Camp T Frank Soles

What Camp T Frank Soles does

Camp T Frank Soles ("Camp Soles") is a traditional overnight summer camp and year-round retreat facility operating on a 200+ acre campus in Rockwood, Pennsylvania, in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1955 and named after McKeesport businessman T. Frank Soles, the camp was operated by the McKeesport YMCA and later The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh until April 2021, when former camper Gretl Dupre' Galgon acquired the property through Souls of Soles LLC; day-to-day operations are run by the non-profit Friends of Camp Soles, Inc. The facility includes nine cabins totaling roughly 200 beds across three villages, a 17-acre man-made lake (Lake Tris) for waterfront activities, a climbing wall, zipline, archery and rifle ranges, and sports courts.

Core products include week-long overnight summer camp sessions for children ages 7-16 ($835/session with multi-week, healthcare, and military discounts), Family & Friends Camp on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, a Counselor-in-Training leadership program for ages 16-17, year-round facility rentals and retreats for groups of 30-200, wedding venue rentals accommodating up to 200 guests, school and educational group programs, and specialized wellness retreats such as the 412 Thrive breast cancer support retreat. Revenue streams span session fees, facility rental and event fees, and charitable donations through the "Sponsor a Camper" campaign.

Operations are supported by third-party technology: CampBrain handles online registration, billing, and forms; Waldo Photos provides facial-recognition-based photo sharing with parents; and the marketing stack is built around the campsoles.org website, blog content, and podcast appearances. The American Camp Association (ACA) accredited the facility in 2021 and it was designated a Monarch Waystation in 2024. Year-round core staff is approximately six employees, ramping seasonally to roughly 40 counselors and program staff drawn from the US and internationally.

Name

Camp T Frank Soles

Legal name

Friends of Camp Soles, Inc.

Website

https://campsoles.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Soles is a traditional overnight summer camp and year-round retreat facility on 200+ acres in Rockwood, Pennsylvania, serving youth ages 7-16, families, school groups, wedding parties, and retreat organizations, and operated by the non-profit Friends of Camp Soles, Inc. under owner Souls of Soles LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Summer Camps

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAMAJAD), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Overnight summer camp
• Family camp programs
• Youth camp facility
• Corporate retreat venue
• Wedding venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Overnight Summer Camp Sessions: Session-based fees for youth overnight camp. Children ages 7-16 attend week-long sessions during summer. Pricing varies by number of sessions with multi-session discounts available. Single session: $835, with discounts for healthcare workers (5%) and military families (35%).
2. Family & Friends Camp: Weekend and holiday camp programs for families. Base cabin rate plus per-person fee. Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend programs available. Early bird discounts offered.
3. Facility Rentals & Retreats: Year-round facility rentals for groups of 30-200. Includes corporate retreats, school groups, sports clubs, and special interest groups. Activities can be facilitated by camp staff for additional fees.
4. Wedding Venue Rentals: Weekend wedding venue rentals with housing for approximately 200 guests. Includes use of dining hall, fire circle ceremony space, rec deck for receptions, and waterfront views.
5. Donations & Financial Support: Friends of Camp Soles non-profit organization accepts donations. 'Sponsor a Camper' campaign helps provide financial assistance to families unable to afford full camp costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Camp Soles operates a traditional residential summer camp on a 200+ acre facility in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, selling week-long overnight camp sessions for youth ages 7-16, family camp weekends (Memorial Day and Labor Day), a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) leadership program for ages 16-17, year-round facility rentals and retreats for groups of 30-200, and weekend wedding venue hosting for up to ~200 guests. Program delivery centers on cabin-based living, a 17-acre man-made lake for waterfront activities, high-adventure features (climbing wall, zipline), creative and sports activities, and facilitated programming by seasonal staff.

Product overview

Camp Soles is a traditional overnight and family camp providing seasonal (summer) and year-round programming across multiple program types. The core offerings include Overnight Camp (ages 7-16) featuring cabin-based residential summer sessions, and Family & Friends Camp offering holiday weekend programs. Supporting programs include the Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership development, Facility Rentals & Retreats for groups, Weddings at Camp Soles for event hosting, Winter Weekends for off-season visitors, School Groups programming for educational institutions, and specialized wellness retreats. All programs are managed through a single facility on a 200+ acre campus in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overnight Summer Camp Traditional residential summer camp for children ages 7-16, featuring cabin-based accommodation (same-gender, same-age groups of 7-10 campers), a balanced schedule of cabin, choice, and all-camp evening activities, and program areas including waterfront, archery, climbing wall, zipline, team sports, arts, and the rocketry program.
• Family & Friends Camp Family-oriented weekend camp experience available on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, with separate programming for adults and children, all meals, lodging in cabins, and organized camp activities included.
• Counselor in Training (CIT) Program Two-week leadership development program for teens ages 16-17 (rising juniors and seniors), providing practical training in camp leadership, working with campers, and activity facilitation as a pathway to future counselor roles.
• Facility Rentals & Retreats Year-round venue rental service accommodating groups of 30-200 overnight, including corporate retreats, school field days, sports clubs, special-interest groups, and wellness retreats, with customizable activity programming and dining services.
• Weddings at Camp Soles Full-weekend wedding venue rental offering lakeside or fire circle ceremony locations, reception space in the lodge or rec deck, lodging for approximately 200 guests in rustic cabins, and access to camp activities for the wedding party.
• Winter Weekends Off-season weekend program (January through early March) offering cabin lodging, karaoke, winter sports, and trail activities, with proximity to Seven Springs and Hidden Valley ski resorts 15 minutes away.
• School Groups Program Customized educational or recreational stays for school groups, offering field days, community service days, outdoor skills education, and activity programming tailored to school curriculum and group size.
• 412 Thrive Wellness Retreat Hosting Facility rental and programming partnership hosting groups such as 412 Thrive, a breast cancer and genetic mutation support organization, for wellness retreats that include bonding, relaxation, and adapted camp activities in a supportive environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of campers say camp helped them make new friends
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Camp Pinnacle: Private residential summer camp in Hendersonville, North Carolina for boys and girls, comparable on multi-activity traditional programming, family-owned operations, and ACA-accredited standards targeting similar U.S. family demographic.
• Camp Lohikan: Long-running private residential summer camp in Lake Como, Pennsylvania with traditional multi-activity programming, family-run operations, and a similar mix of sports, waterfront, and adventure activities targeting the same Northeastern family demographic.
• Camp Towanda: Traditional, privately operated, multi-activity residential summer camp in Honesdale, northeastern Pennsylvania, serving similar age groups (kids, teens, CITs). Highly comparable on size, programming breadth, regional market, and ACA-accredited private status.
• Camp Echo: Traditional overnight summer camp for boys and girls in northern Michigan/Midwest, comparable on multi-activity programming (waterfront, sports, adventure), ACA accreditation, family-style operations, and tiered programming for different age groups including CITs.
• Camp Hilltop: Family-owned traditional residential summer camp in Hancock, New York with multi-activity programming and a similar emphasis on character development, friendships, and outdoor experiences for elementary and middle-school children.
• Pine Forest Camp: Traditional overnight summer camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania (Pocono Mountains) for boys and girls serving similar age ranges. Comparable on multi-activity programming, family-owned operations, multi-week sessions, and ACA-style operations in the broader PA/NE corridor.
• Camp Towanda: (Dedup noted - primary peer already listed above.)

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Camp Conklin: Long-running YMCA-affiliated overnight camp in Deposit, New York with traditional multi-activity programming. Comparable on overnight structure, ACA-equivalent YMCA standards, mission-driven non-profit operations, and use as a broader youth-development platform including retreats and rentals.

Others

• CampBrain: Third-party registration and management software platform used by Camp Soles and hundreds of other North American camps. Included as an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor; relevant because it powers Camp Soles' direct-to-consumer enrollment motion.

Regional players

• Camp Lake of the Ozarks / Camp CEEB (or similar Laclede County MO camp): Midwest/Mid-Atlantic overnight camp with cabin-based lodging and traditional programming. Listed as a comparable size and service mix but in a different geographic market from Camp Soles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-t-frank-soles

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp T Frank Soles