to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect through programs that give women experiences of growth they can take home with them.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
INTERNATIONAL CAMP COUNSELORS LEARNED NEW SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES FROM FROST VALLEY’S SUMMER CAMP Here at Frost Valley, thousands of children and teens return to our summer camp programs each year, but we believe all campers should have the opportunity to enjoy a meaningful summer experience, no matter where they live or which camp they choose. That’s why we were thrilled to welcome volunteers from the Armenian National Union (ANU) of YMCAs last summer, who came here to work as camp counselors. Their goals were to share fresh ideas with camps in Armenia after learning about our traditions, techniques, and programming.
techniques to share with Y Armenia. In return, while bonding with Frost Valley counselors, he gave the gift of global awareness by sharing parts of his culture and experiences from back home. “These three months gave me a lot of new skills and memories. I am sure I can use these skills in the ANU-Y camps in the future,” he says. “I wish many Armenian leaders get this chance and participate in the Frost Valley YMCA camping program. I hope everything they will learn there will be used in favor of the camping programs at the Armenian YMCA.”
“The first week of camp was a period of intense trainings,” says Misak Simonyan, a Board Member and volunteer at Y Armenia. “The international camp counselors were trained to enrich their knowledge about the cultural peculiarities and differences of American children; probable conflict situations or frequent problematic issues, and possible solutions to them.”
Frost Valley joins YMCA’s across the nation to celebrate Healthy Kids Day, a free event for local families to learn about wellness, safety, and healthy ways to have fun.
PRESIDENT James S. Vaughan CEO Jerry Huncosky VICE CHAIRMAN Catherine M. Harvey TREASURER Peter E. Sundman SECRETARY Jerold W. Dorfman VICE PRESIDENTS William E. Baker Professor Al Filreis Robert Messick Judith L. Pasnik Peter E. Sundman TRUSTEES David B. Bieler John S. Butler Dr. R. Mark Ghobrial Ted B. Hilton Dr. Frederick J. Kaskel Michael D. Ketcham Robert Lomauro John McCabe Amy F. Melican John O’Brien Cheng Ong Barbara Spitz Robin Wachenfeld Mary T. Wheeler
During the following weeks, Simonyan delved into Frost Valley’s camp experience, understanding how it’s possible to instill core values into all programs while developing new
April
CHAIRMAN Robert B. Haines
May The launch of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy at Frost Valley YMCA kicks off parent-child and adult weekend courses that include 24-hours of simulated self-rescue experiential learning throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE William H. Abbott Mitchell Brock Andrew Chapman H. Corbin Day Barton C. English Jeffrey S. Kaufman James Kellogg, Jr. Michael P. Lahue Thomas M. Moriarty Shigeko Woolfalk TRUSTEES EMERITI Thomas W. Berry Hunter Corbin Helen M. Geyer Co-Director
Paul B. Guenther Dr. George J. Hill James C. Kellogg Co-Director
W. Thomas Margetts Gerald H. McGinley
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BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES
STAFF AND VISITORS SHOW THEY CARE THROUGH SERVICE AND GIVING GIVING AND RECEIVING
PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS GIVE BACK
In celebration of Giving Tuesday — a day dedicated to giving back — 214 eighth grade students from Sayville Middle School in Long Island visited Frost Valley YMCA from December 2-5 to participate in service-learning projects. They studied and removed invasive plant species, learned about composting, and rebuilt garden structures, among other activities aimed at creating a more sustainable future for our planet. In between lessons, students enjoyed traditional Frost Valley activities, teambuilding exercises, and challenging hikes.
On November 25, Frost Valley’s Program Instructors (PIs) volunteered their time to assist three local organizations. Our PIs, who already give so much, perform this community service annually around Thanksgiving and have dubbed it “ThanksGiving-Back.” This year, they broke into three groups to volunteer at Family of Woodstock, the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, and Snake Rocks Preserve.
“We’ve been bringing students to Frost Valley for more than 30 years,” says principal Thomas Murray. “They receive lifelong learning here, breaking down barriers and accomplishing things they never thought possible.” Because these students had the opportunity to gain sustainable living skills in a hands-on, outside-the-classroom way, they are more likely to remember what they learned, and apply it to their own lives. “We bring students here to challenge themselves, to test limitations, and to reinforce what they’ve learned in school,” says Doug Shaw, a twelfth-grade English teacher who chaperoned the trip. “Students take the trip in eighth grade; by the time they’re my students in 12th grade, and they have to start filling out introspective college application essays, they often write about what they learned at Frost Valley. Four years later, this trip is often still a seminal moment for them.”
Family of Woodstock provides confidential crisis intervention, information, prevention, and support services to those in need. According to their website, hunger in Ulster County is on the rise and the number of families across the country who need to visit a food pantry continues to climb. Because Family of Woodstock receives and purchases food often to keep up with demand, assistance with stocking is always helpful, so a handful of PIs helped to organize food supplies. Another group visited Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, a vegan animal-rescue nonprofit who takes in sick, abused, and neglected farm animals. PIs who visited the Sanctuary helped to winterize the grounds and prepared stables for colder weather by insulating them. They were able to spend time with the animals they helped, who will benefit greatly from the extra care. The third group tended to walking trails at Snake Rocks Preserve in Woodstock, 36 acres of trails, forests, an old quarry pond, and views of the Wittenberg Valley. Our PIs rolled up their sleeves to make the trails safer for public use by clearing, raking, setting new stones, and resetting steps for better stability, allowing people to enjoy the outdoors even more. We are humbled to employ such caring and dedicated staff, and applaud them for their efforts last fall! Photos from ThanksGiving-Back can be seen at Facebook.com/ FrostValleyYMCA.
2014 IN REVIEW June
July
August
Former trustee and Chairman R. Fenn Putman passes away, and the Frost Valley Welcome Center is soon renamed in his memory, the R. Fenn Putman Welcome Center.
Our Day Campers benefit from a generous grant from the YMCA of the USA. The Day Camp Upgrade Pilot Program brings our campers new programs like skill cards, which mark their progress toward certain goals, and passports which allow them to write about their days to later share with their families.
Through the generosity of our donors, 590 children are able to come to camp thanks to Project 332, and over 20 new campers who have never experienced the magic of summer camp, joined us through the Resident Camp Access Grant from the YMCA of the USA.
“Alopeciapalooza 2014” kicks off at Frost Valley YMCA! This annual five-day camp run by the Children’s Alopecia Project at various locations across the U.S. gives children with alopecia and their family members the chance to spend time with others who understand their experience and enjoy traditional camp activities together.
“Farm Leaders” kick off their very first summer at Farm Camp. These campers grow more than just produce - they grow in character by gaining leadership skills, acting as role models, and learning the basics of becoming a camp counselor some day.
BETTER HEALTH THROUGH LEARNING SUSTAINABLE LEARNING This January, more than 100 students from the United Nations International School came to Frost Valley to perform service-learning projects for saving energy and sustainable living. Our programs prepared these future leaders with an in-depth understanding of the importance of sustainability, while providing them with the skills and savvy to implement eco-conscious actions at home. After interactive lessons, fun workshops, and engaging discussions, students were divided into groups and tasked with auditing lodges and facilities around camp for energy efficiency. Later that afternoon, they presented their findings in fun skits performed in front of their peers. “Energy audits benefit both Frost Valley as well as the students — they keep us mindful of our energy use, and, through experiential learning, students become more aware of their own consumption. This motivates them to do audits in their own homes,” says Katharine Chute, Senior Program Instructor. “The projects and lessons were well-received across the board — students were respectful, eager learners, who expressed a desire to raise awareness about energy consumption, and they did us a great service, as well.”
Studies have shown that childhood obesity, diabetes, and similar health problems are on the rise, so Frost Valley has taken to the front lines to help combat these ailments through hands-on educational programs. To further enhance our Healthy Living Initiative, we’ve created a new Teaching Kitchen that allows us to show children and families simple and effective ways to improve their health through better nutrition. Last year, 1,206 campers attended classes during the summer and 37 Healthy Living Events were held. Lessons in this fully equipped kitchen are structured around an interactive approach to developing cooking skills and creating delicious meals from nutrient-packed ingredients. Household appliances, tools, and cutlery are used, instead of commercial-grade restaurant equipment, to make lessons easier to apply at home. Participants gain a basic understanding of nutrition, learn how to decipher food labels, and prepare various healthy recipes from start to finish, based on Frost Valley’s in-depth “Incredible Edibles” curriculum. Taught by a summer garden manager, kids learn about growing and harvesting their own food. Thanks to these new programs, children and families can experience a healthier lifestyle together, no matter what background they come from.
SCAN TO VIEW OUR VIDEO
September October Construction continues on our new wood pellet stove in the Thomas Dining Hall, which will provide a sustainable and Frost Valley energy-conscious breaks ground at source of heat to the site of the new Blum our guests and House, and construction campers. immediately begins on this exciting project, which will have a grand opening in early June 2015.
November Our School Programs department continues to provide outdoor education, teambuilding, and environmental classes. In 2014, over 214 schools and more than 17,302 children visit Frost Valley.
December By the end of this year, Frost Valley YMCA saw over 38,000 guests and campers. Many thanks to our donors who contributed to $1,105,508 raised in Annual Support.
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BUILDING STRONG CHARACTER SAM NATHANSON’S CiT STORY
As a child, Sam Nathanson dreamed of becoming a Frost Valley summer camp counselor. “When I was growing up, my dad used to tell stories about his experience as a counselor at Frost Valley, and once I attended camp for the first time in 2005, I decided that I wanted to become a counselor one day, too,” he says. After five years as a camper and one year as a Counselor-in-Training (CiT), he achieved that goal. Although he’s been a counselor for four summers, Nathanson, 21, still credits a rich and valuable CiT experience to his success at camp, as well as other areas of his life. “I was a quiet introvert who had a hard time stepping up to be a leader, but I learned some great tools that helped me step outside of my comfort zone and take on new responsibilities,” he says. “I learned how to be a successful leader, how to be responsible in a professional setting, and how to be a successful counselor.”
Frost Valley’s CiT program allows young leaders to build stronger character by taking on new responsibilities and developing model skills. Each summer, we see our CiTs grow exponentially in the areas of confidence, resourcefulness, patience, and responsibility — tools they can use throughout life. “Through the skills I learned in the CiT program, I went on to become the Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper and a captain of my school’s varsity lacrosse team. In college, I have also been able to comfortably take the lead on a lot of large group projects,” he explains. “The program helps to generate future leaders that are successful inside and outside of camp by maintaining an atmosphere where the participants can have fun learning and applying new skills, while promoting positive teamwork and communication.”
2014 SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS Frost Valley YMCA’s annual giving campaign is our community’s way of providing a camping experience to all children who wish to attend, regardless of their financial situation. This summer, hundreds of donors provided almost 600 campers with the precious experience of a summer built on values and mission.
SUMMER PROGRAM
CAMPERS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Adventure Camp
31
$40,122.00
Overnight Camp
248
$283,862.00
Farm Camp
20
$22,760.00
East Valley Ranch
24
$42,360.00
Mustang Village
8
$10,077.00
Leadership Programs
11
$14,263.00
Newark Partnership
141
$256,620.00
Kidney Program
14
$26,320.00
Day Camp
93
$21,900.00
TOTALS
590
$718,284.00
5% 16%
2%
42% 24%
2%
1% 4% 4%
FROST VALLEY YMCA 2000 Frost Valley Road Claryville, NY 12725
TEL (845) 985-2291 EMAIL info@frostvalley.org WEB frostvalley.org/donate facebook.com/frostvalleyymca
A LASTING LEGACY:
THE NEVERSINK SOCIETY When you join Frost Valley YMCA’s Neversink Society, you ensure the sustainability of Frost Valley YMCA for generations to come. Generous members, such as Dr. and Mrs. George J. Hill, have made a commitment to ensuring our organization’s continued success through support. Dr. Hill’s connection to the YMCA organization began as an 11-year-old camper in 1943. Over the years, he and his wife, Helene Z. Hill, PhD, continued to visit and become members of Ys around the country. “I discovered that Frost Valley was the best of the best,” he says.
He was eventually asked to join the Frost Valley Board, and as affection for the organization grew, so did a desire to give back. “Frost Valley supports so many people with disabilities and financial needs, that it is a very special place — unique, I think — and that doesn’t come without financial support from others, like us, and those who we recruit as donors and board members,” Dr. Hill says. He and Mrs. Hill gave a generous gift that would yield funds for the Annual Campaign in perpetuity. “It still carries on, and as long as Frost Valley exists — which I hope will be forever — our gift will keep giving.” To learn how you can support Frost Valley YMCA as a member of the Neversink Society, please contact our Director of Planned Giving Alison Buxton at ABuxton@FrostValley.org
Frost Valley YMCA is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to put Judeo/Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. We raise funds throughout the year for camperships that cover the costs of camp for children who would not otherwise be able to attend. To help us give the gift of camp to children, families and students, please contact our Development Office at 845-985-2291 or email development@frostvalley.org. To donate online go to www.frostvalley.org/donate Let us know if you prefer to receive Frost Valley Life via an online link sent to your email address. Please email us your request to info@frostvalley.org and sign up for the e-newsletter!