Meet Stella Ehrler, camp alumni and dedicated monthly donor to YMCA Calgary.
Stella Ehrler’s journey with YMCA Calgary began with her daughters, Toni and Alix, and a conversation that sparked a lifelong connection to Camp Chief Hector. It all started when one evening, her daughter’s friend shared stories of her time at camp. When the friend’s mother came to pick her up, Stella couldn’t help but ask, “What camp was that? I want Toni to go.” However, when she learned it was Camp Chief Hector, she was told that as a single mother, she wouldn’t be able to afford it.
A few months later, while visiting daycare, Stella overheard another single mother talking about her daughter attending Camp Chief Hector. She gathered the courage to ask, “I know this is none of my business, but how can you afford that?” The answer was simple: “The Subsidy program.” With hope, Stella reached out to the YMCA’s staff, and soon enough, she was filled with relief and gratitude. With the YMCA’s help to make camp affordable, she was able to give her daughters the chance to experience the magic of Camp Chief Hector.
As the years passed, Stella no longer needed the subsidy but continued to send her daughters to camp year after year. “There was no judgement, things got easier,” Stella says. “As a single mother, I love my daughters and did what I needed to do to provide them experiences that they will remember. Now, I hope to help provide this same opportunity to children and other families in need, so they aren't turned away.”
Sending her daughters to camp wasn’t easy for Stella. She remembers feeling nervous when Toni, who was going into grade 7, left for a two-week camp. “What if they hate this? What have I done to them?” But when Stella picked up Toni, she wasn’t met with disappointment - Toni was crying, not because she didn’t enjoy camp, but because she didn’t want to leave! In a letter, Toni wrote, “Can I just stay here and come back for Christmas?” For Stella, this was a moment of reassurance. She knew she had made the right choice.
Toni’s love for camp didn’t stop there. She went on to become a camp counselor, eventually moving to the Northwest Territories to enjoy the great outdoors with her family. Alix, too, became a camp enthusiast, calling Camp Chief Hector home for 11 summers. Today, she has introduced her own children to the camp experience, continuing the family legacy.
As Stella reflects on driving to camp and seeing the sign, “You are now entering a campers’ world”, she sees her daughters’ growth, and she sees how camp helped build their confidence. “Camp really helps with soft skills, learning to work with a group, and becoming independent,” she shares. “Nowadays, with technology, you often see kids behind a screen. I believe that if given the opportunity, all children should experience camp.”
Stella's dedication to the YMCA and to making camp accessible for all children is why she is now a devoted monthly donor, part of YMCA Calgary’s Team UP. Her support ensures that more families - like hers - can experience the life-changing opportunities that camp offers. Through her giving, Stella hopes to make sure no child is turned away, no matter their background or financial situation.
Stella Ehrler’s story is a testament to the power of community, the impact of camp, and the lasting legacy of love and generosity.
Support your YMCA today with a one-time or monthly gift.
A note from Toni -
“I was 12 the first year I went to Camp Chief Hector. I didn’t really know what to expect, other than what was on the glossy pamphlet my mom showed me when she told me I’d be going. I didn’t expect that Camp Chief Hector would become a foundational part of my adolescence and young adulthood, but it was. |
I made lifelong friends. I learned to love and respect the backcountry of Canada. I developed a sense of adventure.
When I was at Camp, I was in my most comfortable state. Sitting around a campfire and cracking jokes with my friends after a satisfying day of hiking or paddling was an exquisite feeling.
In my final summer as a camper, I was fortunate to be selected for the Sace Dene canoe trip across the NWT. This trip had an immense impact on my life. I have lived in the Northwest territories since 2016 and my love for the land and appreciation for the cultures here started during that trip.
I know that my life was enriched because of my time spent at Camp Chief Hector and the relationships and experiences that came with it. I will always hold Camp Chief Hector in a special place in my heart.”
A note from Alix -
“Summer camp became a part of who I was from the very first time I had the chance to attend. I think it truly became written into my DNA. Camp inspired my curiosity for the natural world around me, and I don’t think I would have found the love that I have for exploring our Rocky Mountains if it wasn’t for Camp Chief Hector.
One thing about camp, going year after year-always to the same session-is that it really felt like coming home each year. It meant reuniting with a lot of the same friends made in past summers and discovering new ones along the way. Camp challenged me and pushed me to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. In some ways, it’s hard to describe in just a few words how much it has meant to me.
I called Camp Chief Hector home for 11 summers, but even now, having been away from camp longer that I was a camper, I know it has shaped and defined me well into my adulthood. Now that I’m grown and have kids of my own, I’ve waited impatiently to share this place with them. I was lucky to finally do that last year at a family camp.
What made this experience even more special was that it wasn’t just for my kids. I got to share this place with my husband, who was never a camp kid and didn’t really understand it until he got to experience it for himself. Now, he says he’s starting to 'get it'-'it' being that indescribable magic that happens there.”