During Spring Break this school year (April 4 & 5), we took 38 kids from all 5 of the South Bend schools served by YMCA Urban Youth Services (Riley, Washington, New Tech, Navarre, and Marshall). This outdoor education program develops multi-cultural leadership skills in young men and women through nature experiences, shared challenges, problem solving and, of course, fun.

An email received by Kelly Austin, Equestrian staff member at YMCA CAMP EBERHART:

A word from our Director of Healthy Living, Dani Elgas:

We are committed to promoting high standards for nutrition and physical activity in all programs at YMCA Camp Eberhart, improving the health and well-being of everyone we serve. We are introducing this to our campers as: Eat a little Better – Move a little More – Live a little Healthier. The acronym – EB~MM~LH – is posted throughout camp, as a reminder of our healthy living initiative.

Constantine school students participate in one of many events at an all day Leadership Training program at Camp Eberhart in Three Rivers. Students in the Falcon Advisory Mentoring (FAM) program at Constantine High School, and Level 5 students in both the middle school and high school, attended the program.

Don't miss the ASTRO Event of the summer during our Summer Camp Week #4 (July 7th through the 13th). Boys and girls ages 9 to 13 are invited to join us for an excellent program for “Beginner” stargazers at YMCA Camp Eberhart: Astro Camp! It's a stargazing adventure where children experience firsthand the joys of observing the night sky. From the moment they arrive, AstroCampers handle telescope on the shores of Corey Lake and learn constellations in a portable planetarium. They then use their new skills to identify celestial features and to discover deep sky objects over four consecutive nights. And that's just the beginning!

Kids ages 9-16 can experience New Year’s Eve 2012 at YMCA CAMP EBERHART! Join us for 4 days and 3 nights of fun and exciting Winter Camp activities to ring in the new year. Be sure to tell all your friends about this exciting opportunity. There will also be an all-star counselor line-up. Prepare to make photos, memories and smiles. We have some AWESOME events planned for Winter Camp!

We all remember Johanna Spyri's Heidi Story. A Swiss orphan girl lives with her grandfather in his alpine cottage. She plays in pastures and looks after goats with her friend Peter. Later, she is taken by her aunt to become the companion of a lonesome and sickly city girl, Clara. Though Heidi learns to read and is enthralled by the bounteous Christmas at Clara’s home, she becomes homesick for the fresh mountain air. In the summer, Clara visits Heidi at her grandfather’s home. Heidi shows Clara the beauty of the world around them, pushing Clara in her wheelchair. Clara becomes determined to see the flowers for herself and her desire is strong enough that she overcomes her infirmities, thanks to the healing (spirit, mind and body) of the natural world. The end. (Or is it?)

Week 5 of summer camp 2012 has come and gone. Not with a whimper, but with a hale and hearty, yo-ho-ho! As always, it has been an amazing week here at YMCA CAMP EBERHART.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! I had the good fortune to be visiting YMCA Camp Eberhart. Aimlessly enough I walked out on a pier and I was suddenly reminded of  summer days on a similar pier at Camp -- dropping a line in to catch a fish or waiting for my turn to water-ski. I don’t know exactly what brought back those memories. Maybe it was the smell of the water, or the small minnows I noticed swimming under the pier, but there they were as fresh as though it was just yesterday (and not 35+ years ago.)

We are experiencing record registrations at YMCA CAMP EBERHART for Summer 2012!

We have many cabins already full weeks 5, 6 & 7 (July 15-August 4), with waiting lists for Tower Challenge and Water Skiing. Please contact our registrar, Joni, for the details.

But most importantly, DON'T WAIT to register for your best Summer EVER!