Our Mission, Vision, and Core Values

At Camp Huckins, we strive to create a community filled with joy, friendship, and opportunities to try new things. Campers and staff work together to create a community where everyone feels valued, safe and included as their authentic self. Creating that sense of belonging requires a commitment from all campers and staff. 

Simple and Enduring

Huckins is not—and has never been—a complicated place. Perennial friendships, hearty laughter, singing at the top of your lungs, and waking to the call of the loon are the simple memories that carry through a lifetime. Fresh air, open sky, and the time and opportunity for young people to become more confident and self-assured, these are the basic traditions and values we hold dear.

Since 1928, Camp Huckins has been providing an enriching summer experience for children. Situated on the beautiful Lake Ossipee in Freedom, New Hampshire, Camp Huckins is an non-profit, accredited YMCA overnight camp for 3rd-9th graders that identify as girls. We have about 1,300 campers each summer and campers can attend 2 or 4 week sessions. Camp Huckins also offers Family Programs for those who would like to enjoy the camp experience with their children. Camp Huckins is a place with many enduring traditions and enriching activities, a place that people return to year after year, as campers, counselors, program staff and Family Campers. They come back because they are touched by how, year after year, Huckins remains “Constant and True.”

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Carroll County YMCA Camp Huckins through its many programs, to strengthen the Spirit, Mind, and Body of youth, families, and communities. We strive to provide an honest, respectful, and caring atmosphere where each person can grow to realize their full potential.

Vision Statement:

At Huckins, our vision is to foster a community where all feel a sense of belonging and can experience camp as their authentic self. We bring our vision to life through intentional and ongoing actions as we strive to be outstanding stewards of the human and natural resources in our care and to expand opportunities for growth, leadership, joy, and friendship.

Core Values:

Our core values are the building blocks of our Huckins community. We practice these values as we work and play together, allowing us to develop a deeper understanding of each core value and what is required to put them into action. Click on each of our core values below: Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility to learn more.

Caring
We believe in showing kindness and concern for others, as well as to ourselves. Caring requires an awareness of others, asking questions and taking time to listen, and demonstrating empathy. Caring is an essential piece in the development of new friendships.
Honesty
We believe honesty is the quality of being truthful and is based on kindness. Honesty allows us to express true feelings and is essential to creating a culture where people feel safe to be their true selves. Honesty often requires courage to be honest with another as well as ourselves. We believe that owning our mistakes is an expression of honesty and we greet that with appreciation and growth. Honesty in community builds trust.
Respect
We believe respect begins with honoring the feelings, wishes, opinions, and rights of others. Respect requires listening deeply and feeling heard, with a willingness to learn and unlearn. Leading with curiosity helps us to be respectful as we are learning about intentions, understanding impact, and becoming aware of boundaries and potential blind spots. We strive to practice respect for self, others, and the world around us. It is essential as we create a culture of understanding and safety in our community of unique individuals living, playing, working and sharing together.
Responsibility
We believe responsibility is a recognition that each action has an impact – on others, on ourselves, and on this place. Practicing responsibility means that I am accountable for my actions and their impact. Being responsible means I can ask questions when I don’t know what to do and ask for help when I need it. Responsibility means I will trust others to make good decisions and I can be trusted to do the same.

Inclusion Statement: We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment where campers, participants, families and staff can discover and be their authentic selves. Through leadership, strategic planning, recruitment, training and program development, we strive to be inclusive in our practices and to promote equity and opportunity for all individuals. We respect, affirm and protect the dignity and worth of every member of our community.  It is our hope that any individual seeking to be a part of the YMCA Camp Huckins community will feel safe consulting with the camp administration to determine how our programs can best serve their needs. To learn more about our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, please click here.

The Huckins Experience: Our Program Goals 

Practicing our core values allows us to build a community where Huckins’ mission and vision can come to life. While aspects of the Huckins experience have changed over the last 95 years, many elements of the camp experience have remained constant and true. As we work to put our mission and vision into action and develop leaders within our community, these are the timeless elements of the Huckins experience that campers will continue to gain:  

Every day at Huckins is an opportunity to try new things and learn, whether that be learning to swim, making a friendship bracelet, or making new friends. Campers and staff are empowered to have a voice, take action, make decisions, and gain confidence through meaningful leadership experiences. Camp provides a safe space for us to make mistakes, work through challenges and learn from each other (and we do, daily!). Growth mindset and confidence are core leadership skills that benefit the Huckins community and beyond, as our campers and staff go out into the world!
Growth Mindset and Confidence
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Huckins strives to be a warm and welcoming place where campers and staff can feel valued as their authentic self and where they can express their true self without judgment. At Huckins we aspire to recognize the dignity of each person, the differences that make us unique, practicing respect and care for one another.  We work together to create a safe and supportive culture where everyone feels that they are loved and that they belong.  
Inclusion and Authenticity
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Living in a community where caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are intentionally practiced builds special connections between people. With these values as the foundation campers and staff can create true friendships as their true self…and find a true summer home.  
Developing Lifelong Friends
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Camp days are built around fun and play, under the pines and at the water, with lots of singing and deep belly laughter. Muting the daily influence of technology allows for a sense of freedom where creativity and innovation are encouraged, campers can ground in the tech free environment, and goofiness is celebrated.  We appreciate a good friendly competition for the cheering and the costumes, see rainy weather as an opportunity for unexpected fun, and find awe in nature as we lay in the grass and stargaze at night. 
Fun and Play in the Outdoors
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Huckins strives to bring out the full potential of each camper by teaching them about leadership, problem solving, community building, resiliency, initiative, conflict resolution and empathy. Camp leadership seeks to highlight the strengths in each individual and help them use these skills to nourish our camp culture and become leaders in their communities.
Leadership and Independence
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Our History

Named for Nellie Harmon Huckins, Samuel O. Huckins donated the land, where Camp Huckins exists today, in his wife’s memory. This is most evidenced in his letter where he granted the land:

“I present this living document, which give you the custody of an attractive site for a camp ground. No marble slab, however costly, could do justice to her in whose name this grant is made. Nothing but a living, pulsating institution can justly portray her personality.”

Samuel O. Huckins

So with that generous gift, beginning in 1928 there have been decades of summers filled with laughter, love and growth along the shores of Lake Ossipee. That first summer it was open for two weeks for boys only. The following summer, in 1929 Camp Huckins was opened for the entire summer— 4 weeks for boys and 4 weeks for girls. Due to the boy interest seemingly waning throughout the years, the camp became an all girl camp in 1966.

“Training in citizenship for community life and team work, with the cultivation of self reliance, which enables service to others, is incorporated in the everyday routine.” These are words from one of Huckins first brochure that still reverberate today.