Most people who grew up in Northeast Ohio have gone to Camp Fitch as a child. It is a traditional overnight school trip for sixth graders, and lots of those kids return as a camp counselor when they are high school age.
Don was lucky to go to Camp Fitch three times – once in sixth grade and twice as part of a high school youth group. My girls went as sixth graders, but since I grew up in the South, I have never been there.
In addition to School Year Programs, Camp Fitch offers a variety of other adventures including Summer Camp and Family Camp. We were invited to visit Family Camp and were able to experience what Camp Fitch life is all about.
Camp Fitch is located along Lake Erie in New Springfield, PA. It was founded in 1914 and has found a way to balance deeply rooted traditions while growing toward the future. It is a perfect blend of educational programs, friendship, connecting with nature and getting away from the hustle and bustle of today’s lifestyle. Camp Fitch’s mission is “to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all with the purpose to make children better, forever.”
Our day started with a beautiful drive, a little over an hour from our house. The excitement started to build and Don’s memories were coming back full force as we reached Camp! It was a warm summer day, and with the breeze off the lake, it was perfect weather.
Camp Fitch is spread out over 425 acres, so everyone brings bicycles to get from one area to the next. It is a great place to get your steps in, without even realizing how far you’ve walked. Don got to ride a bicycle built for two – a little trickier than you might imagine!
Horseback riding, archery, the rifle range and crafts are just a few of the activities. There are so many to choose from! Children have age-specific activity hour three times a day. Meals are served in the dining hall, and families sit together at assigned tables. Grace is said before eating and everyone stays at the table until excused.
It was like a breath of fresh air, to be away from cell phones, computers and televisions. We were both in the middle of best ball drafts, but our picks had to wait until we had cell service. Our GPS didn’t have signal until we were a couple miles from camp, but believe it or not, we were able to navigate without it.
Our takeaway is that everyone needs time away at a place like Camp Fitch, especially children and young people. At camp, they get a taste of what our lives were like when we were kids. The freedom to ride bikes with friends, go down to the lake and swing out into the open water, the opportunity to communicate without our ever-present devices. Making new friends and keeping the old. Memories that will definitely last a lifetime. Our day at Camp Fitch is now a priceless memory that we will always treasure.
