Reviews
See what parents and campers have to say about Ponacka!Ponacka has been a transformative experience for Cam. He has learned to be a more thoughtful and considerate person and has developed leadership skills.
We are very grateful for this!
I have heard Sam say this was the best summer yet a couple of times. Going from 2 weeks to 4 weeks was a big step for him, but it was better than expected!
Each year I think the counsellors or CITs cannot get any better, and then they do. Always very impressed when we have the opportunity to meet his counsellors.
We are very happy to have Sam come home raving about this summer’s experience and activities.
We can’t say enough good things about Ponacka.
Every year Sebastien comes home a happier, stronger version of the self that went to camp. He was excited to go this year, but still came home a little happier, stronger and full of joy and confidence. And he’s got his laundry on already. As always, he came home clean (how is that even possible?), healthy, well fed. Also he said he had no moments of anxiety at all at camp. Sebastien came home so full of joy. He had a FANTASTIC year at camp. He came home with tales, all positive and totally exhausted from the final night. And to my “horror” he came home my height!
Charles looks forward to Ponacka all year. He returns to us more confident, independent and grown up after spending his August with you, your staff and the campers.
Aiden had a wonderful time at camp. It’s a place he loves to go to and a place he feels at home. We feel very fortunate that we have found a place where Aiden can be himself. Ponacka is one of the first things we budget for when our year finances are looked at. There is a perfect balance of safety and risk at Ponacka. I am happy that the boys are still able to cliff jump and rough house and that they do get bumps and bruises. They thrive at Ponacka. I have never seen such great leadership and quality of staff anywhere. You can feel the difference in mood when you enter camp from the outside world. It’s a magical place or bubble that the boys enter for one month a year. Where they can be themselves. Ponacka has continued to be everything the boys expected. When they look back to the 4 years they have been, each year is as great as the last. they are never disappointed. They thrive and rejuvenate at Ponacka. The program, the staff and their cabin mates all contribute to creating a place where they can get away from it all and be themselves. Thank you. It’s the best thing for these boys!
I love camp Ponacka. I loved everything.
It was awesome. It felt like 3 days, and I’m going for a month next year!
Alex loved camp. He did seem to miss home more than Zachary, but keeping them together really helped. He is excited to go back in 2019. Impeccable care. I love that their emotional health is just as important as their physical. Zachary was in his element at camp. He loved every part of it. Zachary said he didn’t feel anxious as much, but when he did his CIT really helped him calm down. I was so impressed with everyone at Ponacka. We could not have had a better experience in 2018. The kids will be back for 4 weeks next year.
I am deeply grateful that Oliver had a positive and happy camp experience. I appreciate how much work and planning must go into each year. Thank you and see you next year!
Thank you for giving Pierce another fabulous experience at camp! Its amazing to see him come home feeling so happy and confident, and excited to share all of his awesome camp stories. He is involved with so many wonderful things at home, and yet – I can already see that Camp Ponacka is something so different and special for him. We are lucky to have such an amazing place for him to go to challenge himself, be unplugged in nature, and make new friends. For his experience, and for everything you do to make it all happen – we are truly thankful.
The Importance of a One-Month Experience
Picture any holiday – usually a week, if you are lucky two – it takes several days to wind down at the beginning to get to enjoy time away, then several more to wind back up at the end to prepare to get back to the “real world”. Not really much time to actually enjoy and get much from the time away. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Ponacka gives the boys the gift of 4 weeks to really make the most of their experience. Not only do they get to completely settle in, being comfortable with the routines, make their tent/cabin their home and get to really know the people around them, but they also get to truly develop new skills in activities that simply can’t get done in any shorter period of time. They have time to go on a real canoe trip into the wilderness, play a meaningful season of PHL, and earn entire swimming levels, and high level canoeing, riding and sailing levels. Most importantly though, 4 weeks gives the boys the time and space to truly develop their independence, social skills, self esteem, and make true friends for life. Our boys have both been at Ponacka for over 10 years. We can’t imagine a better experience in their lives any other way.
