YMCA Stories

For as long as he can remember, the YMCA has been a part of Joe Curto’s life. 

When Ken Geroux first walked through the doors of the YMCA on June 13, 1975, he wasn’t looking for community. He was looking for a heavy bag.

The Koshlong Current is a bi-annual newsletter dedicated to keeping campers and alumni up-to-date on what's happening at YMCA Wanakita. Hear from campers and staff, learn about improvements around camp, and discover why Wanakita will always be the place to have the time of your life. 

When Ann Francis first walked into the kitchen at YMCA Wanakita in July 1980, she didn’t know she’d still be there 45 years later. She certainly didn’t know that the camp tucked quietly into the Haliburton woods would become her second home, or that the people she met there would become family.

The YMCA Wanakita Staff Scholarship is offered annually to provide one or more YMCA Wanakita summer leadership staff support to pursue post-secondary education. 

Nestled deep in the Haliburton Highlands, YMCA Camp Wanakita is more than just a camp—it's a small town. 

The MacKenzie Family started coming to Family Camp in 2006 with their neighbours, The Castle Family, who were long time attendees. When they moved to British Columbia in 2022, they promised to come back to camp for one transition summer.

When Monica and her daughters arrived in Canada as refugees from Colombia, the world they knew disappeared overnight. The rhythm of their days, once filled with family and familiarity, was replaced by uncertainty and silence.

This week, we’re celebrating our Early Childhood Educators and our Child Care workers who nurture curiosity, build confidence, and create spaces of belonging for children and families every day.