Greetings, Pemi Family!

As we steadily march towards the end of an eventful 2023, I’m excited to share a wide variety of news and notes from the extended Pemi family. While campers and staff eagerly await the arrival of Bean Soup, volume 114, it’s an honor and a joy to get to share this round of news with you all, too. This year saw many beautiful additions to the Pemi family, via birth and marriage, as well as impressive new ventures by members of our community, alumni reunions near and far, and more! Have news that didn’t make it into this edition? Send me an email to be included in the next round.

We have a couple more alumni gatherings coming up in early 2024, in Connecticut and Boston, with details to follow next week. We hope to see you at one soon!

Read on to learn more about what the Pemi family got up to in 2023!

New Ventures, Launches, & Milestones

Kim Malcolm started Malcolm Travel Partners in 2023, with her first trips set to launch in 2024. After over 30 years of working at Pemi, Kim has embarked on this new chapter that takes advantage of a lifetime of travel that’s taken her to over 60 countries and counting. Focusing on small group travel with expert guides, Kim’s trips will let you see places all around the world that you might never have selected on your own. Her 2024 slate begins with South Africa in March and then has four summer trips that coincide with the Pemi schedule, for any parents who might be interested. The summer trips will take you to South Africa, Romania, Croatia, or Tanzania. If you’re interested in going on one of these incredible journeys, you can get in touch with Kim at [email protected]. Kim is also happy to assist with other travels on an individual basis. We’d love to see some photos of a Pemi group on one (or all!) of Kim’s trips!

Tom Reed, Jr. published his second novel, Pocketful of Poseys, on September 19^th. The book was released by Pemi alum Eric Kampmann’s Beaufort Books. Reviews of author and book have been excellent. Pulitzer Prize finalist Susan Choi wrote of Tom, “Tom Reed is a raconteur of the best and rarest kind: a spellbinding, curl-up-in-your-armchair-and-let-the-afternoon-slip-away storyteller.” Meanwhile, 2023 Bean Soup editor Dan Fulham noted, “Tom promised me I can keep my job if I get enough people to buy his book. Please get it; I like working at Pemi.” You can learn more and purchase via Tom’s website or find it at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. You’ll be glad you did!

Peter and Tara Cowles’ Aspetuck Brew Lab celebrated eight years of operations in Black Rock, CT this month. Since 2015, Peter and Tara’s team have been serving up award winning beers in Connecticut and at the Rittner Run. If you want to try some for yourself, join the Pemi family at Aspetuck on Saturday, January 6^th at 2pm, or come up to camp for the Rittner Run next August! Peter and his son Pierce also had a Pemi reunion at Union College this fall, where Peter’s son Ryan currently studies and plays baseball. Peter and Pierce met up with Pemi alumnus Jeff Sullivan to watch Jeff’s son play for the Union football team. Pierce, Peter, and Jeff are all former winners of the Fauver Baseball Trophy.

Pemi is looking at launching a new venture of our own in 2024, and we could use your help! Many of you may have seen Dottie Reed’s recent email regarding a women’s weekend at Pemi and a survey to help in the planning of that. The survey is intended to be filled out by women in the Pemi community; if you’re a Pemi man, please forward it on to the women in your life who might be interested! If you missed Dottie’s message, here it is: We’re exploring the interest level among Pemi women for a new experience: a September weekend devoted to adult women (those who identify as women aged 21 and older). AND if interest is there, what might that weekend look like?
 
For starters, we envision a weekend that includes two nights accommodation, five delicious meals, and programming. Now we need your input! Will you complete this short survey? Most questions require a simple click and there’s space provided throughout for your optional input. It should take ~5 minutes plus whatever time you put in on extra comments, if any.

Additions to the Pemi Family!

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Roger and Karen McEniry welcomed Margaret Jane McEniry to the world on April 27^th. Roger reports that Maggie, Karen, and dad are all doing well!

Critter and Drew Tamm’s daughter Claire Carter Tamm joined the Pemi family on December 3^rd. Congratulations to one of the newest members of the community! Critter notes that Cece is doing great and that he and Drew are pumped to be new parents!

Mike Benham, Meghan Tadio Benham, and big sister Rosalie saw their family grow with the birth of Elenora Louise Benham on July 12^th. Mike says that Rosalie loves being a big sister, and that he can’t wait to see them on the Pemi staff teaching music and soccer!

Brian and Gavi Forster are new parents to Clara Kane Forster, born September 20^th! Clara has already started in her parents’ footsteps as an avid sports fan. Congratulations, Brian and Gavi!

Harry and Elizabeth Morris‘s son Theodore “Teddy” Samuel Morris was born on October 6th in Connecticut. Harry, Elizabeth, and Teddy live in Simbsury, CT.

Jake Fauver and Quinn Stewart welcomed Nikki Fauver to the world in November. The family is doing well and loving life with baby Nikki!

Not to be outdone by his older brother, Cory Fauver shared news that, “Arielle and I welcomed Otto Wren Rebek Fauver on October 30th in Oakland, CA. For lullabies, he’s been enjoying the soothing and langorous melodies of the Pemi songbook (before Taps and after). We can’t wait for him to see the shores of Lower Baker and feel the warm embrace of the Pemi family.”

On a note that strikes close to home, William Clare married Leigh Horton on July 22^nd in Brooklyn, NY with Pemi alums Henry Eisenhart, Alex Reese, Fitz Stueber, Paige Wallis, Ben Walsh, and yours truly in attendance. Rumor has it the Best Man gave an incredible speech that would have stolen the show were it not for the surpassingly lovely bride. Congratulations to William and Leigh!

Moves & Life Updates

Abby Reed and Donovan Laas moved to London this fall. Abby is part of the leadership team opening the London program for the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, having worked in their Washington, D.C. program the prior academic year. Abby had the foresight to hire Pemi West and Family Camp staff alumna Heidi Leeds to the faculty at SEGL London for the program’s inaugural year. Congratulations to Abby and Heidi on the successful completion of the first semester! Earlier this fall, Abby, Donovan, and Heidi grabbed drinks with Tom and Dottie Reed and former Pemi staff member Becky Noel for an impromptu Pemi London gathering.

Paige Wallis, longtime head of waterfront and current Rittner Fund trustee, recently made the move back to New England. Having joined the auxiliary program team at New Canaan Country School this summer, Paige is excited to continue working in education while being much closer to family and friends.

Nick Bertrand moved out to Denver this year, where he was able to join the Pemi alumni reunion in October. Other attendees (see photo below) included Ryan Fauver, Austin Blumenfeld, Andrew Brummer (with pup Moose – while a questionable name, a wonderful dog!), Dylan Quigley, Dan Kasper, and me.

Ned Roosevelt moved from Boston to New Haven, CT where he’s been able to rekindle his tennis game.

Ben Walsh moved to Brooklyn in October and has enjoyed getting to see a number of Pemi friends on a regular basis.

Will Meinke moved to Portland, ME, where he lives with his fiancé Colby and dog Messi. By returning for a week last summer, Will kept alive his streak of being a Pemi staff member every summer since 2012!

Recent Alumni Gatherings & Encounters

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There have been a number of formal and informal Pemi gatherings this past year, both at camp and around the world. The highlight chance Pemi encounter has to be Kenny Moore running into former staff member Rob Travis at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome! Rob came away from the weekend much happier with the result than Kenny.

Andrew Kanovsky takes the prize, however, for longest distance travelled for a Pemi reunion. Before heading to Lower Baker to be the Upper division head, Andrew took a quick trip to Papua New Guinea to stay with Pemi veterans Nuwi, Sompy, Brandon, and Timmy Somp! Nuwi is one of Pemi’s most beloved and influential staff members of the last several decades, while his sons Sompy, Brandon, and Timmy all were able to join the Pemi community as campers in the 2010s. See more photos here. Just for good measure, Andrew also had a chance encounter with fellow Pemi 2023 counselor Owen Gagnon in Paris this fall.

Pemi alums Ben Ross, Pierce Haley, and Chris Carter saw each other this fall before Chris headed off to a Red Sox game with Ben’s father.

Alex Reese spearheaded a get together in Connecticut this fall that included Ned Roosevelt, Henry Eisenhart, Matt Kanovsky, Andrew Kanovsky, and me for a fun fall weekend with pickleball and sitting around a campfire by a lake.

Other gatherings included the Alumni Work Weekend back in June, a Denver alumni reunion, a Washington, D.C. alumni event, and our annual New York City gathering.

See photo highlights below!

Wishing you good luck, long life, and joy!

– Pat Clare