West Milford Vacamas Programs for Youth began its 86th summer of providing residential camp experiences for youngsters ages 7-16. Over the summer, the four camps run by the non-profit organization will be in full swing as campers enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, camping, sports, creative art, and wood-working projects. Vacamas manages four unique camp facilities: the 230-acre anchor location Camp Vacamas in West Milford, Top of the Pines in Bear Mountain, N.Y., Trade Winds Lake in Windsor, N.Y., and Trail Blazers in Sussex County, N.J. Over 2,000 campers will be enrolled by Vacamas this year. Campers range in age from seven through 16. The youngest children are housed in bunks with private bathrooms and a low staff-to-student ratio. Children are grouped by age division. Vacamas teenagers have the opportunity to select from among a variety of specialty programs, including theatre, canoe and backpacking, bike riding and healthy lifestyles. Many of our current staff attended Vacamas throughout their childhood, as members of Lower Camp, then Teen Camp, then Leadership-in-Training, and today serving as counselors themselves. Vacamas was founded in 1924 as a camp for girls from the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Over the years, the organization has grown dramatically as it focused on serving increasing numbers of boys and girls who could not otherwise afford the incredible life-changing experience of residential camp. Today, Vacamas serves a diverse population from all five New York City boroughs, Westchester County, Long Island, and numerous towns and cities throughout New Jersey, including Newark and Paterson, as well as Philadelphia. Vacamas Programs for Youth is a year-round organization helping over 5,000 children in the metropolitan area on an annual basis. In addition to the camps, Vacamas provides a variety of school-year programs.To learn more about Vacamas visit www.vacamas.org.