Camp marks 100 years of helping children

Driving south on Macopin Road past Apshawa Cross Road on the left just before the bend, you’ll come upon the entrance to Hands in 4 Youth - until 2014 exclusively known as Camp Vacamas.

Located in lower West Milford near the border with Bloomingdale, the sprawling grounds cover 250 acres of forested land with a 65-acre lake and 88 buildings that can accommodate more than 1,000 campers and staff.

In 2024, the nonprofit organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary of service to primarily at-risk and underserved children from the greater New York City area, northern New Jersey and elsewhere.

”Our centennial is a significant milestone that underscores our mission to empower and inspire youth through transformative experiences,” said Lee Bell, executive director of Hands in 4 Youth. “We’re honoring our past and the countless lives we’ve touched while looking forward to continuing our vision of fostering personal growth and leadership for future generations.”

The camp’s formal centennial event will be Saturday, Sept. 14. Campers and their parents, staff members, board members and advisers, volunteers, alumni, partners and donors will enjoy a day of music, games, adventure, presentations and commemorative merchandise. The event is free and open to the public.

To West Milford in 1954

The organization originally known as East Side Vacation Camp Association was founded in 1924 by a group of teachers, social workers and businesspeople who believed that children living in poverty in a New York City neighborhood needed a respite.

Founders and successors provided summer camp opportunities for children from poor working families to experience nature, augmenting the classroom and escaping city streets.

Through several decades, the association expanded, changed its name to Camp Vacamas, and in 1954 moved from Kingston, N.Y., to West Milford.

In 2012, the Hands in 4 Youth name was added to Camp Vacamas to reflect a fuller array of year-round activities, from summer camp to school-year retreats and daily after-school enrichment programs.

“Unintentionally, Hands in 4 Youth is a bit of a secret in West Milford,” said Brett Rollins, senior director development, who is in his seventh year at the camp. “We’re proud of being part of West Milford and contributing to the community’s growth and well-being.

“One hundred years for any organization is an amazing accomplishment. It’s been 100 uninterrupted years, continuous operations through the Great Depression, world war, the ’60s, Covid and other challenges.

“We have changed with the times, evolved and created new programs to serve kids in need and be more sustainable. It’s great to be a part of it all.”

Huge dining hall

The camp’s largest building is the dining hall, which can accommodate up to 1,000 children and staff for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks.

Most of the buildings are for sleep-over housing categorized by age group and gender.

There’s a literacy center, health center with medical staff, gym and nature learning center. The Labadorf building, the camp’s newest facility, houses organization offices, classrooms and other activities.

Hands in 4 Youth employs about 130 summer staff, among them counselors, division heads, program teams, medical professionals, and kitchen and maintenance staff.

Many summer staffers come from more than a dozen countries, largely the United Kingdom, Europe and Latin America, as well as young adults nearby who have come up through camp programs.

Sixteen-year-olds may join the training program and graduate to junior counselor at 17. At 18, they become full counselors who work directly with campers.

The lake with a new dam has two beaches for swimming and boating with changing rooms and showers. The camp’s highest point overlooks the full camp and lake and has a view of the New York City skyline. The steep hike to the top has become a rite of passage at the camp.

Three camp sessions

The summer camp has three 19-day sleep-away sessions, each hosting some 150 children. For many campers, the $3,000-a-child fee is funded by scholarships from partner agencies or other sources, including alumni worldwide who actively support the camp.

The day camp serves mostly local children and has 90 to 100 participants ages 5-14.

There’s an afterschool from 3 to 6 p.m. for elementary and middle school students. On any given day, there are more than 250 children at the site along with staff.

Programs for teens ages 14-16 provide a fun and supportive environment. Campers make new friends, develop independence and skills, and challenge themselves physically and mentally.

Activities range from biking and hiking, canoeing, camping, rock climbing, triathlon, survival skills, leader and lifeguard training, and cooking indoors and over a campfire.

Sylvie Phillips is a first-year teen leader who hails from London and is studying to be a commercial attorney.

“I’ve never worked at a summer camp before and this experience is remarkable,” she said. “We live in spacious tents, sleep in individual bunks, and it is best experience I have ever had in my life. We build individual and team skills, learn about ourselves and others. Our group just returned from a six-day canoe trip down the Delaware River, which was amazing.

“The vibe, outdoors and people are all great,” she said. “I love it and am proud to be here on its 100th anniversary!”

No cell phones

A rule for all campers: Cell phones and video games are put away.

They have an 8 a.m. round-up before breakfast, with songs and other wake-up activities. Days close with dinner followed by “highs and lows” chats with counselors and other group activities, including campfires, music and square dances.

All campers have swim lessons and take part in a variety of outdoor activities, such as boating, fishing, archery, wilderness hikes, shelter construction and team building.

STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning is a daily practice as are nature science, gardening, plant pollenating, soil sampling and lake water sampling.

Campers may start and join clubs focusing on dance and choreography, recycling and environments, reading and writing, and language.

Chelsea Keeler, the camp director, has been with Hands in 4 Youth since 2013.

“For campers, we’re a learning bridge for the summer gap with fun new experiences,” she said. “We prioritize safety and support personal growth and self-discovery.

“Our technology-free environment lets campers unplug and connect with their surroundings and each other, while our staff provides mentorship and guidance every step of the way.

“Camp Vacamas is a very special place where youngsters and staff can be themselves and have an enjoyable, safe and special experience - unique for sure, not easily found elsewhere.”

Campers are given a professional impact assessment, with testing at the beginning and end of a session, to measures social and emotional learning (SEL) development. That is shared with parents or caregivers. Results show that 90 percent of youngsters statistically improve while at camp.

Grants and donations

“We also share our top-line results with people, organizations and foundations that provide grants and donations,” Rollins said. “We’re not babysitters and need to prove our value. We’re in the business of developing youth into responsible adults who are solid members of local and global communities. Our kids leave with a bigger sense of horizon than what they came in with.”

With a $2 million operating budget, Hands in 4 Youth receives funding from grants and donations, camper fees, contracts with other youth agencies, and partners, such as New York City.

Businesses, churches and schools may rent space and use camp staff for meetings and team-building experiences.

“We have a strong reputation built on our heritage, mission, programs and results,” Rollins said. “We have an outstanding and hard-working staff and board, and we are extremely grateful to our generous donors and underwriters.

“As a small nonprofit agency that runs a big facility, our benefactors are a key reason we’re operational and open.”

Bell said, “Our biggest challenge and goal are to continue evolving as a year-round youth agency. We strive to meet the needs of today’s young people while staying true to our mission of providing inclusive and impactful programs. Balancing innovation with tradition, we aim to ensure our vision of nurturing future leaders remains strong.”

Growing and giving back

Francisco Emeterio has been involved with Camp Vacamas for 18 years, including seven as a camper and the rest on the staff.

“Hands in 4 Youth works magic in giving kids the social and emotional growth they need and attention that is sometimes lacking,” he said. “I grew up in a big city, New York, so coming here as a young person and working here as an adult has been a great experience for me. It’s helped me grow, meet other people from all over the world, and share lifelong memories.

“As a staff leader, I’ve now watched the growth of a generation of kids, plant a few seeds among kids who might want to give back the way we’re now doing. The experience opened my eyes to understand that there was more to the world than the Bronx.

“Like me back then, when our kids see racoons, deer, birds and bears for the first time, they’re flabbergasted, don’t know what’s going on. They’re amazed. By the third bear, they’re waving and saying hi. We’re opening new perspectives and teaching kids to respect and love nature.”

’My second home’

Jasmine Caraballo, now in her 10th summer since starting as a camper in 2014, has served as the division head for day campers for the past four years.

“Camp Vacamas is my second home,” she said. “I worked up through the program, was here through Covid, and am now a leader.

“I don’t know where I’d be if not for Hands in 4 Youth. It’s introduced me to nature and people from different cultures, all people I now consider family.

“Giving back to all kids here gives me a great sense of excitement, love and pride. I’m also able to help our young staff, getting them out of their shell and comfort zones. Here’s to another 100 years!”

The Hands in 4 Youth staff sees everyone who has come through the entrance as part of one big extended family - once part of the place, people stay involved and are part of it forever.

And new volunteers are welcome.

“We’re proud of our legacy of making memories and changing lives,” Bell said. ”The unique attributes of our camp are deeply rooted in our mission and vision.

“Our year-round programs offer a safe and supportive environment where youth can grow, connect and thrive. The sense of community, the natural beauty and the life skills learned here align with our vision of creating lasting, positive change in the lives of young people.”