YMCA Camp Benson

"Lean on Me" and "Where adventure begins"

Going to the cave. Group (my son Luke & his friend Morgan in front) pausing in the Waukarusa River (2010)

Mt. Carroll, IL

New Opportunity After California Jenny and I returned to Wisconsin. My goal was to discover a resident camp, preferably a Y camp, to direct within a half day's drive from Madison. In the fall I learned of an opportunity to direct YMCA Camp Benson. I did not know much about the camp. In the early '90s I had heard a distressing story of the camp's director at a Y camp conference, so I was hesitant to apply for the position; however, the camp's location intrigued me and Jenny - about 2 hours southwest of Madison in an area not too far from Galena, IL - so I set about learning what I could of the parent YMCA, the camp and region.

Roasting marshmellows at family camp fall c2007.

Hired

Long story short, I was hired and started my new position as camp director in December 1999. At first, I commuted from Whitewater, WI where Jenny was pursuing an MBA at UW-Whitewater. My first office at the Sterling - Rock Falls Family YMCA was a large closet on the second floor. It did have a nice desk & window. The building was over 100 years old, but the Y had run a successful capital campaign and was going to move into a new facility on the north side of Sterling in May. This was a big selling point to me for a number of reasons. The biggest were 1) my negative experience with the Pasadena Family YMCA (They went bankrupt and folded) and 2) Camp Benson's facilities and property had been severely neglected and was going to need a lot of support from a strong parent Y to succeed.

Extraordinary Beautiful Setting and Big Challenge

My interview and tour of the camp occurred in October when the camp trees' colors were at their peak. A carpet of yellow from the leaves of the sugar maples covered the trails throughout camp. Members of the Y's board & camp committee made a strong impression on me. They were honest and shared that the camp has struggled to attract and keep campers. The new camp director was going to be the first "full-time" director and would have to take full "ownership" with the Y moving into a new facility. I did accept the challenge and I'm proud to say we did turn the camp's direction around and that it is doing well today. Stay tuned for another website that'll include many more photos that I hope to publish later this year. I the meantime enjoy these. Camp on!