THE LOON CRIER - YMCA of Greater Boston

YMCA of Greater Boston OVERNIGHT CAMPS
SPRING 2015
THE LOON CRIER
A MESSAGE FROM BOARD CHAIR DI TODARO
Spring is by far my favorite time of year. After a long cold winter it is a time of
change, when longer days bring warm sun, blooming flowers and a buzzing of
new life all around us. With my favorite season also comes my favorite
weekend of the year - Memorial Day Weekend, otherwise known as Memorial
Day Work Weekend to us Camp lovers. Not only is it a chance to give back to
Camp by helping with the task of (literally) sweeping out the cobwebs, it’s a
time to reconnect with old friends and meet the next generation of campers. I
especially look forward to seeing which ambitious project my big cousin Steve
will tackle this year!
The Camp community is witnessing quite a bit of its own change this year. We
have a new CEO at the YMCA of Greater Boston, James Morton. James most
recently served as President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Hartford, as did
his predecessor Kevin Washington. In case you are not aware, Kevin has been
promoted to the highest position at the Y, serving as the president and CEO of
the YMCA of the USA. We also have a new VP of Operations assigned to
oversee our branch: Craig Heinrichs, who is a very big fan of Camp and is
committed to supporting us through this transition phase.
Yes, I mentioned transition. After 8 years as the Executive Director of the YMCA of Greater Boston
Overnight Camps, Artie Lang is moving on and has taken a new job as the Executive Director at YMCA Camp
Takodah in Richmond, NH. Artie came aboard as Executive Director about the same time I was voted in as
Board Chair, and I had the great fortune of working closely with him during his time here. Artie was a
passionate champion for Camp, and worked on a myriad of strategic objectives that have positioned the
Camps for success for many years to come. Under Artie’s leadership we saw growth in volunteer and alumni
participation, staff retention, revenue, endowment funds and committee and board membership. He
spearheaded the execution of a new Master Plan, which is well underway and will be a critical component of
our Camp’s future. Artie will always be a close friend – to me and to Camp. While Artie will be sorely missed,
we sincerely wish him all the best at his new camp.
YMCA OVERNIGHT CAMPS
PO Box 10 Mirror Lake, NH 03853
campingservices@ymcaboston.org
Kate Lemay has been named interim Executive Director. Kate has been on the
executive staff at Camp since 2007, and has held the positions of Senior Program
Director, Sandy Island Camp Director, and Director of Operations. She has worn many
hats over the years, and is intimately familiar with all aspects of managing the Camps.
Her boundless energy is infectious, and she is already taking the bull by the horns and diving right
in. She is especially adept at community relations and marketing, and has already secured some
strategic new partnerships. I have every expectation that this summer will be a smashing success
with Kate at the helm.
The last leadership position in transition that I must address is that of Board Chair. After 12 years
on the board, and the last 8 as board chair, I will be rolling off of the board this September. I am
not going to pen some long and tearful goodbye - you won’t be getting rid of me that easily. I have
been involved with Camp my entire life, and can’t imagine a time that I will not be involved with
Camp. You will see me at work weekends for the foreseeable future, and I will continue with some
committee work. In addition, my son is a rising staffer at North Woods, coming back for his 6th year
as an LIT this summer. I am so proud and excited to witness Noah’s growing love and commitment
to Camp – after all, members of his generation are its future caretakers.
Serving on the board of the Camping Services Branch, especially in the capacity of board chair, has
been a privilege. I have been blessed to work with amazing and talented people who are smart,
dedicated, and passionate about our Camps and our mission. I can’t tell you how excited I am about
all of the amazing opportunities that we are poised to take advantage of in the near future. The
hard work done by the staff, board and volunteers has paid off, and we are positioned to really
catapult into a new state of strength and prosperity. I invite you to consider becoming involved by
serving on a committee. The committee and board members will be helping to shape the Camps’
future, and if you have toyed with the idea in the past, now is the time. If you wish to find out more
information about this opportunity, please email Kate or myself directly. We are holding an
information session on June 3rd in Lexington, MA, which is the perfect opportunity to learn more
and see if it is a good fit for you. We would love to have you join us.
I am happy to announce that my successor as board chair will be Dr. Mary Wendel. Please read
Mary’s bio on the following page to learn more about her and her relationship with Camp. Mary is
another volunteer who has many years of wide and varied experience with Camp, both as a longtime camper and as executive staff. She is a thoughtful, proven leader, and I am happy to pass the
torch to such a capable person.
I hope to see many of you at Camp on Memorial Day Weekend!
All the Best,
Di
GREETINGS!
Here is a little update on what is happening at Camp.
I am writing this on a cool Monday morning from beautiful Sandy Island. We just completed our first
work weekend, known as SandyPalooza (itty bitty style this year) and are gearing up for North
Woods’ and Pleasant Valley’s turn: Memorial Day Work Weekend. This is one of my busiest and
favorite times of the year. I love being with all our volunteers and enjoy the “before and after” of
what Camp looks like!
In May our volunteers and seasonal staff begin to arrive. Slowly, our small year round team
doubles and then triples in size, ultimately encompassing over 200 staff. In May we turn on the
water and electricity, put boats in the water and inspect and clean up any damage from the winter.
This year we had a LOT of pine cones, trees and branches fall over both properties. Fortunately,
none of the trees fell on any buildings and only one power line on Sandy Island needed to be
repaired.
As Di mentioned in her article, Camp is undergoing some changes this year. There is new leadership
at our Association Offices in Boston, as well as here at Camp with our Executive Director and Board
Chair transitioning at the end of the summer. With many changes in management, I am grateful for
the stability we will have in our programs this summer. The seasonal staff is all in place. We have a
full slate of returning directors and assistant directors, chefs, nurses and managers at all of our
Camps and programs. This is beneficial, as strong and consistent leadership allows us to nurture all
of our new and younger staff in order to create a better opportunity for improvement year after
year.
This year our facilities are getting a much-needed facelift in the area of infrastructure. Our capital
dollars are being used to replace an outdated (and often out of service) phone line into our
mainland camp with a fiber optic line. We are updating our dining hall at Sandy and the craft shop
at Pleasant Valley to comply with new fire safety codes. We are replacing an oven at North Woods
and a griddle at Sandy. There will also be a new generator for Sandy Island to keep our well
pumping when we lose power.
I am in deep gratitude to all the people who pitch in to help get these
beautiful camps up and running. Now we just need all of our campers
to arrive so all this hard work can be enjoyed! I am so looking
forward to seeing you at Camp this summer!
All my Best,
Kate Lemay
Interim Executive Director/ Operations Director
UPDATE ON CAMP FACILITY
MASTER PLAN
In the fall of 2014 the YMCA of Greater Boston Overnight Camps engaged the services of a wellrespected and sought after firm in the industry of summer camp design, Domokur Architects. The
initial process involved collecting everything the camp had on infrastructure, history of buildings
and past plans. Then an aerial survey was done and every building on camp was inventoried,
photographed and catalogued. Over the winter the firm created massive reports (digital and hard
copies) with the information gathered during the fall. The reports detail the status of each and
every building on the property. The reports on each Camp will guide us on prioritizing what needs
to get fixed first, based on degree of need. It will also help us create a standard for moving forward
with all repairs and construction.
As you can imagine a task this large is no small undertaking. We have HUNDREDS of buildings on
our Camp properties at North Woods, Pleasant Valley and Sandy Island. Year after year we serve
thousands of overnight campers, day campers and rental groups, each having unique needs. Looking
at our Camps we know we need to take care of “the worst first” and ensure that we get all our
buildings and program spaces safe and secure with plans to keep it that way for the next 100
years.
Many of the Camp board members, contractors and staff members attended a meeting with two
associates from Domokur in early April. After the initial presentation catching us up on the
progress thus far, we brainstormed about additional thoughts for the camps.
Our next meeting is planned for June and we hope to have a completed report to share with our
community by the fall of 2015. This will be the first ever comprehensive study producing accurate
records of the Camp properties.
This study is about ensuring that we get on solid footing again, before it is too late, and we lose
our buildings or erode our land. Many of our buildings and infrastructure need improvement and
this will help us build a case for support. It is not about making “new” things or “re-doing” our
beautiful properties but rather ensuring we do not lose the character of what makes our camps so
special. If you have any feedback or would like to chat about the future needs of the Camp, are
interested in contributing to the plan financially or would like to be involved in this process in some
way we would love to hear from you!
Contact: Nick Bickford nbickford@ymcaboston.org or Kate Lemay klemay@ymcaboston.org.
Board Member Spotlight: Mary Wendel
Incoming Board Chair
Mary has been associated with Camp since she was four
years old, when her parents first brought her to Sandy
Island. In 1984 she returned to camp with her husband
Mark DiStefano when her oldest son was just one, and the
DiStefano family has been coming back to Sandy every year
since. Sandy Island is more than just a vacation spot for the
DiStefanos. Mary’s entire family; including her husband,
three adult children and 2 daughters-in-law, have all been
on staff.
During the 2003 season, Mary served as the camp
physician at Sandy Island, and from 2004 to 2008 she
worked as both camp physician and assistant director.
Mary has seen firsthand the many benefits of the camp
experience. She believes that the years spent at Sandy
Island not only enriched her life but also strengthened the
DiStefanos, both as individuals and as a family. Her interest
in serving on the Board of Advisors is fueled by a strong
passion to keep Camp thriving for future generations.
Mary, Mark and the DiStefano family at the
2014 Sandy Island wedding of their son Mike.
LAUGHING LOON DAY CAMP
Charlie Hossack returns as LLDC Director
After spending a great summer as the Program Director of
Sandy Island, I am excited to return to the mainland as the
Director of Laughing Loon Day Camp. Laughing Loon is in my
blood and this will be my third summer as the director! Many
people have asked me why I love Laughing Loon. The answer
is simple: I love spending my day outside with kids. At Camp,
every day is different but I guarantee every camper will have a
chance to sing songs, learn new games, ride horses, swim,
hike, use gimp, make new friends and eat s’mores. Camp is an
important part of my life. As a child, I was an overnight
camper for 5 years and then spent 6 summers working as a CIT, counselor, unit
head, waterfront director and program director. Once I had children of my own, I
knew I wanted them to experience the magic of Camp, so I returned! Laughing Loon
Day Camp is an amazing way to spend your summer. When you visit camp this
summer, please stop by the day camp field and say hello.
Charlie is very excited to announce that Joe, Tim, and Liz will be returning as staff
for LLDC. We also welcome our newest staffers: Melissa and Jeremy!
NORTH WOODS
A Message from Myles
Dear North Woods Community,
I would like to dedicate this post in memory of Stephen Morgenstern who was a camper and
counselor at North Woods Camp. Many of you knew Stevie as a goofy, fun loving guy who always
had a smile on his face. Stevie truly cared about North Woods; it was a foundation for building his
confidence, social skills, and a place he made many friends. As a camper, Stevie was the recipient of
the prestigious Kevin Young Memorial Award that honors one camper who exemplifies the values of
camp: Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. As a counselor, Kevin Young would say “Camp
is a time for many firsts, you must enjoy the journey.” I have fond memories of Kevin frequently
wearing duct tape on his wrists and when asked why he responded; “because you never know.”
Stevie was a lot like Kevin in many ways. He wanted people to be happy and simply have a good
time. He truly exemplified the core values of Camp and wanted to be a great role model for the
younger campers. Stevie’s biggest strength was his ability to invigorate energy into a dull situation.
No matter what class, activity, or area of Camp he participated in, he had the ability to transform it
into a fun environment for both campers and staff.
Most of all, Stevie was a great friend to me and all of the North Woods
community. I was a counselor, co-worker, and supervisor of Stevie during
his time at Camp. During all of those various roles I considered Stevie a
great friend and mentor who I learned a lot from. I am often reminded of
Stevie and it makes me happy when I think back to the times we spent
practicing our three-point shot on the North Woods basketball court,
singing rise and shine together in the Great Hall, or watching him and John
Shennan compete in a chicken nugget eating contest. I laughed hard
around Stevie and have many fond memories of him. He will be greatly
missed.
If you haven’t been back to camp in a while I encourage you to come to Memorial Day Work
Weekend. Registration can be found here: http://ymcaboston.org/nwpvc-work-weekends-2015
SANDY ISLAND
Greetings to our Sandy Island family! Although the first day of camp is still several weeks away,
preparations are underway for the summer season. Ice left the lake on April 24, and the water
temperature is now a balmy 49 degrees. Our facilities crew is hard at work making repairs and
getting the camp open. Before you know it, we will be back on our island again, greeting old friends
and making new ones.
The staff has been hired, and we will have many familiar faces working on the island this summer.
Here’s an update on what some of our staff have been doing during the ‘off season’. Almost all of
last year’s staff is returning this summer, and we are very excited to see everyone again! We are
working hard to get the camp up and running for a wonderful summer!
Anya Archer, Director & Jack Archer, Tennis Pro:
“I went on Safari to Tanzania in the fall, and then enjoyed the lovely Florida
sunshine all winter long. I am active in our community, and spearheaded a major
landscape renovation project in our neighborhood this winter. Jack and I took a
Caribbean cruise with friends in December. Jack kept busy playing tennis and
watching University of Maryland sports on TV. “
Janet Carmichael, Store Manager:
“I am working on my biology teacher certification teacher at Wayland high school. I also
teach Confirmation and am a Hospice volunteer. I still have 4 sons! Tommy graduated from
Assumption College in Accounting; Jimmy is a sophomore at Babson College; Andy graduates
HS in June and will attend Bentley University in the fall, playing football; and Brian will be
entering Wayland High School in the fall. Tom, my husband, is working hard to feed us
all!! We are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in the fall, and I would marry him
again!!!”
Jarrad Taubers, Boat Chief & Tyler Skinner, Office Manager:
“In off season I was traveling through New Zealand with Tyler then back to
work at sea as a fisherman. It was a long hot summer in Australia! Tyler
worked as a waitress, and we spent our free time traveling. Our big news is
that we got engaged during the summer (winter)!”
Harry Stilphen, Mechanic & Betty Stilphen, Housekeeping:
“During the winter in Florida, while the Northeast was being buried in cold and snow, Betty
and I spent our free time shopping yard sales for goodies to bring to Sandy Island. We try not
to spend much money and we have a lot of fun looking for deals! Betty has collected a fine
assortment of shower curtains for all the camp bathrooms, and she hopes you enjoy her
decorating! I played a lot of tennis. We are looking forward to seeing everyone this summer at
Sandy Island!”
Dawn Dore, Store Assistant Manager:
“After whittling my own flutes for the upcoming season and picking up props for the
store, I work with kids with behavioral problems (like myself). I recently got my life
coach certification from UNH for kids and teens with ADHD.”
Patrik Danicek, Service Crew:
“I have been studying and working in the Czech Republic. I am looking forward to
returning to Sandy for my second year!”
Mary Muthig, Program Co-Manager and Little Red Schoolhouse leader
”I am nearing the end of my seventeenth school year as the sole proprietor of Puddle
Jumpers Preschool in North Berwick, Maine! Hard to believe!
Aside from running a small business, I am the wife of Jim Muthig, and mother of Ben
(20), SI lifeguard and Assistant Boat Chief, Cara (17) SI lifeguard,
Asa (15) on kitchen and service crew and Mya (12).
This will be our eleventh summer working as a family at SI!”
Emily Selwyn, Program Staff and Sailing Coordinator:
“When I’m not at Sandy, I am running after school programs with Dave Barth in CA. In the month
of June, Dave and I host 3 weeks of day camp as well as a week of overnight camp. Additionally, I
coach women's high school lacrosse in the spring as well as play in a post collegiate league on
Sundays!”
Debbie Nininger, Dining Hall Manager:
“Hello Everyone! My name is Debbie (Tilton) Nininger. I will be one of the smiling faces that
will be greeting you in the kitchen. I have finally returned to the beautiful Isle of Sandy
after living many years in the mountains of Colorado. I was lucky enough to be a staff
member throughout the 70's. So happy to be back! I am already dancing through the
dining hall preparing for a terrific summer!”
Dave Barth, Teen Leader and Tennis Pro:
“I spent the year in Palo Alto, CA. During this time I coached after school programs, high
school track, and will host a month of summer adventure camps before heading out to Sandy
Island. My biggest accomplishment this year was winning a year’s
worth of free tacos at a Stanford basketball game. Taco Tuesday at
Sandy Island will never be the same!”
Bob McCourt, Service Crew Manager:
“Kate (Lemay) and I spent our winter enjoying the snow with our sons Cooper and
Finnegan, either sledding, building "Mt. McCourt", having snow battles or skiing with
them at Gunstock. Oh, and shoveling!”
Martin Brazda, Service Crew:
“So, my whole life is about sports. Since my childhood in the Czech Republic, I have been fond of
ice-hockey, but there was no ice rink close to my city and therefore I ended up playing soccer. That
does not mean I am not interested in ice-hockey any longer. Sometimes I go to support my favorite
club. When winter comes, I usually put on snowboard or skates and enjoy time with my friends.”
Chris Carter, Craft Shop Manager:
“After taking a year off, I’m excited to be returning to Sandy Island and the craft shop!
During the winter I have been keeping busy substitute teaching, and working in my
studio having fun creating art. My son, Danny, will be joining the staff for the first
time this year, working in the kitchen and other locations.”
Therese Liptak, Fitness Co-Ordinator:
“I've been teaching physical education to school age children grades pre-k to 8 and
teaching group fitness as well. Looking forward to a full schedule of action-packed
adventure on SI!”
Paula McCarthy, Chef/Kitchen Manager
“Hi! I am the Chef/Kitchen Manager at Sandy Island. This will be my second summer,
and I am very excited to come back and cook for everyone! I mostly spent this past
winter watching a lot of snow fall, and picking it up...
I did get away to visit my Mom in Florida, and saw some flowers and palm trees...in
other words.. No Snow... :) See you all soon!”
Dan Belanger, Program Co-Manager
“After taking last summer off to welcome a new baby girl to our family, Sara and I will return to
Sandy with Jordan (5) and Brooke (1). We recently sold our home, purchased a new one, and
moved twice. Packing and shoveling--that’s what we did this winter!”
Mary Ellen Reed, Assistant Director:
I will be returning for my 8th year at Sandy Island, starting my second year as the
Assistant Director. During the off-season I am the nurse leader for the Nauset Public
Schools, and I live in Orleans, Mass. (Cape Cod). Time away from Sandy this year was
spent on the fan sidelines at Nauset soccer, cross country, tennis and lacrosse games
for my 3 children: Chris, Brennan and Michaela. Many of my winter hours were spent on
the arduous chore of shoveling us out from under the snow. Thankfully, we all did get to
enjoy the bounties of this snowfall, skiing down the beautiful mountains of New
Hampshire. Looking down from the glorious mountaintops seemed to make any nuisance
of record snowfalls a distant memory.
As you can see, the recurring theme for almost everyone has to do with the record amounts of snow that fell
in the northeast this winter. We are a hardy bunch, but this year’s snow made a big impact on all of us!
SI VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Because of the long, cold winter, we had to limit the spring volunteer gatherings at Sandy. We are
setting up an additional work weekend in June, and would love to have you come and spend June
12-14 with us to help with some volunteer projects. It’s a great way to give back to our camp, and
a chance to enjoy a lovely no-cost weekend on our island. If you are interested in coming to Sandy
on June 12-14, please sign up on the following link:
http://ymcaboston.org/sandy-island-work-weekends-2015
And, if you are interested in volunteering at camp during weeks 8 & 9, please e-mail me at
aarcher@ymcaboston.org. It’s always fun to be at Sandy, and volunteering is a great way to find
out what it’s like to be on the staff. We are sure you will have lots of fun, and will meet some great
campers and staff members as well.
***Look for our new heavy-duty wagons available to transport coolers and other heavy items from
the boat dock to your cabin this summer! They are guaranteed to make arrival on Saturdays easier!
See you soon-Anya Archer, Director
THANK YOU TO OUR MANY PARTNERS!
Did you know that in 2015 the YMCA of Greater Boston Overnight
Camps will raise $185K to help improve our facilities and send kids and
families to camp? The Annual Fund is comprised of donations from
parents, staff, alumni and other friends of Camp who support our
mission.
In addition to this support, we also partner with some amazing youth
development organizations to send over 100 children and families to
our Camps each summer! These partnerships bring in an additional
$100K in order to make these opportunities possible.
Our partners include: The East Boston YMCA, Mass General Hospital, Roxbury Tenant’s Association,
Charlestown YMCA, The Oak Square YMCA, the Wolfeboro Rotary Club, a general Board Member of
the YMCA of Greater Boston, Cambridge Camping, Department of Mental Health, Southboro Youth
and Family Services, Department of Children Services, Listen (families in transition), The Home for
Little Wanderers, YMCA of the USA and the American Camping Association.
Do you work for or know of any partners that have a mission to build stronger communities
through youth development, healthy living or social responsibility? We are always looking to
connect to work together better! If you would like to connect with us about partnering with our
YMCA, please contact Amy Goodman at agoodman@ymcaboston.org or 603.569.2725 ext 222.
A CHANCE TO GIVE AND TAKE
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to camp
to understand.”
nothing wrong with that, but it is a long summer and there will be plenty of time for cookouts. Take some time
this Memorial
Day benefits
and do something
good
Camp - youinwill
great. Reverend
Shirley B. Goodwin, who
There
are so many
that you get
by for
participating
thefeel
Memorial
Day Work
worked
at
the
Camp
for
many
years,
always
said
that
“You
never
come
to
camp
without
leaving something
Weekend. However, the biggest reason to come is that North Woods and Pleasant Valley
behind,
and
when
you
leave,
a
piece
of
camp
always
goes
with
you.”
Come
find
out
what
he meant. I’m looking
Camps need you. We take on projects that the staff just doesn’t have the manpower or the
forward
to seeingOver
all ofthe
youyears
at Camp
this weekend.
time
to complete.
we have
re-built the tennis shed, renovated Trail Lodge,
fixed the archery shed, built bridges, fixed and cleaned LT’s, put porches on cabins, cleared
brush, split and stacked wood, painted cabins, re-built council rings and re-roofed a building
or two.
Memorial Day is often seen as a time to spend at home with family, hosting cookouts and
parties. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is a long summer and there will be plenty of
time for cookouts. Take some time this Memorial Day and do something good for Camp you will feel great. Reverend Shirley B. Goodwin, who worked at the Camp for many years,
always said that “You never come to camp without leaving something behind, and when you
leave, a piece of camp always goes with you.” Come find out what he meant. I’m looking
forward to seeing all of you at Camp in a little over a week.