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MOMENTS
YMCA OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY
Having Double the Fun at Camp Manitou
The Story of Arlo & Giovanna Iannarelli-Hawkins and Evelyn & Cohen Schroedel
Friendships created at Camp Manitou are truly unique. The connection among campers is a remarkable experience that happens when children break away from daily distractions, immerse themselves in their environment, forge relationships, and engage in new experiences.
“I never got to go to Camp Manitou," Brett Schroedel shared. "I missed out as a kid so to have Cohen and Evelyn be able to go, I was able to live through them. It was a week with no screen time and they survived, so it's good as a parent to have them be a kid and socialize and have them realize they can make memories and friends without iPads and PlayStations - it’s old-school wholesome fun."
Emily Barnes & Brett Schroedel sent their twins, Cohen & Evelyn, to camp for the first time hoping they would make friends and lasting memories. "I was able to attend Camp Manitou when I was a little girl. I wanted Cohen & Evelyn to experience Camp because it was so much fun for me," Emily shared.
"At a minimum, they had each other, that's a neat thing about having twins. We told them they would make new friends, too," Brett expressed.
Evelyn and Giovanna Iannarelli-Hawkins immediately became friends when they both were assigned to Wood Cabin for a session of Mini Camp. They had a lot in common, most notably their shared love for Taylor Swift music, but quickly realized they had something very unique in common, they both had a twin brother camping in North Pine.
The four of them, Cohen & Evelyn and Arlo & Giovanna, quickly connected and started forming their unique friendship. Coming across another set of boy-girl twins the same age was rare. "These are the only other boy-girl twins we know that are the same age as us," Arlo shared.
"Friendships like this don't happen a lot but it's really nice when they do because we are the same age, my brother has a friend, I have a friend. You immediately know you are going to have a lot in common since we are both boy-girl twins. Me and Evelyn have a lot in common and so do Cohen & Arlo," Giovanna exclaimed.
"I was worried about the social stuff. Are they going to make friends? Are they going to have fun? What was that going to be like?" Collin, Giovanna & Arlo's dad, expressed.
Carmen, Giovanna and Arlo's mom, added, "Our kids had never really been away from us for more than a night, so this really was their first experience away without a family member. It was pretty scary as a parent, but I am so glad that I made it about them and not me. It is about them and they loved it and everything was fine and now they are going for a full week next summer-and not just the mini camp.”
"If we missed our families, or they missed us, we could send them letters and they would send us care packages," Giovanna chimed in.
The bond between Arlo, Cohen, Giovanna, and Evelyn grew stronger each day at camp. They immersed themselves in various activities, shared laughter, and created memories. They appreciate the unique bond they share as twin friends. Evelyn shared, "We met right away and just focused on each other and growing our friendship." Their special connection added an extra layer of closeness, making every moment at camp feel even more magical. "It made camp extra special to meet Evelyn and Cohen and it's fun because we all still talk and we have double the fun, because we are twins," Giovanna added.
Giovanna, Arlo, Evelyn and Cohen are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer so they can head back to camp. Recalling memories of campfire dinners, the mud hike, the endless laughter, and all the pranks, there is one thing they can all agree on being the most excited about. "We are all looking forward to seeing each other when going back to camp," Cohen shares.
"These campers are in great hands at camp. The camp does a great job. You have young adults who are invested in your kids that are looking out for them. I missed them, but letting them go and have that experience is important because they aren't going to have that experience at home. Letting them go and be kids and hearing their stories and enjoyment of the week after the fact is worth the worry of sending them out into the world," Brett said.
“I didn't get to go to Camp Manitou when I was a kid and I always desperately wanted to as I had a number of friends that went.” Collin expressed, “I knew before we even had kids that they were going to go to Camp Manitou. Now to hear these stories and to see that they made some really great friends, that has been the best thing ever.”
For Brett, Emily, Carmen & Collin, experiencing Camp Manitou through their children's eyes, and having such a unique friendship flourish as a result was a true gift. They heard stories of their children embarking on new adventures, making lifelong memories, and forging bonds with their peers, specifically another set of twins. They are thankful for the opportunity that Camp Manitou has given their children and the countless opportunities it will give them for years to come.
Camp Manitou: A Place to Find Your Place
The Ben Hoffmeister & John Cranford Story
Camp Manitou teaches how important it is, not only to have great friends, but also to maintain long-lasting relationships with people. It taught Ben Hoffmeister & John Cranford that it feels good to have people whom you can love, care about, and count on. All of that started at Camp Manitou 26 years ago.
Tucked away in the northwoods of Wisconsin, Camp Manitou sits along beautiful Long Lake in New Auburn. For the past 100 years, it has been a unifier, a place to form connections, to make music, and discover confidence. It has shaped generations of children, not only in the Chippewa Valley but across the United States.
“Camp Manitou is this sacred, magical place. There is no other place in the entire world that has that same vibe. The land, the physical attributes of this beautiful lake, this amazing waterfront, this epic forest and the trees. But its also the core values of the camp, what it stands for, those values were instilled in all of us," John shared.
John & Ben met at Camp Manitou and their friendship has spanned over 26 years. "Camp has always been a safe place to go up to a stranger and become friends," Ben shared, "you could show up at camp and not know anybody, and the next year, come back to camp with the friends you made the year before."
"Eventually, you don't even have to ask your friends what week they are going to camp because you know that no matter if you go at the same time as they do, or not, you are going to connect with people and make lasting friendships," John added.
When kids disconnect from the outside distractions of day-to-day life and have the opportunity to be present with kids their own age, going through similar things in life, it allows them to connect on a level where true-lasting friendships can be made.
These friendships don't just remain at Camp Manitou. "I can be in all parts of the United States and so many people from Camp come out and support us," John spoke of when his band tours across the US. "All these people I met at camp 26 years ago are still there for me and still a support system for me, just because of Camp Manitou. The bond you make there is just different, you don't make that type of connection through school, or anywhere else, really," John continued.
Ben shared, "I feel super lucky to have had the opportunity to go to Camp and form these long-lasting friendships - it's rare. It is really crazy to think that our core group that we met in the summer of 1996 has stayed as tight as we have. We genuinely care about what is going on in each other's lives and make an effort to see each other still to this day."
Ben was never able to get away from Camp. It was, and still remains, a very important part of his life. Ben works at Camp Manitou and gets to witness the magic of camp nearly 30 years after attending as a camper himself. “I see my core friend group I met at camp in these young kids attending camp now. It’s cool to see the younger generations going to Camp and doing their thing. When kids are at Camp it really is a place, they want to be; they just want to be kids, make connections, and make memories,” Ben explained.
It doesn’t take long for campers to get comfortable at camp. “It’s fun to be there and just be weird. Kids can just be themselves and no one is going to make fun of you,” John shared. Ben added, "I never would have thought that as a 14-year-old, that camp would have had such a lasting impact on our lives.”
"I wish every 13-year-old could go to camp - at school, you have cliques, clubs, teams; at camp, it doesn't matter who you are - everyone is there to just have fun. Camp is a unifier," John said. "At camp, I would see people who weren't like me but it didn't matter, we both had the same goal: to have fun at camp." Camp brings kids together that probably wouldn't have connected in school. Camp Manitou provides kids with the opportunity to step out of their shell, try new things, connect with new people, and grow a confidence that will stay with them as they get older.
"I was pretty weird - you look at pictures from when I attended camp and see how differently we are dressed - we remain close but have all taken different paths in life and it's really cool to see what we all have become," John expressed.
Ben added, "Camp gives you the confidence to not only be yourself, but to find your place."
At camp, it doesn't matter if you aren't great at something. All of the regular life stressors that get put on a young person, all of that goes out the window once you step foot on that property. "No one is going to judge you at camp and that's huge. We are all just there to laugh, have fun, and make memories," John shared. "Kids think they are under the microscope to live up to certain standard, but, when they are at camp, they develop confidence to just be themselves and connect with other kids."
John & Ben's connection began at camp, but they soon realized they shared many common hobbies and talents. While at camp, John & Ben formed a band and wrote their first song together at Camp Manitou. Fast forward to 2021, Ben & John recorded an entire album at Camp Manitou, HWY 40. “Bands were formed, friendships were formed; it really is a magical place,” Ben added.
John goes back to visit camp often. "I am so thankful that the camp is still there. It was there when I was 13 and still here when I am 39. I am fortunate to be able to come back and visit. This place that has had such an impact, so many memories have been made, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to still visit that space and still have it in my life."
People can leave a legacy at Camp Manitou, but the legacy that camp leaves on people is even greater. Camp instills a sense of confidence in campers, encouraging them to embrace challenges, make connections, and believe in their abilities. Campers are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, try new activities, and discover hidden talents. The spirit of Camp Manitou lives on in the hearts of all who have experienced camp, shaping them into more confident, empathetic, and creative individuals.
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Past YMCA Mission Moments
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Berrier Family
February 2024
Camp Manitou:
A Place to Find Your Place
March 2024
