There’s a reason why kids and parents alike say, “YMCA Camp Reed is the Best!” But don’t take our word for it.

“Camp Reed was super fun! We did a carnival night and all sorts of fun stuff!

“There, we did the fun things like we do at school except you didn’t have to stop for other classes! I did ‘dramance’ and at the end we did a really fun play! There was also horseback riding. I’m definitely going back next year!” ~Leah Clark, age 10

“My daughter is the youngest of four and is often lumped in with her siblings. That can be tough for her sometimes, so it was wonderful that this week she spent at Camp Reed was uniquely her own. It was also the first time she went to overnight camp, the longest amount of time she’s been away from the family, so I was a little anxious.

“When she got back, the first thing she said to me was that she couldn’t wait to go again and how she wants to become a camp counselor one day. She really had a blast and learned a ton about herself. As a parent, I’m grateful for this experience and feel that Camp Reed will be a part of our summers for years to come.” ~Dig Chrismer

“During my time at Camp Reed I had fun hiking, swimming, and doing many crafts. The best part of camp was making new friends and having fun with the JCs and counselors. I plan on going again for my last year as a camper and then hopefully going through the steps to become a counselor.” ~Cassidy Aitken, age 13, 8th grade, Sandpoint Middle School

“The best job I ever had, was the summers I spent as a YMCA camp director, so to see my daughter have those same great experiences is the best. Last summer she went with a friend, when we were selecting which week to go this summer, she told us ‘not to worry about it’, she would be ‘great friends with her cabinmates by the end of the first night.’ That is part of the magic of YMCA camp.” ~Bill Aitken

“I love YMCA Camp Reed! I can be myself, my counselors are nice and my parents like it because it’s safe. I like it because it’s fun!” ~Reigan

My first year as a junior counselor, there was a girl in my cabin who had cerebral palsy. Because her walking was impaired, when the other girls went night hikes, we hung out and chatted and made crafts.

“She was a little shy, but on the last day, during cabin free time, our cabin was on the waterfront and we were sitting on the dock when she asked me to grab a life jacket for her.

“When I came back, she was ready to jump in — under one condition: I had to catch her in the water. So, as the entire waterfront counted down and tears blurred my vision, she ran as best she could off the dock and jumped right into my arms. That may have been one of the best moments of my life, and I remember thinking “I want to be here for every single one of those incredible moments.” ~Holly, junior counselor

Mary Berry is director of communications & marketing for YMCA of the Inland Northwest.