Summer Dreams Campaign Kick Off

Help make a child’s dream come true this summer

Summer Dreams Campership and Equipment Drive
April 22 – August 31, 2026

Every child deserves the chance to experience camp. The Summer Dreams Campership and Equipment Drive helps make that possible by supporting camperships for families who would otherwise not be able to afford a YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps experience.

At Hayo-Went-Ha Camps, kids step away from screens and busy schedules and step into something real. They spend their days outside on the water, in the woods, around campfires, and alongside friends who quickly become like family. Camp is a place where young people learn independence, discover their strengths, and build confidence that carries with them long after summer ends.

For more than 120 years, Hayo-Went-Ha Camps have helped young people grow through adventure, challenge, and connection. When a child arrives at camp, they are welcomed into a community where everyone belongs and where the values of “Each for All, and All for Each” guide every experience.

Why your support matters

Your gift opens the door for a child to unplug, explore, and grow in ways that only the outdoors can offer. For many families, the cost of camp can be out of reach. Through the Summer Dreams Campership and Equipment Drive, donors help provide financial assistance so that more children can experience the life-changing impact of camp.

Camp is where children learn resilience on the trail, courage on the climbing tower, teamwork in the canoe, and friendship around the campfire. These moments shape young people into confident leaders and compassionate community members.

Your generosity makes these opportunities possible.

Double Your Impact with the Matching Challenge

Thanks to the generosity of the Cook and Piraino families, who are multi-generational alumni of our camps, every gift to the Summer Dreams Campership and Equipment Drive will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000.

This means your support goes twice as far in helping more children experience the magic of Hayo-Went-Ha Camps.

A $100 gift becomes $200, helping provide essential gear and equipment so campers are ready for every one of our camp adventures.

A $500 gift becomes $1,000, helping support a camper’s experience at Hayo-Went-Ha Camps and opening the door to a summer of growth, friendship, and discovery.

Together, we can help more children step outside, unplug from screens, build confidence, and discover the joy and belonging that happen at camp every summer.

Your support in action

In 2025, generous supporters helped provide over $300,000 in campership support, allowing:
130 resident campers and 7 day campers to attend camp who otherwise might not have had the opportunity.

Your gift does even more than provide camperships. It also helps ensure that every camper arrives ready for adventure with the equipment and resources they need.

What Your Gift Supports

Outfit Campers for Adventure
Your support helps ensure that every camper arrives ready for the experience ahead. Donations help provide essential, often costly gear such as backpacks, sleeping bags, rain gear, and other personal items for campers receiving financial assistance, so every child can fully participate in the adventures of camp.

Strengthen Outdoor Programs
Your generosity helps maintain and improve the equipment that makes camp experiences possible. Canoes, tents, climbing equipment, safety gear, and trip supplies enable campers to explore the outdoors, challenge themselves, and discover new strengths in a safe, supportive environment.

Support Pathways to Growth
At Hayo-Went-Ha Camps, campers grow through every stage of their journey. Your gift supports our Pathways to Growth program, which guides young people from their early days at camp through leadership development opportunities as counselors-in-training. Along the way, campers build confidence, responsibility, and the skills that prepare them to become future counselors, mentors, and leaders in their communities.

Train Future Leaders
Your support also helps invest in our staff through advanced training and leadership development. Programs like WILDER and other staff training opportunities equip counselors with the skills to guide, mentor, and inspire campers while creating a safe and meaningful experience for everyone.

Together, we can help more young people unplug, explore the outdoors, build confidence, and discover who they are becoming.

Once a camper, always a camper. No matter where life takes you, Hayo-Went-Ha Camps are always a home away from home. 

Ways to give

Mail your gift to the Main Office – 919 N. East Torch Lake Drive, Central Lake, MI 49622 Attention Amanda Macaluso 
Donate online by scanning the QR code
Stop by camp, make a donation, and take a tour

Every gift helps ensure that more children can experience the adventure, friendships, and personal growth that define a summer at YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps.

Once a camper, always a camper.
Each for All. All for Each.

Ways You Can Help a Camper Get to Camp

Every gift helps a child step into the outdoors, build confidence, and experience the friendships and adventures that make camp so special.

$50 – Hit the Trail
Provide a sturdy pair of hiking boots so a campership camper can explore trails, climb hills, and take part in wilderness adventures.

$100 – Ready for Rain or Shine
Outfit a campership camper with rain gear so they can stay warm and dry while canoeing, hiking, and exploring.

$500 – Adventure Ready
Provide a backpack and sleeping bag so a camper has everything they need for overnight trips and wilderness exploration.

$1,437.50 – One Week of Camp
Give a child a full week at Hayo-Went-Ha Camps filled with outdoor adventure, new friendships, and life-changing experiences.

$2,875 – Two Weeks of Camp
Support two weeks of camp where a camper can grow in confidence, independence, and leadership.

$5,750 – Four Weeks of Camp
Provide a full camp experience where a camper can fully unplug, build deep friendships, and experience the magic of camp all summer long.

Your generosity helps ensure every child can experience the adventure, confidence, and belonging that happen at Hayo-Went-Ha Camps.