Summer Day Camp — Greater Joliet Area YMCA

Celebrating a Successful 2026 Summer Camp Season at the YMCA

September 3, 2026

As we prepare to celebrate the unofficial end of summer this Labor Day weekend, the Y is taking a look back at the 2026 YMCA Summer Camp Season! It was another amazing summer filled with friendship, learning, and meaningful life experiences for everyone involved!

We’d like to thank all of our camp families for spending the summer with us here at the YMCA and wish everyone all the best during the new school year.

We’d also like to thank all of our wonderful community partners who opened their doors and their hearts, allowing us to provide much-needed summer child care at locations throughout Will and Grundy Counties.

Finally, we’d like to thank our top-notch summer camp team for their boundless enthusiasm, compassion, and creativity. Their hard work and tireless dedication helped to ensure that each of our campers had a summer full of fun and adventures.

As we take a look back at the summer that was, let’s take a closer look at YMCA Summer Camp ‘By the Numbers:’

Eight Summer Day Camp Locations
With a little help from our friends, this year we hosted summer day camp at our YMCA facilities and at offsite locations throughout the community. Thank you, Salvation Army Joliet Corps Community Center, Messiah Lutheran Church, Plainfield School District 202, and Valley View School District 365U for opening your doors and helping us serve kids in our community this summer.

Two Teen REACH Summer Camp Locations
We want to thank our partners at the Salvation Army and Joliet Junior College for helping us provide a free summer day camp program for 6th-8th grade students in Joliet, allowing campers access to life skills education, mentorship/career exploration, STEAM, and service learning activities.

1,556 Campers
We have been so proud to see our amazing campers learn, grow, and thrive.

33 Summer Day Camp Volunteers
Student volunteers from local high schools, as well as volunteers from Catholic Charities of Joliet and Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, were a pivotal resource in our camp programs this summer. These wonderful volunteers provided assistance to Y staff and helped to ensure campers participated in a wide range of learning opportunities. We are proud to say that during the 2026 summer camp season, our incredible team of summer camp volunteers provided more than 1,600 hours of assistance in our camp programs.

More than 300 Counselors
YMCA summer camp programs would not be possible without the dedication, versatility, and inspiring leadership of our camp staff team.

More than 4,000 “Go Blue” Swim Lessons Taught
We are so thankful for the efforts of the aquatics teams at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, Morris Hospital YMCA, and Village of Shorewood YMCA for helping campers learn the important life skill of swimming. You can learn more about the “Go Blue” initiative by visiting our blog.

More Than $205,000 Raised by the Y’s Mission Strong Campaign
At the Y, nobody is turned away due to the inability to pay. And, this summer, 1 out of every 2 campers who attended summer day camp programs at the YMCA received financial assistance through our Mission Strong Fund. This was made possible thanks to precious funds gifted by generous donors.

Thank you all again for a wonderful Summer Camp season! We look forward to seeing campers back at the YMCA next summer. Camp registration for the summer of 2027 will get underway next March!

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2026 “Go Blue” Water Safety Program Helps Summer Day Campers Learn Important Life Skills

September 3, 2026

As America’s most trusted swim lesson instructor, the YMCA has been teaching kids how to swim for more than 100 years. Swim lessons at the YMCA help kids stay fit, healthy, and strong when they spend time in and around water. But, most importantly, they gain confidence and learn vital water safety skills that will last a lifetime.

The YMCA’s Swim Lesson Curriculum is based on a continuum that focuses on a skill-based progression that builds confidence and supports skill development swimmers of all ages. This summer, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA was proud to once again provide swim lessons through our “Go Blue” initiative.

The “Go Blue” Water Safety Program was offered as a part of summer day camp activities at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, Morris Hospital YMCA, and Village of Shorewood Family YMCA. At the start of the summer, campers completed mandatory swim tests before entering the pool and, based on their swimming abilities, received a red, yellow, or blue wristband. To “Go Blue” meant that swimmers had enough strength, skill, and confidence to pass the YMCA’s blue swim test, which included jumping into the deep end of the pool, treading water, and swimming the length of the pool using a front crawl stroke without stopping.

To improve their swimming skills, all red and yellow wristband campers participated in 15-minute swim lessons each week with the goal of “Going Blue” by the end of summer.

This year’s program served 767 campers and provided 4,345 swim lessons over the course of the summer. Here are the exciting results!

	Start of Summer	End of Summer
Red Swimmers	31.68%	25.68%
Yellow Swimmers	36.90%	23.86%
Blue Swimmers	31.42%	50.46%

During the first week of summer camp, only one third of the campers attained the highest swim level when tested. By the end of the final week of testing, more than half the campers had gone ‘Blue.’ Additionally, 46 campers that were previously required to wear life jackets when using YMCA pools as red level swimmers improved to a swim level where a life jacket was no longer needed.

We would like to thank the staff members on our amazing YMCA aquatics teams as well as the generous efforts of volunteer swim instructors for helping children learn these life-saving skills this summer.

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Joliet Community YMCA Volunteer Spotlight: Summer Day Camp Volunteer Kendall Love

July 29, 2026

YMCA Summer Day Camp not only offers an amazing learning experience for the campers visiting our seven camp locations, it also opens up leadership opportunities for local high school students through our Summer Camp Volunteer Program. By assisting camp staff with day-to-day activities, summer camp volunteers learn important life skills and help enrich the quality of our camp offerings.

Among this year’s summer day camp volunteer contingent is Joliet Central student Kendall Love. Kendall is no stranger to the Y, as she previously participated in a wide range of YMCA programs herself including Kid Zone, Teen REACH, and of course, summer day camp. This summer, Kendall has had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer at our Salvation Army camp location. You can learn more about Kendall in the Q&A below.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with summer day camp this year?

The reason I wanted to volunteer was because I really like kids and I want to be a school teacher. I knew the YMCA helps kids and I knew it could help me do what I want to do in the future.

Q: What do you enjoy most about volunteering at the Y?

I love playing games with the kids. Especially sharks and minnows. I also love helping organize the supplies and then helping the kids figure out what they want to do.

Q: What is something you have learned from this experience?

You have to take your time and be down to earth in order to get kids to understand why you are asking them to do something. You have to try and put yourself in their shoes. Some of the kids need a little more help than others and you need to understand that. Whether we’re working on a craft, or explaining the directions on something that might be confusing, you can step into their shoes a little more and help them.

Q: What does the Y mean to you?

I feel like the Y has always been there for the special times in my life. I’ve been going to the Y since I was little, and I’ve made so many friends here. I grew up here and now I really enjoy volunteering here. A lot of staff I would call my family now. It’s created a lot of special memories.

We are so thankful for the volunteer efforts of students like Kendall and we know it has been another amazing summer day camp season at the Y.

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Constellation Provides Generous $20,000 Donation in Support of YMCA Send a Kid to Camp Campaign

May 14, 2026

At the Y, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive at summer day camp, but we can’t do it alone. Last summer, more than half of the children who attended YMCA camp did so with the support of our financial assistance program – made possible by the generosity of donors.

And with our 2026 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign in full swing, we are excited to announce an incredible $20,000 donation from Constellation. This gift will help support the camp experience of 80 children this summer.

“We are so grateful for the kindness of local businesses like Constellation and the impact charitable giving has on children in our community,” Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin said. “Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference in helping the Y fulfill our mission of creating safe educational spaces for kids. We can’t thank Constellation enough for their commitment to a shared vision of youth development.”

To ensure that the Y’s mission will continue to thrive and help those kids in our community who need it most, we invite you to make a donation to our Send a Kid to Camp today by clicking here.

Pictured in top photo: (L-R) Morris Hospital YMCA Executive Director Jamie Heitman, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin, Constellation Outage Scheduler Ryan Stapleton, Constellation Facilities and Maintenance Staff Member Rebecca Perez, Constellation Rad Protection and Site Impact Staff Member Rachel Lobb, Constellation Community Relations Manager Val Runner, Morris Hospital YMCA Youth and Family Director Jordan Overton, Constellation Mechanical Maintenance Staff Member Tony Drapal, and Morris Hospital YMCA Youth and Family Manager Maggie Fowler.

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Meet Morris Hospital YMCA Youth and Family Director Jordan Overton and Youth and Family Manager Maggie Fowler

May 13, 2026

YMCA camp offers many of the same benefits of a traditional camp, such as new experiences, skill building, a sense of community, and lasting friendships. However, the Y’s passionate summer day camp team makes Y camp second to none. Every day, our energetic summer camp crew works hard to give camp participants an unforgettable summer. And, behind every great team, are great leaders.

Fearlessly leading the Morris Hospital YMCA’s summer day camp program, you will find Youth and Family Director Jordan Overton (pictured right) and Youth and Family Manager Maggie Fowler (pictured left.)

With the start of camp just a few days away, Jordan and Maggie’s amazing team of camp counselors are eager to welcome kids to camp! Get to know more about them in the Q&A below.

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started with the Y team?

Jordan: I have been working in youth programming, specifically in day camp and before and after school settings, for the past 15 years. For the last five years I have served as the Youth and Family Director in Morris and I have truly loved being part of this community. I have always been passionate about working with youth and creating fun, memorable experiences for them.

Maggie: I came back into the workforce in 2024 after taking some time off with two growing daughters at home. By assisting with Y summer camp, I was grateful to find a way continue spending time around them while also enjoying a day-to-day work experience. I grew into enjoying the kids and families we work with, so I stayed on to work in the Y’s Kid Zone program. I started in my current role as Youth and Family Manager last winter and I’m so excited to begin my third summer at the YMCA!

Q: Why do you have a passion for youth development work?

Jordan: I like helping young people grow in confidence and reach their potential. Being able to positively influence someone during such an important stage of life is very meaningful to me. I also believe our programs give kids a safe and supportive place where they can build friendships and discover new skills or activities they can continue to grow in.

Maggie: Watching kids grow is truly a blessing, they are creative, smart and resilient when providing them the supplies, skills and support to grow confidently. They will change and rule this world one day – we have to show them how.

Q: What do you think makes YMCA summer day camp a special experience for kids?

Jordan: I think YMCA summer day camp is a special experience because it gives kids a fun, safe, and supportive environment where they can try new things, build confidence, and make lasting friendships. We put a lot of thought into our activities and make sure we offer something that matches every child’s interests. Campers get opportunities to swimming four days a week and enjoy weekly field trips, which makes the experience even more exciting and memorable.

Maggie: I think it’s that we give kids the opportunity to be themselves. I see crafts come alive when children have the supplies to explore their artistic side. During gameplay, we encourage campers and camp staff to modify the rules when necessary to make sure everyone can play. It’s also important to see all the friendships that get renewed between children that might only be together at the Y because of summer camp. It’s so rewarding to have our local schools come together for camp.

Q: With summer camp right around the corner, what are some of the most exciting activities you have planned?

Jordan: I always enjoy planning our weekly field trips. Each year, I challenge myself to offer something new and exciting for the campers. The field trip I’m most excited about this summer is our onsite program with the Illinois Storm Chasers. They’ll be presenting interactive weather demonstrations for our campers, and I think it’s going to be a really fun experience.

Maggie: Each week brings a new theme for the campers and in Week 4 our theme will be ‘Celebrating the Decades’ for our YMCA’s Centennial Anniversary. That week will feature throwback costumes, STEM projects, crafts, and camper vs. counselor challenges.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the Y?

Jordan: I love spending time with my family – my husband, our two daughters, and our two dogs. We love playing outside, going for walks, and swimming in our pool. I also love reading.

Maggie: You will find me spending time with my husband and two daughters. If we’re not outside playing tag, we’re busy with the girls sports most weekends! I also like relaxing by diving into any and all Marvel movies. (Go web go!)

As a reminder, there is still time to register for YMCA Summer Day Camp at the Morris Hospital YMCA. Learn more and register today by clicking here.

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