Archive: Around Town

The Ithaca Y has the largest golf outing in Tompkins County.  The Kids to Camp Golf Outing is 28 years old,  serving our community by raising money to support camper scholarships at the YMCA camp programs.  The event started with modest goals to help with the kids' needs and has grown to be the largest event in Tompkins County. The event utilizes two golf courses and hosts 180+  players.

For the previous 11 years, the event was led by title sponsor, Kionix Inc.

Frank Towner, YMCA CEO, states, "We could not have grown to this present level without their support and belief in our cause."

This year will start a new collaborative chapter, with the kids remaining in focus.  The YMCA Kids to Camp Golf Outing is being sponsored by Incodema Group, which is comprised of four, state of the art manufacturing organizations. These business segments include Incodema3D, EMT, Newcut, & Incodema.

The Y camps will serve over 245 families this summer in three programs.  Last year, 15% of total kids received financial assistance from the Y, which equals 24 families.  This financial aid provided kids a life time of experience at a value of $13,000 for subsidized programs - Camp Adventure, CIT, Wilderness and our new Night Owls overnight program.  The Ithaca Y works in tandem with DSS so as to subsidize MORE children in our community.

Camp Adventure is the longest running camp at the Ithaca Y, beginning in 1943. Traditional day camping with a variety of sports and games, arts and crafts, nature, swimming, and music prevails, in addition to themed weeks including 2 off-site trips to the Y Wilderness Outdoor Education land, and a field trip to an area park or special venue.

The CIT Counselor in Training Program is comprised of five, 2-week sessions ages 13-17 is a training program to prepare young adults for the future with classes in CPR, First Aid, scheduling, program development and leadership skills. The Y Wilderness Camp takes place at the Y outdoor education Center at 1349 Mecklenburg Road.  The 109 acres of wooded property will host 5 one-week sessions, and introduce the kids to wilderness skills including tree, wild edible, and tracking identification, shelter building, compass use, fire starting, hiking, and outdoor songs and games. This "leave no trace" camp invests in a collaborative philosophy, and develops campers to be organized and cooperative with their friends while working together toward a common goal, "the way it should be", said Towner.

Last but not least, the Night Owls program, an overnight camping experience for children and adults that utilizes the forest for nighttime shelter, listening to night sounds, and sharing stories around a camp fire.

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