Camp Sylvester, Approaching its 100th Anniversary
March 1, 2024
It is that time of year, youth summer camp programs everywhere have begun sign-ups for the upcoming summer. Although, things are a bit different in Pinecrest, where Camp Sylvester is a year-round destination that allows campers to participate in youth programming regardless of the season.
Established in 1927, Camp Sylvester is quickly approaching its 100th anniversary, which most certainly has to be a monumental achievement for the Camp’s founders. What started as a summer seasonal pitch-your-tent campsite for farming youth groups, has become a year-round Sierra destination with all the traditional services one would expect a quality Camp facility/venue to offer. This past year, 2023, Camp Sylvester welcomed at least (4,580) guest campers, the vast majority of which participated in an overnight camper program. Photos of campers dating back to the early 30s’ show how far Camp has come since the days when the best of the best options were restricted to outdoor cooking over a campfire, dim candle lite evenings and hoping a bear did not raid the food pantry overnight. But truth be told, these campfire, candle lite, and bear raiding experiences are still present today. Evolving from the early days, today’s campers certainly appreciate that present day Camp offers cabin lodging, indoor heating, plumbing and power. However, we can all agree that it is for the best that Camp still does not offer camper’s access to WIFI, streaming television, or general use of cell phones. With that said, Camp Sylvester is still a place youth experience new adventures, take on personal growth challenges, gain leadership skills, and make real human connections with fellow campers that last a lifetime.
Over the decades Camp Sylvester has served hundreds of thousands of youth campers at the treasured Pinecrest mountainous location. Majority of campers that visit Camp Sylvester are from California’s Central Valley, but Camp often attracts guest campers from nationwide and even international locations. For many of the campers, their visit to Camp Sylvester is often their first time experiencing the High Sierra, seeing winter snow, catching a glimpse of a shooting star, or spending time away from city urban life. Camp Sylvester Facility Director, Ken Peterson, often tells cherished stories to colleagues of how memorable the Camp experiences are for campers, particularly for those that visit from larger urban areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, or low-income youth. As one such story goes, periodically, students from Oakland Unified School District visit Camp Sylvester. At least once during every single group visit a student expresses their surprise see clear natural water within the lake and rivers surrounding Camp, genuinely confused as to where the water comes from or who is cleaning the water to maintain its clarity. The first time Director Ken hearing this was puzzling, until he realized that if a student has never seen clear water in nature, from the student’s perspective water in nature has only ever been associated with being dirty. Opportunities such as these Camp Sylvester provides, offering new and valued experiences to youth, is the bedrock for why the Camp’s leadership works to maintain and protect this cherished Camp. It is a personal goal for many who volunteer to preserve the history of generations past, current, and provide opportunity for generations future.
To maintain such a historic and well used place takes a great amount of care and planning efforts, and of course funding. As anyone could imagine maintaining a safe educational and recreation camp facility in the High Sierra, consisting of more than (28) cabins, dining and recreation halls, and support buildings is a never-ending task. Camp’s mission is to provide the best possible camping experience at the lowest possible price. Camp is doing this well. Camp Sylvester regularly hears from guest groups the quality of the Camp’s facilities and grounds is very good and affordable for their young campers to attend. Guest group leadership often commenting Camp Sylvester could charge more if it wanted to. However, Camp Sylvester strives to serve everyone regardless of income level. The leadership team behind maintaining Camp Sylvester, including dozens of individuals with the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, pays particularly attention to serving low income and at-risk communities, even more so especially for those living within agriculturally based communities. The team recognizes that if Camp were unable to maintain its low-cost operating structure, the majority of youth who visit would be able to participate in a quality overnight camp program experience.
To maintain a low-cost operating structure is a community effort. It requires thousands of volunteer hours annually and community-based sponsorships to tackle the larger undertakings. In the most recent of years, Camp Sylvester wishes to offer special thanks to the Mary Stewart Rogers Foundation, Hilmar Cheese Company, and an anonymous individual donor from the Modesto Beckwith Road Area. These three sources of financial generosity helped enabled Camp Sylvester to quickly recover from the recent COVID pandemic which forced widespread cancellations of youth programs and prompted serious financial strains on Camp’s ability to sustain facilities. To the excitement of the Camp Sylvester Board of Directors, Camp recovered quicky and camper participation has even grown beyond pre-pandemic levels, a milestone achievement for everyone involved.
Camp is always working to improve facilities to allow for the best camper experience possible. Renovation work was delayed this last spring following the epic winter snow season of 2023. But, if you visited Camp Sylvester in summer 2023, it is all but certain you would have noticed the amphitheater stage and campfire area renovations were underway. Again, with great appreciation for a significant contribution from the Hilmar Cheese Company, Camp Sylvester was able to replace the amphitheater stage and campfire area this past year for the enjoyment of thousands of youth campers and guests who visit Camp annually. The amphitheater stage and campfire area features a new reinforced foundation, weather resistant decking, more theatrical stage backdrop, and updated seating. These exciting updates are wonderful additions to improve the youth experiences during Camp’s nightly campfire skits, songs, and memory making.
Planning efforts are still underway, but Camp Staff anticipate beginning work for a phase 1 project to complete improvements for an updated outdoor picnic area and outdoor classroom area in 2024. Catalyst funds for this improved amenity is being provided by the Mary Stewart Rogers Foundation of Modesto.
Also new for 2024, for the first time in decades, Camp Sylvester is offering youth camp programs to any youth ages 7-13 who wish to attend an overnight summer camp program hosted at Camp Sylvester. In 2023, Camp partnered with Run for Fun Camps, a well-established youth service organization who will be hosting four-(4), one-(1) weeklong summer camp sessions available to all youth ages 7-13 to attend. Campers can learn more and directly sign-up for overnight camp programs at www.campsylvester.org/camp-programs. It is an exciting time; Camp staff is looking forward to the upcoming year and years to follow.
To learn more about Camp Sylvester, sponsor a child’s enrollment in an overnight camp program or sponsor a Camp facility improvement project, please call (209) 459-1560, visit CampSylvester.org or email Ken@CampSylvester.org.