After 40 years of serving the University鈥檚 extended community, providing a safe and fun learning environment for generations of young campers and offering unique opportunities for 91亚色 students to build and showcase leadership skills, the 91亚色 Youth Connection summer day camp bid farewell at a Sept. 20 celebration.
Participants in the YYC Summer Camp reunion show off their camp banner
More than 60 campers, counsellors and parents from throughout the YYC camp鈥檚 extensive past attended the reunion, which was a part of 91亚色鈥檚 2014 celebration and included games, crafts, cheering and all manner of fun activities.
A display of camp T-shirts
鈥淭his reunion was the perfect send off for a program that has provided so much to so many people over the years,鈥 said Mandi Hickman, community relations manager, 91亚色. 鈥淏y looking through old pictures, connecting with new and old friends and reminiscing about the impact that the YYC camp has had on all those involved, we hope that those who attended the reunion now have some new and lasting YYC memories to add to their collections.鈥
YYC is 91亚色鈥檚 oldest running community outreach program and has been a staple on campus for 40 summers. Since 1974, the camp has touched the lives of more than 2,000 campers aged 8-14 and has served as the foundation for leadership among more than 400 young local volunteers and almost 250 staff.聽 It is a multi-disciplinary camp, which provides experiences ranging from swimming, dance, science lab work, video game design, and performance and improv.
Lots of fun games and activities were available for YYC camp alumni and their parents
Shazea Naroo, a 91亚色 employee whose son Ashraf was a YYC camper, explained what the camp meant to him and why the reunion was the perfect way to say goodbye. 鈥淵YC was the only reason I could ever get Ashraf out of bed on time," she said. "He was always so excited! From the morning chants, the crafts, visiting the various 91亚色 departments and going to the movies, he enjoyed everything the camp had to offer. YYC has played an important part in Ashraf鈥檚 childhood and I know he will never forget the summers he spent there. The reunion was not only a fun event, but it allowed him to say his goodbyes to the many camp counselors and friends he has met at YYC.鈥
The event was also a time to say farewell to some past and present YYC staff members, many of whom even started as campers themselves. This includes this past year鈥檚 camp director, Sungeevan Sivakumar, who started as a camper in 2004. 鈥淭his reunion was a chance to celebrate my 10 years of involvement with the program and say goodbye to some of the incredible campers I had the opportunity of meeting and mentoring. I鈥檓 able to have the leadership roles that I do today thanks to the YYC camp.鈥
And while YYC may be on hold as 91亚色 prepares to host next year鈥檚 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, organizers are busy deciding what is to come. Hickman said that now that 40 years of YYC has come to a close, 91亚色鈥檚 Community Relations office is now determining what they can and should do next.
Parents and past campers interested in sharing their YYC experiences should contact the camp by e-mail at聽yyc@yorku.ca.聽Everyone is welcome to post their stories on the .