Summer fun for everyone at Middleboro’s Camp Yomechas
Hanna Wojnarowiski gives Branch the horse a hug at Camp Yomechas, which kicked off its summer camp for the season. Photos by Nick Mossman.
Brynley Mello and Dylan Miller handle Fender the horse. 
Hayden Selmon and Jameson St. Gelais walk with the Camp Yomechas honor flag.
Fintan Duggan pets Branch the horse.
Cole Hibbard, right, plays some beach volleyball during the camp day. 
Sergio Gonzalez demonstrates the ropes course at camp.
Campers in “Sioux village” carried the camp’s honor flag after being recognized at the beginning of the day for embodying the most camp spirit. 
The Camp Yomechas basketball court. 
The camp sat on Tispaquin Pond.
The camp had boats and a beach on its waterfront.
Olivia Vallejos stands next to Hookman the horse.
This part of the ropes course intentionally looks broken, instead, it provides a challenge to course doers. 
Sergio Gonzalez climbs up a tire ladder to the top of the ropes course.
Liam Johnson, Lyrik Morely, Shane Dunbar and Mackenzie Spring played some football during lunchtime.
Kids played in the water during the camp day.
Hanna Wojnarowski and Dylan Miller with Acorn the horse.
One of the horses at the “Circle Y” program.
Alexander Rico and Lyrik Pritchard stood in front of with Timmy the horse after feeding him.
Hanna Wojnarowiski gives Branch the horse a hug at Camp Yomechas, which kicked off its summer camp for the season. Photos by Nick Mossman.
Brynley Mello and Dylan Miller handle Fender the horse.
Hayden Selmon and Jameson St. Gelais walk with the Camp Yomechas honor flag.
Fintan Duggan pets Branch the horse.
Cole Hibbard, right, plays some beach volleyball during the camp day.
Sergio Gonzalez demonstrates the ropes course at camp.
Campers in “Sioux village” carried the camp’s honor flag after being recognized at the beginning of the day for embodying the most camp spirit.
The Camp Yomechas basketball court.
The camp sat on Tispaquin Pond.
The camp had boats and a beach on its waterfront.
Olivia Vallejos stands next to Hookman the horse.
This part of the ropes course intentionally looks broken, instead, it provides a challenge to course doers.
Sergio Gonzalez climbs up a tire ladder to the top of the ropes course.
Liam Johnson, Lyrik Morely, Shane Dunbar and Mackenzie Spring played some football during lunchtime.
Kids played in the water during the camp day.
Hanna Wojnarowski and Dylan Miller with Acorn the horse.
One of the horses at the “Circle Y” program.
Alexander Rico and Lyrik Pritchard stood in front of with Timmy the horse after feeding him.
MIDDLEBORO – Summer camp has kicked off for the season at the Middleboro YMCA’s Camp Yomechas.
The day camp, which includes a lakeside beach, a ropes course and outdoor pool, sees over 350 campers rotate through each day. Just like its variety of activities, Camp Yomechas offers an assortment of specialty programs.
“This year is one of the best years that we have with our specialties,” said Sophia Gaucher, a camp unit head at Camp Yomechas.
According to Julie Kennedy, Middleboro YMCA executive director, specialty programs that teach equine care, performing arts and aquatics, let kids explore different interests.
Camp Yomechas also has an “East Village” program, which is catered to campers who may need a smaller group and program adaptations “due to a physical, cognitive or emotional challenge,” according to the Old Colony YMCA, which oversees the Middleboro YMCA.
One specialty program called “Circle Y” teaches campers how to feed, groom and care for horses.
Kids were given the opportunity to name the horses at the beginning of the summer, too. Some of the chosen names included Beans, Branch, Timmy and Hookman.
“All the horses are very nice,” said camper Allison Stearns.
Although, the niceness of the horses was up for debate among some of the campers.
“Beans is a bully, he bites,” one of the kids said.
The camp’s aquatics program gives campers the opportunity to spend more time in the pool, which is one of the campers’ favorite activities, according to Gaucher.
Campers swim in both the pool and in the lake at Camp Yomechas.
Gaucher said that water safety is taken extremely seriously at the camp with all of the water activities.
“Counselors and lifeguards, we’re one big team,” Gaucher said.
Campers dug in the sand, swam in the lake, and played games in the pool at the camp.
Just like Camp Yomechas includes campers of all interest areas, it also has programs to help with financial assistance for families of different income levels, according to Kennedy.
Breakfast and lunch provided to Camp Yomechas is free for all campers and staff who are under 18, Kennedy said. In addition, scholarships and financial aid are provided to roughly half of all campers to help cover costs of attendance, she said.
Camp Yomechas is now in its third week of its summer season and will run until the last week of August.
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