The Sterling-Rock Falls Family YMCA has been offering resident camp opportunities at YMCA Camp Benson since 1928.  In 1956, YMCA Camp Benson moved to Mt. Carroll, Illinois.  YMCA Camp Benson offers a quality camping experience for children including Discovery Camp for the first time campers, Resident Camp for ages 7-14, Staff Development Program for ages 14-17, and Adventure Trips for ages 12-17.  Camp Benson also offers a Family Camp in late summer and is available for rental for group meetings and family reunions throughout the year.  Fall, winter, and spring weekend camps are offered to for 14-17 year olds along with a Staff Development program for those 14-17 years old who want to pursue a future in camp counseling.  In 2008, over 782 children and adults attend Camp Benson with 526 children attending Summer Resident Camp and 41 attending Camp Benson’s Day Camp. 

The YMCA and the Dillon Foundation working together began offering arts programming through Woodlawn Arts Academy in summer 2005.  Woodlawn Arts Academy moved to its current location at 3807 Woodlawn Road in Sterling in the summer of 2006 and began providing arts programming in music, visual arts, performing arts and literary arts for all ages.  The Sterling-Rock Falls Family YMCA is the program manager for the Academy.  In 2008, over 1,359 children, youth, teens and adults participated in arts programming.  Woodlawn hosted a variety of arts exhibits, special events, children’s activities, and the 3rd-5th graders performed “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in the Mark Beaty Performance Center.  The YMCA and Woodlawn Arts Academy work closely with many community partners including Dillon Foundation, Sterling Schools, Centennial Auditorium, CGH Medical Center, City of Sterling, Rock Falls Schools, Sterling Park District, Sterling Township, Coloma Park District, Sauk Valley Community College, and Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce to offer a variety of programming to the surrounding communities.  Woodlawn Arts Academy and the Sterling Public Library have worked closely in obtaining grants to bring “The Big Read” to the local communities during 2006, 2007, and 2008.