The Heart of Camp Warren

Campers will eventually forget the names of the trails they hiked or the scores of the games they played, but many will remember exactly what camp smelled like.

Beyond the typical woodsy aromas surrounding camp, those of a spaghetti lunch waiting after a long bus ride or cinnamon rolls drifting through the dining hall on a Sunday morning stick with you.

For nearly a century, the YMCA Camp Warren dining hall has been more than a place to eat. It has been a gathering place, a welcome center, a celebration space, and, for generations of campers, a second home.

Naturally, some of camp’s most meaningful moments happen on the trail or around a campfire. But just as many happen around a table.

It’s where friendships deepen and stories are told. Where nervous first-time campers become part of a cabin community and generations of campers discover that food tastes a little better when it’s passed hand-to-hand and shared with others.

“We know that our meals are a way for campers to feel the comforts of home,” shares Cheri Keepers, interim executive director. “We serve meals family style and are intentional about how we create community and connection through the food we serve and the setup of our dining hall.”

That philosophy is part of every meal served at Camp Warren.

Unlike many institutional kitchens tucked behind closed doors, Camp Warren’s kitchen has always been part of the community.

Campers can watch meals being prepared, see cakes coming out of the oven, peek at salads being assembled, and chat with the cooks who prepare every meal. The kitchen staff are friendly faces that the campers get to know, rather than being hidden behind swinging doors.

"We serve meals family style and are intentional about how we create community and connection through the food we serve and the setup of our dining hall."

That openness creates something special. Campers begin to understand that meals don’t simply appear. They are thoughtfully prepared by people who care about them.

When the meal bell rings, another tradition begins.

Meals are served family style. Platters and bowls are carried to tables, passed from person to person, and shared among cabinmates. If a dish runs empty, someone grabs the familiar orange refill tray and heads back for more.

It’s a simple tradition, but one that quietly teaches generosity, responsibility, and care for others.

For generations of campers, those shared meals have become anchors in their memories.

Some Traditions Are Best Served Warm

Every camp has certain foods or meals that become part of its identity.

At Warren, these culinary traditions begin the moment campers arrive.

Sunday lunch is always spaghetti. The menu doesn’t change, and there’s a reason for that. For a first-time camper stepping off the bus, it offers comfort in an unfamiliar place. For some returning campers, it’s the first taste of summer and the signal that another week of adventure has officially begun.

There’s comfort in that certainty.

Sunday mornings bring another beloved tradition: warm cinnamon rolls known simply as ‘Sunday buns.’

“If you ask our summer campers or our family campers about one of their most beloved traditions at Camp Warren, you will hear them talk about ‘Sunday buns,’ served warm from the oven every Sunday morning of the entire summer,” says Sophia Zook-Stanley, interim program director.

For many alumni, that’s how camp memories return — not through photographs or stories, but through taste, smell, and the rituals they’ve carried with them long after their time at camp has ended.

The traditions continue throughout the week.

Sunday lunch is followed by evening cookout. Campers returning from extended border trips are welcomed back with one of Camp Warren’s most celebrated traditions: pizza and pop night.

After days spent sailing, paddling, portaging, and sleeping under the stars, the meal feels less like dinner and more like a celebration.

These rituals may seem small on their own, but together they create a powerful sense of belonging. They become the moments alumni remember decades later: the taste of a cookie fresh from the oven, the excitement of carrying the orange refill tray, the smell of spaghetti kicking off another epic summer adventure.

Preparing for the Next Century

As Camp Warren approaches its 100th anniversary, the dining hall is preparing for its next century of service.

This October, camp will begin the first phase of a multi-year renovation designed to preserve what generations of campers love while ensuring the space can continue welcoming families, campers, and staff for decades to come.

“This dining hall has served camp warren campers, staff, and families for almost 100 years,” Cheri recalls. “We want to update the kitchen so it can serve the Camp Warren community for the next 100 years!”

The first phase of construction will focus on improving the kitchen’s workflow. Food storage will move downstairs, allowing the dishwasher to be relocated and creating a more efficient layout for meal preparation and cleanup.

Most campers may never notice the improvements behind the scenes.

The changes are being made so future generations can continue enjoying the same traditions that campers have cherished for nearly a century.

Camp hopes to complete this first phase in time for its 100th anniversary celebration in 2027 — a fitting milestone for the building that has nourished generations of campers, families, and staff.

As the dining hall enters its second century, the kitchen may become more efficient, the equipment more modern, and the workspace more adaptable.

But the mission will remain exactly the same: to be a place where every camper has a seat at the table — a place where stories are shared, friendships begin, and traditions are passed from one generation to the next.

And where, no matter how far from home they may be, campers are reminded that they belong.