Moments & Memories, Stories from 2012: Frost Valley YMCA Annual Report

stories from 2012

&

Moments Memories

an annual report Frost Valley YMCA

Frost Valley YMCA

Our Mission Frost Valley YMCA puts Judeo/Christian principles into practice through year-round programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

Our values Caring Community Diversity Honesty Inclusiveness Respect Responsibility Stewardship

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Board of Trustees Chairman

Trustees

R. Fenn Putman

William E. Baker Dr. R. Mark Ghobrial Ted B. Hilton Dr. Frederick J. Kaskel Jeffrey S. Kaufman James Kellogg, Jr. Robert Messick Thomas M. Moriarty John O’Brien Cheng Ong Judith L. Pasnik Robin Wachenfeld Mary T. Wheeler Shigeko Woolfalk

President James S. Vaughan

CEO Jerry Huncosky

Vice Chairman Robert B. Haines

Treasurer Peter E. Sundman

Secretary Jerold W. Dorfman

Vice Presidents Advisory Committee Professor Al Filreis Catherine M. Harvey Michael P. Lahue Peter E. Sundman

William H. Abbott Mitchell Brock H. Corbin Day Barton C. English

Trustees Emeriti Thomas W. Berry Hunter Corbin Helen M. Geyer, Co-Director Paul B. Guenther Dr. George J. Hill James C. Kellogg, Co-Director W. Thomas Margetts Gerald H. McGinley

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from our leaders

You may know the numbers: In 2012, over 35,000 guests, campers, and students visited Frost Valley YMCA. We hosted 345 groups with over 13,000 guests to help strengthen and support their goals and growth. We partnered with over 200 schools in the education of more than 15,000 students. With moms, dads, grandparents, and guardians from some 1,900 families we instilled our values—caring, community, diversity, honesty, inclusiveness, respect, responsibility, and stewardship in over 3,500 campers.

Jim Vaughan President of the board, Frost Valley YMCA

But, do you know the stories? In 2012, Frost Valley hosted LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA where Susan Johnson and her friends were on respite after a hard fought win against cancer. Theirs is a story of survival and community. The sixth grade class from PS 333, the Manhattan School for Children, visited us from Harlem with a myriad of abilities. Their story is one of inclusion and compassion.

Daniel Perry joined the adventure trips program, where, on the Habitat for Humanity and Maine Trail Builders trips, he first learned of the power of giving back—his is a tale of responsibility and potential.

Every year nearly 35,000 unique stories of impact—just like these—would not happen without Frost Valley YMCA and the community of donors, volunteers, and staff who continue to safeguard, strengthen, and support our mission.

Jerry Huncosky Chief Executive Officer, Frost Valley YMCA

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Consider your own Frost Valley story. Perhaps it begins as a student picking apples in our orchard with your classmates, learning about water ecology, or studying growth patterns in Frost Valley’s Model Forest. Your story is one of exploration and personal accomplishment.

Or maybe as a weekend guest, you enjoyed the rewarding experience of watching your child master cross-country skiing for the first time.

Your story is of cherished moments—quiet time and recreation shared with family.

Perhaps as a camper here you’ve treasured the memory of the time you and a friend stayed up late one night, under the dazzling Catskill night sky, telling ghost stories. Your story is one of lifelong friendship and camaraderie.

Your story, and every Frost Valley story, begins with a commitment. A commitment from a parent, teacher or a principal, group leader, volunteer, camper, or student to become part of Frost Valley and to wholeheartedly embrace the possibilities here.

A commitment from a donor to give of his or her time and treasure, broadening the reach of our mission, ensuring that everyone can have a Frost Valley story. A commitment from the staff to infuse the eight core values into every program we put forth, ensuring that all of our participants grow in equal measure.

Thank you for being a part of the thousands of stories from 2012. We hope that as you read through the stories of this annual report you will be reminded of your own experiences at Frost Valley and that your heart will be full.

Jim Vaughan

Jerry Huncosky

P.S. We invite you to share your story with us by using your smart phone to scan the QR code to the right or by visiting us online at frostvalley.org/mystory

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January

by the numbers Group & Family

1,954 | Retreat Guests Served 995

| School Kids Served

98

Tokyo Partnership | Guests Served

76

Group & Family | Retreat Groups Served

11 | School Groups Served $24,428 | Scholarship Dollars

82.2%

of Frost Valley campers surveyed said camp increased their interest in meeting new people

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A story of partnership In the effort to increase the quality of experiences and the number of children and families reached by Northeastern YMCA Camps, Frost Valley YMCA hosted 215 camp professionals from 63 YMCA overnight and day camps between January 25th and 27th. Frost Valley is honored to become the permanent host of this annual event, which focuses on developing YMCA camps in the Northeast.

Jim Brown, Chief Operating Officer and Service Programs Director at Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA in Massachusetts, has attended NEYCC for many years. As the son of Frost Valley’s beloved Halbe Brown, Executive Director from 1966-2001, Jim has deep, lifelong ties with Y camps. He finds the conference beneficial for all professionals who attend: “Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA has enjoyed sending multiple staff members to the Northeast YMCA Camp Conference. Having Frost Valley YMCA host the conference each year, has definitely helped to increase attendance, which has made it much easier for our staff to network with other YMCAs in our region; thus, enhancing the experience of our campers and guests.

The addition of the Affinity Groups has strengthened the quality of resource sharing and trainings for our Berkshire Outdoor Center and Travel and Service Programs.” These trainings bring forth knowledge on topics such as environmental and experiential education, risk management, challenge course facilitation, cooperative learning, disaster preparedness, staff training, seeking partnerships, and professional development.

The impact of the exchange of ideas and concepts, the learning of best practices, and the integration of decades of experience during NEYCC allows hundreds of thousands of campers, students, families, and volunteers to have a more enriched experience whenever they visit a YMCA Camp in the Northeast.

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february

by the numbers Group & Family

1,952 | Retreat Guests Served 980

| School Kids Served Group & Family

131 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served

71

Tokyo Partnership | Guests Served

26

| Teambuilding

Participants Served

20

|

Day Campers Served

12 | School Groups Served $30,270 | Scholarship Dollars

89.2% of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp helped them be more accepting of children with different abilities

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A story of inclusion Known for its mission to build and maintain a school community in which students of various backgrounds and abilities come together to learn in a hands-on, integrated way, Manhattan School for Children’s sixth grade class joined us here at Frost Valley YMCA for three days in February. Also referred to as PS 333, the school’s vision for this diverse group of students is to merge the many parallels between their classroom’s instructional approach and our outdoor teaching methods.

Committed to providing every child a rewarding experience, PS 333 invested in two adaptive sleds for several of their students in wheelchairs, ensuring they were able to enjoy the same winter activities every child who comes to Frost Valley experiences.

And at Frost Valley, inclusiveness is a core value, so our experienced instructors always provide curriculum adaptations for the many students that come to us with various special needs. Sharing in that spirit of inclusiveness, PS 333 has chosen to keep the sleds here at Frost Valley for other children to use.

With these necessary and appropriate adaptations in place, PS 333 students and teachers could focus entirely on their primary goal: building community among the middle school students. While here, these students participated in a wide variety of activities and classes. By cooperatively lifting up one another on the exhilarating Flying Squirrel, students could safely attempt new experiences outside of their comfort zones. The trip allowed students to learn firsthand the valuable lesson that—despite any physical limitations or cognitive differences—when we work together, we can truly soar.

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March

by the numbers Group & Family

946 | Retreat Guests Served 810

| School Kids Served Group & Family

130 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served

65

Tokyo Partnership | Guests Served

25

| Teambuilding

Participants Served

9 | School Groups Served $31,405 | Scholarship Dollars

75% of Frost Valley campers surveyed said camp enhanced their abilities in teamwork

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A story of perseverance Frost Valley promises to bring a fun, safe, and rewarding experience to every individual who comes through our gate, a promise made possible by our loyal donor support. We understand that fundamental factors such as safety, affection, guidance, and stability are crucial to healthy child development. However, for some youth, these essential elements of a wholesome upbringing are not always accessible.

The month of March brought to Frost Valley’s teambuilding department over 20 children from MercyFirst—a human services agency in New York City—which offers a continuum of care for children, from newborns to adolescents, who need significant support. Many of these children are without families or have faced any number of other serious issues, including abuse and neglect; emotional problems; and the stress and pressures of familial poverty, domestic violence, mental illness, and substance abuse.

For many children from MercyFirst, trust is a long forgotten and unfulfilled promise. However, as they lead each other on blindfolded hikes, spot one another on ropes courses, and support fellow group members climbing the Y Tower, the wounds of their childhood are slowly healed. During their time at Frost Valley, the brave and persevering children of MercyFirst are provided the nurturing and welcoming environment they have lacked for the majority of their young lives.

Leaving Frost Valley with the newfound ability to trust authority figures, peers, and themselves is the first step to integrating back into society in a healthy and productive way. The few days these children spend here play an integral part in supporting the mission of MercyFirst, a mission that closely mirrors Frost Valley’s.

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april

by the numbers Group & Family Retreat

1,152 | Guests Served 923

| School Kids Served Teambuilding

273

| Participants Served 50

Retreat/Teambuilding | Group & Family Groups Served

41

37

Tokyo Partnership | Guests Served

20

Natural Resources | Groups Served

|

Day Campers Served

18 | School Groups Served $35,688 | Scholarship Dollars

78.3% of Frost Valley campers surveyed felt camp increased their willingness to volunteer

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A story of service April is known for its showers that bring May flowers. In the Catskills, however, April is also known as “mud season,” a time when the snow melts, the rivers run high, and the ground begins to thaw for the first inklings of greenery to emerge. Every year during this time of rejuvenation, Frost Valley YMCA works with our family of volunteers to clean up camp and give back to our local community. Remarkably, over 275 hours of service were volunteered during the month of April.

“YMCA was a volunteer organization first. 100 years ago, there was no paid staff,” says Frost Valley CEO Jerry Huncosky. “In keeping with the tradition of volunteerism, Frost Valley staff teams with our network of volunteers to enrich our camp and local community.”

That’s why we dedicate this time of year to getting involved with the surrounding neighborhoods. Annual events such as Healthy Kids Day, Roadside Clean-Up, and the Volunteer Works Weekend bring hundreds of people together to put our core value of stewardship to work.

Roadside Clean-Up Day—initiated seven years ago—is a perfect example of stewardship. In April, Frost Valley YMCA staff members, including Jerry himself, filled dozens of trash bags with litter from a 15-mile stretch of both Claryville and Frost Valley Roads.

As an organization incredibly grateful for donor support, we understand there are many ways to give. During the Volunteer Works Weekend, several families stayed at camp and volunteered their time and energy to help us revitalize the Connor Donohue Memorial and the Farm Camp Garden. Volunteers weeded, mulched, and shaped rows.

On this year’s annual Healthy Kids Day, one of the many free events Frost Valley holds to reach out to the local community, 237 children and adults from the surrounding area were warmly welcomed to Frost Valley to take part in active play and healthy fun in activities such as hiking, climbing the Y-Tower, and creating nature-based arts and crafts.

“People gain skills here. It’s important for us to be willing to share those skills,” Jerry elaborates. By teaching our children, community, and staff to have fun while giving back, the merit of volunteerism spreads exponentially.

Many thanks to all volunteers, donors, and community members who helped enhance Frost Valley YMCA and the surrounding community.

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May

by the numbers 3,399

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

1,614 | Guests Served Teambuilding

192 | Participants Served Group & Family

102 | Retreat/Teambuilding Groups Served Tokyo Partnership

51 | Guests Served

45 | School Groups Served Tokyo Partnership

17 | Families Served

0

76%

100

$24,321 | Scholarship Dollars

of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp improved their ability to place group goals above the things they want individually

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A story of Leadership When disaster struck in August 2011, Hurricane Irene devastated much of Frost Valley YMCA. Fields where campers once played sports were covered with rocks and boulders carried over by our streams. Fallen trees wreaked havoc on our hiking trails. But most disheartening was the startling sight of our beloved and historic Pigeon Lodge—swept away by a flooded Biscuit Brook.

When we shared the news of Hurricane Irene’s destruction, our donor community came promptly to our aid. We were incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support. Thanks to this display of kindness, plans were drawn in October for a building to replace Pigeon Lodge—one that would allow for even more year-round campers to experience the life changing benefits of Frost Valley. Construction began immediately and continued tirelessly throughout the winter so as not to turn away up to 160 campers the upcoming summer. And soon after a long winter of building and fine tuning, the doors of this beautiful new lodge opened in May 2012—just in time to house several school groups before summer camp 2012, when the CiTs moved in to their new residence.

By adding a new lodge, more school groups were able to gain outdoor education experiences during the year, and in the summer the new lodge housed its first season of our Counselors-in-Training (CiTs), a group of carefully selected young leaders that come to Frost Valley each year to gain teambuilding instruction, outdoor living skills, and leadership education.

Thus, our new building is called “Leadership Lodge.” Thanks to the loyal support of our donors, hundreds more future leaders can come to Frost Valley to live in a camp setting ideal for cultivating strong leadership.

June

by the numbers 1,796

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

1,295 | Guests Served

Group & Family

137 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served

95

Served | Summer Day Campers

67

| Teambuilding

Participants Served

25 | School Groups Served $55,465 | Scholarship Dollars

82.9% of Frost Valley campers surveyed said camp improved their ability to work with others

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A story of belonging Zana Meyer will proudly tell you that at nine years old she is “almost two whole hands!” However, Zana wasn’t always so gregarious.

According to her grandmother, Julie Sandoval, Zana became more socially engaged and responsible because of her involvement with Frost Valley YMCA Day Camp.

Every summer, Day Camp offers young children from our local communities the opportunity to experience summer camp in a safe environment close to home. With the support of experienced counselors, campers make friends while they swim, hike, climb, play games, create arts and crafts, and embrace camp cultures and traditions.

Beyond our wide variety of engaging and enriching activities, Day Camp provides much more. According to her grandmother, “Zana just needs to know that someone cares.” And here at Frost Valley, caring is a core value we hold in high regard.

For Zana and other children that may need extra support for needs such as ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, and spina bifida, Day Camp’s inclusion program offers close supervision, engaging stimulation, and a structured environment in which to safely explore. Most importantly, campers in the inclusion program have the opportunity to participate in the same activities as their peers.

The impact of Day Camp goes beyond a summer program. Zana’s school has requested that the improvements she makes each summer be included in her school records for consideration in her Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

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july

by the numbers Traditional Sleepaway

884 | Campers Served

Summer Day Campers

459 Served |

Tokyo Summer Campers

288 Served |

Adventure

159 | Campers Served 121

| EVR Horse Campers Served

113

| Farm Campers Served

85

| Teambuilding

Participants Served

41

Served | Counselors In Training

35

Mainstreaming At Camp | Kids Served

$327,340 | Scholarship Dollars

91.5% of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp increased their interest in trying new things

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A story of opportunity Daniel Perry’s trip to Frost Valley YMCA in summer 2012 was the beginning of a new life for him. For a boy who was overwhelmed with loss from an early age and had never been out of the inner city of Newburgh, NY, Frost Valley Adventure Camp proved to be a life-changing event.

As a toddler, Daniel’s mother passed away and his father was sent to prison. When Daniel was just 12 years old, he lost both of his maternal grandparents—his guardians—within a few months of each other. A week before passing away, Daniel’s grandfather, Robert Perry, had the wise forethought to ask the president of a local middle school for underserved boys, Father Mike Clark, to “please take Daniel.”

Robert knew that the high school graduation rate for African American boys in Newburgh was only 10%, and that given Daniel’s family circumstance, chances of his success were grim. Yet he also sensed that Daniel was resilient and with the right support could triumph over hard times. Recognizing that Daniel deserved fostering, Father Clark felt a grave responsibility—a calling—and he promised Mr. Perry: “We’ll get the job done.” The “job,” of course, was the monumental task of raising a distressed, mourning boy into a triumphant, successful young man.

In the spring of 2012, Frost Valley camp staff heard from Father Clark, who was looking for a safe place to care for a grief-stricken boy for the summer. Father Clark described Daniel as highly traumatized and nearly non-verbal. A group of Father Clark’s friends had raised half the money needed to send Daniel to camp. Through Frost Valley’s Campership Program made possible by our dedicated donors, Daniel was soon registered for two back-to-back Adventure Trips: Habitat for Humanity and Maine Trailbuilders. This 6-week period would change Daniel’s life in countless ways.

Never before having access to nature, the freedom that comes with the outdoors, or the serenity of sleeping under the stars, Daniel gained a broadened view of the world around him. However, it was the act of giving back that brought Daniel’s life full circle, opening up an undiscovered realm of growth and opportunity. The recipient of a lifetime of charity, Daniel was immensely empowered by the experience of helping others.

When he returned home after his first Frost Valley summer, not only had Daniel grown (at 16 years old, he stands 6’5”), he was emotionally and spiritually transformed. Once a boy described as non-verbal, he now spoke candidly about his summer experiences. Daniel came home confident, assertive, and engaged.

Currently a student at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, NJ, Daniel is a solid B+ student and an accomplished, dedicated athlete. A star in both wrestling and track and field, he is already capturing the eyes of college recruiters for his record-setting skills in discus and shot put.

While reminiscing through a black case of ribbons and medals Daniel recently won, Father Clark remembered his promise to Robert Perry. Daniel’s grandfather saw past the grieving, quiet boy to a talented, adventurous young man, who just needed someone—someone like Father Clark, his caring friends, and Frost Valley’s generous donors—to believe that camp could incite an extraordinary transformation.

August

by the numbers Traditional Sleepaway

829 | Campers Served

Group & Family Retreat

733 | Guests Served

Summer Day Campers

427 Served |

Teambuilding

297

| Participants Served Group & Family

127 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served Adventure

107 | Campers Served

92.9

%

of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp allowed them to feel more confident as individuals

100

| Farm Campers Served

95

|

91

Mainstreaming At | Camp Kids Served

57

Tokyo Summer | Campers Served

32

Served | Counselors In Training

Horse Campers Served

$358,595 | Scholarship Dollars

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A story of confidence Among the many notable guests and events at Frost Valley’s Annual Summer Board Meeting, was one very special person. Sophie McCabe is not a board member or a director. Sophie is an 11-year old girl who stood in front of nearly 100 professionals and eloquently delivered a mature, heartwarming speech. With confidence that arose from persevering through the challenges she had faced during her young life, Sophie spoke with a simple goal in mind: “to give the audience joy and make them feel love.”

Sophie’s Frost Valley story began at age eight, when she attended Horse Camp at Mustang Village and soon found that being near horses brought her a sense of comfort. After grieving the loss of her grandmother, battling frequent stomachaches (a symptom that was later diagnosed as Celiac disease), and dealing with the everyday pressures of middle school, Sophie discovered the therapeutic nature of riding and caring for horses. So, it came as no surprise when she decided to spend all of her camp time with horses and enroll at East Valley Ranch’s Equestrian Camp for girls the following summer.

It may be hard to imagine how an 11 year-old girl can, through horse camp, gain the self-assurance and wisdom to undertake such a lofty endeavor as delivering a speech at a board meeting. However, when you consider her speech’s topic—a day in the life of an East Valley Ranch camper—the parallels between horse camp and taking on life’s challenges become readily apparent.

Early each morning, Sophie and the other campers head out to the pastures to wrangle the horses, an activity that requires the ability to command attention and maintain engaging communication. After breakfast, a morning of riding lessons begins. Attention to detail and accepting constructive criticism to improve skills and performance are crucial during this learning period. Later in the day, Sophie and her fellow campers manage the stables and return the horses to their pastures. Inherent in these tasks are all of Frost Valley’s core values—especially responsibility, stewardship, and caring. Before bed, Sophie has the opportunity to bond with her newfound friends and counselors through night hikes, campfires, and classic camp games like Capture the Flag. These character shaping lessons, treasured memories, and cherished relationships inspired her touching speech and will serve Sophie for life. Sophie says she cultivated an experience at camp that gave her a “real, true sense of belonging.”

The environment at East Valley Ranch reinforced the calming presence Sophie felt from horses—in Sophie’s words: “It’s just a wonderful feeling in your heart.”

September

by the numbers 1,820

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

1,387 | Guests Served Teambuilding

271

| Participants Served Group & Family

103 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served

83

Resources

| Natural

Participants Served

20 | School Groups Served $59,822 | Scholarship Dollars

77% of Frost Valley campers surveyed said camp improved their ability to feel connected to the natural environment

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A story of discovery 130 5th grade students from The Success Academy of Harlem came to Frost Valley to focus on environmental education, teambuilding, and leadership skills. These young scholars, as they are known at school, would not have been able to experience the natural world, many of them for the first time, without the 60% scholarship offered by Frost Valley and made possible by our donors.

At school, these ambitious scholars spend the majority of their 10-hour school day preparing for tests. Academically and behaviorally, expectations are high yet the rigor and structure provides these children a much needed, firm foundation for learning and achievement. Most of the student body come from low-income families and have never been away from home before. After only a six-week summer break, the trip to Frost Valley is a welcomed start to the school year.

Students and teachers alike appreciate the freedom to explore the outdoors and the opportunity to experience hands-on learning in a natural setting. One student, Tanya, includes in her post-trip essay the impact of this learning experience: “I’ve learned a lot of lessons the past few days, but the biggest one was to respect and appreciate the great outdoors.”

In Frost Valley’s peaceful setting, classes in orienteering, outdoor living skills, and ecology offer the scholars new platforms from which to learn about the world around them and their place in it. While engaging in teambuilding initiatives and conquering our challenge courses, scholars push past their fears, diminish social boundaries, and open up their young minds.

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October

by the numbers 2,685

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

1,489 | Guests Served

Group & Family

209 Retreat/Teambuilding | Groups Served Teambuilding

180

| Participants Served

46

Tokyo Partnership | Guests Served

30

Resources

| Natural

Participants Served

28 | School Groups Served $41,178 | Scholarship Dollars

76.9%

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of Frost Valley campers surveyed said camp improved their ability to help others succeed

A story of courage In October, two deserving groups benefited from the generosity of our donors. The 9th annual Spina Bifida Association of Northeastern New York (SBANENY) held its Fall Family Weekend Retreat for families of children between the ages of 4 and 21 living with Spina Bifida, a serious birth abnormality that can impair motor skills and in some cases cause severe muscle weakness, paralysis, and seizures.

This year, 28 families affected by Spina Bifida came to Frost Valley to receive support from and make connections with others who understand their unique challenges. With the courage to push beyond what others might see as limitations, visitors with SBANENY explored all that Frost Valley has to offer—including activities such as hiking, archery, canoeing, candle making, and participating in costume parades, hayrides and campfires—as well as activities geared especially for this group, such as wheelchair races.

For Karen Wentworth, Executive Director of SBANENY, the retreat put her goals into perspective: “As we took turns at the campfire, relaxing and looking at the moon, talking about the deer that had just been in the meadow next to our cabin, and the delight of the children, and as we began singing camp songs, I looked around at all of the families together and thought: This is why we do what we do.”

October was also home to one of Frost Valley YMCA’s LIVESTRONG® weekends—“LIVESTRONG at the YMCA” is the YMCA’s partnership with the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Allowing families affected by the battle against cancer an opportunity to reconnect, relax, and rejuvenate without daily reminders of illness, LIVESTRONG weekends build a community of support and friendship with others who share similar stories of survival.

Cancer survivor Susan Johnson first joined a LIVESTRONG weekend in 2010. On that first visit, Susan was anxious as she waited atop the zipline, but recalled almost effortlessly taking off through the trees when the time came to step off the platform. She’s been coming back ever since. In October 2012, Susan came back with a group of friends, all survivors, to share the triumph that only comes from closing your eyes, gathering confidence, and taking one courageous step.

november

by the numbers 1,042

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

739 | Guests Served 97

Retreat/Teambuilding | Group & Family Groups Served

75

Teambuilding | Participants Served

21

|

Day Campers Served

12 | School Groups Served 8

Natural Resources | Groups Served

$45,805 | Scholarship Dollars

62% of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp encouraged them to help more with things at home, even without being asked

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a story of healing In October, Hurricane Sandy left Frost Valley YMCA with only minor damage. But, the lives of much of the Frost Valley family were forever changed. As Sandy washed ashore, homes washed away. Devastation was immense and widespread.

Understanding that celebrating the holiday season would be difficult, perhaps even burdensome, for many Sandy victims, Frost Valley CEO Jerry Huncosky and the Board of Trustees knew we had to answer the call for help—as our donors and community had done for us in 2011. Recognizing this need with a compelling sense of urgency, Frost Valley set aside a Thanksgiving week celebration in addition to several weekends throughout November and December to provide—at no cost—safe lodging, hot showers, warm meals, and ample opportunities for engaging recreational activities for families affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Josette Turchio’s family lives in Queens, on an island twenty blocks long and four blocks wide, with a single bridge connecting the island to the mainland. Hurricane Sandy swept over the island that Josette calls home, yet she and her family considered themselves fortunate.

Although their home was flooded with four feet of water, leaving much of it destroyed, many of her friends’ homes were completely washed away. Josette wrote, “After the tide receded, our refrigerator was on its face, the couches had floated to the other side of the living room, canned goods from our cabinets were everywhere. The smell of home-heating oil lingered in the air and made a slick coating across our tile floors.” Outside looked like a war zone.

Houses were gone. Mountains of appliances, furniture, clothing, and personal items were strewn about everywhere.

After her weekend at Frost Valley, Josette and her family were very appreciative. She wrote to us, “That weekend was so needed. To have meals everyday and to have the children playing, laughing, and enjoying themselves was priceless. A little normalcy was so appreciated. The kids went sledding. We played outdoor activities, created arts and crafts, and made Christmas ornaments.” The ornaments Josette’s family made were among the first of new memorabilia the family has begun to collect to replace what Sandy took from them.

The Sandy Relief Weekend touched Josette’s family in a resounding way: “The weekend away seemed to get us back on track. It put our problems to the side and helped us enjoy time as a family again. It made us feel gratitude for the organizations, like Frost Valley and their donors, who had reached out to our community to show how much they care. It made me realize how thoughtful mankind is. The weekend helped us with the healing process. We began to heal.”

December

by the numbers 718

| School Kids Served Group & Family Retreat

598 | Guests Served

Tokyo Partnership

127 | Guests Served 77

Retreat/Teambuilding | Group & Family Groups Served

31

| Teambuilding

Participants Served

22

|

Day Campers Served

5 | School Groups Served $16,318 | Scholarship Dollars

82% of Frost Valley campers surveyed reported that camp increased their desire to learn about different countries

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A story of Culture Former camper Ryosuke Sasaki’s relationship with Frost Valley YMCA spans many years and continents. By age 12, Ryosuke had lived in Japan, England, and the United States. After his family relocated to the United States in 2002, he found respite from acclimating to foreign cultures when he arrived at Frost Valley YMCA. Among other children with similar backgrounds, he finally felt at home.

Life at camp is a memorable time for him—even in his busy, adult life today. He recalls new life skills put into practice: teamwork, outdoor survival skills, and public speaking. Ryosuke also remembers gazing at the dazzling shooting stars overhead each night, being afraid to ascend the climbing tower, and not wanting to go home after the summer’s closing campfire.

Such memories are imbued with the spirit of friendships Ryosuke made at Frost Valley YMCA. For a young child who had to assimilate and re-assimilate again and again, his Frost Valley friendships felt more like family, helping ease his transition to living in the United States.

Wanting to become a well-spoken, charismatic leader like the counselors he’d looked up to as a camper, Ryosuke became a junior counselor at Frost Valley.

During this experience, he learned a valuable lesson from a Frost Valley director that has helped him throughout his life: Having goals is important—just as important as surrounding yourself with people who will encourage you to follow through and achieve your dreams—a concept he borrowed called Followship.

Ryosuke graduated from Stony Brook University and now works for a biotech company involved with early phase clinical trial medicine. Recognizing the importance of Followship and grateful for all of the support he had growing up, he chose to begin teaching Japanese to children as part of a pre-college Japanese Learning Program while he was a student at Stony Brook. In 2012, wanting to ease the demanding lives of young Japanese children today, Ryosuke came back to Frost Valley and volunteered as a Ski Camp counselor, reliving his memories of camp and aiding approximately 60 Japanese children on the slopes of Belleayre Mountain. Back at Frost Valley, he facilitated the children in Jeopardy, hula hoop, and camp song competitions.

To Ryosuke Sasaki—now a busy professional in Albany—making friendships that are more like family, especially in this generation’s ever expanding global community, remains “the essence of Frost Valley.”

ストーリー オブ カルチャー 佐々木遼介さんはフロストバレーYMCAと長く関わっています。小さい頃から異文化の中で暮らし、生まれ てから１２歳までは、日本、英国、米国で過ごしていました。２００２年に米国に引っ越してきた時に、初めて フロストバレーのキャンプに参加をしました。同じような境遇の仲間と出会えるフロストバレーは、心地よ い場所となりフロストバレーと出会って、やっと自分の居場所を見つけたと感じました。 大人になって忙しい毎日の中でも、キャンプのことを思い出します。キャンプでは、チームワーク、野外活動 のスキル、人前で話すことを学び、実践することができました。数えきれないくらい流れ星を見たことや、勇 気を出してクライミングタワーに登ったこと、クロージングキャンプファイアの日を迎え、まだ家に帰りたく ないと思ったことは、忘れられない思い出となっています。 フロストバレーで作った思い出は友情の精神で溢れています。小さいころから繰り返し、何度も新しい文化 に溶けこまなければならなかった彼にとって、米国生活へ馴染むために重要な役割を果たしたのは、家族の ようなフロストバレーの存在でした。 キャンパーの頃から話し方が上手でカリスマ性のあるリーダーに憧れ、その後、キャンプのジュニアリーダー になりました。彼はその時に、ディレクターから人生の助けとなる大切なことを学びました。 「目標を持つこ とは大切だが、それと同じくらい大切なことは、夢を実現するために、自分を応援してくれる人たちに囲まれ た環境を自ら作ることだ」。このコンセプトをフォローシップと呼び、今でも実践しています。 ストーニーブルック大学を卒業後、現在は総合バイオ医薬 ます。フォローシップの大切さに気づき、自分を支えて ようになりました。大学時代には、子どもたちへ日本 ２０１２年には思い出を再現するべく、年末年始の ランティアリーダーとしてフロストバレーに帰って 達とベルレアマウンテンスキー場でスキーのお 手伝いをし、スキーの後はクイズ大会やフラ フープトーナメント、キャンプソングを歌 って過ごしました。 キャンプに参加して改めて強く感じた ことは、グローバルな時代の中にあっ ても、家族のような人のつながりと友 情によって、目に見えない力が培われ ることこそがフロストバレーYMCA の本質であるということでした。

品企業で臨床試験の薬の開発に携わってい くれた人たちに感謝の気持ちを持てる 語を教えるお手伝いもしていました。 休暇を利用してスキーキャンプのボ きました。約６０名の子ども

Program Partners frostvalley.org | 30

Boys & Girls Club of Newark A partnership providing opportunities for Newark youth to experience Frost Valley YMCA camp, empowering them to succeed and excel

PARTNERING COMMUNITY CENTERS (PCCI) A program that bridges communities and builds relationships through educational and cultural enrichment for children in the Greater Newark Area

LA CASA DE DON PEDRO A community development corporation offering comprehensive social services to Newark and surrounding areas, with particular expertise in serving the Latino community

POSSE FOUNDATION A foundation offering leadership training and teambuilding skills to youth from urban public schools before they attend top U.S. colleges and universities

The Center for Discovery An organization providing programs and services dedicated to improving quality of life for children and adults with severe disabilities CHARTWELLS An educational dining service partnering with Frost Valley to promote the goal of providing tasty, wholesome food for every camper and guest The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore A hospital for children with pediatric heart conditions and heart transplants, many of whom attend Hearts in the Valley summer camp supported by a staff of medical professionals DISCOVERY CHARTER SCHOOL A school offering a dynamic, community-centered public education alternative for fourth through eighth graders NEW HOPE COMMUNITY, INC An independent living community of apartments, condominiums, and family-style homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities of varying ages NEWARK BOYS CHORUS SCHOOL An independent school advancing the education and lives of young men through a rigorous academic program and intensive music training

PREP FOR PREP An independent school educating leaders and preparing them for the future with a clear sense of social responsibility Road Scholar® An organization providing extraordinary learning adventures for people 55 and over Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation & The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore A partnership that allows children with kidney disease to attend summer camp at Frost Valley with professional medical support Tokyo YMCA A program for Japanese international families in the U.S. on temporary work transfer, providing them the opportunity to join together for language and cultural immersion at camp Young Adult Institute An organization creating hope and opportunity for people with developmental and learning disabilities through a wide variety of programs, including the Frost Valley experience of “mainstreaming at camp”

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Research Partners frostvalley.org | 32

Cornell University Studying effects of coarse woody debris on Catskill streams Department of Environmental Conservation/Biodiversity Research Institute Studying mercury exposure in invertivores Institute of Ecosystem Studies Studying Frost Valley’s Model Forest and offering public education and outreach New York City DEP Roundout/Neversink Stream Program Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI) surveying erosion sites along Biscuit Brook and both branches of the Neversink New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Studying mercury levels in songbirds and raptors SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry Monitoring watershed protection during sustainable timber harvests and studying sugar maples and orchids Stroud Research Studying the influence of dissolved organic matter on the structure and function of streambed bacteria USDA Forest Service Monitoring forest health, taking and analyzing forest inventory, and studying sugar maple decline U.S. Geological Survey Monitoring gage station, Biscuit Brook and Neversink Watershed Research, studying forest nutrients Watershed Agriculture Council Long-term monitoring of Frost Valley’s Model Forest

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Hall of fame

In 2008, to commemorate Frost Valley YMCA’s fiftieth year in the Catskills, the Board of Trustees resolved to begin a tradition of recognizing the outstanding individuals who have been instrumental in service and leadership to our organization.

The following individuals have been inducted into our Hall of Fame for their contributions to the founding, continued success, and legacy of Frost Valley.

2008 | D. Halbe Brown

Woodruff J. “Woody” English Eva Gottscho

2009 | Helen Geyer

James C. Kellogg

2010 | Walter T. Margetts 2011

| Jane Brown

Tatsuo Honma Charles Scott

2012 Inductees

R. Fenn Putman

frostvalley.org | 34

Dr. Jerome Wolff

Volunteer & Staff Awards Volunteer of the Year

Elizabeth Kellogg Award Winners

Eric Blum

Alysse Dambach Christopher Krummack

Rookie of the Year

Jessica Dymond

Shawn Reed

Brett Tillman

I Am Third

D. Halbe Brown Award Winner

Christopher Krummack

Heather Bowman

TeamBuilding day Campers

total participants

total participants

NYS 570

NYS 416

NYC 1,027

Other 309

Ulster County 153

Sullivan County 492

103

total participants

Natural Resources

NJ 3,002

Road Scholar 80 Other 293

Group & Family Retreats

total participants

NYS 137

NYS 3,041

15,168

157

Other 53 Long Island NYC 4,009 5,063

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Families 3,308

Schools/ Universities 787

Girl Scouts 1,958

Churches 642

Other Non Profits 1,446

Boy Scouts 602

Tokyo Partnership

total Summer Camp participants

total non summer participants

345

410

NYS 132

NYS 237

Other 52

NYC 78 Japan 31

NYC 8

Fly Fishing Members 43

Trail Use Members 36 All Inclusive 17

NJ 38

Other 1,318

Tokyo Partnership

NJ 52

Adv Guides/ Y Guides 3,415

Hunting Members 61

Other 7

total participants

13,476

NYC 682

school vacation participants

School Groups

East valley ranch

Other 3

NJ 421

Other 283

64

373

1,522

954

Winter Camp participants

total participants

total participants

NJ 5

2,607

NJ 728

Program Participants

Summer Campers

Other 86

NYC 48 Japan 1

Total 2012 program participants

35,179

Financials 2012

2011

Summer Programs

4,186,621

3,946,706

School Programs

2,182,020

2,111,066

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) before depreciation

104,865

150,896

Group/Family Retreats & Teambuilding

2,249,269

1,988,855

Depreciation

909,331

861,596

Tokyo Partnership

682,382

652,394

Other

897,855

865,211

Contributions

875,043

938,457

(804,466)

(710,700)

Investment Income

391,600

395,000 717,808

1,002,379

Total Change In Unrestricted Net Assets

(86,658)

291,679

Total Changes In Temporarily Restricted Net Assets

(164,826)

(231,931)

Total Changes In Permanently Restricted Net Assets

506,385

(126,575)

Increase in Net Assets

254,901

(66,827)

Revenue

2012

Increase (decrease) in Net Assets From Operations Non Operating Items

Total Revenue

11,464,790

10,897,689

Expenses Salaries & Wages

4,435,248

4,262,708

Taxes & Benefits

1,069,866

962,156

Food Services

1,808,394

1,681,550

Supplies & Equipment

860,413

803,339

Professional Services & Fees

477,982

470,949

Occupancy/Insurance & R/M

1,506,637

1,416,069

Printing & Promotion

156,406

140,973

Miscellaneous

835,771

762,554

Financing Costs

209,208

246,495

Total Expenses

11,359,925

10,746,793

2011

The Financial Information Provided Is Unaudited.

frostvalley.org | 37

Frost Valley YMCA 2000 Frost Valley Road Claryville, NY 12725 (845) 985-2291 frostvalley.org facebook.com/frostvalleyymca frostvalley.org/donate