Camp Nazareth, maintained by Catholic Charities, offers kids the opportunity to experience nature, camaraderie, says director
By David L. Podos
Q: Let’s start off with a little history about Camp Nazareth. How long has the camp been around?
A: We have been around since the early 1920s and at that time we were located on Fifth Lake. We relocated in 1925 to where we are now on Little Long Lake and have been at this location ever since.
Q: How did the camp come about?
A: It was the archdiocese of Syracuse that decided to open up a camp.
Q: Why did the archdiocese of Syracuse want to open up a camp, what was the incentive for that?
A: It was to get kids from the city out into nature. To give them a different perspective of life than just city life. And to instill in them appreciation of nature.
Q: Is the archdiocese still involved in the operation of this camp?
A: We are still owned by the archdiocese. However, our main headquarters is located in Utica under Catholic Charities and it is Catholic Charities that oversees the operation of the camp.
Q: You mentioned that the camp originally started out only as a camp for boys. When did they start accepting girls?
A: I don’t have the exact date but it was in the late ‘60s early ‘70s when that started to happen.
Q: How long is the camp open?
A: In the past we ran the camp during the summer for eight weeks. Now we are open for only three weeks. And I am hoping that starting next year we will be open for four weeks. We don’t make money running this camp. Obviously, the cost of running an organization such as ours is expensive. Costs have exponentially increased for everything. Also, COVID-19 affected us in a big way as it did with just about all businesses. We actually shut the camp down in 2020, and 2021.
Q: How many kids are you expecting for this season?
A: We max out at 120 kids. For week one, we have 100 kids registered. This upcoming season looks good and we are hopeful for a full registration. We like to have 60 girls and 60 boys. That said, what I have noticed as the camp director over the past several years, it is a lot harder to get boys than girls. I really can’t pinpoint why that is, but we continue to strive toward full capacity with the 60/60 boy’s girls split.
Q: What are the ages of the kids?
A: The range is 8 to 16 years of age.
Q: You mentioned that the camp really does not make a profit. What are your funding streams that keep this camp open?
A: Catholic Charities sets aside a set amount of dollars each year for operations. We also have a camp fee that families pay to have their children come here. So, that adds to our funding stream to help with covering costs. I also want to point out that for families that are under financial hardships and cannot afford the camp fees; we do have scholarships to pay for their kids to come to camp. This can be a full payment or a partial payment depending on each family’s circumstances. I also have to mention we are very grateful for the many donations that we receive from local people and of course that financial contribution helps as well.
Q: Talk about the overall health benefits kids get when they come to a place like this. I have to believe there are many. Am I correct?
A: You are absolutely correct. As funny as this may sound, regarding physical health even though the kids are doing plenty of physical activities, from my perspective as the camp director, that is the least impact I see on the kids. What I do see and is very clear to me and others is the positive impact upon their emotional and mental health which is undeniable. Speaking from personal experience, my family brought me here in 2012. I kicked and screamed that I didn’t want to stay. One week later I didn’t want to leave. It was a real emotional growth experience for me and I feel I would not be the man I am today if I did not have the opportunity of coming here.
Q: Do you see kids arriving here with anxiety issues, depression and or anger issues and leave feeling much better?
A: Yes! There is a sense of belonging when you are here. We do not judge anyone. It is like one big family all the kids all the staff. We all come from different walks of life, different schools, different groups that we identify with and oftentimes there are issues between people because of those differences. However, when they get here all that “stuff” it all fades away. We all support one another and that has real health benefits that helps with the healing process of any emotional and or mental health issues that these kids might be experiencing.
For more information about Camp Nazareth go to campnaz.org or call 315-724-2158 x7015.