DEWITTVILLE – On Saturday, Oct. 25, YMCA Camp Onyahsa will hold its annual “Cash for Camp” fundraiser to support the construction of a new year-round Health and Wellness Center and camp scholarships for local youth. The evening runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Onyahsa Mess Hall, with music, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and a cash bar. Guests are also invited to stay for an after-hours campfire with craft beverages in the Crafts Shop.

Tickets are $100, admit two adults, and enter the ticket buyer into a $5,000 cash giveaway. Attendance is not required to win. Basket prizes will also be given away. Organizers expect at least 100 guests in attendance, with many more supporters purchasing tickets for raffle chances.

This year, Camp Onyahsa will honor Donn and Kathy Johnston, parents of former campers and grandparents of current campers. Johnston, a Jamestown native, served on the Onyahsa staff in the late 1960s and early 1970s under Director Spiro Bello, shaping a generation of campers. At the same time, he was a star player on the Jamestown High School and later the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) basketball teams. Now residing in North Carolina, the Johnstons have remained committed to Camp Onyahsa, supporting scholarships to the camp.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the renovation of Onyahsa’s lakefront Health and Wellness Center, which will enhance on-site medical care and expand programs for campers, families, caregivers, and individuals with chronic health conditions. The project is part of the camp’s long-range development plan.

To help meet the fundraising goal of $15,000, Onyahsa is also seeking event sponsors at $1,000 each (cash or in-kind). Sponsors will receive recognition in press materials, the event program, during the event, and a complimentary ticket.

Founded in 1898, YMCA Camp Onyahsa is one of the oldest continuously operating YMCA camps in the nation. Today, it offers programs year-round for youth, families, not-for-profit organizations, and the community.

Tickets, sponsorships, and donations are available now. To learn more or to reserve a spot, call Eva Jackson, administration director, at office@onyahsa.org or 716-664-2802 ,ext. 238.