Interview by Hadley Robinson CAMP ERA: 2005-2018 (Counselor, Program Director, Voyageur Division Leader, Bush Division Leader, Trip Shack Director) Phil Pickard first came to Hayo-Went-Ha as a counselor, and his enthusiasm and energy were a natural fit for the job. He was on ad staff for many years and spent several off seasons with camp’s environmental education program too. Like

Joshua first came to Hayo-Went-Ha on Torch Lake as a camper in 6th grade through Gaylord Community Schools. Since then, he has consistently found his way back to camp as a summer staffer, including this past summer, where he served as a counselor in our Alaska program and as the Division Leader for our youngest overnight campers in the Pioneer

We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Mackenzie “MackMo” Morison as the new Girls Camp Director at YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps – Arbutus Lake! MackMo has a deep and personal connection to Hayo-Went-Ha, starting as a camper in 2007 at Camp AHWH and progressing through various staff leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Wilderness Camp Director at YMCA Camp Hi-Rock in Massachusetts, where

We’re thrilled to share that our 2024 Campfire Chat on Tuesday, December 3rd, was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special virtual gathering. If you missed it, don’t worry—you can still catch all the inspiring moments in the recording! During the event, we: This event, held on Giving Tuesday, perfectly aligned with our Kindness Spreads

Another great tailgate! Over 55 alumni stopped by the annual HWH Camps Tailgate. A huge thank you goes out to Vicki and Kent DesJardins for allowing us to use their car space. See you all next year in East Lansing!

An exciting pop-up HWH Camps get-together happened in Boston last month. The group was a cross-the-board mix of HWH Camps experiences. We had alumni representing the 60s all the way to current day camp campers. It was a fun morning camp coffee chat. Stay tuned for another “Haya Want a Cup of Coffee” reunion soon. In the photo above, Camp

We are pleased to provide an update on the search for our next Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha Director. As we prepare for the upcoming summer season, we are actively interviewing a strong pool of highly qualified and passionate candidates for this important role. Our goal is to find a leader who not only has experience in camp management, but also embodies

Hi, everyone! My name is Emily Gibson (or Gibbo), and I was a camper at Arbutus from 2006-2012, and a staff member from 2012-2015. I currently work as a consultant with the Michigan Small Business Development Center, and I am completing my Masters degree in Nonprofit Administration at Central Michigan University. As soon as I returned from the amazing Alumni

Change continues to be in the air as we seek to grow our team again. Everywhere I have served on a year-round camp staff, people always ask, “What do you do the rest of the year?” It’s no surprise that people don’t understand the work of program evaluation and development, research and development of new programming, recruiting, recruiting, (and more)

We’re off to a strong start for the 2025 summer season at Hayo-Went-Ha Camps! Registration opened on October 20, and with over 450 campers already signed up, we’re seeing a 7% increase in registrations compared to this time last year. This early momentum reflects the continued enthusiasm from returning families and new ones eager to join our community. We’re excited

In my first year as CEO, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the incredible strength of our community and the lasting impact of our culture, built on the selfless values of “Each for All, All for Each.” For over a century, Hayo-Went-Ha Camps have served as a sanctuary for personal growth, lifelong friendships, and a deep connection to nature. There’s