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YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee Spencer

Founded in 1925 and opened in the summer of 1926, Camp Kon-O-Kwee began as the premiere sleepaway camp for boys in Western Pennsylvania. Owned and operated by the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh since its inception, Camp Kon-O-Kwee started on 200 acres of forests and fields along the Connoquenessing Creek in northeastern Beaver County, PA. Year round use of the camp and its facilities began to grow in the 1960's. The signature summer sleepaway camp began to grow and became co-ed in the early 1970's.

In 1990 an adjacent property on the northern banks of the Connoquenessing, formerly Girl Scout Camp Fombelina, was added and Camp Spencer was founded. The additional land and added facilities made it possible for the camp to offer programs to children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. in 1996 a bridge connecting the two pieces of property was constructed.

Today the camp is nearly 500 acres and 800 beds in over 100 buildings, with over 3 miles of accessible nature trails. Over 14,000 campers participate in programs each year that focus on character development for all, regardless of ability or situation. The camp, and the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, will never turn anyone away from a program due to inability to pay. In addition to the summer sleepaway camp programs for all, which includes many special needs partners, the camp also partners with many other organizations to hold father/son and father daughter campouts through the Y-Guides and Y-Princess programs, Environmental Education programs for over 4,000 students across 30 school districts, and various rentals of space throughout the year.