YMCA Camp Warren is an overnight, single-gender summer camp located on Half Moon Lake by Eveleth, Minnesota. It is one of four YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis summer camp branches. Girl sessions typically run from mid-June to mid-July, starting with a one-week session (1G) and two two-week sessions (2G and 3G). Boys' sessions typically run from late July to late August, starting with two two-week sessions (1B and 2B) and ending with a one-week session (3B). Warren also offers 4 day, co-ed sessions during MEA and Winter. YMCA Camp Warren is American Camp Association accredited. [1]
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Warren is divided into three sections, Cub, Intermediate and Senior by age, with Trip campers usually staying in Intermediate and Senior cabins.
Camp Warren is home to many different, rich-in-tradition activities.
The sailing program at Camp Warren is based out of the Robbie M, a small building near the dining halls and on the hitch deck. The Half Moon Yacht Club, as it is called by the sailing enthusiasts around camp, has a wide variety of sailboats.
Camp Warren has a ranking system for its campers. It usually takes a dedicated sailing camper 3–5 years to get all the way to the highest rank. Campers start off on the smallest boats (Ninja 2000s) and work their way up, learning how to control and command each boat until they know how to pass a high-wind check out on the Magizi (C-Scow) and pass a written test to achieve the rank of admiral.
There typically is one or two regattas per session on a high-wind day in which the campers can compete on a variety of boats including Ninjas, X-boats, M-boats, and Butterflies in a friendly manner.
Camp Warren's boating program consists mainly of windsurfing and kayaking. The boathouse is home to over 15 windsurf boards and 10 kayaks. A popular boating activity includes paddling around on windsurf boards without sails and jumping off of them. Camp Warren gives its boaters ranks: Yak, Yakity Yak, Yakity Yak Don't Talk Back, and Jedi Knight.
There is a lake at Warren, and many campers go fishing on the lake. Equipment owned by the camp includes rowboats, a pontoon and fishing gear.
Camp Warren's archery rank system ranges from Yeoman to the Master Archer.
Many activities take place on the Athletic Field, including Medics, dodgeball, kickball, football, Frisbee Elimination, Ultimate Frisbee, cheerleading and Big Base.
Camp Warren is home to 4 tennis courts and lots of equipment. Every summer there is an Andy Kakela Tennis tournament.
One of camp's most popular activities, Arts & Crafts is all-inclusive but favorite activities include: Lanyards, Tie-Dye T-shirts, Candle-making, drawing.
In the new facility that also houses pottery and arts&crafts is a dark room. Lots of new energy in this program.
New to camp for the first time in 2010.
The only activity that never does the same thing twice.
Thanks to numerous donations, Warren is host to several guitars, pianos and jimbae drums. The program is very variable, but usually focuses on group performance culminating in a big performance at the talent show.
Held in Cub lodge, campers prepare and write a 20-minute play that they perform for all of camp. New last summer was the Drama Emphasis program.
Singing debuted during 3g and was a big hit. Similar to music but, obviously, focused on vocal performance.
ACA-Accredited program features great program.
YMCA Camp Warren offers a ropes activity only for campers ages 13+. In this activity many separate obstacles are faced that help develop campers' courage, pride, teamwork, self-confidence, and more. Some of these obstacles are:
Inspiration comes in many places, and often doesn't last long. These activities have appeared and disappeared over the years:
Campers, typically age 12-15, can choose to attend this five-day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Cabin groups are driven from camp to their drop-off site after a few days of camp, and return with a few days remaining. Campers participate in normal activities while at camp.
Campers are invited on this 10-day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, spending very little time on camp. The Long Border Salute, which occurs every time a Long Border group returns to camp, is one of the camp's most hailed traditions. Each group typically gets a different bandana and a paddle commemorating their trip.
This is Warren's only sailing trip, a 5-day journey around the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. It was reignited in the early 2000s by female campers, and is only offered two times per summer, one trip for each gender.
Fact: Garrison Keillor once worked as a dishwasher at YMCA Camp Warren.