Camp Glacier Hollow celebrating 25 years of camp on Saturday

AMHERST JUNCTION, Wis. (WSAW) - For 25 years, the YMCA’s Camp Glacier Hollow in Amherst Junction has been helping over 2,000 students go to the camp. Saturday, they’ll celebrate that big accomplishment.

Summer camp may be over at Glacier Hollow, but they already want people to come back next year. It’s not camp without a s’more and a campfire. That’s just some of the activities planned for the open house. You and your kids can also experience traditional camp activities like hatchet throwing, slingshots, paddle boarding, canoeing, hiking, among others.

“We really just want to get people out here, spend some time together, enjoy nature, hop in a boat, make some memories with your family,” said Breann Constantineau-Membership, Marketing Director, Stevens Point Area YMCA.

The event is completely free. There will also be light refreshments. Breann says to remember your swimsuit if you plan to come. It starts at noon and will last until 6 p.m. Saturday. You do need to register with the Stevens Point YMCA. To get your name on the list call the YMCA at 715-342-2980.

The camp has a rich history that goes back more than 75 years. The property started as a camp in 1947, by Mr. and Mrs. Welton Alm as camp Mikquano, the couple were lifelong residents of Nelsonville. The name is the Menominee word for “turtle,” or lake of the turtle. 1985 was the year the name was changed to Glacier Hollow. In 1998, Stevens Point YMCA started leasing the property for two-week camps, day camps, resident camps and teen adventure trip programs.

It wasn’t until 2010 that they fully purchased the camp to be nature based and they still own it today. Even with all the change over the years, the mission remains the same.

“We want everybody to have the opportunity, so through a lot of different avenues, some grants and private funding and donations and our annual campaign, all of those sorts of things help us give that ability to any camper. So, finances are never going to be a reason a kid can’t come to camp”, said Constantineau.

Breann says they hope to start offering fall, winter, and spring programming in the future. Breann said it’s not just campers and their families who will be here tomorrow, the YMCA has also invited past staff to come back and celebrate.

Camp Glacier Hollow is located at 9289 Pavelski Rd, Amherst Junction, WI 54407.

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