Sleepaway Camp: Expense…or Investment?

Posted on March 5, 2020 by dreed

Is summer camp an expense or an investment?

Parents unfamiliar with the tradition of sleepaway camp might consider the cost and reasonably ask, “Why send my child away when the community center has a pool and tennis courts?”

Simply put, the character traits that children strengthen and develop as they navigate life in a unique learning environment away from home—supported by well-trained professionals there for that very purpose—are profound and lifelong.

Reading between the lines

Consider testimonials, such as from this father:

“He learned more about himself and his strengths in one summer at camp than he did in the entire school year”

Or from campers’ letters home:

“I went off the high dive – six feet high! My instructor helped me conquer my fear! I feel very, very accomplished!”

“I’m about to go on a 2-day hike. I’m excited and am wearing sunscreen.”

“I know that the bonds that I’ve created with the friends in my cabin will never break. We’re now like brothers and we plan on staying that way.”

While these anecdotes from our families speak to every parent’s hope when delivering a child into the care of others—a healthy, happy, and fulfilling summer—a deeper dive between the lines reveals that camp has nourished and quickened the development of character strengths that will serve these campers well in their future success as students, employees, citizens, and life partners. How can we calculate the worth of independence, adaptability, willingness to try new things, perseverance, responsibility, and appreciation for the differences and strengths of others?

The value of character strengths in schools, colleges, and the world-at-large

In 2016, the American Camp Association launched a 5-year study “to explore the lasting impacts and the ways camp experiences prepare young people for college, their careers, and their lives beyond camp.” The professional organization has gathered, compiled, and now is publishing exciting findings that provide data to support our testimonials.

Coincidentally in 2016, a group of educators, aware that character strengths are fundamental to an engaged life, formed the Character Collaborative to elevate non-academic factors and character-related attributes in the admissions process. Their goal is to identify reliable, unbiased indicators of character strengths to better recognize students of promise. Today, members include college admission, independent secondary schools, national educational associations, and research organizations.

This is significant in light of the question, “Is camp an expense or an investment?” Summer camp offers a unique experiential education that leads to the development of character strengths in its campers—exactly what schools, universities, and employers are looking for in applicants, and what most adults seek when forming relationships and choosing life partners.

How do camps support the development of character strengths?

Camp Pemigewassett’s campers take a break from technology and the pressures of social media that can so absorb and deeply influence them during the school year. Being screen-free gives our boys the space to develop critical communication skills, learning how to live and get along with others by negotiating social interactions directly and personally. Being unplugged also frees up time spent on screens—perhaps hours of a day—to fully engage in camp’s program activities.

Pemi has four main program areas and boys are encouraged to expand their comfort zones by trying new things. This ‘liberal arts approach’ to summer camp allows each boy to shine in what he already knows and loves to do, to discover new talents and interests, and to appreciate the gifts of others. With the breadth of options and depth of instruction in each program, boys don’t outgrow camp, and our veteran campers emerge as well-rounded young men.

The Sports Program attracts athletes to Pemi with excellent coaching, skill progression, opportunities for competition, and for the pure joy of participation. It offers valuable lessons about how to compete, work as a team, respect officials and opponents, and set personal goals. In addition to further developing athletic proficiency, our athletes also often discover an interest in environmental science or talent in a musical instrument—something that won’t happen at a camp focused only on sports.

The science-based Nature Program is nationally acclaimed, with a vast range of activities to explore. In the end, though, we teach the boys to be comfortable in the natural world, to view it with endless fascination and enjoyment, and to feel an obligation to act as good stewards both now and in the future. Many a camper, inspired by this program, has gone on to science fair projects, college majors, and even professions.

In the Trip Program, boys learn: the rewards of sustained effort in what can sometimes be demanding conditions; the benefits of advanced planning as they organize gear and supplies for what can be days away from civilization; the kind of teamwork that includes collective decision making and responsibility for the welfare and happiness of the entire group. Campers have shown us admission essays for high school and college that capture life lessons they learned on a camp trip.

The Arts round out the program. Pemi “culture” celebrates creativity: it’s fun to sing, make a ping pong paddle, explore mixed media, learn an instrument, or participate in a musical. Nothing illustrates camp’s supportive environment more than at campfire when a young boy bravely stands to sing in front of 250 people. Once the hushed silence and then the resounding applause have passed, the boy, wreathed in smiles and standing two inches taller, is clearly realizing, “If I can do that, what else can I do?!”

As with many summer camps with a long and storied past (Pemi was founded in 1908), our traditions kindle the feeling of being a part of something unique and special, and keep our campers and staff coming back year after year to further develop their interests, values, and relationships with one another.

Finally, our alumni network is global, and is a resource for campers, alums, counselors, prospective parents, and beyond. For example, our Counselor Internship Initiative connects talented Pemi counselors with alums to gain crucial professional experience in the spring and then return to work at camp for the summer in positions of greater leadership and responsibility.

So, is camp an expense or an investment?

Yes, on face value, residential summer camp can be expensive, though indeed many offer scholarships and financial aid. But behind the numbers lie experiences that can lift and inspire your children to be their best selves, often in ways that launch them in directions that you or they might never have anticipated, and all the while immersed in a joyful, healthy, and natural environment.

Alumni far and wide document the impact of living and learning at summer camp. Beyond schools, resumes, and jobs, a 96-year old alumnus may have said it best: “My life’s happiness bag is heavy and stuffed with Pemi experiences.” Looking back on a life well lived, amid memories of truly foundational influences, many would say that the true value of summer camp dwarfs its cost in dollars and cents.

(This article will be published in an upcoming “summer camp” edition of the Greenwich Sentinel)

~Dottie Reed

Alumni Magazine – News and Notes – February 2020

Posted on February 28, 2020 by kmoore

Welcome to the next installment of the Alumni Newsletter. This edition, Alumni News and Notes, offers updates from members of our Alumni Community, whether that be former campers, staff, or parents and friends! We invite you to write your own update in the comments section of the blog post via the Pemi website.

CONGRATULATIONS

Mike, Andrew, and Rob – August 2019

Andrew Billo got engaged to Annie Schaeffing on top of Mt. Cube in August and then celebrated the day with family and friends, including Rob Verger, Roselle Chen, and Mike Sasso near Bradford, VT. They will get married in August 2020 in Lyme, NH, with Rob Grabill officiating and Rob Verger, Mike Sasso, and James Finley joining the wedding party. Recently, Andrew was also appointed to a new role at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in New York, where he is responsible for mobilizing support for reproductive health needs and the prevention of gender-based violence in humanitarian crises around the world.

The New Hampshire Environmental Educators recently elected Larry Davis to their Board of Directors for a two-year term!

Willy Friendman – “I wanted to share that on Monday, November 25^th, my wife Jess Smith and I welcomed Margot Eliza Friedman to the family. Everyone’s happy, healthy, and waiting for Pemi to start accepting girls! :)”

Chris, Kendra, and Olivia McKendry

Chris McKendry and his wife Kendra welcomed their daughter Olivia to the world on November 27^th, 2019. The two married in 2016 with the wedding being officiated Kenny Moore. Residing in southern California, Chris has worked in the automotive/motorsports industry for the last ten years while Kendra has enjoyed a multitude of roles in the food industry.

Will Murtha (camper 1995-1996, staff 1999 & 2001) and his wife Lauren celebrated the birth of their son Finn Robert Murtha in January of 2020. They reside in Oakland, California, where Lauren works as a nurse practitioner and Will in renewable energy. Will is already eyeing Pemi as an opportunity to connect his son to the New England environs in which he grew up.

Rory Shaw

On January 22, 2020, Conor Shaw and his wife Rachel Clark celebrated the birth of their first child—Rory Germain Shaw. Both Rory and his mother are doing well. It’s not clear yet whether Rory will be nicknamed hardtack or bean—but they have plenty of time to chew it over.

Thurman Smith recently published “Supreme Damage: Rescuing Representative Government from Judicial Overreach.” Check it out as an e-book or paperback.

Riley Smythe

Doug Smythe shares the following, “My wife and I are still living and working in Philly. My wife, Emily, is a pediatrician. She’s in her 2nd year of residency at the Philly children’s hospital (CHOP). I work for Toll Brothers (national real estate developer) doing acquisitions and development. We welcomed a new family member last summer with the birth of our daughter Riley. She’s coming up on 6 months and doing great.

Critter Tamm is engaged and getting married on June 6th in upstate NY to Drew Bishop. Expect many Pemi Alumni to be in attendance and a stirring rendition of ‘Bloomer Girl’ to be sung, captured, and shared on social media soon thereafter. Critter and Drew live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Critter works at JP

Eli Miller

Morgan Asset Management focused on our Digital Strategy, quickly approaching his 10 year mark there in June. He recently completed my MBA from NYU Stern this past summer.

Johanna Zabawa and her husband Nick Salay welcomed daughter Charlotte (Charlie) Zabawa Salay on October 9th 2019. They look forward to introducing Charlie to Pemi in summer 2020. Charlie looks forward to growing into her Camp Pemi onesie, going for her first hike up Mt. Cube, and rest hour!

Eli Naftali Miller was born May 26, 2019 to proud parents Jeff and Michelle Miller!

PEMI ENCOUNTERS

“I recently visited Peter and Cassandra Siegenthaler to see their baby son, Julius,” Ian Axness shares, “which was wonderful and profound. I’m starting my second decade in NYC by conducting a performance exploration of “La Bohème” at Mannes School of Music, applying to grad school, and continuing to play freelance piano all over town. (Just recorded an accompaniment track with Willie Zabar for a comedy bit!)”

Sandy Bryant ran into Doug Eisenhart a few weeks ago who said that Henry continues to be well and keeps in touch with Pemi friends. Doug recently retired as Director of Career Services from Simmons College.

Jacob Smalley, former camper and Assistant Counselor in 2020, had this story to tell about running into a Pemi cabin mate: Jacob plays for a soccer club called GPS (Global Premier Soccer) and on the weekend after Thanksgiving, at a statewide tournament, he played against a team called the Boston Bolts. “It was bitterly cold and I wasn’t sure it was him at first,” writes Jacob, “but when I got onto the field, I heard his teammates say his name and sure enough, it was Arlo Grey! Arlo was in my cabin in Senior 2!”

IN MEMORIAM

Pemi received word that Wes Ackley died on January 10^th, his obituary can be found here. Wes spent 10 total summers at Pemi, starting as a camper in 1952 and then for a number of years on staff in the early 1960s. During his years on staff, he served as the leader of the Intermediate Campcraft and Trip Program, introducing countless boys to the mountains.

Bill Dickerman died on January 14 at his home in Rindge, NH. Bill’s tenure at Pemi started in 1958 as a camper, and over the course of his 11 summers he dutifully led the Junior Camp as a Division Head and Head of Junior Camp. In 1977 & 1978, Bill served as the Assistant Director, overseeing one of the most successful years of the Trip Program. A career educator, Bill loved the outdoors.

Paul Greene passed away on December 27, 2019 shares daughter Carolyn Dalgliesh. “He was an amazing man and will be missed tremendously. He truly loved his summers at Camp Pemi and passed on the gift and love of summer camp to all of his children and grandchildren.”

Ray Murphy died on December 22, 2019, he was 86 years old. He and his younger brothers, Bill and Bob, attended Pemi from 1944 to 1948. Ray enjoyed playing in the Silver Coronet Band during his Pemi days and loved playing five different instruments. He played baseball and enjoyed swimming as well!

Ray’s love of Pemi led him to send Dan (1971 to 1975) and Patrick (1977 – 1982) as second generation campers! In more recent history, a third generation of the Murphy family tree graced the shores of Lower Baker with Danny and Jacob Murphy and James Minzesheimer all attending in the 2000’s. Danny is now in his second year at Georgetown Law School and will be competing in the Moot Court National Championship this February in NYC. He has accepted an Internship with Ropes and Gray in Boston for the Summer of 2020. Dan, the elder, has enjoyed meeting a few Pemi alums while working on Nantucket in the summer. He also continues to enjoy his work as a Trustee and Vice-President of the Rittner Fund.

ALUMNI NEWS

Scott Anthony offers the following – Since it has been over 50 years, I suppose it might be time for an update! I was a camper through CIT from 1957 through 1966, and, as I have told many people, the summers at Pemi basically influenced the entire course of my life. My professional life as a musician began with hearing Barney Prentice, a camper who was a year older than I in Lower 3 (I think) during the 1959 season, playing banjo. I was hooked! I now make half my living above Social Security playing banjo professionally, as I have for the last 50+ years (santhony.com/banjo). My love of nature, inspired by Clarence Dike at Pemi, led to a degree in Ecology at Dartmouth in 1970 and indirectly to my other career as a fine artist (santhony.com) that has relatively recently been re-ignited.

From 1974 to 2006, I lived in San Francisco where my ex-wife still lives in a house we built in 1978 up on Potrero Hill. From 1976 to 1984, I played intermissions for the Turk Murphy Jazz Band at Earthquake McGoon’s five nights a week, and during the day painted watercolor and acrylic landscapes and seascapes. I was a house-husband, helping to raise two wonderful daughters, my older one, Alix, a teacher at Julia Morgan School in Oakland and the other, Katie, an RN in Chapel Hill, NC. When the art market pretty much died around 1987 or 1988, I needed to find a new source of income so I taught myself computer programming and was first, a contract developer and then later an employee programmer with a couple of Bay Area companies. Since 2006, I have been living with my current wife, Karen, in Pacifica, just south of SF, playing lots of music, painting lots of paintings and occasionally writing software to fill personal or artistic needs. To keep my brain working I have also done a bunch of website work for the now defunct San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation (learning PHP and WordPress) and some book design and layout.

Very best wishes for 2020!!!

Jonathan Belinowiz (1968-1971) just started a new job with small Managed Service Provider (MSP) called FlightPath IT. FlightPath IT provides internet, security, backup, networking, cloud solutions and disaster recovery to medium and small businesses in the greater Boston area.

John Brossard (1965 & 1966) shares that he and his wife Amy are now grandparents of a beautiful little girl, Seraphina, born November 7.

(l-r) John’s son-in-law Heath Harmon, eldest daughter Aubrey Harmon, new daughter-in-law Laura Stebbins, daughter Anna, wife Mary and John.

John Carman (1964-1978) and his wife Mary are busy remodeling their home in Louisville, KY, and plan on visiting Maine and Pemi sometime this year. This past July, John’s daughter Anna, a Pemi West Alum (2006), married Laura Stebbins in Estes Park, Colorado. Both are medical professionals and plan to move back to Kentucky this year to be closer to their families.

Henry Chapman took a job in Kansas City working for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office studying homicides and non-fatal shootings. He just finished up a year on the road traveling with his girlfriend to 36 states, visiting State and National Parks on their way. They also hiked 1,200-miles on the Pacific Crest Trail!

Peter Cloutier shares an update, “Last summer, I started a new job as Growth & Partnerships Lead at ChaseDesign, a leading retail marketing, strategy, and design firm. They have offices in the Battery Park area in NYC, where I spend most days, and are headquartered in the finger lakes region of NY State in a small but beautiful town called Skaneateles. All good and loving the new challenge.” Son Matt Cloutier is currently interning with NPR’s Ted Radio Hour at their HQ offices in Washington, DC. The internship ends in late May, just the right timing for Pemi 2020!

Fred Fauver is volunteering on a build of a replica of Virginia, the first ship built in Maine, 1607, by the short-lived Popham colony of English settlers. https://mfship.org/

Emilie Geissinger writes in, “I have been living in Newfoundland, Canada for almost 4 years now working on my PhD in Biology at Memorial University. My research focuses on overwinter survival of young Atlantic cod. When I am not doing research, I am either volunteering as a coding instructor, teaching coding languages to researchers, or enjoying numerous outdoor activities in Newfoundland. I plan to finish my PhD in the next year (hopefully) and continue research in arctic and sub-arctic fish ecology (somewhere North).

AJ Guff is finishing up the 2nd year of a 2-year MBA program at University of Chicago Booth. He just accepted an offer to join Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Leveraged Finance team back in NYC after graduation. Soon, AJ will be participating in the Chicago Polar Bear Club’s Polar Plunge in Lake Michigan, deciding to raise money for the Rittner Fund, and has set up a donor page here: https://lpbcfundraising.com/participant/1201549 .

Davis Morrell, Jordan Morrell, and Dan Kasper

Dan Kasper and Jordan Morrell collectively checked a few items off of their bucket lists in recent months. First, they reunited in August in Seattle to catch the Rolling Stones performance—some 20+ years after they first saw the world’s greatest rock and roll band together. Then in October they came together to attend the World Series in DC and cheer on their beloved Washington Nationals to their first World Series victory. They were joined by Jordan’s brothers (and Pemi alums)—Jarrett and Geoff—as well as Jordan’s son, Davis, who will be attending Pemi this summer! They also met up with Pemi alum, Noah Trister, at the ballpark.

After 25 years of practicing law, Ben Larkin decided to do something completely different. He is now working with alumni, parents, and friends of New Hampton School – doing a little fundraising and spreading the good word about the school. He keeps in touch from time to time with Charlie Malcolm, Lance Latham, and Rob and Deb Grabill. And, of course, he sees a guy named Russ Brummer on just about a daily basis there on the campus at New Hampton.

In Feb of last year, Dave Nagle accepted a position at Actron Engineering, in Clearwater. They are an Aerospace and Defense contractor.

Walt Newcomb and his wife will celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary on the 3^rd of April. “We are writing this from Paris where we’ve spent the past 10 days with our son Charles (Chuck!) and his spouse. Bendy and I traveled to Vietnam for a week, then in Malaysia for 2 weeks, then on to Singapore for 5 days. Our daughter and son-in-law, Virginia & Chris Smith, are expecting their second child, a boy and potential future Pemi camper, in May. If all goes well, he may be the 4th Newcomb descendant to attend Pemi.” [Editors Note – Huzzah!]

Stephen Funk Pearson has recently added the Hemingway Cottage to the options at his property on Lake Winnisquam. They can now host 35 plus people in their cabins. “NH Audubon let me know that the first Osprey nest in the Lakes Region (since the 60’s) has produced 43 fledged chicks in its 20 years of service. (cabinsonthecove.com).

Peter Rapelye moved back to Massachusetts last year after 15 years in Princeton, NJ, where his wife Janet was Dean of Admissions at Princeton University. She is now President of COFHE, headquartered at MIT. Peter has been elected Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society.

Matt Sherman is working for Tesla in Reno, Nevada, but this past year had the chance to work on some projects at the new Shanghai Gigafactory. He was there for almost two months as part of getting electric cars to more of the world’s population faster.

Dan atop of Mt. Cube

In the meantime, Matt has enjoyed exploring the Lake Tahoe area on hikes in the summer and ski weekends in the winter.

Dan Snyder writes, “I spent the fall of 2019 recharging after handing over the keys at MolecularMD and looking for the next chapter. My recharging included a week in New Hampshire and a beautiful Fall hike up Cube. I recently took a role to leading the commercial efforts at Tasso, a Seattle based venture that has developed a new user friendly, painless blood collection device for a range of testing applications. No more finger pricks 🙂 Excited to work with this great team of people.”

Good luck, long life, and joy! –Kenny Moore

Pemi Counselor Internship Initiative

Posted on January 9, 2020 by kmoore

In the fall of 2018, Pemi identified an emerging challenge and started to brainstorm. Increasingly, our best staff members were finding it difficult to return for that third or fourth season, the one where their wisdom and experience make a huge difference for the Pemi community. Instead, in this intensely competitive national work climate, they felt pressure to diversify their resumes by securing a professional internship to improve their odds at landing an ideal job. So we thought, our alumni and parent networks are vast; let’s connect our most talented counselors—the ones we really want to keep in the fold for an additional summer or two—with a 4-to 6-week internship designed to take place between the end of their undergraduate school year in the early spring and before the start of their summer work at Pemi. By facilitating our counselors in this way, we might also allow them to extend their time at Pemi, taking on positions with increased responsibilities that they are unlikely to be offered in other work settings. We called our idea the “Pemi Counselor Internship Initiative.”

The Program Launches

For over a century, counselors at Pemi have developed essential life skills that are sought after in the wider world: leadership techniques, oral and written communication skills, time-management routines, the ability to solve problems and guide others to do the same, and all while working with others in a communal setting. Generations of counselors who have graduated to the broader working world tell us that these skills that they acquired during their summers as counselors at Pemi have served them incredibly well in any number of professional work settings.

So, last winter, we asked three alumni about Pemi’s idea to facilitate meaningful connections for our counselors through professional internships. They not only responded enthusiastically, but each went on to create a spring internship position within his field, allowing three talented Pemi counselors to gain crucial professional experience and to return to work at camp for the summer. We give hearty thanks to Greg Bowes (Albright Capital, Washington, D.C.), Bob Hogue (In-Depth Engineering, Columbia, MD), and Roger McEniry (Dolan McEniry Capital Management LLC, Chicago, IL) for helping us launch the Pemi Counselor Internship Initiative.

Year 1 of the Pemi Counselor Internship Initiative

Daniel coaching 10 and Under Basketball

After nine summers at Pemi—seven as a camper and two as a counselor—Daniel Bowes hoped to return to Pemi in 2019. Daniel, an Economics major in the College of Business and Economics at Lehigh University, also sought a traditional internship in financial services, economics, or consulting fields that would be a valuable steppingstone to serve his long-term professional goals. Daniel was conflicted, as an internship would rule out a return to Pemi, even though he was ready to assume a position at camp that would give him greater managerial experience.

Alumnus Roger McEniry, managing partner of Dolan McEniry Capital Management LLC, started his Pemi career as a camper in 1967 and after six summers, began a distinguished career as a Pemi counselor and Division Head. When Roger learned about Daniel’s professional goals, he sponsored a 5-week internship positioned between Daniel’s last exam at Lehigh and his first summer obligation at Pemi so he might, “learn new, practical skills and build his resumé and then return to Pemi to fill an important role that would benefit the camp community.”

While at Dolan McEniry, Daniel was exposed to the intricacies of the corporate bond market, from researching market factors to investing protocols to evaluating the quality of companies. Daniel shared, “I learned how to act professionally in an office setting, received resumé guidance, and went through mock interview situations. I continued my practice with Microsoft Excel and applied concepts from class work such as financial statement analysis.” Daniel entered his internship with excellent “soft skills” that he’d developed as a counselor at Pemi, including listening closely and communicating clearly, team building, and personal accountability, which served him well in building rapport with his new mentors. “The investment team was generous with their time, expertise, and patience,” said Daniel. “They gave me meaningful projects, provided excellent guidance, and encouraged questions.” Roger was equally positive. “We loved having Daniel at Dolan McEniry. He was great to have around, made a solid contribution in a short period of time, and learned a lot.”

Ned presenting Daniel with his 10 Year Tie

Daniel’s 2019 summer, his 10th total at Pemi, was also a great success. Assuming the demanding position of Junior Camp Division Head, he oversaw a staff of 10 counselors and 40 boys and did an excellent job guiding our youngest Division. His peers awarded him with the Joe Campbell Award at the end of the summer, given to the Pemi Counselor who brings (among other attributes) integrity, generosity, and happiness to others. Daniel’s two summer opportunities—an internship in finance and an increased position of leadership at Pemi—both contributed to his continued growth (and his standout resumé), while both organizations benefitted from his participation.

Pemi counselors Ned Roosevelt and Patterson Malcolm shared similar outstanding experiences. Ned’s 5-week internship at Albright Capital in Washington, D.C. offered him the chance to enhance his technical skills in Microsoft Excel and Bloomberg Terminal but to also learn about the field of emerging markets private investments. Ned is currently a Senior at Wheaton College studying Business Administration and Management. In being able to have a solid internship and then return to Pemi in the role of Lower Division Head, Ned said, “A large part of why my experience was so positive during my internship was because of the support from the people at Albright Capital. I, in turn, wanted to help create a positive experience for everyone at camp this summer.”

Patterson, majoring in Engineering at Swarthmore College, was given the rare opportunity at In-Depth Engineering in Columbia, MD, whose core business is the development of software systems for the United States Department of Defense. Patterson was given challenging and rewarding tasks, furthering his coding skills to improve himself as an engineer. He noted, “In-Depth really used their program to help further the development of their interns. I felt supported from the top-down and part of the team.” Patterson is currently exploring the possibility of joining In-Depth for further employment in the future.

Patterson coaching 12 and Under Soccer

In both cases, their practical experience in a professional setting furthered their understanding in their respective disciplines and subsequently enhanced their managerial and supervisory roles at Pemi. Again, a win-win for all involved and a model of the Pemi network in action.

Next Steps

Given the successful launch of this program, we are looking to further grow the Pemi Counselor Internship Initiative, and are asking members of the extended Pemi community—especially our Alumni and Parent networks—to consider sponsoring an internship for a qualified, ambitious staff member who will bring the strong skills and community values developed through his work at Pemi.

This year’s veteran staff members are particularly strong, and are looking for experiences in the following fields. If you are involved or connected in any of these areas, or are in another field and interested in sponsoring an internship or by assisting in professional networking, please be in touch.

computer science
engineering
politics
finance
marketing & advertising
publishing

Thank you for supporting the Pemi community in our ongoing efforts to retain strong role models at camp while remaining relevant in today’s competitive environment. Key internships will allow us to keep these outstanding young adults—Pemi’s “culture bearers”—for one or two more summers where they can do a world of good for campers before they move on to their future successful professions.

Kenny Moore

Kenny Moore Promoted To Director

Posted on %2$s by dreed

Kenny Moore

The Pemi Board of Directors, together with Danny Kerr, are thrilled to announce that Kenny Moore will be joining Danny as fellow Director, effective immediately. Kenny’s much-deserved promotion marks the final step of a management plan that was conceived several years ago in order to bolster Pemi’s top leadership for decades to come.

Danny reports, “I am delighted to join the Pemi Board in welcoming Kenny to his new position. Kenny and I have worked closely together, side by side, over the past six years as Director and Associate Director. What a pleasure it now is to have Kenny ascend to the position of full Director! I look forward to many summers working with Kenny and offering campers a life-changing experience on the shores of Lower Baker Pond.”

Kenny’s tenure at Pemi already spans decades. First arriving in 1992 as a camper in Junior Five, he progressed all the way through the cabin ranks, finishing up in the Lake Tent in 1997. In 1999, he began his long and distinguished staff career, first as an Assistant Counselor and, over the next twenty-one years, moving up the ranks as Cabin Counselor, Junior, Upper, and Senior Division Head, Head of the Waterfront, Assistant Director of Athletics, Head of Program, Assistant Director, Director of Alumni Relations, Director of Pemi West, and Associate Director. The number of roles he has assumed must be some sort of Pemi record and attests to his love of Pemi and ability to step in wherever he is needed.

Kenny and Sarah with their son, Winston

Even as a camper, Kenny demonstrated an unparalleled enthusiasm for Pemi’s program and culture, throwing himself into every day with a cheerful energy that brought everyone around him along for the ride. In 2002, his infectious good humor and innate capacity to foster community garnered him the Joe Campbell Award, an accolade given by peers to the staff member whose character and impact on Pemi recall one of the best and most beloved counselors in Pemi history. Kenny’s long service on staff has progressively revealed the organizational ability, the meticulous attention to detail, the vision, and the judgment required of a leader, but the irrepressible sense of fun that was there from the very beginning will unquestionably be one of Pemi’s great blessings moving forward.

Kenny graduated from Kenyon College and earned his master’s degree in Education from University School’s Teacher Apprentice Program at Ursuline College before going on to teach and coach at Lake Ridge Academy in Cleveland. He is married to Sarah Evans, his high school sweetheart, fellow Kenyon grad, and third generation camper herself. Their son Winston, born in September of 2017, has already reserved his bunk in Junior One for the summer of 2025.

Kenny, Danny, and the Board are extremely excited for him to join Danny as a full partner in the team mould of the original founders of Pemi. Please join us in congratulating Kenny on the latest step in his distinguished Pemi career and in celebrating our good fortune in having him assume a deserved place in the top echelon of Pemi leadership.

Tom Reed, Jr.

Alumni Magazine – 2019 Preview

Posted on %2$s by kmoore

Welcome to the next installment of the Pemigewassett Alumni Newsletter. In this edition, we will preview the coming summer with an update on 2019’s campers, staff, and facility.

CAMPERS

Pemi’s 112th campaign provides a healthy mix of campers from around the country and the world. Boys from twenty-six states will travel to Pemi for the summer, along with a recent record number of international campers. Seventy-five campers will be with us for the full summer and all told, two hundred and fifty-three boys will be Pemi campers. Approximately 30% of our campers this summer are legacies, boys whose father, grandfather, uncle, etc. were once campers or staff members. Alumni have been wonderful advocates of the Pemi experience, spreading news about camp far and near. We are very thankful to all members of our community who share the joy of Pemi.

The Junior Lodge

Our retention of 2018 campers was very high, with roughly 85% of those eligible to do so choosing to return. Seventy-two boys will be in their first summer at Pemi and on the flip side, fifty-five boys will be in their fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth summer! We love having this range of Pemi experience, as our savvy veterans are eager to welcome new camp friends to the Pemi family. Every Pemi camper remembers his first summer at camp and how warm and supportive the community was during their first few days. In order to create this environment, we speak to all veteran campers about how to demonstrate leadership with a friendly, guiding hand.

Pemi West, relocated to Colorado this year, has eleven participants. Click here to read about the newly revamped Pemi West Program. Excitement surrounds the tremendous outdoor opportunities with our partner, Deer Hill Expeditions, from canoeing down the San Juan River, to service with the native Navajo population, to hiking in the San Juan Mountains. Stay tuned for updates and pictures!

STAFF

The boys are in for a real treat this summer with the staff that Team Pemi has assembled. In the counselor ranks, 80% of our cabin staff were once Pemi boys, former campers with a burning desire to return to share their love of camp with the next generation. Sixty percent of our counselors have been staff members before, many for multiple summers. This veteran group of counselors will set high leadership standards for the entire counseling staff.

2018 – Senior 1 Nick Bertrand in purple shirt.

Most Program Heads return to Pemi from 2018, complimented by newly appointed Program Heads who’ve come directly from the talent pool of Pemi-grown instructors. Michaella Frank, in her fifth Pemi summer, will run our music department; Sam Papel will be our Head of Trips; Nick Davini will be the Pemi West Director, Erik Wiedenmann will be the Head of Staff; and Will Meinke will be our Assistant Head of Staff and Head of ACs. Three-year veteran staff members, Chloe Jacques and Hattie McLeod, will run the sailing program and canoeing program respectively.

Our Division Heads have vast Pemi experience: three are former boys with multiple years on staff and the fourth is a five-year veteran counselor. More details about our staff will be forthcoming with the traditional self-introductions in the next edition of the Pemi Blog. For now, we profile one of our Division Heads, Nick Bertrand.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Nick Bertrand leads the Senior Camp in 2019. Nick’s Pemi story began in 2006 as a camper. After eight years as a camper and a stint on Pemi West in 2014, Nick will be in his fourth year on staff. A rising senior at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Nick is a Biomedical Engineering major with a minor in Mechanical Engineering. His affinity towards science and math started early in life with an interest in solving puzzles and problems. The Biomedical field offers an opportunity to investigate the way our bodies interface with technology, a study that fascinates him.

This past spring, Nick earned valuable work experience at a five month co-op program with the Engineering Materials Group of Parker Hannifin Corporation. After graduation, Nick hopes to work with prosthetics in a research and design role. Nick is a member of the men’s varsity soccer team, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, and Theta Tau, the professional engineering fraternity.

Nick (front row, third from left) with his J-1 cabin mates during the All-Camp Photo in 2006.

Serving as the leader of the Senior Camp brings back memories of Nick’s first summer at Pemi in 2006. “My parents dropped me off in junior camp and left to bring my brother back up to seniors. I was terrified, looking around the cabin at the other beds, not really hearing my counselor Michael Bryant instruct me on how to organize my stacks of clothes. Then two boys in the cabin came right up to me, introduced themselves, and asked if I wanted a tour. Ben Conklin and Matt Kanovsky made it so easy for me to adjust to camp life just by being kind and helpful to me. I credit them a lot for my love of camp because if they had not been so nice right off the bat, who knows what would have happened that first year.”

Nick is excited about his role as the Senior Camp Division Head. “I remember my years in Senior Camp quite well because of how much I enjoyed them. This year I hope to bring that same level of joy to the boys. Seniors typically get a few more privileges than the rest of camp, and I hope to create an environment where they can show that they truly deserve these privileges by becoming leaders and being engaged in all aspects of camp.”

FACILITY UPDATE

Pemi’s tireless Buildings and Grounds team continues their excellent work in beautifying our wonderful facility. Improvements and enhancements can be seen throughout camp. Here are a few highlights:

– Substantial work was done this fall installing larger culverts under the camp road to improve the flow of the streams off of Pemi Hill.

Upper 1 – So fresh and so clean!

– A new recycling platform was poured behind the loading dock of the Mess Hall to refine our collection efforts.

– Upper 1 and Lower 5 received a fresh new interior look with new bunks, shelves, and a refinished floor. The most lavish feature in the updated cabins are newly-designed windows that glide gently to the side, allowing for improved airflow and also brilliant protection from any weather.

– Along with U1 and L5, other Intermediate Hill residents will enjoy a stunning new Polar Bear stone-path that replaces the steep, wooden stairs.

– New stand-up paddle boards will grace Lower Baker Pond, along with the Malibu ski-boat and its rebuilt engine.

– The office floor was refinished.

– Improved hot water tanks will fuel showers in the Intermediate Shower House, a new roof protects the Junior Lodge, and the three Squish houses have been updated.

Some exciting plans are in the works for new capital improvements, but stay tuned for more word on that in a future Pemi publication. Until then,

Good luck, long life, and joy!

Kenny

Alumni Magazine – News and Notes – January 2019

Posted on January 26, 2019 by kmoore

Welcome to the next installment of the Alumni Newsletter. This edition, Alumni News and Notes, offers updates from members of our Alumni Community. We invite you to write your own update in the comments section of the blog post via the Pemi website.