Why We Keep Coming Back to Camp

“It was actually my first time on an airplane,” admits Sara Biancofiori, Vice President of Youth Development, reflecting on her first summer as a counselor at Camp Orkila.  

Growing up in Indiana, Sara’s only experience with summer camps was basketball camp. But during college, her boss encouraged her to apply for a summer internship at an overnight camp. Before she knew it, she was boarding a plane to Seattle... where they told her she had to get to Anacortes... and then catch a ferry. She admits that at that point, she wasn’t even sure what a ferry was. “You have cars going on this ferry?” she jokes.

Yet, that first summer changed everything. “It transformed what I wanted to do in my life,” she says. “I wanted to have a career working at the Y.”

While Sara’s journey began with a leap of faith, Josh’s story started with a determination to overcome a personal challenge.

As one of several children, Josh Sutton’s mom sent him and his siblings to Camp Colman every summer. For a young Josh, now General Manager of Property and Facilities, he wanted one thing: to be able to return to summer camp and pass the advanced swim test along with his friends. Determined, he spent the winter swimming laps until he could reach the set distance. His triumphant return to camp, ready to pass the swim test, was a core memory for him.

“Camp helped me set a goal. I went out and I achieved that goal, and I went back and I got to celebrate.” Josh reflects. For him, camp wasn’t just a summer activity, it was an opportunity for personal growth.  

Mementos from Josh and Sara's times at camp.

These stories, whether it’s passing a swim test or flying for the first time, aren’t just about the moments themselves. They represent what is at the heart of camp: a safe space to get out of your comfort zone, knowing you’ll be okay because of the people surrounding you, encouraging growth every step of the way.

Many kids return for multiple camps throughout the summer, giving you a unique window into their personal growth.

“To see the growth of campers at the beginning of summer, and at the end of summer, you are seeing that in staff as well. Because they were doing something they maybe weren’t ready for, but they pushed themselves because they have a whole group cheering for them,”

Sara and Josh both agree: the magic of camp lies in the people.

“It really is the people,” says Sara. “You make these really unique connections. Everyone has different interests or different perspectives, and you're all plopped into a summer camp for a summer, and you just never know what's going to come out of that. And for me, it was really incredible friendships.” Two decades later, Sara is still close to her first co-counselor. They just visited Orkila together a few weeks ago, remembering their days as counselors.  

Besides the friendships, for Sara, one of the most memorable experiences was when all camp activities were scrapped to attempt a world record, creating the biggest human Y. “What was cool about it is like all of us working towards one goal,” she says, “and maybe it wasn’t on the activity schedules, but you have this open field and hundreds of kids. 

Why not try to make a human Y?”

Josh has had a big hand in making our newest camp, Camp Kilworth, and other YMCA locations possible. “I'm here at Kilworth, where a bunch of us have worked for the past 5 years to make sure that this is accessible for kids in South King County,” he says. “That's very rewarding to me to know that I helped play a part in making sure kids have that experience today.”

For Sara, the Y’s mission goes beyond the programs. “It's that we have the opportunity to give young people access to programs so they can try new things, they can meet new friends, they can be in safe environments to be who they want to be.”

From a college student taking her first airplane ride to a camper determined to pass a swim test, the impact of camp can begin with a single moment. But its effects can be seen for years to come, shaping careers, strengthening confidence, and inspiring people to invest in their communities.

For Sara and Josh, camp wasn’t just a summer experience. It was the start of a lifelong connection to the idea of neighborhood — a place where people look out for one another and lift each other up. “Neighborhood feels like people are looking out for each other,” says Josh. “And so part of being in the neighborhood is to make sure that we’re looking out, especially for the kids that need us the most.”

Whether you’re a camper, a counselor, or a neighbor, the question is: How will  you  be part of building that community?

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