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Camp Fitch thrives on its 96-year tradition
Camp Fitch
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Camp Fitch on the shores of Lake Erie in North Springfield, Pa. is run by the Younstown YMCA.
By Elise Franco
North Springfield, Pa.
Camp Fitch Director Brian Rupe greets everyone he passes with a wave and a smile.
That continued tradition of kindness and feeling of belonging could be one of the many reason campers feel so at home at the 96-year-old camp by the lake.
“Here it’s a lot about the traditions that are precious and valuable,” said Rupe, who became director of Camp Fitch three years ago. “They are time-tested.”
The camp was established in 1914 at Little Beaver River in West Point, Ohio, by the YMCA of Youngstown. It was moved in 1924 to its current location on the coast of Lake Erie in North Springfield, Pa., Rupe said.
He said the camp welcomes about 2,000 kids from ages 6 to 16 each summer. Friday marked the end of a weeklong camp for about 300 kids from all over the country and internationally.
“We have a lot of kids from the Youngstown area, of course,” Rupe said. “But we also have some international kids from places like Spain and [South] Korea.”
Coleman Rowbottom, 13, of Canfield hung by the archery station Friday morning with some of his friends. A third-year camper, Coleman said he enjoys the companionship that comes with the experience.
“I like all the fun that I have and the new friends I make,” he said.
With so many campers, Rupe said he and the staff have to continue with traditional activities that so many look forward to, as well as introduce new and creative projects and programs for the kids to enjoy.
“It’s always important to add new programs and keep them fresh,” he said. “We understand the importance of that for kids to keep coming back.”
Rupe said he implemented a program that gives campers the opportunity to choose an activity they stick with for three days, which helps them hone in on that one skill even more.
“We do clinics ... so there’s a skill-building program throughout the week,” he said. “The kids choose the traditional things like archery, horseback riding and canoeing, as well as things they may not have tried otherwise, like cup stacking or jewelry-making.”
Another vital aspect is the camp staff, especially the counselors.
Rebecca Hinkley, 19, of Bainbridge, N.Y., works in the stables and said she’s been a counselor for four years.
“I just really love it,” she said. “When I’m teaching kids to ride, and they get it for the first time ... the look on their face fills me up with hope.”
Hinkley, a student at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, said she learns from the campers just as they learn from her.
“Watching kids grow teaches you something about yourself, that you can keep growing too,” she said. “They’ll hopefully try something they’ve never tried before and love it.”
Jodi Novotny, 19, of Youngstown said she’s been a counselor for five years but grew up spending her summers at Camp Fitch. Novotny works mostly with the youngest kids, called Potawatomi.
“Being here gives these kids a vibe of family and tradition,” she said. “They feel a great sense of belonging.”
He said the camp’s annual budget is about $2.1 million, with about 80 percent coming from camper fees and the rest through donations. For YMCA members, weeklong summer camp costs $460. Nonmembers pay $525.
The camp also hosts about 10,000 students from 80 schools in the fall, winter and spring. Cost for those students are about $105 each.
Despite the ever-declining economy, Rupe said the camp has suffered very little over the past few years.
“We’re actually up a bit from last year, so we’re very optimistic,” he said.
Rupe acknowledges the fact that financial times have been tough on everyone and said about 275 kids are given a scholarship each summer, which pays their way to camp.
“We know some families are low-income or even struggling temporarily,” he said. “We’ll call them up and offer them a scholarship. We do what we need to do to get them back here.”
Rupe said the camp has been able to continually expand programs and better itself thanks to its loyal participants and generous donors.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that every building here on the grounds is donated as well,” Rupe said. “We have a lot of support, and a lot of that comes from the Youngstown area.”
One tradition that Rupe said the camp has done since its inception in the 1940s is the candlelight ceremony, which marks the end of each week.
“It’s really a big deal here that we do it, and it’s stayed the same,” he said.
On Friday many campers spent the early afternoon playing basketball, riding horses or relaxing in their bunks, and many headed down to the Lake Erie shoreline, lying in the sun, swimming, kayaking and sailing.
“Lake Erie is such a big part of the experience,” Rupe said. “In terms of what we do here, it’s always been an important aspect.”