About Us
Huntington Lake Overnight Camp
Staff
Camp staff play a pivotal role in making Kennolyn a place where campers can be their best selves. We carefully select talented, caring adult professionals to lead our groups and activities. All staff are trained in the best practices of youth development, camper safety, and of course, fun! In addition to our training, a background check is required, and all staff are fingerprinted.
Many of our counselors come from around the globe. Our international staff brings an increased depth and dimension to all aspects of the camp community because they offer campers the opportunity to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences of people from a variety of cultures. In addition to the benefits of a culturally diverse staff, campers receive the benefit of the international counselors’ exceptional education and experience. The counselors come to us through a program that has rigorous standards – only those with the highest qualifications are approved.
Mike Higginbotham is the Camp Director. Mike is originally from Santa Cruz, California and has been a part of Kennolyn since he was 5! Starting as a camper and then ultimately the Resident Director at Kennolyn, he worked alongside our founders, Aunt Marion and Uncle Max (who also happened to be Mike’s real-life Great Aunt and Uncle!). In 1992, Mike moved into international summer camp staff recruitment. He spent 15 years as the International Country Director in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. In 2003, Mike was the founding director of Europe’s first traditional American-style summer camp in central Europe. In 2014, Mike was again the founding director of the first American-style camp in Southeast Asia, located in Vietnam. Mike came full circle back to Kennolyn in 2019. He brings a wealth of knowledge and loads of experience with all things on the water.
Mike Higginbotham, Huntington Lake Overnight Camp Director – mike@kennolyn.com
Anita Torbarina from Croatia is the Program Coordinator. She worked for 4 summers with Mike on the Adriatic and 3 more summers with an American camp on the East Coast. In between she has held various roles at the American International School of Zagreb. Anita reunited with Mike at Kennolyn in 2024 and will return in 2025. Her positive energy is infectious and helps make everyone feel they belong.
History & Philosophy
Our Philosophy
We believe in the power of the camp experience. We see its transformational potential every summer. We recognize that in order to successfully partner with parents, it is important that our philosophy is laid out for you clearly.
Kennolyn Camps is a place for children to learn and grow. We believe that a positive camp community is one that acknowledges and embraces diverse identities. We work to ensure that everyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, nationality, religion, physical ability, or socioeconomic status has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. By practicing intentional kindness, our camp culture seeks to appreciate the value that each camper and staff member brings to Kennolyn.
We believe that non parental adults are critical to a child’s development (a quick Google search will offer a variety of papers on the subject). Therefore, camp is an important place because we are able to surround children with caring adults that can fill this important developmental role.
We know how much trust it takes for parents to send their children away to camp. There is not a day where we do not recognize the enormity of this and it guides what we do.
Kids deserve a time and place where fun is the main objective. We have structure and guidelines and behavior is regulated but it is all done with the underlying idea that we are here to have fun together.
Since 1946, Kennolyn has been a family owned camp where kids build lifelong friendships, unplug from technology, and explore the world around them. We focus on fostering emotional, social and physical growth in each camper, while embracing the power of fun, play and adventure.
Uncle Max and Aunt Marion are sadly no longer with us, but their wonderful legacy continues to influence the lives of countless children and adults alike around the world. Their children Ken and Carolyn, and grandchildren Pam Caldwell Nootbaar, Lindsey Caldwell Johnson, and Steve Caldwell are all active members of Kennolyn’s Board of Directors. Pam is Kennolyn’s General Manager and Lindsey is our Camper Experience Coordinator. Together, with over 30 years of leadership from Camps Director Andrew Townsend, they are passionate about maintaining the beloved camp traditions and values so important to Uncle Max and Aunt Marion.
Our History
Kennolyn was founded by Max and Marion Caldwell in 1946, when Harry S. Truman was President of the United States, the first network television series was introduced (on one of only two stations), and gasoline cost a whopping 15 cents per gallon!
Max and Marion (affectionately known as Uncle Max and Aunt Marion) were both teachers. During World War II, Uncle Max served on an ammunition ship in the Pacific. “If I EVER get out of this alive,” he wrote, “let’s start a school or a camp.”
From these simple words blossomed Kennolyn Camps. Now, Kennolyn incorporates an overnight camp, day camp and year-round events center in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California as well as a lakefront property in Lakeshore offering incredible access to Huntington Lake and the surrounding area within the Sierra National Forest.
Welcoming the first campers in 1946 was a lifelong dream come true for Aunt Marion and Uncle Max. They named camp after their children Ken and Carolyn, and started with a 60-acre site and 26 campers, including 11 nieces and nephews who addressed them as Aunt Marion and Uncle Max. The names stuck from that day forward with tens of thousands of campers, staff, parents and grandparents.
Where we are
Contact Us
Contact Details
Camp Office Extensions
- 440 – Huntington Lake Camp Director, Mike Higginbotham
Contact
Get in Touch
Contact us and get strapped in for a better adventure experience in your life-time. Just look for opportunity to be with nature. Don’t hesitate to write to us and ask for any help at any time for your convenience.
Overnight Camp Huntington Lake
- Camp is not accessible in the winter but any of our staff can answer questions about the program.
- To arrange a tour during the summer, email mike@kennolyn.com.
Transportation from Fresno to Huntington Lake is included in tuition. We also have other bus stops for a small fee. When combining a session at Huntington Lake with a session at Overnight Kennolyn Camps Santa Cruz, we provide all transportation between camps.
