If an adrenaline rush is your thing, then this is your swing! The Giant Swing at Camp Howard has been thrilling the kids since 2017. We work with a highly respected adventure company who not only builds the events such as the Giant Swing, low ropes and the Zip Line, but they also do the inspections, training of personnel and repair of the stations.
Watching our camp staff operate the challenge courses makes me very proud of the youth development that happens at CYO and Camp Howard. Teaching skills that build confidence and skills is invaluable to youth and a wonderful contribution to society.
Team work goes into the operation of the big swing. Ropes and pullys and the effort of cabin mates, elevate the camper into the air as far as they would like to go. Once they achieve the height they are comfortable at, they signal the group. Once they are ready, they hit the release on their harness and swing out into the wide open spaces.
When John Scott was leaving, he leaned over and shared with me that we have a good thing going here at Camp Howard. John and his extended family had stayed the weekend having fun with us at Family Camp 2026. It meant a lot to hear that from John because it is true, we do have a good thing going here and I am just glad it shows!
The dust from the busses had hardly settled Friday night when cars began rolling in, ready for Family Camp. Every cabin was scheduled, twenty staff members stayed on to make some great memories for the families who chose to spend their weekend at Camp Howard.
I cannot say enough about the youth leaders who changed their roles at camp for the weekend and did a super job, working in the kitchen, running programs, helping at campfire, making sure people had a great time.
Families had the run of the camp to try out several of our programs and get a taste of what their children might expect from a week at the camp. It was also a great opportunity to let the kids get comfortable in the environment and excited about coming as a week-long camper.
The families had a wonderful time at the camp, enjoyed the food, games, programs, campfires and interaction with staff. It was a very memorable campout, and we thank all our families for taking part!
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The dust rolled off the back of the tires as the busses hit the gravel road leading into Camp Howard Sunday afternoon and 175 campers disembarked for a week of pure fun. The luggage crew went to work delivering luggage to the various units where the campers would be housed and the youth leadership crew began the process of grouping the campers into cabin teams. A weekly ritual during summer camp, everyone has a job and it works like clockwork…most of the time.
ABOVE: Campers share their joy after completing three legs of the Camp Howard Zip line. Counselor and Zip Line leaders back row.
I sat next to a young camper who had just finished the zip line at Camp Howard. I was taking pictures and watching the kids, which they enjoyed. The camper turns to me and says, “I really enjoyed this week, it was incredibly fun.” I asked him if he had been to camp before and he said he had been last year but this year he was in an older cabin group, got to zip line and do the big swing and he just had such a good time. It made me very happy that he expressed that feeling with me and did not keep his joy to himself. It is always meaningful to me when I know the kids are having a great time. It makes the effort worth it.
The zip line is a program improvement project funded through Champions of Faith, the chief fundraising project of CYO/Camp Howard. Half the money from the event goes to scholarships, a quarter to program improvement and a quarter to endowment. This year’s event will be held at the Avenue Portland (across from the Convention Center) on October 13, 2026. It is a fun event and we always have room for more!
Enjoy the following photos of young people learning new skills, building confidence, trying something difficult, sharing something with others, becoming better people:
Above: Campers enjoy the thrill of completing the Camp Howard zip line.
Lightning and thunder was the theme last night and this morning at Camp Howard, a regular part of all our lives during the year. Watching kids during lightning kicks it up a notch. I have often thought writing about the concerns we prepare for at the camp might be interesting to people especially in light of the tragic situations that have taken place in the camping industry around the country.
Our major concerns at the camp on a day to day basis are of course the swimming pool and the kitchen. Those are also the two areas of concern at all camps for the Health Department. We value the help of the Health Department and use them from time to time to help us as needed. They are a great partner. We welcome their annual visit and strive to be prepared as they would expect us to be, every day. At the pool, in addition to lifeguards, we also implement counselor “spotters” to actively keep watch during their pool session.
Outside of those two areas of concern, fire and wild animals are our next areas of concern. Most of the time, animals want to leave us alone as much as we want to leave them alone. We have protocols for dealing with them and during my 30 camping seasons, we have not had an incident other than sightings. We have the occasional bear trying to get into the dumpster or the compost/garden, but our livestock dogs keep them at bay for the most part. Staff are trained on what do do if they see a bear or cougar and how to react. Again, we have never implemented the training but always prepared.
Fire is the threat that probably bothers us the most and we are diligent about keeping an eye out especially during and after lightning storms. Last night, the Corbett Fire Department came to camp during dinner as their cameras had identified smoke in the Bull Run after some lightning strikes. Camp Howard has the best view of the area and the Fire Department is another great partner of the camp. We helped them navigate the trails leading to the views of the Bull Run. They were able to identify where the area was that was burning and it was a very small, smoldering spot. A team of firefighters went by foot down into the area and worked it by hand, putting it out. Like a great partner, they came back to camp and let us know all was well.
What would we do if fire was a threat to the camp? We are prepared to evacuate all of the campers by vehicle including luggage truck, camp van, trailers and employee cars. Depending on the direction the fire might be coming from, we would either evacuate to Sandy or to Corbett. Our office in Portland is prepared with a system to contact all of the parents and let them know the plan immediately.
Last night, after we got word of the “smoking tree”, we prepped our fire evacuation plan and made ready among the administrative team of the camp. It was a good practice and one of our ways to always be prepared.
Camp Howard is accredited by the American Camping Association which means we voluntarily hold ourselves to the highest standards in camping. We follow a textbook of several hundred standards that are designed to keep kids safe. Several staff attend the annual convention and we always attend the sessions on keeping camp safe based on tragic situations other camps have experienced.
After all, camp should be about the fun kids look forward to experience…
Camper pulls in a beautiful rainbow trout during fishing camp this week.
Nothing like catching a fish to put a smile on your face!
Last night was Hawaiian night at dinner and many campers dress the part including these young people in their grass skirts!
What could be more fun than spending a week in the outdoors making new friends, taking part in activities that are designed for “kid fun?” Camp Howard Session 2 is underway with a camp full of young people who know how to make the most of the camp activities.
Camp provides a lot of exercise for kids, walking to and from activities everyday. Everything at camp Howard is designed with kids and our faith in mind.
Greenwood camper gets ready to ride the 100′ slip and slide at Camp Howard
Fircrest camper races her friends in the pedal carts under the covered basketball courts.
The camp pool, (heated) provides refreshing fun on a warm day at camp.
Corcls help young campers learn to row a watercraft by themselves putting important skills in their personal toolboxes.
This fun game provides hours of entertainment for the older kids at Camp Howard each summer.
The newly renovated lasertag course has been a hit this summer with new and returning campers.
This morning I attended an event I was not looking forward to, a funeral of a special friend. My friendship with Henry goes all the way back to my days at St. Mary of the Valley and Valley Catholic where his daughters attended during my time at the school. In addition to my connection with him at the school, he was on the Executive Board of CYO and Camp Howard when I was asked to join the board in 1995. I learned that Henry had designed the Aldergrove and Sparpole cabins and restrooms which he did as a gift to the camp. It was during these two years of board service that I got to know Henry.
In 1997 when the board asked me to take over the directorship of CYO/Camp Howard, Henry shared with me his desire that the camp work to help kids become better people for having attended. I thought about that all these years and it made its way into my perspective on how we design activities.
Henry gave a lot to various organizations but I think Camp Howard has the greatest number of his fingerprints from the cabin designs of Aldergrove, Sparpole and then Cougar Den in 2000, to Mary’s Lodge built in 2018 to serve as the new camp dining hall. Additionally, his team designed the Welcome Center and St. Michael the Archangel Youth Center. We kept Henry busy!
I listened as three of Henry’s children gave eulogies which beautifully described snapshots of Henry as lived through their eyes. Henry touched a lot of people as an architect and affected a lot of lives. I am grateful to have walked a good portion of the journey with Henry and to have been counted among his friends.
Henry Fitzgibbon being acknowledged for his role in designing the new Mary’s Lodge at Camp Howard in 2018.
One of my favorite Camp Howard activities is the campfire. Campers and camp staff alike enjoy performing for the crowd. The spectators are always encouraging and it is fun to see what the kids come up with. We all enjoy the repeat after me songs along with the skits they contrive. Campfires are always unique and crowd pleasers.
My personal favorite act Tuesday night was “9 Sealions”
Second place…
Finally, a short photo montage from the first few days of Camp Howard Session 1
Laser Tag went into a reconstruction phase this past year with the addition of some new boundaries, forts and panels to hide behind. The camp staff worked diligently throughout the winter to prep the wood and build the structures, then dig holes for poles to attach them to. It made for a very fun and attractive laser tag arena for the kids.
This week, the Camp Howard summer program campers have had the opportunity to try it out and they think it is a very positive change.
Home base for the “Cougars” made from wood from Camp Howard, milled on the woodmill.
Camp Howard campers find delight in moving from tactical shield to other obstacles to keep from being “tagged”
Below: Meanwhile the goats go about their business, helping keep fire danger down at the camp!
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St. Anthony came out to an early lead and lead by 10 at various points of the first and second half. St. Joseph began to make a comeback in the second half and lead several times. The score was tied toward the end of the game when St. Anthony put on the steam and finished the game 51 – 38. A great game to watch and enjoy – two great programs.
CYO/Camp Howard 