Check Out Jeff Merhige’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Merhige.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Operating a summer camp/ outdoor center in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, was by far was the biggest challenge I’ve faced, along with many other outdoor and camping professionals. Less than 20% of camps were able to run last summer and I’m so grateful my team was able to pull together and not only safely run our summer camp operations but also reach the Nashville community in a way like never before.

In 2020 our Camp Widji team:

1.Partnered with MNPS to create grab n’ go meal sites for children to get free breakfasts and lunches. At its peak, we were making and handing out 2,400 meals a day to kids who might not get meals otherwise

2.Partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to become a meal distribution site for local families to pick up boxes of food free of charge

3.Welcomed 3,200 kids to our Day Camp. We worked closely with the CDC, Vanderbilt doctors and the Davidson County Health Department to create policies and procedures that resulted in zero positive COVID cases in summer 2020

4.At the conclusion of summer camp, we saw a need in the community for kids to have a safe place to do their virtual learning while their parents worked. In less than a week, we turned our facility into a virtual learning day camp and worked with the Tennessee Department of Human Services to bring kids ages 5-12 to our virtual learning day camp completely free of charge, giving their parents peace of mind while at work and kids a safe place to learn and play. That virtual learning day camp, Widji U, ran from August through May, right up until we opened for summer camp.

Last year wasn’t fun for anyone, and we were no exception, but I think the challenges we faced allowed us to step into our mission as an organization like never before. We’re more connected with the Nashville community than ever before and we’ve proven, even to ourselves, that our reach and impact can and does go far beyond just a fun week at summer camp.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Absolutely! The Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center, home of Camp Widjiwagan, is a branch of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and has two main operations.

During summer, Camp Widjiwagan runs 10 weeks of Day, Overnight and Ranch Camp programming, welcoming over 6,000 kids from across Tennessee, and the entire country, to our camp. It’s three months of madness and magic, and we get the incredible opportunity to watch campers and counselors grow and take the next steps in finding out who they are. There’s something for everything at Camp Widji- we offer everything from Harry Potter Camp to Jam Camp to Pony Camp, and have some unbelievable things coming for summer 2022.

When summer camp ends, we switch gears and pivot toward events and retreats. We host everything from school events to large corporate retreats to small family reunions. We have incredible facilities and our proximity to Nashville allows us to serve the city in ways many camps cannot. Just a few months ago, “A Week Away” premiered on Netflix, which was filmed entirely right here at Camp Widji.

Our entire philosophy, whether for a child at camp for the first time or corporate retreat that comes every year, is to go above and beyond. We are constantly looking for opportunities to take whatever the normal expectation is and exceed it. I’m so proud of how the whole staff has embodied this philosophy and made it a core of who we are and what we do here. Our team was even written about in the management book “The Disney Way” (3rd edition) on how we created a workplace culture of excellence. I am honored to be Executive Director here and work with a team like this one.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We partner with tons of organizations to provide incredible experiences for kids- Easter Seals, various medical organizations, churches, schools, military nonprofits- and are always looking for new ways to serve kids and the community.

As a nonprofit ourselves, we strive to raise $300,000 or more a year to provide camp scholarships as well as assist schools and churches to be able to have field trip experiences here. Every dollar we raise goes right back to the kids and community and we are so blessed to be in such a generous city who continually gives us time, talent and treasure to help us grow and serve more.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.campwidji.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcacampwidji/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ymcacampwidji
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CampWidji

Image Credits
JOe C Davis YMCA Outdoor Center/ Camp Widjiwagan Nashville, TN