Traversing a zip line. Fishing. Swimming. Exploring nature trails.  

These and other fun activities are the norm at the YMCA’s Camp Kirkwood, and SAVANAH STANDIFER, the camp’s executive director, aims to ensure as many children – and families – as possible get to experience them. 

“I want to make Camp Kirkwood as accessible and sustainable for as many people as possible,” Standifer says. “It’s never too late for kids or adults to have a camp experience.” 

While Camp Kirkwood offers a lot of fun, it’s much more than that, according to Standifer. It’s a place where children can be children in a safe, supportive environment. Furthermore, they learn responsibility, how to live with others, and other life skills as they do really cool things, she says. 

In fact, Camp Kirkwood’s impact on children lasts far beyond the one or two weeks they spend there, Kirkwood continues. The camp influences who they become as adults and future community members, she says. 

“We are growing leaders and supporting good humans who go on to invest in their community and the people in it,” Standifer says. “They are learning to be caring, responsible and respectful adults and overall good humans. They take that forward into their community.” 

It is for these reasons that Standifer is so passionate about her role at Camp Kirkwood. Standifer, who loves the YMCA and its mission, worked as a camp counselor at her local YMCA when she was a teenager. That experience led to her desire to work with children in education in some capacity. When Standifer learned she could use her education degree at the YMCA, her career path was set. 

Standifer has now worked professionally for the YMCA for more than twenty years. Before coming to Wilmington, she held leadership positions in YMCAs throughout the United States, with most of her work centering on youth development. 

As the head of Camp Kirkwood, Standifer fills all roles, from the boardroom professional to the person helping a scared child on the zip line. She is the visionary who develops plans for the camp’s future, ensures it fulfills the YMCA’s mission, builds relationships with the camp’s partners, and finds the funds to support the camp now and for decades to come.  

Standifer also oversees the camp’s daily operations, which include overnight and day camps for youth, family camps, corporate and organizational retreats and conferences, and educational programs for school groups. 

Camp Kirkwood is thriving under Standifer’s leadership. The camp has been accredited by the American Camping Association for its high-quality programming and outstanding safety record, Standifer says. 

“This accreditation is not easy to get or hold,” she says. “It’s key to having a place where kids, parents, and families want to come.” 

Standifer also made the camp more available to families by increasing the number of scholarships available for those who have experienced hardship.  

“We’ve raised the bar to ensure we have funds available for families who need it,” Standifer says. “Some families think they can’t send their child to camp or can only send one of their children to camp, not all three. We want to say ‘yes’ to every family for all of their children to go to camp.” 

Standifer also hired international and local staff to make the camp more welcoming to culturally diverse children. They provide new cultural experiences for the campers, and some speak Spanish, she says. 

Standifer’s enthusiasm for Camp Kirkwood has no bounds, and her plans for it reflect that. Her first priority is to grow the camp overall and to expand its overnight camp space. 

“There are not many places in the county that provide overnight camp that offers all the different components that Camp Kirkwood does,” Standifer says. “We serve all ages. I want kids to have the opportunity to be kids in the outdoors and to grow up and have passion for the outdoors.” 

Standifer also wants to open the camp’s pool to more children. Her first step, scheduled for the coming fall and spring, is to offer swim lessons to all Pender County second graders.  

Also high on Standifer’s to-do list is improving the camp’s infrastructure, which will give the camp greater capacity, she says.  

Finally, though Camp Kirkwood has much to offer, she says it lacks name recognition. Standifer is determined to make the camp a go-to destination, she says. 

“So many people come here and say, ‘Oh, what a hidden gem this is in Pender County,’” Standifer says. “I don’t want the camp to be hidden. I want it to shine so bright that people have to put on sunglasses to see us.” 

To view more of photographer Daria Amato’s work, go to dariaphoto.com