Still Marked on the Calendar: John and Anne‑Marie Wilson’s 15 years at YMCA Wanakita's Work Weekend

For John and Anne‑Marie Wilson, YMCA Wanakita isn’t just a camp—it’s been a steady presence in their family’s life for more than 30 years.

Their connection began with a winter family weekend. “We first started going to Wanakita probably about 30 years ago when friends of ours had a sort of family weekend,” Anne‑Marie says. Families stayed in the old Longhouse while staff cared for the kids and adults skied and spent time outdoors. “It was just wonderful.” Their daughters were tiny then, and she says they “sort of grew up playing with a dress‑up bin underneath the stairs in The Core.”

As the girls grew older, they returned as campers. “We started them out with a one‑week session,” John recalls, “and then that sort of grew.” Canoe trips and out‑tripping became highlights, and eventually both daughters returned as staff. “They just disappeared and spent the summer up there, it was great.”

The impact of those years still lasts today. “Their closest friends are their Wanakita friends,” Anne‑Marie says. John agrees, “They have university friends, but the Wanakita friends are the ones that stick.”

Wanting to give back, John and Anne‑Marie began volunteering at Work Weekend more than 15 years ago. 

“It sounded like an interesting thing to do and we could provide some help,” John says. 

Since then, they’ve continued to show up each spring and fall—dates still carefully marked on their calendar.

Much of their work revolves around the boats. “Wanakita has maybe 150 boats,” John explains. Over the years, that work has led to some unforgettable moments—including paddling the Voyageur canoe on a calm day. “It’s a massive canoe; it was quite an experience,” John says. Another time, while transferring boats across the lake, the ice hadn’t fully melted. “We were basically breaking through the ice with the canoes,” Anne‑Marie laughs. “By the time we went back, it had already started to form again, like playing icebreaker every time.”

What keeps them coming back is the people. 

“There’s a core group who come every year,” John says. “It’s real teamwork.” 

Staff, they add, always make volunteers feel appreciated, but they say Wanakita feels like home.

Asked how it feels to arrive at camp, Anne‑Marie smiles. "I feel like a little kid.” For the Wilsons, Wanakita remains a place of purpose, connection, and joy, to be marked on the calendar, year after year.