Thank you for celebrating the history of YMCA camps


Hello YMCA Camp Alumni Community,

I hope your new year is off to a great start! My name is
Heidi Worthington, President & CEO of YMCA BC, and I am delighted to be connecting with you in this first alumni newsletter of 2026.

As a charity that is committed to igniting belonging and building vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities, it has been wonderful to see and hear about all the ways this alumni program has grown since it launched last year. I have especially enjoyed reading the stories of alumni whose contributions have benefited generations of campers and learning about all the opportunities for you to engage and connect with one another—I have already marked the 2026 alumni events listed below in my calendar and look forward to connecting with many of you throughout the year.

Whether you attended Camp Elphinstone, Camp Kanannaq, Camp Howdy, or Camp Deka and your connection to camp spans one summer, five years or fifty years, you are a part of a very special community with a long and meaningful history.

We know camp is a place that has a lasting impact on those who have the fortunate opportunity to experience it. Beyond the activities and views, the way camp enriches lives is the real magic—the skills that are developed, the confidence that is built, the friendships that are formed, the personal growth that takes place and the lifetime of memories that are created. These are the same experiences that thousands of kids and families will have this year through our camp programs. This is the collective history that you and many others are celebrating through the alumni program, which is extraordinary and sets the foundation for even more people in the future to benefit from all that camp has to offer.

As we approach the start of a new camp season, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting our YMCA camp community, sharing your stories and memories, igniting belonging and contributing to the legacy of camps at the YMCA.

Happy camping everyone!

Sincerely,


Heidi Worthington
YMCA BC President & CEO

Camp Deka Founders May and Lorne Brown: Pioneers in combining education and recreation in an outdoor setting

Driven by their belief that nature can greatly impact the growth and development of individuals and a passion for helping young people reach their full potential, May and Lorne Brown established Camp Deka in 1961.

Located along Deka Lake in BC's Cariboo region, Camp Deka provided campers with valuable experiences, and shaped resilient, capable and grounded individuals for over five decades.

Read:
Honouring the Legacy of May and Lorne Brown

Building Community and Connection in 2026

Save the Date!

We are delighted to announce the schedule for 2026 Camp Alumni events! Please mark your calendars, plan to attend these gatherings and reconnect with the YMCA camp community.

March 28, 2026 - Opening weekend work party at Camp Elphinstone - Alumni are invited to help open the camp facilities for the spring and summer season. Activities include bringing out of storage the boats and out-trip equipment, clearing trails of and ready to open to guests. This is a day trip at camp. Work in the morning, have lunch, work in the afternoon and return home at the end of the day. Click here for more information.

May 3, 2026 - Volunteer at the BMO Vancouver Marathon - The YMCA will have a water station set up at Second Beach in Stanley Park to support marathon runners. Join the camp alumni team and cheer on the athletes as they pass the 33km mark. Click this link to register as a volunteer.

July 18, 2026 - Alumni Picnic and BBQ - Whether you went to Camp Elphinstone, Camp Howdy, Camp Deka or Camp Kannanaq, you are invited to mingle with camp alumni from across the generations as well as meet up with your old camp friends. Details about the time and place will be made available this spring. Express your interest today!

August 16, 2026 - Alumni Day at Camp and Alumni Swim Challenge - Are you curious about open water swimming? Join a group of camp alumni swimmers who will make a lifeguard-supported, early morning crossing from Gambier Island to the camp dock. Or, come later in the day for lunch and a walking tour of camp property. This event was a great success in 2025. Get on the invite list!

August 30, 2026 - Summer Family Camp - Join us for three nights at camp in the week before Labour Day. This is usually a great time of year for dry summer weather and waterfront activities. Registration opens January 30.

October 9, 2026 - Fall Family Camp - A two-night stay at Camp Elphinstone featuring the annual Pumpkin Drop on the Thanksgiving Day long weekend. Registration opens January 30.

October 17 & 18, 2026 - Fall weekend work party at Camp Elphinstone. Interested in overnighting at Camp Elphinstone again? This event starts with an afternoon of putting away boats and camp equipment into seasonal storage. After dinner, test your memory of campfire songs and recollection of skits from Elphinstone’s past. The next morning after breakfast, work continues to make camp ready for the winter season. Express your interest today!

Igniting the Potential in Kids Through Outdoor Education



In addition to providing thousands of campers with memorable experiences each summer, our YMCA Camp Elphinstone team also delivers outdoor education programs to dozens of school groups each year during the non-summer months. These groups include elementary and high school students from across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

Guided by our commitment to provide accessible, meaningful outdoor experiences that inspire growth and community, the Outdoor Centre team leads overnight experiences that introduce students to a wide range of programming and hands-on learning rooted in nature. As outdoor education is often the first overnight camp experience for many youth, this time spent at camp builds confidence, resilience, and connection with peers.

Like the summer, school groups have an opportunity to experience the best that Camp Elphinstone has to offer, including the high ropes course, the archery range and different water-based activities. The camp staff also lead groups in team building exercises and cooperative games. Some courageous groups even indulge in a morning swim in the springtime!

Mirjana Jurcic is a teacher from the Abbotsford school district who has been coming to Camp Elphinstone with groups of students for 25 years. “There are always a few kids that really blossom during the Camp Elphinstone experience, and it always comes as surprise who these kids will be,” said Mirjana. “Being out of the city and closer to nature allows certain kids to be in their element—joyful and smiling—no matter what the conditions are.”

Further enhancing the learning experience for kids is the opportunity to meet and interact with international staff from all over the world. In fact, we have members of our spring staff team from Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico and Australia. Having the chance to introduce youth to other cultures and traditions makes their Camp Elphinstone experience extra special and meaningful.

Beyond providing youth with great experiences, Camp Elphinstone is also the perfect setting for adults looking for a one-of-kind place to host private events and retreats, including weddings, corporate events, wellness retreats and team-building getaways.

As a charity dedicated to building vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities where everyone can reach their full potential, it is important to YMCA BC that camp can accommodate all campers and guests. Significant upgrades have been made to make camp facilities more accessible to people with disabilities. This includes wheelchair accessible cabins and washrooms, automatic door openers and transportation services to provide access to different parts of the camp property. Camp emphasizes not only physical accessibility, but also social inclusion —aiming to create a safe, welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

For more information about our outdoor education and private event offerings at Camp Elphinstone, please see:

• gv.ymca.ca/outdoor-education
• ymcaelphinstone.ca

Share photos showing off your YMCA camp gear!



If you still have your camp shirt, hat, sweater or hoodie, we'd love to see and share your piece of camp history. We are inviting alumni to take a photo with their camp gear and email it to campalumni@bc.ymca.ca with the following info:

• Name
• City, country and location where the photo is taken
• Which YMCA camp they attended and during which years

We look forward to receiving your photos and sharing them in a future newsletter!