Mission

Since 1911, YMCA Camp Coniston has worked with local citizens in their communities operating agricultural clubs, providing childcare, sponsoring youth conferences, teen service clubs, women's service clubs, youth sports leagues and youth in government. After just seven years in existence, we raised approximately $150,000 for the "morale and welfare" of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. In the early 1960's growth in camp resulted in the search for a new site. With great loyalty to their beloved YMCA Camp Soangetaha, the volunteers and leadership quickly realized that if YMCA camping were to continue in Western New Hampshire, a new site preserving more than half a century of tradition was imperative. Relocating our camp was a major undertaking. YMCA Camp Coniston/Soangetaha has operated every summer since 1911 and is now the fourth largest YMCA camp in the United States. In addition to summer camp, Coniston is presently addressing the problem of "latchkey" children with six after-school centers serving eight New Hampshire schools and administers Youth in Government for the Claremont, Lebanon, Mascoma, Newport, Kearsarge, and Sunapee School Districts. Special summer programs provide camping for children with special needs including juvenile cancer survivors and children with extreme asthma. YMCA Camp Coniston's summer programs are based in the belief that all kids benefit from the opportunity to work, play and learn from each other. This shared concept allows mentoring of the younger campers by older, and spreads the sense of tradition throughout our community. In addition, Coniston's campership program allows local children the opportunity to participate in meaningful camp experiences regardless of their ability to pay. While YMCA Camp Coniston has changed its name three times during its history, camp continues to operate under the same charter granted by the YMCA of the USA in 1910. Coniston serves children from across the nation with top-rated programs that foster caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in each individual.