Strong enrollment, a great staff and perfect weather made for a fun and happy 99th season for our campers. While offering the campers the experience of a lifetime, much was accomplished in all aspects of camp.

Last year, your annual fund donations were used for a variety of enhancements to the facility. We are excited to have the new, dedicated arena soccer area. We played host (as the only camp to have such a facility) to our annual arena soccer tournament: the arenasoccerthon! We also put up a tennis backboard, painted the ‘new’ basketball court, began the dining hall facelift and re-routed the power lines coming into camp.

With the re-routing of the power lines, the amazing view from our perch atop the Knoll is bursting forth. Commencing soon will be significant clearing to further open the view to Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountains as well as the Ossipee Mountain Range.

With the savvy talent we had amongst our staff this past summer, we have created all new promotional material including a new DVD, brochure and website. If you know someone that may be interested in camp, please let us know and we’ll send them the material. We have also beefed up our presence on Facebook so you can follow all the action at camp. Be sure to become a ‘friend’ of Bill Larry.

Through the amazing commitment of many members of the camp family, we continue to plan for the camp’s 100th anniversary celebration. We hope you plan to join us at camp from August 31 through September 2, 2013 for the festivities. We are also raising funds to build the new Centennial Lodge. Please support us in this important effort.

With fall upon us and the camp shuttered for the season, it is time to prepare for 2012. I am anticipating another excellent season in 2012. Already, many staff had indicated that they will be returning. And campers will soon be notified of the early registration discount available in December. I expect a lot of enthusiasm.

Please be sure to light your candle on Christmas eve and join us at the annual reunion in Newton, MA on January 6.

- Nat

 

Mini-reunions aren’t just for Americans! Here is a report from Kate Pietrzykowska in England:

Does anyone remember Ryan ‘I know how to drill’ Hewitt? Of course you do....This year Ryan and Nicola plus their two children Kade and Zahra were based at Nicola’s Mum and Dad during 4 summer months. Yes, that’s right, not in New Zealand but south of England. What a brilliant opportunity to meet up. Back in August then, Tom ‘Rah’ Oxtoby and Kate Unpronounceable battled through congested highways, broken down car, car rescue and finally the car scrapage to make their way down south to visit. It was great to see both Ryan and Nicola in good spirits and their kids playing around. Within an eye blink afternoon turned into the evening and evening turned into the late night so Tom and Kate crashed on the living room floor and only said goodbye the following morning. Hopefully it will be less than 5 years till the next meeting. Good times!

Wedding News!

Ryan and Nicola got married at WLC in September 2003, and it appears that the wedding ‘bug’ has finally caught up with the rest of the WLC gang.

On August 28th, 2011, it was Cammy McClean and Mabel Wong. Brave McLean was joined by Braves Simpson and Oxtoby — taking notes, perhaps?

On October 8th, it was Curtie Jewell and Jennifer Christian. Jon Magri, Damon Neish, Jon Swanson, Drew Duncan, Buddy Chronister, Paul Gallagher, Scott Giessler, Don Dermond and Director Crane cheered them on.

On October 17th, Redge Vaughn followed suit and got married to Michelle Anderson. In that tux, son Nixon looks nearly ready to be a camper!

On Saturday November 5th, the one and only Kyle Henry Page said ‘yes’ to Charmaine. Looking on and sharing Kyle’s joy was another WLC alumni, Craig Watt. Craig and his fiancée Vicki Gould jetted all the way down to New Zealand for the happy occasion and mini WLC reunion none the less. Congratulations to both couples!

While we’re on the subject of Pages, we learned that there will soon be one more! Phil “Leppy” Page and his wife are expecting another child! A little girl is due to join their family in March!

In January 2012, Daniel ‘DJ’ Jordan and his fiancée Natalie say ‘I do’. Did the bride ride down the aisle on the motocross bike? DJ – we are awaiting the details, for now though... massive congrats!

Fast forward to July 2012 and there will be another wedding. This time we are moving to the northern hemisphere to celebrate the nuptials of Kenny Simpson and Sara Forsell – proper WLC couple as they both worked at the camp. Kenny and Sara reside in Sweden but the wedding is to take place in Dunoon in Scotland. What fantastic news and fingers crossed for all the preparations to go beautifully!

Finally, Tom 'Rah' Oxtoby and Kate Pietrzykowska spent their holidays in Australia visiting Tom’s brother. They go off to Mt Arapiles State Park in Victoria and on top of the first rock climb Tom... surprise, surprise ....pops the question! There is even a ring to seal the deal but a special ring – made out of climbing cord. What a man! That means that another occasion for a WLC reunion is now firmly on the horizon.

 

New Members of the Camp Family!

 

 

Inaugurated last year, a new tradition has been born as alumni Braves assembled for our second annual Alumni Braves Weekend. Braves from the past joined Braves from the present for a fun Council Ring on Saturday evening, August 6.

Alumni Braves included Derick Kopff, Nate Sargent, Dan Seaman, John Swanson, Neil Hulbert, James Goldkamp, Damon Neish, Dan Fitzpatrick, Patrick Rae, Paul Gallagher and Jay Chuck.

Alumni Braves arrived for lunch on Saturday and stayed through Brunch on Sunday. One of their contributions was a review of the boxes of camp memorabilia that have accumulated over the years. We continue to process through the material, which will be very helpful when writing our 100 year history of camp, a project presently underway.

The Braves Council Ring was scheduled for Saturday night along with Lone Vigils. Alumni Braves took part in visiting vigil sites throughout the night. The General Store Run took place Sunday before brunch with several of the alumni Braves taking part. A great time was had by all.

All alumni Braves are encouraged to join us for the weekend of August 4th and 5th in 2012. Come and re-live the powerful memories of camp and reconnect with old friends.

 

Scott “Goose” Giessler began his 20-year association with the camp in 1984. Scott was a 10-year-old Middler in his first year in Beebe cabin, with Mitch Hayes and John “Ike” Fortini for counselors and Matt “Santa” Albrecht for CIT. Over the next 4 summers, he was in Ossipee cabin as a Middler, and then spent two Senior years in Chocorua and one in Moose. During this period, he acquired the nickname “Goose,” originally given to his brother, Todd. He spent his CIT year under Sergio Kiehl, followed by a year as a Junior Counselor, and then two summers as a regular counselor.

It was in 1992, during his 9th year, that he completed his 18 tests and became a Brave, standing alongside Jamey Russell. He recalls that it was pretty exhausting completing the Final 5 while being a staff member at that time, as the Lone Vigil occurred on the evening of Carnival night! He remembers he had a lot of trouble staying awake, but also found it hard to keep his fire lit. Unfortunately, no sooner had he returned to his cabin to get some much needed sleep, then the traditional all-camp Baseball game began. It seemed like, every time he would finally drop into sleep, a foul ball would slam into the side of his cabin!

Scott mistakenly thought he was done with camp after that summer. Having graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Television and Broadcast, he took an internship for summer of ’93. But, he returned to the Knoll as the waterfront director for his 10th year in 1994, during Nat Crane’s second summer as Director. For the period of 1995 through 2000, Scott took several jobs in the areas of video and speech, eventually ending up in Los Angeles working for an entertainment marketing firm. During this time, he also married his college sweetheart, Phoebe Van Scoy. After being laid off in May of 2001, one day Phoebe said “Call Nat.” Nat had a place for him that very summer. Grateful for the offer, but overwhelmed with thoughts of a sudden move, Scott said he’d have to think about it. It didn’t take him long to say, “That’s it, we’re going.” At that point, other events also fell into place. Kingswood High School needed a theatre teacher for that fall.

That first summer back, Scott was LIT director and Assistant Head Counselor under Dave Hopkinson. When Dave did not return for summer 2003, Goose stepped up to Head Counselor, a position he held in 2004 and 2005, as well. His first son, Tommy, was born in April of 2004. He stayed home with Tommy during the summer of 2006 when second son, Elliott, was born. He was glad to help his family, but missed camp greatly. In 2007 he returned as Assistant Director, where he remains to this day.

While Nat Crane is always at the top of his list, Scott feels he has worked with many extraordinary people at camp, including friends from “way back” such as Jamey Russell, Jon Neske, Garrett Frawley, and Phil Page, who are almost role models. He continues to be awed by many of our Program Directors, such as our illustrious Louis Doig, who can find ways to motivate everyone to move the boat forward each day and have a great time doing it! And he is grateful that so many of the young counselors regard him as a friend and peer.

No one whose life has been touched in some way by Goose could be unaware of his love of and talent for the theatre. Goose is very busy in the off-season, teaching Multimedia classes and Child Care classes at the Region 9 Vocational Center, running the theatre program for Kingswood High School, and being Auditorium Coordinator for the new Kingswood Arts Center. Oldest son Tommy is now 7 and spent his first 2 weeks as a camper this past summer. Son Elliott is now 5 and can’t wait for his turn to come. Phoebe is currently running a daycare at their home and authoring a delightful Facebook BLOG about the joys and trials of training for running events while being pregnant.

Goose continues to maintain that, while he is incredibly honored to be given the Owen Carle award, what he has gotten back from camp is many times greater than what he has given. A foundation in his formative years, a siren call in his periods away, camp centers his life and continues to this day to inspire how he talks to students and solves problems in all areas of his life.

 

Just before he passed, I had the privilege of sitting down and interviewing Owen M. Carle himself. This was an extraordinary experience as I was sitting with a very large piece of the camp’s history, and for an hour or so, I had a virtual time machine at my disposal to look back into that history. Then this year I was humbled with the gift of a plaque with Owen’s name on it.

I was talking to Anne about this event, and one of the things I told her was that I am not one of the camp’s best employees, I’m just the guy who’s stayed at the party longer than most. Anne asked me if there were any counselors in particular that stood out to me as the best. After thinking about it, I realized that most counselors I have known have been a role model for me, I’ve just never really thought about it.

To be a William Lawrence counselor demands brilliance. That was true in Owen’s time, and it’s still true now. It requires resilience, stamina, creativity, patience and energy. As I get older, I know that this stamina is waning away. Time and time again I get a front row seat to it and I learn. I’m thirty-eight years old and sixteen, seventeen, eighteen-year old counselors continue to teach me with that brilliance.

I don’t stick around camp because I think I’m giving something, I stick around camp because I think I’m getting something. I think about my camp brothers, Garrett, Jamey, Phil, Dave, Jon, and so many others who have taught me humanity, and how a man can be strong, thoughtful and caring, yet at the same time be a man. I look at our staff today, and they carry on and improve that tradition. In other words, parents, know that every summer your children are in very good hands!

- Scott Giessler aka Goose

 

Our capital campaign for the Centennial Lodge was officially announced at the recent reunions in Massachusetts and New Jersey.

For those who have lived camp, you are aware that we are desperately in need of additional program space. To meet this need, we are hoping to build the Centennial Lodge in time for our 2013 season... and our 100th anniversary celebration!

To be located between the infirmary and the chalet with spectacular views of the lakes and mountains, this exciting new addition will provide much needed indoor space for rainy day program and more. At present, we have only two areas for use during rainy days: the barn and the library/rec-room. The lodge will allow us to provide indoor recreation for each unit. We are also short on dedicated program areas for fly tying and weight-lifting.

The Centennial Lodge will have a large open space on its main floor with a field stone fireplace on one end of the room and a stage on the other. The downstairs will house fly tying, a weight room and additional space for storage or future program needs. Fly tying now competes with arts & crafts and the weights interfere with the use of the barn.

Functionally, the Centennial Lodge will provide significant benefit to camp and we are sure that it will get extensive use. It is also critical to continue to invest in camp to remain competitive. We hope that you will support us in this very important undertaking.

- Nat Crane

Things are looking good for the upcoming season. At this point in time, enrollment is tracking ahead of the past two years. We had an amazing season last summer with a great group of staff, engaged campers and unbelievable weather. With a slight rebound in consumer confidence, we should be in really good shape in 2011. However, it remains critical that we all spread the good word about this amazing place. Strong enrollment equals a strong camp.

One of the byproducts of a recession is the challenge for younger guys to find summer jobs. As a result, we benefit. For the third year in a row, over 90% of our staff will be made up of folks who have been with us before. The staff this year is particularly strong with most having been campers here in the past.

Louis, Goose and I have been in regular contact throughout the off season as we prepare for the summer. We are all looking forward to the excitement and energy. It’s hard to believe that our first seasonal staff arrivals will be here May 1. Soon, we will be able to get back outside finishing up projects from last fall (arena soccer, tennis backboard, power line relocation, painting courts and more) and getting camp ready. All are welcome to join us for Service Weekend on May 7.

The alumni reunions in March were a great success as we begin building momentum for our 100th anniversary celebration in 2013. As a result, we are going to do them again next March. I often think that younger guys think that reunions are for older generations. Not so. These reunions are for everyone. There is nothing more common and powerful than the memories we all share of our time at WLC.

I look forward to seeing everyone in the coming months, whether at Service Weekend, during camp, for Braves Weekend, Family Camp or future camp gatherings.

- Nat Crane

 

Several dozen of the WLC faithful just couldn’t wait until 2013 to start celebrating the Centennial. Current campers, parents and trustees joined campers from as far back as 1940 for an extended three hour lunch to reconnect with old camp friends and make some new ones. There were two sessions: at the Concord Inn in Concord, MA (March 20th) and at the Forest Field Club in Bloomfield, NJ (March 27th). Continuously playing camp photos and videos from last summer were on big screens to help set the summertime mood. Have a look at the event photos.

Lucy Hancock’s Centennial Celebration Committee was polling the crowd for ideas for the WLC centennial celebration scheduled for Labor Day weekend in 2013 on the Knoll. If you weren’t there to make your suggestions in person, you can still register your suggestions for the celebration by completing the survey. Better yet, why not set your inner party planner free by joining Lucy’s planning crew. You can reach her at lucynhancock@gmail.com.

A current camper, possibly not fully appreciating the subtleties of fund-raising or rendering software, was heard to ask “Is that the new farmhouse?” after noticing the large, full-color rendering of the new Centennial Lodge and thinking it to be a photograph.

Neil Hulbert had positioned himself just in front of the rendering as he gave the status of the capital campaign. The camper’s mistake was understandable. The rendering was so realistic, complete with dappled shade on the side of the building, that you could almost feel the cool summer breeze in the shade of the porch.

If “Centennial Lodge” sounds too impersonal or corporate to you, Neil would love to begin using your choice of memorial name instead. Make an offer and get your chosen name above the door. Write your proposed name for the lodge on the back of a $100,000 cashier’s check and send it to Neil, c/o William Lawrence Camp, Center Tuftonboro, NH. Neil will select the winner by random drawing from all the $100,000 entries.

And of course, what camp gathering would be complete without telling some new stories – marriage proposals and weddings on the Knoll – and retelling stories from the old days – the importance of sunblock and other life lessons learned at camp. The beauty of many of these old war horses is that they’re meant to enlarge in the retelling. If you’re not getting your fill of current camp stories directly from your own household this year, why not drop in at the Knoll this year to have a look around and make some of your own. Haven’t been to the knoll in a while? You’ll find enough new things to keep you interested, but the same feel you remember. Consider some opportunities this season: Service Weekend (May 7th), Braves Weekend (August 6th – 7th), Family Camp (August 16th – 21st). If you can’t wait ‘til 2013, then don’t wait ‘til 2013.

- Bob Gallagher

George W. Butterworth, III is a trustee of William Lawrence Camp and has served in that role for about 22 years. His commitment and fondness of the camp runs deep and started when he first attended as a camper in 1951. In one of his first assignments as a trustee, George led a committee to find a new camp director – and he hired Nat Crane! There are thirteen Trustees in total per the By Laws.

When George was 12, his mother selected William Lawrence, and Fleur de Lis for his older sister. George grew up in Framingham, MA. His family owned and ran an orchid business. He attended camp for the entire summer as most boys did back then. Edwin Pratt was the camp director during George's entire tenure. George was a camper for 4 years, junior counselor for 2 years, a senior counselor for 1 year – and he attended for 1 year after college. His first cabin was Sunapee, but through the years he stayed in Winnipesaukee, Moosilauk, Chocorua and Cardigan. George's favorite activities and memories of camp were the trips – which usually were major mountain climbs. One particular highlight was ascending Mt. Washington. WLC really introduced George to the outdoors and camping, he never had experienced that before. In 1986 during a sabbatical from work, George hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine – a 146 day trek – an adventure he never would have pursued without his WLC experience.

In 1953, George was inducted into the Braves Honor Society – having passed the required 16 tests -- the final one being the lone 24 hour vigil, where he was not permitted to speak. It was a true exercise in introspection. He vividly recalls the huge blisters on his hands from chopping so much wood – and finally realized that no matter how much wood he had chopped – the other Braves always said, "more"! George was also on the rifelry team and the baseball team.

George was honored with 2 other camp awards, "Best Camper", and the Bent medal in 1952. Mr. Bent awarded this medal to the best "straight shooter and square shooter".

As a junior counselor George worked as a kitchen boy. In later years George took on the role of truck driver for the camp – and head of the kitchen and dining hall (but not the cook.) He remembers the 3 wonderful cooks back then: Mattie Baptiste, Hilda Jackson and Maude Sameda. He also remembers Edwin Pratt flipping pancakes over the rafters in the dining hall and catching them on a plate!

In 1960, George graduated from Harvard. He then entered the Army as a second Lieutenant. And in 1965 he graduated from Yale Law School. George established his career at Goodwin Procter in Boston. Today, it’s the largest law firm in New England. George was made a partner in 1973 and distinguished himself as an estate and probate attorney during his long career. George has two sons - Nicholas lives in New York City and Michael lives in Venice Beach, CA. George retired last year. His retirement has allowed him to enjoy his true interests.

- Liz Larson

As many of you know, I am a theater teacher for a high school in Wolfeboro. Every year we participate in a theater festival. It’s a state-wide competition where one school is eventually selected as the “state championships.” We’ve never won first place. However, every year I try to hatch a new and even more diabolical idea for a show that will win us the coveted trophy.

However, something happened this year. In dreaming up what we thought would be a festival winner, we made the decision to do a play based on real people in the real town of Candor, NY. Then, as things progressed, we were invited to take the show to them to perform. (Candor was eight hours away in upstate New York.) In order to do this we had to fund raise thousands - just to take the show to a place the students had never been, to perform it for people they have never met.

Suddenly, first place was starting to take second place to doing something nice for a whole lot of people. Then the final decision: As we looked at our calendar, the students we found that we had to choose between performing the show at the “championships”, or for the people of Candor, NY. We could not do both. I asked them, “Which do you want to do?” Without even a split second’s hesitation, they all chose to ditch the championships and perform it for the town.

Sportsmanship. It’s the fourth in the list of William Lawrence Camp ideals. We get hung up on forming a team that can win, that we often forget that the logical conclusion of team is not victory, but family; that the main component of team is not winning, but people. One can argue that this team departed from the traditional model of playing to win, to playing with heart, and playing with soul.

We leave in seven days for Candor, NY and I swear to you I have never been so anxious, so nervous, or so elated for a performance in my whole life.

See you in June.

- Scott "Goose" Giessler