From Camp Counselor to Youth Development Leader at the YMCA

Zachary Gurmankin's YMCA journey began as a camp counselor at Pioneer Trails Day Camp, one of the many summer camps operated by the West Essex YMCA. Over the years, he advanced from counselor to camp specialist and now serves as Assistant Director of Youth Development. Along the way, he built lifelong friendships, including meeting his wife, who also works at Pioneer Trails Day Camp.

Zach's story highlights how the YMCA creates opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and lasting community connections:

“The Y has provided me with countless memories and lifelong friendships and for me it's more than just a workplace, it's a family. One of the more rewarding aspects has been seeing former campers and School Age Child Care participants grow through our Counselor-in-Training program and return as staff members themselves (myself included). I always had goals and expectations that I had set for myself.

Out of college, I was unsure of what I wanted to do full time but because of my experiences at camp I knew that I wanted the Y to be a big part of that. I was finally given that opportunity and it has opened so many different doors for me. This demonstrates the lasting impact the Y has on individuals and the community as a whole.

The Y has been a place that I know I can always count on people for support no matter what. It is a place that I feel can have an impact, no matter how great or small, in a positive way. The Y has provided me with opportunity after opportunity, and I can't begin to say how grateful I am for everything that I have been able to experience here at the West Essex Y to this point.”