It was 100 years ago when the Y’s residential camp, Camp Frank A. Day, opened for its first season thanks to a $5,000 gift from one of its greatest benefactors, and one of Newton’s most well-known citizens at the turn of the last century, Frank Ashley Day.

Frank A. Day spent his boyhood in Newton, was educated in the city schools and made his mark as a Boston financier. He served as alderman for the city from 1903 to 1909 and as the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the YMCA. Following his death in 1914, Mrs. Day felt that it was fitting that the camp property which was so beautifully situated on Lake Quacumquasit in East Brookfield, MA and so well adapted for camp purposes should be a memorial to her husband who was always ministering to the needs of others and yet loved nature and all her beauty.

At first, nine boys lived in tents, which were erected among the pines in the same spot that houses senior boy campers today. Campers filled their summer with activities such as baseball, tennis, woodcraft and nature studies. By 1966, the camp was in its 50th year of operation and was one of the larger and better known camps in New England. In 1979, Dick and Sonia McKnight began a 25-year stint as the camp’s directors, helping to build the camp up to where it stands today.

On September 10th and 11th, Camp Frank A. Day will celebrate its centennial anniversary with a two-day reunion. Current and past campers, staff and alumni are invited to attend the celebration which will feature a line-up of traditional camp activities such as flagpole, color war (green versus grey), campfires, waterfront activities, and more.

To find out more about how to register for the celebration, visit www.cfad100.com.