YOSEMITE SIERRA SUMMER CAMP

YsscTube

2012-01-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

Have you seen our YouTube page yet? Click Here to check it out!

We're working on all sorts of new video shorts for this page, and hope it will be just one more way we can spread the word about the Home of the World's Greatest Campers!

If you have any ideas for videos you'd like to see, post them here or email info@yssc.com to share your ideas!

In the meantime, please enjoy one of our favorite YouTube features - a video about our very own XL Program at Mammoth Pools.

The Early Bird Gets ... An Incredible Summer Camp Experience

2012-01-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves a good, old fashioned Early Bird Special, and YSSC is no different!

Right now if you register for a session you will automatically receive $200 off the total summer tuition! If you like the sound of that, here are a few other benefits to consider ...

No stress, wondering whether or not you'll make it into a session - your spot will be reserved and confirmed with a $750 deposit!
Peace of mind knowing summer plans are taken care of and ready to rock!
Your camper getting more and more excited about another year at YSSC
Keeping tabs as a family with our Returning Staff Page on the website to see which staff will be joining in on Camp Magic this year!
Knowing this summer will result in your camper growing in character, relationships, skills, and faith!

There is so much more, but we don't want to keep you any longer from clicking on that red "Register Now" button on our website. Grab a friend who would love YSSC, share the news about camp, and register today at the Home of the World's Greatest Campers.

Click Here to visit our website and sign up for camp!

Star Rock Ministries - by Ivor "Ivor" Thomas

2012-01-05T14:55:00.000-08:00

I give to Star Rock Ministries.

Having worked at summer camps for over six years, I have seen the impact camp has on the lives of children and teenagers. I have been fortunate enough to work at camp and to see firsthand how campers have been influenced by the great summer staff: from counselors to kitchen workers to boat drivers and those on the maintenance staff. It is amazing to see how just two weeks at camp can change a child’s whole year – or life even! Having a safe environment for campers where they can have fun but also be exposed to the message of Christ is great and unique experience. But what makes camp an amazing, life changing experience is that campers are not only able to hear about the message of Jesus, but they see it lived out every day in the actions of the summer staff. It is a rare opportunity to hear the gospel but to also experience it and see it genuinely acted out.

As I grow older my life is changing. I am looking for full time employment and I am getting married soon. Working at summer camps has been one of the most (if not the most) fulfilling times in my life. I’ve seen the amazing work God does at camp, but I can’t stay working at summer camp forever. While I previously gave the gift of camp by working directly with campers, I now continue to do it financially.

During my college years I had almost no money. I always thought that when I graduated I would get a lucrative job and then be able to donate money to various charities and organizations. After graduating I realized my dreams were not a reality; I was unemployed for some time and I now work teaching outdoor education – which is quite rewarding but is definitely not a high paying job.

I believe that a common view held by many people my age is that once we “grow up,” we can start giving. As I have gotten older (I wouldn’t say I have completely “grown up” yet!) I am realizing that life will never be perfect, there will always be financial hardship, and that if I keep waiting for things to be “perfect,” I will be waiting for the rest of my life. Due to my position in life, I can’t give much. But what I can do is donate consistently, and my continual small donations add up to make a difference.

By giving to Star Rock Ministries, I am still impacting kids’ lives. While it is important to have quality staff members loving and caring for kids, the reality is that without finances and funds they wouldn’t be able to be there. It doesn’t matter how much I give, I know that my small contributions add up. Part of me wishes I could work at camp indefinitely – seeing God work on a daily basis while living in an amazing community that fosters growth in campers as well as staff. This isn’t a reality, but I can still be involved financially to help ensure that future campers will be able to meet Christ at camp.

I encourage anyone who has worked at camp to become involved with Star Rock Ministries. It is a very gratifying knowing that I am still involved with camp even though I am not there in person. Plus, imagine how many new campers we could send to camp if every past staff member was able to give just a small amount! As the years go on, the pool of staff members would grow and hopefully so would the amount of new campers.

I give to Star Rock Ministries. You can too!

http://www.starrockministries.org/

Pots and Thoughts 1: Reflections and Recipes from Your Camp Kitchen!

2011-12-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile we hope to publish a post or two from those fantastic staffers who make the world's greatest camp cuisine. If you have any recipes you would love to try with your family, email info@yssc.com and we'll do our best to get it up! For now, please enjoy some Thanksgiving reflections from our dear friend and Food Service Manager, "Rizzo".

Now that it is well after Thanksgiving, I thought it would be more than appropriate to reflect on what I’m thankful for. And, if you know anything about me, you know I love my lists. Perhaps not as much as "Nols" does, but I still do love them. If I’m honest, writing a comprehensive list would take, perhaps, forever. So here is a random, abbreviated list of things I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving …. Christmas … season:

College Football
"The Immortals" (my first Trek Team as a WFR)
Homemade Pumpkin Pie
The San Jose Sharks
Foodgawker.com
‘Smokin in Havana’ OPI nail polish
Living in the 93604
Cows, especially baby cows
Baby Llamas- if you haven’t seen one, your missing out
Peppermint White Mochas
The countdown to camp on www.yssc.com
Memories from ‘the skinny’: 8 minutes, the party room, baked oatmeal balls in the fridge, Crazy
Mocha Cookies from Joyce “Sal”
Beards
Summer Snapshots
My adorable second cousin Mason Danger (Yes, that’s really his middle name!)
Trying never before baked treats
All things pumpkin- PSL, scones, cookies, jack-o-lanterns
The refreshing water from Fern Springs in Yosemite Valley
The Goodnight Song (I listen to a recorded track every night before bed)
Reminiscing about laughing non-stop with “Pixie” for, say, 30 minutes during staff training
Pen Pals
Go Fish via Skype
People to serve
Rain boots
Monster Cookies

If you made it all the way through this list, wow, you’re a trooper!

But keep in mind, I could’ve kept typing.

Oh, I clearly forgot perhaps one of the most significant things: Grace. (And no, not what you say before dinner.) There have been hundreds of days where I have screwed up and fallen short. But, God’s grace has always been there, always been enough, and will always be enough. There’s been grace in friendships gone awry but because of grace, are more solid than ever; it’s been there when I thought a meal was 30 minutes later than expected, and there’s been grace (and guidance) when I had NO idea where I was going after graduation. All my things on the above list are WONDERFUL, but none of them save me, only the grace of God does.

YSSC is Like the Super Soldier Serum

2011-11-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Introducing: Danny "Sputnik" Runkel

Resident brilliance expert, marksmanship guru, boys' day extraordinaire, and famed camp seminar speaker. We think he is pretty fantastic, and were glad to have him on board not only while celebrating things like "National Chocolate Chip Day" in 2010, but most especially to help us launch the YSSC Space Station in 2011!

Stats

Attending: Westmont College

Major: Engineering Physics

Jobs at YSSC: Marksmanship, Archery, Rotating/Program

Favorite Activity at Camp: Outpost or the King Swing

Favorite Meal at Camp: Grilled Cheese (complete with Hot Sauce)

What he thinks about camp: "YSSC is like the super soldier serum. It brings one to their maximum potential. They become the best of who they are, at what they are best at, while significantly improving at everything else. Spiritual maturity is injected, stimulating growth fed by an excess of nutrients. Simply put, at YSSC, good becomes great."

Many thanks to you, Sputnik!

.... What do YOU think about YSSC? ....

Bringing Camp Home

2011-11-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite things about hosting events and getting together with the camp family throughout the year is to hear how they are taking camp home with them, and continuing to use the skills learned, friendships made, and muscles built to make their day to day at home even better!

We've heard from campers about making new friends once they come home, finding ways to keep hiking and learning about nature, and even getting involved in their communities to find ways to give back and help those in need.

From parents we hear all the time about campers who come home and love to share stories around the dinner table, or even knowing how to set a great looking table, or have a brand new bed-time routine to make evenings easier.

We love to hear everything from campers teaching friends how to make epic friendship bracelets, to whole families making time to play and laught together.

Turns out, we aren't the only ones with campers anxious to take traditions from camp home with them! In an article by veteran YMCA Camp Counselor, Carrie Meng, you can read about even more ways to "bring camp home" and keep the [camp]fire burning all year long!

Click Here to read "Bringing It Home: Using Camp-Learned Skills After Camp"

What are some ways that you or your family have been able to share the gift of camp with one another?

An Out of this World Reunion!

2011-11-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

Reunion is coming up this Sunday.

We can't wait!

YSSC Reunions remind us all why we love camp so much, and give us one more glimpse of the fantastic fun to be had when we all gather together. Whether it's singing songs and having the freedom to dance around once again, or eating delicious food while talking about those perfect camp meals, or catching up with a friend while making a craft, there is always one more memory to share, one more joke to tell, or one more "thank you" to offer. We had an amazing summer launching into Outer Space, and we are looking forward to one more adventure together this weekend.

For those who can't make the trek to Southern California to join us, you will be in our thoughts throughout the day! We hope you'll take a moment to sing a silly song, look up a space factoid, don a well-worn costume, or send am email/text/letter to a friend, telling them once more how thankful you are for their presence in your life. There's nothing better!

So a happy reunion weekend to all - whether close by or merely close in spirit - we are so grateful for your help in making this a great "Out of This World" year at YSSC!

A Reunion Retrospective

2011-10-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

With our annual reunion drawing ever closer, we thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and see some of the highlights from recent years. As with most things at camp, each year is different and has its own flair, but there are always a few "staples" that keep popping up. For reunion, the traditional "Skeeter's Famous 'Dogs" are a delicious afternoon treat, we always end with The Goodnight Song, you can count on there being excellent prizes, and we always leave feeling like time together just didn't last long enough.

Share Camp!

2011-10-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

Each year we get together with a number of families who host "Home Shows" to share camp with their friends. These events are a great opportunity to share all those stories you've had bursting at the seams, to show off pictures, and get others excited about the camp you already know and love! Home Shows are casual, fun, and informative for families. Whether your friends and neighbors are just starting to consider a camp, or have already been thinking about YSSC for next summer - we hope you will think about hosting your own Home Show! Simply call our office at 949.361.2267 for more details!

It's Out of This World!

2011-09-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

WHEW....!!

Campers are safely home, staff have made the trek to their various dwellings, the activities are packed away, the supplies are counted and organized, the costumes are clean and folded, and the weather is getting colder by the day around Bass Lake. It's official: The summer season at YSSC is over.

As sad as it is, we couldn't be more pleased with how things turned out.

A few photo highlights:

Where else but Camp can you practice superb archery skills while dressed as a Gorilla Clown?

Friendship at its finest

Our new rock wall being put to great use! Thanks to the year-round team who worked so hard to get this new activity ready for summer.

Just another perfect day on Bass Lake. 10 /10 campers agree that Banana Boating rocks!

Gearing up to take on the backcountry of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Happy Hiking to our BMWs!

The longest post would not be able to capture all the wonderful memories made this summer, but we are hopeful that word will continue to spread as you share your own pictures, stories, songs and more to those you love most. Thanks to all our staff, families, and of course "World's Greatest Campers" who truly made this summer "Out of This World".