Meet Lew McGann, YMCA Camp Eberhart Alumni
For nearly six decades, Lew McGann has carried the spirit of YMCA Camp Eberhart with him—from after-school days at the South Bend YMCA to serving on the camp board and helping secure its future. In his words, Camp Eberhart isn’t just where he learned to swim, sail, and ride horses—it’s where he learned to lead, to build community, and to become who he is today.
A Lifelong Journey Begins
Lew’s story started at the downtown South Bend YMCA, where he and his brother showed up after school for gym and swim class. “We were there every day,” Lew remembers. “Eventually, I became a junior leader, then a lifeguard and swim instructor.”
His summers were spent at YMCA Camp Eberhart—first for two weeks, then four, and eventually the entire summer. He worked his way through the CIT (Counselor-in-Training) program and became a junior counselor in 1963.
“Everything I needed to learn, I learned at Camp Eberhart,” he once wrote in a college paper. “It shaped my future in ways I didn’t even realize at the time.”
Learning, Leading, and Giving Back
Lew didn’t just learn campfire songs and canoe strokes—he learned independence, teamwork, and responsibility. “You were assigned different programs every morning—archery, riflery, sailing—and in the afternoon, you could go where you wanted. I always chose sailing.”
Outside the summer months, campers were expected to pitch in with maintenance and grounds work—something Lew gladly did. "We raked leaves, dug ditches, cleaned up. It built pride in the place."
He eventually became a board member and later chaired both the YMCA Camp Eberhart board and the YMCA metro board in South Bend. One of his proudest achievements? Helping fight—and win—a tax case in the early 1980s that saved the camp from property tax assessments.
“Camp Eberhart has always made future leaders. You come out of there stronger—with life skills, confidence, and lifelong friends.”
A Camp That Runs in the Family
Lew’s love for Camp Eberhart wasn’t his alone. “Both of my brothers went. My cousins went. My kids went. We even bought a house right next to the camp at one point.”
His son, now an adult, helped secure an $80,000 donation of Renewal by Andersen windows to support facility upgrades—proving that YMCA Camp Eberhart’s legacy continues to grow through every generation of McGanns.
Looking Ahead
Lew is thrilled to see camp continuing to evolve. “I love that it has become more of a year-round destination. My kids had as much fun there in the winter as they did in the summer.”
What makes Camp Eberhart different, he says, is its depth. “It’s a skill camp—you learn things that stay with you forever. It’s not about technology or trends. It’s about real experiences. There’s no better place to invest your time or your support.”
“If someone asked me why Camp Eberhart matters today, I’d say this: It’s where kids become stronger, more confident, more capable. You’re not just supporting a camp—you’re shaping futures.”
