History of Frost Valley YMCA
Frost Valley YMCA's roots are traced back to 1885 with the beginning of organized camping. It was in this year that Sumner Dudley, grandfather of the camping movement took seven teenage boys from the Newburgh YMCA on a one-week camping excursion at Wawayanda Lake, NJ.
By 1889, sixty-five campers were enrolled, and by 1891 the boys had outgrown the campsite and re-located to the later named Camp Dudley on the shores of Lake Champlain, NY. In 1900 the camp again stretched the limits of the facilities, the camps split off and the New Jersey boys returned to Camp Wawayanda in 1901. The camp remained at this site until 1919, when it again out-grew its capacity and moved to a new-site in Andover, NJ.
The camp remained at this site until 1954, when the approach of urban expansion forced Camp Wawayanda to again make another move. The next three summers Camp Wawayanda was held at an interim site, Steven's Institute of Technology Camp, while the Board searched for a permanent site.
A permanent site was found on the 2,200 acre Catskill Mountain estate of German wool industrialist Julius Forstmann. Following the purchase in 1956, the Frost Valley Association was formed to run the Frost Valley Camp and Conference Center. In 1968, Frost Valley was incorporated into an independent YMCA. From this point forward, the transient past of Camp Wawayanda was over, but the change and growth of the Frost Valley Association was just beginning.
In 1962 the site became co-educational with the opening of girls' camp, Henry Hird. In 1969 a desire to expand year-round programming and a commitment to the earth's natural resources resulted in the formation of the Woodruff J. English Environmental Education Center. In 1975, Frost Valley became the first camp in the country to provide children with kidney disease the opportunity to attend camp while receiving dialysis treatment through a partnership with the Ruth Carol Gottscho Foundation.
Then in 1978 another major purchase was made, this time for the 1,600 acre Straus estate adding another 24 beds to the Conference Center. Frost Valley made a commitment to international relations in 1979 when the Tokyo -New York YMCA Partnership was formed.
While the 1960s and 1970s drastically increased the populations served by Frost Valley, the 1980s and 1990s grew these programs and substantiated its position as the flagship camp of the YMCA and as a leader in the camping industry. In 1983, Frost Valley became the first super-site in New York for Elderhostel ® programs and then Camp Wawayanda for Boys and Camp Henry Hird for Girls transformed into co-educational, age-based camps. The 1980s and 1990s were also a time of commitment to the environment, partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey to do acid rain research in 1984. In 1988 this commitment continued with the building of a Forest Management Trail, and the development of the Raptor Center and Wildlife Rehabilitation Program.
Then in 1990 the Resource Management Compost Center, the first institutional-sized composting facility in New York State was built, becoming a model to dozens of other camps and government agencies. In 1995 the Hayden Observatory with its 12" refractory telescope opened, and then in 1998 the Streamside Classroom and Luke Roehm Technology Center were opened. Rounding out the 1990s was the opening of the Frost Valley YMCA Community Center, which offered local children after-school child care and summer day camp opportunities.
Today, Frost Valley YMCA is a 6,000 acre residential camping, environmental education, and conference center providing four seasons of outdoor and educational opportunities each year for more than 30,000 people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
| Frost Valley YMCA Mission Statement
The Frost Valley YMCA mission is to put Judeo/Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. In pursuit of this mission, we strive to embody the following core values:
Caring: We go beyond ourselves to do what we can for all.
Diversity: We promote a culture of respect and value diversity.
Honesty: We maintain the trust of surrounding community, guests and fellow staff through honesty with ourselves and others.
Inclusiveness: We open hearts and minds to all people.
Respect: We feel and show honor and consideration for others, the environment, health and ourselves through our actions, services and deeds.
Responsibility: We hold ourselves accountable for what we do, accept results of the actions we take, and seek to fulfill expectations of our staff and guests.
Stewardship: We strive to be conscientious caretakers of our facilities, natural resources, environment, community and each other, now and in the future.
Community: We work together to create shared connections.
As a charitable organization, we raise funds throughout the year for camperships that cover the costs of camp for children and families who would not otherwise be able to attend. To help us give the gift of camp, please contact via our website.
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