Association Office

316 N. Tejon Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

P 719 329 7266
F 719 272 7026

Camp Office

8716 South Y Camp Road
Sedalia, CO 80135

P 303 647 2313
F 303 647 0513

E campinfo@ppymca.org

Map of Locations
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About Us

YMCA Camp Shady Brook

Our Philosophy

At YMCA Camp Shady Brook, we believe every camper should have the following opportunities:

  • To participate actively in a community in which they are accepted for who they are
  • To receive guidance and support in setting and achieving new goals
  • To learn new skills
  • To increase self-awareness, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-esteem
  • To expand their sense of responsibility for the shared experiences of the community
  • To develop healthy, supportive relationships with peers and mentors
  • To explore and appreciate nature in a beautiful outdoor setting
  • We put these beliefs to work

At YMCA Camp Shady Brook, we understand the value of learning how to be an active and productive citizen of the community and the world. We want our campers to learn from and with people different than themselves. We take care in hiring a staff which reflects a wide range of backgrounds in order to expose our campers to an array of cultures and experiences.

In addition, our outdoor activities encourage campers to expand their sense of their own capabilities, while also helping them participate in the achievements of the group. We believe in making use of reflective activities to help campers incorporate their experiences into a larger worldview.

Our activities include values clarification and character development through our daily all-camp, non-denominational devotional called morning message, daily reflections each day called cabin, and other unit and all-camp ceremonies.

We also make sure our campers have tons of fun! Campfire time is filled goofy skits, stories and sing-alongs. Campers have lots of opportunities to be adventurous during games and activity times, to play, sing, splash, and have a great time while learning valuable skills.

Why Participate in a YMCA Camping Program?

Although one out of every four Americans has participated in a YMCA in some manner, less than 10% of our nation’s children ages 8-15 attend residential summer camp. Economic hardship, cultural differences, unwillingness to part with a child, and busy summer schedules are all reasons cited by families for not sending kids to camp. Some simply have no idea of just how powerful a quality summer camping experience can be for a child.

Charles Eliot, a former President of Harvard University, once said, “I have a conviction that a few weeks spent in a well-organized summer camp may be of more value educationally than a whole year of formal school work.” He saw the many benefits of camping, such as heightened self-esteem, increased self-confidence, skill development, opportunity for socialization and enhanced physical fitness. These are the features of resident camping we at YMCA Camp Shady Brook strive to achieve for our campers.

We believe in providing a wide range of activities to help develop and strengthen the character of our campers. All programs at Shady Brook are geared towards developing strong kids, strong families, and strong communities through the resident camp experience.