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Volunteer Says YES To Our Community

In 1998 Diane Mintz, a Berkeley realtor, decided to volunteer a few hours a week at Coronado Elementary School in South Richmond. While tutoring in a first grade classroom, she coached a child to sound out the word bed. “It’s what you sleep on,” she hinted. The child responded, “I sleep on the floor.”

Eye-opening experiences like this one quickly turned Diane’s casual volunteering into a consuming passion to help children whose lives and expectations were circumscribed by poverty. Diane began taking a few children on field trips to area parks. She was rewarded by the joy she observed when the kids played and explored nature.

That was a pivotal moment in Diane’s life. Since her own kids had left home, she began devoting her free time to enrichment activities for kids who lived in the West Contra Costa neighborhoods mostly known as places of poverty and violence.

Throughout that first summer, Diane set up trips and excursions to different natural and kid-centered Bay Area attractions; visiting the zoo, the circus, an outdoor festival, and the Marine Mammal Preserve, among other destinations. For the grand finale, they camped overnight at Chabot Regional Park. At first the children were frightened at the rustle of every leaf. But by morning, the car-free beauty won them over. At the “goodbye circle” children said that camping was their favorite activity of the summer.

In 1999, Diane founded Youth Enrichment Strategies (YES) and raised $15,000 from friends to send 81 children to sleep-away camp at YMCA Camp Loma Mar, north of Santa Cruz. Every year more and more children have been able to attend summer camp because of the generous support of individual donors and foundations that support YES.

YES incorporated in 2002 as a California 501c3 Tax Exempt nonprofit. In 2007, YES hired its first executive director and opened an office on Macdonald Avenue in the heart of Richmond. YES recruits campers from 25 Richmond area elementary and middle schools, including Coronado School, where Diane began as a tutor. During the summer of 2008, YES sent 317 children to attend one of six different summer camps.

In 2004 YES began a family program to complement the summer camp experience. Twice each year, YES brings students from Coronado, Verde, and starting in fall 2008, Peres Elementary School, along with their entire families, to YMCA Camp Loma Mar for a weekend of Family Camp. The YES Family Camp weekend serves more than 500 family members each year and has become a model program for empowering Bay Area children, families, schools and communities.

In 2007 YES proudly introduced PeaceTalk non-defensive communication workshops to our parents and Richmond community. This expansion of programming is an important and popular adjunct to camp, helping to create a safe and nurturing environment in the home as well as away at camp.

Tips for 2010

by Stephen Schilling

10 TIPS FOR 2010

Looking to get 2010 off to a healthy and happy start? The Camp Loma Mar offers 10 ideas for 2010:

1. Make fitness a healthy habit. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car a short walk away from your destination or leave the car keys at home and walk to the store.

2. Step away from the doughnuts. Limiting the amount of sugar you eat helps you shed pounds and avoid the mood swings that come with a sugar rush. Reach for an apple instead.

3. Focus on fiber. Eating fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains is good for your heart and your digestion. It can also help you lose weight because you feel full sooner.

4. Get your zzzzs. Even adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to feel their best.

5. Head outdoors. Sure, the Bay Area can be damp in the winter, but you can always plan ahead for summer by registering your child for summer camp.

6. Make time for family time. By being a part of your child’s life, you are creating a lifetime of memories. Our Y-Guides and Princesses programs may be just the thing. No kids or local family? A phone call or visit with an elderly relative can do you both a lot of good.

7. Feed your brain. Reading books, doing crossword or Sudoku puzzles keeps the mind working. Or find a new hobby that will stretch your skills.

8. Got involved with your community. Whether you pick up trash in the park, read to a sick child or pet cats at a local shelter, you can make a difference. Contact us to learn about volunteering here at Camp Loma Mar

9. Mentor a teen. It’s not easy being a teen. A stable relationship with a caring adult can make a big difference. Contact us to learn about teen programs you can help out with here at the Camp Loma Mar

10. Focus on the present. You can’t do anything about the past, and fretting about the future won’t do much good. Take time to focus on where and who you are today.

Volunteers honored at Annual Dinner

Honors and Cheers for Outstanding Volunteers

Heartfelt applause and cheers welcomed Marc Victoria and David Haynes to the stage at the YMCA of the East Bay’s 2009 Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Marc was honored as the YMCA Camp Loma Mar Volunteer of the Year, and David was named the branch’s 2009 Youth of Character.

Anyone who was at Camp Loma Mar in the 1990s will remember the camp dances. Marc Victoria certainly does—they started him on a path to owing a business that designs and installs music systems. Marc also remembers the values he learned in the Ragger program, working his way up to the prestigious white rag level. Five years ago, Marc started volunteering at Camp Loma Mar, giving a new generation of camper the opportunity to dance to his tunes under the stars.

David Haynes’ nickname at Camp Loma Mar tells you something about him: Timepiece. But being punctual isn’t enough to be honored as Youth Volunteer. That honor is reserved for someone like 17-year-old David, who is mature, responsible and collaborative. Cabin Leaders seek David out for his helpful, positive attitude, his cooperative spirit and capable leadership skills. David commands the respect and friendship of campers, cabin leaders and other counselors.

The dinner also celebrated the YMCA’s 130^th anniversary in Oakland. The evening’s theme, “come home to the Y,” gave speakers like Board Chairman Richard Leweke and CEO Robert Wilkins the opportunity to reflect on the role the YMCA played in their youth and how the YMCA of the East Bay is positioned for the next century of building stronger kids, families and communities throughout Alameda and West Contra Costa counties.

It happened this summer at Camp Loma Mar!

This summer at Camp Loma Mar had its share of exciting highlights! Everywhere you looked you saw campers “moon walking” to breakfast, director’s going crazy over the PA system, and cabin leaders rolling, stumbling, and bumbling down Cardboard Hill. All in all, this past summer was memorable for everyone who was lucky enough to be involved.

Camp Loma Mar was hit by a sweltering heat wave for its first two sessions, but we don’t think the kids seemed to mind. What do you do when you have seventy kids who are over heating, twenty five staff melting, and your own crystal clear pool? Simple. POOL PARTY! The staff cranked up the tunes, cancelled afternoon activities and let the fun begin. The refreshing break from the day to day was a welcomed alternative during the hot summer days. The occasional night swim, only available to teen campers, was especially popular during warm nights.

What was also popular was the sweet music created by each of our amazingly talented musicians this past summer. Our staff was able to play a variety of instruments such as the Violin and Ukulele around the cabin as well as entertainment around the campfire. This combination of great musicians came together one night when a collaborative version of “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd was performed to perfection.

Once again, another great summer was had at YMCA Camp Loma Mar. Thank you to all of my staff for working so hard for making camp the best place on Earth. Most importantly, a big thank you to the campers from this summer, without you guys, camp wouldn’t have the extra bit of magic which makes Camp Loma Mar the happiest place on Earth!

-Stephen “Sharkie” Schilling