About Your Host
Why Sherman Lake YMCA?
In 1994, on 90 acres on a rural lake in Southwest Michigan between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center was born. Constituted as an independent YMCA, the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center was the first new YMCA Camp and Conference Center built from the ground up in over 50 years! Today the Sherman Lake YMCA sits on 365 acres replete with a state of the arts facilities.
Facilities include a Center for Integrated (Character) Education, a large conference dining hall, three villages, a farm and horse riding facilities, a mile of shoreline on Sherman Lake, and a one of a kind indoor recreation center serving the surrounding local communities as a YMCA wellness membership facility. You can view the Sherman Lake YMCA Map here.
Sherman Lake YMCA serves over 20,000 people each year, we feel that MACCs held at Sherman Lake YMCA will be a rewarding and unparalleled experience for all involved.
Facilities include a Center for Integrated (Character) Education, a large conference dining hall, three villages, a farm and horse riding facilities, a mile of shoreline on Sherman Lake, and a one of a kind indoor recreation center serving the surrounding local communities as a YMCA wellness membership facility. You can view the Sherman Lake YMCA Map here.
Sherman Lake YMCA serves over 20,000 people each year, we feel that MACCs held at Sherman Lake YMCA will be a rewarding and unparalleled experience for all involved.
LodgingThe cabins at Sherman Lake YMCA will make you feel right at home.
With cabins this cozy, it will make you want to stay an extra day! Sherman Lake YMCA’s lodging options offer a classic cabin feel with modernized living accommodations. Each cabin is set up with a communal living space featuring bunk beds creating an inviting atmosphere, encouraging guests to relax and connect with their cabinmates. Each cabin is heated to provide comfort in any season. Bathroom and shower facilities are detached and fully accessible. Nestled into the scenic woodlands near Sherman Lake, the cabins and lodges will keep you warm and cozy. Lodging paired with a small walk provides easy access to main camp, dining facilities, and interest session locations. Should you select the offsite housing option at registration and reserve a condo at Gull Lake View Golf Resorts, shuttles to and from Gull Lake housing will operate daily to ensure participants are able to fully attend the conference. Learn more about the Gull Lake View Golf Resorts Condos, and how you can reserve a condo for the duration of the conference. Note sure what to pack? Learn more on our Conference Information page. |
MeetingImmerse yourself or your team in one of the many meeting spaces at Sherman Lake YMCA
Located just 20 minutes from downtown Kalamazoo or Battle Creek, Sherman Lake is convenient yet is truly a “change of pace.” Sherman Lake YMCA has great availability for personal, small group, or large group innovation. Kellogg Hall encompasses the dining hall and interest sessions spaces. Moving south, you will find two gymnasiums, a game room, a fitness center, a weight room, child watch, pool with diving boards/climbing wall, indoor rock wall and a high ropes course in the beautiful newly expanded Austenfeld Recreation Center. What makes the Recreation Center unique? Since 2018, the building has been partially powered by a 400kWh solar array. The array is located on the roof and has produced 694,372,000 kilowatt hours. This is equivalent to 694 long haul flights, 3.1 million miles driven in a car, or 83,000 trees planted. The facilities inspire creativity and imagination, promote friendship and skill-building, and immerse guests in environments where they can play, love, learn, relax, and connect. |
EatingKellogg Hall will suit your every need... and delight the senses!
Resting in the main area of camp, Kellogg Hall is a fantastic facility to eat and rest your feet. Built in 1999, this dining area seats over 400 guests at a time. The contemporary set-up makes this space multi-functional for dining, meetings, activities, and speakers. Kellogg Hall features two charming fireplaces, a spacious outdoor covered deck, a library, nature center, art studio, and multi-use space used for summer camp, wedding reception, school and cooperate groups, and other programming. Finally, Kellogg Hall has a unique entrance designed specifically to accommodate 350 campers in and out of the building each summer day! Sherman Lake YMCA is well known for fabulous food services and accommodations for any dietary needs. Serving over 20,000 guests each year means they are well-equipped to handle any special diets! Please fill out the dietary requests section upon registration, and a Sherman Lake staff member will reach out with any questions. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Amanda Redebaugh at retreats@ymcasl.org |
Travel Information
Sherman Lake YMCA is located at 6225 N 39th St, Augusta, MI 49012. It is less than hour away from Grand Rapids, two hours away from Detroit, and just two and a half hours away from Chicago.
By car, it is easily accessible from US Interstate 94. We encourage you to use Google Maps as you navigate to the conference.
By plane, it is about 25 minutes from Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO), 60 minutes from Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), and 2.5 hours from Chicago’s Midway (MDW) and O’Hare (ORD) International Airports.
Sherman Lake YMCA is in the Eastern Time Zone. It is always one hour ahead of Chicago, and always shares the same time with New York and the East Coast, regardless of the time of year.
AIRPORT SHUTTLE INFORMATION:
Sherman Lake will be offering shuttles to and from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport for attendance of the conference for $10 single trip and $20 round trip. Participants can select and pay for shuttle services below using the Shuttle Registration button.
Arriving shuttles will leave Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport at the following times:
Departing shuttles will leave Sherman Lake YMCA at the following times:
Rideshare options, such as Uber and Lyft, are also prevalent at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and the Kalamazoo Amtrak Train Station.
If you have questions, please contact:
Amanda Redebaugh
Sherman Lake YMCA
269-731-3021
retreats@ymcasl.org
By car, it is easily accessible from US Interstate 94. We encourage you to use Google Maps as you navigate to the conference.
- From Chicago, follow I-90 E and I-94 E to Michigan. Take exit 85 from I-94 E at South 35th Street in Comstock Township. Continue on 35th Street. Turn right onto G Avenue. Continue on G until 39th Street. Turn left (north) onto 39th Street. The camp entrance is located on 39th Street.
- When you input the address for Sherman Lake YMCA into your GPS, please note that the final turns should be onto 39th Street and Mawby Way. If your GPS directs your to turn onto S. Sherman Lake Drive, it is attempting to route you to the rear gate which is locked and not an entrance for Sherman Lake YMCA.
By plane, it is about 25 minutes from Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO), 60 minutes from Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), and 2.5 hours from Chicago’s Midway (MDW) and O’Hare (ORD) International Airports.
Sherman Lake YMCA is in the Eastern Time Zone. It is always one hour ahead of Chicago, and always shares the same time with New York and the East Coast, regardless of the time of year.
AIRPORT SHUTTLE INFORMATION:
Sherman Lake will be offering shuttles to and from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport for attendance of the conference for $10 single trip and $20 round trip. Participants can select and pay for shuttle services below using the Shuttle Registration button.
Arriving shuttles will leave Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport at the following times:
- 2025 Options Coming Soon
Departing shuttles will leave Sherman Lake YMCA at the following times:
- 2025 Options Coming Soon
Rideshare options, such as Uber and Lyft, are also prevalent at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and the Kalamazoo Amtrak Train Station.
If you have questions, please contact:
Amanda Redebaugh
Sherman Lake YMCA
269-731-3021
retreats@ymcasl.org
What's Nearby?
What can you do near camp?
Check out this guide to all things near MACC, organized by our hosts! Click below to download the Welcome to the Neighborhood guide.
Check out this guide to all things near MACC, organized by our hosts! Click below to download the Welcome to the Neighborhood guide.
Believe your camp would be a good fit to host the MACC? Contact our Chair to learn more! chair@ymcamacc.org
Special Thanks to our 2024 Conference Sponsors: |
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