120 Years of Impact and Still Growing

YMCA of the Pines is proud to celebrate its 120th anniversary this year, marking more than a century of serving children, families, and communities across southern New Jersey and the greater mid-Atlantic region through camp, youth development, outdoor education, and community programs.

What is now a vibrant, 800-acre campus in Medford, New Jersey, began in the early 1900s as an abandoned mill and cranberry bog, tucked deep within a forest of pine, oak, cedar, and laurel. In 1906, the YMCAs of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Monmouth counties established what was then known as YMCA Camp Ockanickon as a place for young men to spend their summers building character, confidence, and lifelong friendships.

Before settling permanently in Medford in 1926, the camp operated at several locations, including sites along the Delaware River and in New Egypt, New Jersey. The camp’s name honors Chief Ockanickon of the Mantas Lenape tribe, an early Native American leader and friend to settlers in Burlington County. The camp’s current property was acquired through the efforts of Henry Stockwell, a prominent Moorestown attorney, whose name now lives on through Lake Stockwell and Lake Stockwell Day Camp.

In 1937, the organization expanded to open Camp Matollionequay, an overnight camp for girls, named for Princess Matollionequay, Chief Ockanickon’ s wife. As surrounding communities grew in the mid-20th century, YMCA of the Pines expanded its year-round programming, outdoor education, and community offerings. Lake Stockwell Day Camp launched in 1990, and additional land acquisitions — including Green Acres preservation and the purchase of more than 200 acres in 2011 — helped protect and expand the campus for future generations.

Today, YMCA of the Pines serves over 20,000 people each year through a diverse and growing portfolio of programs, including Camp Ockanickon, a boy’s overnight camp; Camp Matollionequay, a girl’s overnight camp; Lake Stockwell Day Camp, a co-ed day camp; a thriving Outdoor & Retreat Center; and Preschool based on the Medford campus, School’s Out programs and the Gloucester County YMCA branch. Both branches offer memberships for individuals and families.

In 2021, YMCA of the Pines expanded its impact further by acquiring the Gloucester County YMCA located in Woodbury, NJ, strengthening its reach and deepening its commitment to meeting evolving community needs.

“For 120 years, YMCA of the Pines has strengthened our community by helping people explore, grow, and thrive, while creating opportunities that change lives for generations,” said Mark Dibble, CEO of YMCA of the Pines. “As we celebrate this milestone, I’m energized by the future we are building together through expanded programs, stronger facilities, and an even deeper impact on the families and communities we serve.”

The organization’s 120th anniversary will be celebrated with our signature anniversary event over Labor Day Weekend, September 4 through September 7. All are welcome. We look forward to bringing together generations of campers, alums, families, staff, and community members. Registration is now open at ycamp.org/register; all are encouraged to join in this milestone celebration.

From its humble beginnings in the early 1900s to its role today as a regional leader in camp, outdoor education, and youth development, YMCA of the Pines remains committed to its mission as an interfaith, charitable organization dedicated to helping children, teens, and families explore, grow, thrive, and ultimately become the best version of themselves.