Gallatin Valley YMCA Opens Fourth Summer Camp Location

When asked about their favorite summer memory, most people will tell you about cold ice cream on hot days, going to the lake with friends or the summer of ’99 when they fell in love with a boy from Iowa they met on a family vacation at the beach – à la Sandy from Grease.

However, if you ask the staff at Gallatin Valley YMCA about their favorite summer memory, the answer is easy: summer camp! While only some staff members had the opportunity to enjoy Y summer camps as children, almost all of them attended at least one summer camp in their lifetime. Even now, as adults, the staff are eager for summer to start so they can share the joy, magic and all-around summer fun that the Y’s summer camp bring to kids in our community.

The Gallatin Valley YMCA has hosted summer camp for almost as long as it has been serving the Gallatin Valley community and has continued to perfect the age-old tradition of summer camp by fostering a culture of belonging in a fun and educational manner. Summer camps are 10-week day camps for kids in grades kindergarten through seventh that operate from June through August, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Over the last decade, Gallatin Valley YMCA summer camps have grown to incorporate three different locations to cater to our evergrowing community. During this past summer of 2021, the Y operated camps out of Hawthorn Elementary (Adventure Day Camp K-4), The Commons (Adventure Day Camp K-4), and the Gallatin Valley YMCA (Teen Camp).

Even with these three locations, camps were booked to capacity before May! After a fun, adventure-filled summer with great feedback and support from camp staff, Y families, and the Y team – they decided to open a NEW fourth location for the summer of 2022.

The Gallatin Valley YMCA is happy to announce a new Adventure Day Camp (K- 4) location in Belgrade at Heck-Quaw Elementary this summer. Join them for a summer full of fun exploring earth science, white-water rafting, creating mythical worlds, playing games, getting messy, going for the gold at the Olympics, visiting local farms and animals and celebrating holidays – along with beating the heat with water games, giant slip n’ slides and more.

Registration for all YMCA summer camps opens Tuesday, March 1 for Y members and Tuesday, March 15 for nonmembers. In addition to a new summer camp location, the Gallatin Valley YMCA will also be offering four separate week-long sports camps this summer for kids in grades kindergarten through fifth who want to learn more about a variety of sports. Follow the Gallatin Valley YMCA via Facebook or Instagram to learn more.