South Carolina H 5687: Camp Thunderbird Ninetieth Anniversary

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5687 Text of Previous Version (May. 12, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5687

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

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. 

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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

Whereas, 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,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That 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