The YMBL Sunshine Camp Zilker facility serves children from ages seven to eleven and provides these children with a 7 day, overnight camping experience. While the ultimate goal of the summer camp experience is to have fun through traditional camping activities such as swimming, hiking, and sports, the camp also provides opportunities for the campers to experience new things. Campers engage in hands-on activities and games designed around themes such as trust, communication, and teamwork. The camp also provides campers with the opportunity to develop self-esteem and personal growth through activities on our challenge (or ropes) course. Campers must work together as a team to solve problems and accomplish tasks.

Austin Sunshine Camps at Lake Travis

In 1988, the YMBL Sunshine Camps expanded with the Sunshine Camps at Lake Travis to meet the growing needs of adolescents from ages twelve to fifteen with a week long, overnight camping experience. The Lake Travis facility builds on the concepts offered at the Zilker Park facility and provides campers with new, challenging outdoor activities. These activities include social skills building such as trust, communication, and teamwork through the use of rope courses and experiential activities. In addition, the YMBL Sunshine Camp at Lake Travis facility strives to cultivate self-awareness and instill self-confidence. The Sunshine Camp Lake Travis facility also provides adolescents with the opportunity and support to reach beyond comfort levels and realize their full potential through counselor and peer relationships, team building, and sophisticated high-ropes course activities.

 

• In 2009, 875 disadvantaged youth were served through our programs


• 60% are from households with annual incomes of less than $21,000.


• 34% of those annual household incomes fall below $12,000.


• 71% of campers are from single-parent or foster homes.


• Camps are offered free of charge to disadvantaged youth and children from low-income homes.


• Zilker Park Camps are for ages 7-11.


• Lake Travis Camps are for ages 12-15.


• Programs are volunteer-driven—by Young Men’s Business League members and others from the community at-large.


• $400,000+ annual budget is comprised of contributions from private sources—individuals, foundations, and businesses.


• More than 96% of the budget is applied directly to the programs.


• Since 2001, all Leadership participants have earned a high school diploma.


• Since 2001, 100% of Leadership participants have attended either a 2-year technical college or a 4-year professional college.


• Presently, there are 16 Sunrise Leadership program graduates in college, 13 of whom are recieving scholarship money from the Young Ment's Business League Scholarship funds.