WHICH CAMP IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

Dear Friends,

While the days are getting longer, it’s still very much winter here in Plymouth as we put this issue of the Interim to bed and send it out.  

You can see the full Interim HERE

In this issue of the Interim, we’ve included stories of growth, of creativity, and resilience. We share an inside look at how camp staff innovated and persevered to give campers engaging, enriching summer experiences in 2021, from hiking to harvesting wild materials to managing invasive species. It was my first camp season at F&W, and it was beautiful, humbling, overwhelming, and inspiring all at once!

You’ll meet Helen Thorgalsen and Bonnie Clement, F&W grandparents, who share why they are committed to ensuring their granddaughter Chloe has her own camp experience. You’ll meet Wyldon Fishman, a former IB, Tamarack Farm, and Family Camp participant who returned ten years ago as an employee and parent. You’ll meet the new and improved Tamarack Farm, which will offer skill-building and project-based immersive experiences to teen campers in 2022! 

I am excited for you to read about our conservation efforts and how F&W and our affiliated conservation organization,Nineveh Foundation, protect and care for our special patch of Vermont and how our campers enjoyed our land and lakes this summer. You will also read about adventures such as a backflip off the rope swing, making a spoon, and a goat solo in “Profile of a TL’er.

We start 2022 with a refreshed mission ...

Joyful play. Purposeful work. Rugged Outdoor Living.

Our camps and conservation efforts teach timeless skills and kindle the spirit within.

And we start 2022 with values that speak to who we are and strive to be AND the impact we want to make as an organization. As you read, you’ll learn about our goals for building partnerships with new organizations (and strengthening our current partnerships) to build a more inclusive camp community that represents the socio-economic, racial and ethnic diversity in our country.  You’ll learn more about our plans to attract and prepare a committed and dynamic team of camp staff for 2022, and how you can get involved in growing the F&W family.

The generosity of our community continues to fuel our efforts. A giant thank you to all who gave to the annual fund in 2021, and I hope you see the impact of your gifts in all we do.

I’ll leave you with this blessing by Bridit Anna McNeill, which a friend shared with me this morning.

May the stories of the old ones, the ancient ones, the land and the trees, the plants and the earth be whispered to you.

May you warm your toes by the hearth side as the land starts to speak in the cold and old icy voice of winter, the voice that appears when we pass the mid winter mark; the voice that talks in stories of growth, of becoming, of new slates and brand new mossy gateways.

May you be comforted by the fire that can be lit inside your body, by the light you hold inside, the light of love, forgiveness and passion.

Rest well dear one, warm your bones and listen in the silence, in the cold, for the rustling of truth telling that comes from the earth and the air, the rustling of the newness that springs from the compost of the old.

In peace,

Frances McLaughlin

Executive Director

F&W’s beloved former Director of Development for many years, Thomas Henning, passed away unexpectedly on December 27th, 2021.

“Thomas and I hit it off in his interview for the position of Capital Campaign Director, and our friendship grew from there,” said Kristi Webb, Clerk of the F&W Board of Trustees. “He grew into the role of Development Director and events planner, but we quickly saw his talents in marketing and communications and took advantage of them. He was a very hard worker and problem-solver, funny, loving, and compassionate, but above all, Thomas had vision. He could see down the road to where we could be in the months and years ahead. He and I were joined at the hip for about five years, and I am struggling to adjust to a world without Thomas in it.”

In Thomas’ obituary (click here for link) his family shared, “Fiercely Loyal are the words that immediately come to mind when describing Thomas. The very essence of Thomas’s character was to be there for family & friends…EVERY SINGLE TIME. He practiced an unparalleled level of self-discipline & accountability to ensure his best self & strength was readily available whenever a loved one was in need. He was literally “the fixer” of the family, the one who would manage through any difficult tasks in every situation to alleviate as much pain as he could, by taking it upon himself.

Those who sincerely loved Thomas and shared in his life, knew he was nothing short of a HERO. An extraordinary man who set the bar for all. His unwavering love, loyalty and support has influenced so many people, and has brought peace & security to lives when it was most needed.”

A Celebration of Life for Thomas will be planned in the spring. Please join in mourning this important member of the F&W team.

“It is an inspiring time to be at Farm & Wilderness,” said Kristi Webb, Clerk of the F&W Board of Trustees. “In addition to hosting a successful summer of camp during a global pandemic, the F&W team ended 2021 with a new mission statement, refreshed values, and a brand new website.” 

Indeed, the F&W team and Board of Trustees has been hard at work over the past year refreshing and redefining how we think about and what defines Farm & Wilderness. 

“Our refreshed mission and values will help me and the F&W team as we make decisions every day. We have already seen our refreshed values introduced in team meetings as we discuss and debate an important topic our team must tackle,” says Frances McLaughlin, F&W Executive Director. 

In addition to F&W’s refreshed mission and values, the team also rolled out a new website this fall. The goal of the new website was to provide a more streamlined experience for camper families and the F&W community. The new website includes improved features, such as our camp finder tool. Camp families can use the new camp finder tool to find the right camp for their children by age, gender identity, dates, and more. 

Watch the Mission and Values said aloud by some of our Special Edition 2021 Summer staff. Below the video you'll find the full text version. 

F&W’s New Mission Statement: 

Joyful Play. Purposeful Work. Rugged Outdoor Living.

Our camps and conservation efforts teach timeless skills and kindle the spirit within.

F&W’s Refreshed Values 

We honor our Quaker roots and are guided by Quaker values and practices:

Simplicity

We believe in the radical notion of unplugged resourcefulness and restful stillness

We minimize that which separates us from one another and the natural world

Living simply prepares each of us to find ourselves

Peace

We cultivate peace: first within ourselves, then the world

We are called to speak our truths compassionately

It's not easy, and it’s worth the struggle

Integrity

We strive to embody our beliefs in our actions

We are mindful of our intentions and are each responsible for our impact

Keeping our word and keeping it real

Community

We gather in joyous service to each other and the land

We honor traditions that guide us and they must not bind us

Inclusivity facilitates belonging

Equity

We take our place alongside others working towards a more just world

We confront societal forces that divide, degrade, and dehumanize

The work is never done; we lift as we rise

Sustainability

We are not separate from the land, the water, and the life all around us

We work with humility for the well-being of our planet, now and for future generations

Living in nature sparks curiosity and wonder, and that’s what we’re here for.