Meet Hawk, the Y’s 2021 Summer Camp Sweepstakes winner

For eight-year-old Harold “Hawk” Allen, the Y’s a place to stay active, get outdoors, and spend some extra time with friends from school. He loves football and baseball, and when he’s not rooting for the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago White Sox, he’s probably reading books, playing Roblox, or building with Legos.

As this year’s 2021 Summer Camp Sweepstakes winner, Hawk’s thrilled to spend this summer learning and exploring alongside his peers at the Elmhurst YMCA! He’s planning to participate in the Y’s traditional day camp experience, as well as the Fantasy Fanatics, Legomania, and Flag Football specialty camps.

Hawk’s especially excited about the Harry Potter-themed Fantasy Fanatics camp. He’s spent the pandemic finishing all seven Harry Potter books and can’t wait to bring the magic to life at the Elmhurst Y.

And he’s not the only one in his family who’s thrilled about camp: Laura, Hawk’s mom and a longtime Elmhurst Y member, feels peace of mind knowing that, whenever she drops Hawk off at the Y, she can count on him staying safe and engaged.

“YMCA Summer Camps have meant everything to our family!” Laura said. “Camp provides the structure we need to assure that Hawk gets outside soaking up the summer weather and staying physically active. Last summer, when there was so little available for kids to do, the Y made a quick, smart pivot and offered safe, responsible camp options. We love our Elmhurst YMCA family!”

If you’ve got a young person in your life who, like Hawk, finds joy in exploring their interests with friends in an enriching environment, check out our summer camps to see which one best fits your family’s needs.