YMCA_CSB_About

About Camp Shady Brook

Owned and operated by the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region

Our mission

To effect positive change in our community by creating opportunities in the outdoors for personal growth, leadership development and the building of relationships through exceptional camping experiences.


Our Philosophy

At YMCA Camp Shady Brook, we believe every participant should have the following opportunities:

  • Participate in a community in which all are safe and accepted
  • Receive support and guidance in setting and achieving goals
  • Increase self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-esteem
  • Expand their sense of responsibility for the communities shared experiences
  • Develop healthy, supportive relationships with peers and mentors
  • Appreciate nature in a beautiful outdoor setting
  • Explore and expand new and existing skill sets

The YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region is bound by state law (24-34-601) to allow members to use the facilities they identify with, as gender identity is a protected class.
Our staff addresses all concerns on a case-by-case basis to ensure the best outcome for all. Additionally, all of our centers have space available that offers privacy for members, and upon request, our YMCA team members can offer alternative changing areas helping to meet the needs of all parties should an incident occur.


Our Commitment to you

Camp Shady Brook measures success in several ways, one of which is the number of friendships it helps create. We want each child to forge lifelong relationships with their fellow campers, creating relationships where they can be their true selves.



Camp Shady Brook also measures success in terms of each camper’s personal growth. Whether it’s developing a new sense of independence or becoming more respectful, responsible, caring, or honest, we work to make every camper proud of who they are and who they can become. Campers take on a host of new challenges and learn new skills, such as how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to ride a horse, and how to scale a climbing wall. With each skill, they build a sense of confidence in their own ability to achieve and excel, and they leave camp stronger and more self-assured than they were before – and that sounds like success to us.


Incredible Staff

Camp Shady Brook recruits the finest leaders from across the country and around the world to be role models for our campers. Staff members are mature, driven, inspiring, responsible, caring and committed to youth development. From implementing safe and impactful programming to modeling the core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility to knowing how to help our campers adapt to and enjoy the overnight camp experience, our staff are incredible. Each staff member is selected and trained to ensure that your child builds confidence, makes lasting friendships, learns new skills, and grows as an individual in the comfort of a welcoming, caring, and inclusive environment.

Meet our Leadership Staff


Safety

At Camp Shady Brook, we understand the huge amount of trust put in our hands with each individual camper’s safety. We take very seriously and appreciate each opportunity to affirm the faith put in our facilities and staff. Safety is our number-one priority – we have a Health Care Manager available at all times, and all camp activities take place within the close supervision of a dedicated and well-trained staff member.

Our cabin leaders accompany cabin groups from sun up to sun down, staying in the cabins with their campers every night. Each staff member is trained in First Aid/CPR/AED/Oxygen to a professional rescuer level, and EMS response time is within 30 minutes. We follow a maximum one to seven camper to counselor ratio in each cabin, so most groups are supervised by two counselors. Camp Shady Brook is accredited by the American Camp Association.


We are excited to share that we are licensed by the State of Colorado and the Office of Early Childhood!

Here are a few highlights of the efforts we have taken to protect the health and safety of your children in our care:

  • Annual inspections to monitor compliance with state licensing rules and regulations.
  • Successful completion of background checks.

Training that includes but is not limited to:

  • Building and physical premises safety.
  • Administration of medication.
  • Emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster, or a human-caused event.
  • First aid and CPR.
  • Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio contaminants.
  • Precautions in transporting children.
  • Prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunization.
  • Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions.
  • Prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma.
  • Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleeping practices.

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Location and directions

YMCA Camp Shady Brook is located 70 minutes northwest of Colorado Springs and 90 minutes southwest of Denver at 8716 South Y Camp Road, Deckers CO, 80135.