Where will my child be living? How are living groups determined?

Our campers live in rustic wooden cabins, with no more than nine campers and no fewer than two counselors per cabin. Our Senior boys live in platform tents. Cabins and tents have electricity, and showerhouses are located in each unit. Cabin groups are determined by grade, gender identification regardless of sex assigned at birth, and age. Children may request to be with a buddy of the same grade and age. Campers have ample opportunity to spend time with children of other ages, grades, and genders during activities throughout the day.

Freshman Unit

Ages 7-10

For many Camp Frank A. Day campers the journey starts in the Freshman Unit. The Freshman Unit consists of 6 cabins, a basketball court, 2 tetherball courts, four square, picnic tables, a bath house, and its own council ring and fire circle. Each cabin has 2 counselors and between 5-7 campers.

Junior Unit

Ages 11-13

The Junior Unit is the largest unit at Camp Frank A. Day. It consists of 10 Cabins, a basketball court, 2 tetherball courts, a gaga ball pit, a horseshoe pit, picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, a bath house, and its own council ring and fire circle. Each cabin has 2 counselors and between 6-9 campers.

Senior Unit

Ages 14-16

The oldest campers at Camp Frank A. Day reside in the Senior Unit. The males in the Senior Unit reside in platform canvas tents and the females reside in cabins. Our Leaders-In-Training campers also reside in the Senior Unit. The Senior Unit consists of 3 cabins, 3 tents, a basketball court (home of the knockout competition during Green Vs. Grey!), a carpetball table, a gaga ball pit, a bocce pit, picnic tables, hammocks, Adirondack chairs, a bath house, and its own council ring and fire circle. Each cabin or tent has 2 counselors and between 5-8 campers.

Meals

We serve three well-balanced meals daily in our spacious dining hall. Our nutritious menus include fresh fruits, low fat milk, a salad bar and a variety of special diet options offered. Most dietary requirements can be met.  Please call us in advance if you have any questions or would like to discuss the needs of your camper.

What will my child eat? Can you accommodate campers with dietary restrictions?

Campers are served three healthy, nutritious, and delicious meals each day. A breakfast bar with yogurt, fruits and cold cereal is available each morning in addition to a hot entree. For lunch and dinner, campers may choose between a special diet or a meat option. A salad bar full of local fruits and vegetables is also available. Milk and water are served at meals. For campers who are hungry between meals, fresh fruit is always available. We serve only nourishing whole foods that are free of chemicals, synthetic hormones, trans fats, and artificial sweeteners.

Our Dining Hall aims to accommodate the needs of all our campers, including gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, food allergies, vegetarianism, and veganism. If your camper has specific needs, let us know and we can discuss how best to accommodate them!

Safety

Campers are allowed every possible freedom within the limits of safety. However, as YMCA Camp Frank A. Day is located on a lake, aquatic safety is of the utmost importance. Each camper’s swimming skills are evaluated on the first day of camp to determine their abilities. Eligibility to use boats and/or participate in waterfront activities is determined by each camper’s swimming abilities. All resident campers who receive our beginner swim band color (RED) will be encouraged to participate in our Swimming Safety Program. The goal of the Swimming Safety Program is to encourage each camper to increase their level of comfort in and around water and help them advance to the next band level. 

Health Care

Our Health Center is staffed by certified medical personnel on call at all times. All staff members are trained in emergency procedures and certified in First Aid and CPR. Additional medical facilities and emergency services are only minutes away in nearby Southbridge, MA.
 

Cell Phones & Electronic Devices

It is our desire to keep camp an electronic free zone. We want campers to enjoy the moment and make new friends at camp without the distractions of social media and the intrusions of digital technology. Camp will always arrange for campers to make necessary phone calls. Please do not send your camper with a cell phone or electronic device.

Registration

A non-refundable registration fee must accompany your application to reserve your space for each session, which is applied to the total balance due for each session. All registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Registration is available online, by phone or in person:

• Click here to register.
• Call Camping Services at 617-244-6050 x 3008 and we will help you register.

Registration Fees: 

• A 25% registration fee is required for each overnight camp session you wish to reserve at the time of registration. 
• The registration fee is applied to the total balance due for each session. 
• All registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Billing, Payment Plans and Financial Aid: 

• Remaining balance payment due April 1st, 2024 
• Payments will be auto drafted on April 1st, 2024, with the card on file. 
• Families can inquire about an individualized payment plan with the West Suburban YMCA Camping Services Branch. Please contact Camp Registrar, Marie Minardi for details. 
• If registration occurs after April 1st, 2024, payment is due in full at time of registration. 
• Financial assistance is available and can be applied for on a confidential basis. Please download the Financial Assistance Application and return it to financialaid@wsymca.org for review. For more information, contact Marie Minardi. ​

Refund and Cancellations: 

• If you cancel before April 1st, 2024, you are eligible for a full refund minus the 25% non-refundable registration fee. 
• Cancellations received after April 1st,2024 are non-refundable and non-transferable unless due to a serious medical issue. In this case a physician's note is required. 
• The Y reserves the right to retain camp fees for campers who decide they do not like camp, have minor illnesses, are homesick, are removed from camp for disciplinary reasons, and/or change of plans.

Sibling discounts

5% per session for 2nd and subsequent campers. All campers must reside in the same physical address to receive the discount.

Referral Incentive 

Our referral incentive is unlimited! Get a NEW camper to register for camp, and both of you will receive $100 off your total fees. 

Electives & Programs

Campers choose three electives per week. These electives are combined with flagpole, plaque, swim lessons, rest hour and super choice to create the camp program from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. daily. A sample of electives that may be offered are: 

*Offering dependent on staff hired

Plaque
Plaque is a unique competition where campers are placed onto teams and compete for points in both athletic and general camp activities. At the end of the summer the points accumulated by each team are tallied, and the team with the most points has all its members’ names etched into a plaque and placed in the rafters of McKnight Hall.

Super Choice
Super Choice takes place for one hour every day. During this hour campers partake in activities within their unit (crafts, basketball, four square etc.).

Evening Programs
Evening Programs are special activities that are enjoyed either by cabin group, by unit group or include all camp. Activities range from taking a nighttime boat ride with your cabin to completing a unit-wide scavenger hunt, to all-camp theme dances and “Coffee House” performance nights.

Special Programs

Green Vs Gray
Green versus Gray takes place Session 2 and Session 4, and the camp is divided in half. Once assigned your color it is your color for life, and it is even passed on from generation to generation. This 36-hour event kicks off with unit knock-out battles on Miller Court, has a day of athletic and art-based competitions, and ends with cheer and song battles around a campfire at the Great Council Ring. In the end everyone is family, but for 36 hours everyone chants their team cheers and lives to be Green or Gray!

Olympics
During Session 3, Camp Frank A. Day hosts the Olympics. This 24-hour event has teams compete in a variety of competitions, ending with a skit and chant battle at the Great Council Ring. Unlike Green vs. Gray your Olympic team changes annually, giving you a chance to be with many different people and make many more new friends!

Awards Night
Awards Night, held during Session 4, is a popular event at camp that concludes the summer. Counselors present elective awards to campers, Unit Directors recap the highlights of the summer and announce the winners of the Plaque Race, staff awards are given, and the camp community savors being with each other for one last night.

Leader-In-Training (Age 16)

CFAD's Leader-In-Training program provide our oldest campers (youth aged 16) a way to transition from camper to counselor. LITs assist counselors in daily operations and camper supervision. LIT sessions are for 3-7 weeks. See the rates per session tab for pricing. For more information on all of our Leader-In-Training opportunities, please visit our LIT page.

CFAD LIT Application

Volunteer Junior Counselor Program (Age 17)

Our Volunteer Junior Counselor program provides 17-year-olds an opportunity to gain experience working in an overnight camp setting. Junior Counselors live in a cabin with 1-2 Sr. Counselors and assist them with the daily care, support, and safety of the children living with them. Junior Counselors are also provided the opportunity during the day to support elective classes to gain teaching/coaching experience during their summer. CPR/FA certification is also provided to our Junior Counselors along with the potential to be certified as an American Red Cross Lifeguard if they are interested and able to make the training dates/times.