Our Mission
Our Mission, Vision, and Core Values
At Camp Huckins, we strive to create a community filled with joy, friendship, and opportunities to try new things. Campers and staff work together to create a community where everyone feels valued, safe and included as their authentic self. Creating that sense of belonging requires a commitment from all campers and staff.
Simple and Enduring
Huckins is not—and has never been—a complicated place. Perennial friendships, hearty laughter, singing at the top of your lungs, and waking to the call of the loon are the simple memories that carry through a lifetime. Fresh air, open sky, and the time and opportunity for young people to become more confident and self-assured, these are the basic traditions and values we hold dear.
Since 1928, Camp Huckins has been providing an enriching summer experience for children. Situated on the beautiful Lake Ossipee in Freedom, New Hampshire, Camp Huckins is an non-profit, accredited YMCA overnight camp for 3rd-9th graders that identify as girls. We have about 1,300 campers each summer and campers can attend 2 or 4 week sessions. Camp Huckins also offers Family Programs for those who would like to enjoy the camp experience with their children. Camp Huckins is a place with many enduring traditions and enriching activities, a place that people return to year after year, as campers, counselors, program staff and Family Campers. They come back because they are touched by how, year after year, Huckins remains "Constant and True."
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Carroll County YMCA Camp Huckins through its many programs, to strengthen the Spirit, Mind, and Body of youth, families, and communities. We strive to provide an honest, respectful, and caring atmosphere where each person can grow to realize their full potential.
Vision Statement
At Huckins, our vision is to foster a community where all feel a sense of belonging and can experience camp as their authentic self. We bring our vision to life through intentional and ongoing actions as we strive to be outstanding stewards of the human and natural resources in our care and to expand opportunities for growth, leadership, joy, and friendship.
Core Values
Our core values are the building blocks of our Huckins community. We practice these values as we work and play together, allowing us to develop a deeper understanding of each core value and what is required to put them into action.
- Caring: We believe in showing kindness and concern for others, as well as to ourselves. Caring requires an awareness of others, asking questions and taking time to listen, and demonstrating empathy. Caring is an essential piece in the development of new friendships.
- Honesty: We believe honesty is the quality of being truthful and is based on kindness. Honesty allows us to express true feelings and is essential to creating a culture where people feel safe to be their true selves. Honesty often requires courage to be honest with another as well as ourselves. We believe that owning our mistakes is an expression of honesty and we greet that with appreciation and growth. Honesty in community builds trust.
- Respect: We believe respect begins with honoring the feelings, wishes, opinions, and rights of others. Respect requires listening deeply and feeling heard, with a willingness to learn and unlearn. Leading with curiosity helps us to be respectful as we are learning about intentions, understanding impact, and becoming aware of boundaries and potential blind spots. We strive to practice respect for self, others, and the world around us. It is essential as we create a culture of understanding and safety in our community of unique individuals living, playing, working and sharing together.
- Responsibility: We believe responsibility is a recognition that each action has an impact ? on others, on ourselves, and on this place. Practicing responsibility means that I am accountable for my actions and their impact. Being responsible means I can ask questions when I don?t know what to do and ask for help when I need it. Responsibility means I will trust others to make good decisions and I can be trusted to do the same.
Inclusion Statement
We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment where campers, participants, families and staff can discover and be their authentic selves. Through leadership, strategic planning, recruitment, training and program development, we strive to be inclusive in our practices and to promote equity and opportunity for all individuals. We respect, affirm and protect the dignity and worth of every member of our community. It is our hope that any individual seeking to be a part of the YMCA Camp Huckins community will feel safe consulting with the camp administration to determine how our programs can best serve their needs. To learn more about our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, please click here.
