Who would have thought that the best real estate in Austin is run (not owned) by a non-profit summer camp called Austin Sunshine Camps. Master leased on a no-cost ninety year ground lease, ASC sits as a tiny oasis for children looking for deep bonding, creative outlets and a hella cool experience for the summer months. The main lodge, a brand new 21,000 sqft building nestled in the trees of Zilker Park right to the south end of Barton Springs, holds up to 120 kids for eight different sessions of 5 days / 4 nights each summer. The kids come from all over, within a two hour drive, to experience a no-cost camp experience, partake in activities like canoeing, archery, ropes courses, arts and crafts and more, and spend a session getting to know their peers. This is a special opportunity to get away for these kids and do something truly unique.
The camp was started by the Young Men’s Business League back in the 1930s as a way to give back to the community and engage with the central Texas youth to provide a meaningful summer experience. The YMBL exists today as a networking and single-source philanthropic group that conjoins young professionals with a deep cause to fund and support the Austin Sunshine Camps. Their motto is “Connect. Lead. Serve.” Their member dues, fundraising efforts and big events all contribute to funding the camps. It attracts a certain type of person who wants to make like-minded friends but also be part of something with deeply rooted community benefits.
As a newcomer to town, I was introduced to this idea and organization from my friend Jeff. Jeff, also a rather new Austinite, shared his belief with me that with the inflow of talent into Austin, there needs to be a forcing function to get people to want to make a difference in their new community of Austin. It’s not just enough to repopulate the city and drive up home prices; we have to also get involved. He went as far as buying a URL called dontmovetoaustin.com (which doesn’t work) with plans to promote community involvement avenues for those that ultimately don’t heed the advice of the title…and flock into Austin. His point resonated with me and I’ve never been one to move to a new city and idle in place.
So this week I went and toured the Austin Summer Camp at Zilker park and had a look around for myself. Camp was in full session and the campers were actively running around playing sports, making arts and crafts and some were playing with frogs. I would have been hanging with them! I got a chance to meet the management team and learn about their first hand experiences at the camp. It was inspiring to hear about the campers’ confidence boosts after a completed high ropes course or the creative enjoyment the campers got when collaborating on a group mural featured in Zilker park. This felt like a really good fit of community involvement to me. As a camper of seven years and a counselor for four at an upstate Pennsylvania summer camp, I know what social impacts camp can have on a child’s life. I felt it first hand. While I don’t know when or if I’ll join YMBL, I do know that this is the kind of use of proceeds that I want to give my time and energy towards.
If you want to learn more about the camps, check them out here.
If you want to learn more about the YMBL, check that out here.