Camp Thunderbird Ninetieth Anniversary

2025-2026 Bill 5687: Camp Thunderbird Ninetieth Anniversary - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5687
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Guffey, King, Ligon, Martin, Moss, Pope, Sessions and Terribile
Document Path: LC-0396HA-EB26.docx
Introduced in the House on May 12, 2026
Adopted by the House on May 12, 2026
Summary: Camp Thunderbird Ninetieth Anniversary
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

5/12/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 4
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
05/12/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND
HONOR YMCA CAMP THUNDERBIRD OF YORK COUNTY, FOR ITS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE LASTING IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON GENERATIONS OF YOUNG
PEOPLE AND FAMILIES FOR OVER NINETY YEARS AND TO DECLARE FRIDAY, AUGUST 28,
2026, AS "CAMP THUNDERBIRD DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

W
hereas, YMCA Camp
Thunderbird was founded in 1936 as the Observer Fresh Air Camp, established to
ensure that children, regardless of circumstance, could experience the
life-changing benefits of fresh air, nature, and community; and

W
hereas, in 1946, the
camp was entrusted to the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, strengthening its
commitment to youth development, character building, and providing access to
meaningful camp experiences for children of all backgrounds; and

W
hereas, in its early
years, YMCA Camp Thunderbird served as a place of healing and hope, offering
restorative outdoor experiences to children facing health challenges and
limited resources, including those recovering during the polio era; and

W
hereas, over the past
ninety years, YMCA Camp Thunderbird has made an extraordinary and lasting
impact on the region, serving more than 80,000 overnight campers, more than
50,000 day campers, and more than 400,000 students through its environmental
education programs; and

W
hereas, YMCA Camp
Thunderbird has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to access and equity by
providing more than 28,000 scholarships, ensuring that children from all
circumstances can experience the joy, growth, and belonging that camp provides;
and

W
hereas, Camp
Thunderbird has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to youth leadership
development through its Counselor in Training (CIT) Program, a four-week
immersive experience that has prepared nearly 3,000 teens with the skills,
confidence, and character needed to lead and serve in their communities; and

W
hereas, generations of
young people have been shaped by YMCA Camp Thunderbird through experiences that
foster confidence, independence, leadership, and lifelong friendships, while
thousands of counselors and staff have carried the values learned at camp into
their communities and professions; and

W
hereas, through times
of national and local challenge, including economic hardship, public health
crises, and periods of societal change, YMCA Camp Thunderbird has remained a
steadfast and trusted resource for families, continually adapting to meet the
evolving needs of youth; and

W
hereas, YMCA Camp
Thunderbird has become a cherished part of family traditions across the
Carolinas, with generations of campers, staff, and families returning year
after year, creating a powerful legacy of shared experiences, connection, and
belonging; and

W
hereas, as YMCA Camp
Thunderbird celebrates its ninetieth anniversary, it continues to carry forward
its mission of strengthening youth, families, and communities while honoring
the traditions, relationships, and values that have defined it for nearly a
century. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, recognize and honor YMCA Camp Thunderbird of York County,
for its outstanding contributions to the community and the lasting impact it
has had on generations of young people and families for over ninety years and
declare Friday, August 28, 2026, as "Camp Thunderbird Day" in South Carolina.

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This web page was last updated on May 12, 2026 at 12:38 PM