Shades Valley YMCA

Reviews

• CG

  Carmen Gunter

  Jun 18, 2026
  1.0
  My child attended this summer camp for a total of four days. During that time, I witnessed a dramatic change in her behavior that deeply concerned me as a parent. I had never seen so much fear, sadness, and anxiety in her eyes. She became withdrawn and upset in a way that was completely unlike her normal personality. As a concerned parent, I attempted to observe and monitor how she was doing throughout the day. However, I was informed that I could not do so due to privacy reasons. Because I noticed changes in my daughter’s behavior, I tried to speak with the Program Director to better understand how she was adjusting and interacting with the staff and other children. Unfortunately, I did not find the interaction reassuring. The Program Director appeared short in her responses and seemed annoyed by my presence rather than willing to discuss my concerns. One incident that particularly troubled me occurred on my daughter’s second day at camp. She told me that she needed to use the restroom but was not allowed to go when she initially asked. According to her, she was only permitted to go after she became upset and started crying. As a parent of a child with medical concerns, including high blood pressure related to a kidney condition, this was especially alarming. Another incident involved a child taking slime from my daughter. When my daughter attempted to retrieve her own property, she stated that a teacher yelled at her and instructed her to give it back. Based on what my daughter reported, she felt that the situation was handled unfairly. As one of the few minority children in attendance, I was already mindful of the challenges children can sometimes face when they feel different from those around them. While I cannot speak to the intentions of the staff or other children, I became increasingly concerned after hearing my daughter repeatedly say that she felt the teachers and other children were being mean to her. The final conversation that led me to withdraw her from the camp occurred when she told me, “Mommy, I think they are mean to me. I don’t want to go back.” When I asked who she felt was being mean, she responded, “The teachers and the kids.” That was the last day she attended. No child should leave a program feeling bullied, isolated, afraid, or unsupported. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this summer camp. I had planned to continue paying approximately $196 per week for the remainder of the summer, but after witnessing the emotional impact this experience had on my child, I chose to remove her from the program. My hope in sharing this review is that the organization will carefully evaluate how children are treated, how parent concerns are addressed, and whether all children are being provided with a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
• JH

  John M. Holmes

  Jun 9, 2026
  5.0
  Best swim lanes in the city...great people....great gym....
• JW

  Jake Wilbanks

  Jun 8, 2026
  5.0
  Traveling out of town from SC. This is the closest YMCA location to my hotel. Facilities have been clean and staff is friendly. Great pool and sauna at this location. They do not offer towels here.
• JC

  Joyce Christian

  Jun 5, 2026
  5.0
  The best family atmosphere.... with all kind of activities going on...my toddlers and I love going ❤️
• BG

  Basic Guy

  Apr 29, 2026
  5.0
  That's is the community of April 29th

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