Reveille (Winter 2023)

All Together Again – At Last!

In mid-August, after a two-year delay due to the pandemic, 172 community members—former campers and counselors with family members of all ages—reunited in Fairlee to connect, celebrate, and soak up a weekend of fun at camp.

Following a streak of hot summer days in the mid-upper 90s, the cooler weather that rolled in for August 12-14

was a welcome relief. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer weekend!

Reunion activities and overnight guests were hosted on both campuses, giving attendees the opportunity to spend time on both lakes. Departments like Archery, Arts & Crafts, Canoeing, Landsports/Tennis, and Swimming, were open for exploration and three groups ventured out on day trips to

hike Mt. Cube and Mt. Cardigan, and canoe around Lake Fairlee. Combined events like Rainbow’s End at Hive on Saturday afternoon and Sunday’s Assembly at Wishing Fire at Aloha brought the whole group together for sharing, singing, and stories.

Participants shared these Reunion reflections on the weekend:

ALOHA & HIVE REUNION 2022

Maggie Owens Moran, Trustee Reunion Committee Chair, camp parent, former Hive camper/counselor

A-lo-HA! On Saturday, August 13, 2022, Reunion attendees gathered on the Comb porch at Hive for a group photo to commemorate Aloha’s 115th and Hive’s 105th anniversaries.

from Vanessa Riegler Hulbert School Programs

From the Executive Director

Vanessa Mendillo Riegler

Dear Aloha Family,

Welcome to this Reveille

This summer’s Aloha and Hive Reunion sent a wonderful ripple of connection throughout our commu nity that was felt leading up to and during the event, and reverberates through us even now. There were so many alums and friends in attendance that gorgeous and chilly weekend, with an abundance of hugs, stories, and (of course) singing!

For those who have never been to a Reunion (or family camp for that mat ter because they are incredibly similar), I highly recommend it. It is like being a camper at an age and stage of your life where you can completely relish camp, and also appreciate just how extraor dinary it is to be in this community. It feels just as you hoped it would, like a welcoming in, whether you had been away for days or years, or were arriving for the first time.

What was most memorable to me about the Reunion weekend (aside from receiving a warm winter hat in my welcome bag—just what I needed for the cold mornings!) was hearing former campers and counselors from every generation talk about their Hive and Aloha experiences. I marveled at how the current counselors in atten dance shared the same sentiments of excitement and nerves before arriving, an understanding of the responsibility of the role, the fun and the silliness

it brings, and, most importantly, how they couldn’t have done it without the counselors working beside them.

It is powerful to know the communi ty together is stronger than any one person, that no one person must have all the answers or know-how. Instead, whether we are at camp or at home, we know there are others ready to offer advice or support us when we need it, celebrate our successes, and share a smile or a song.

I often go back to this power of community because I believe in it deeply.

I was talking with my youngest, the wise 7-year-old that he is, who said he thinks it is harder to help a stranger because you don’t know them yet, it is

easier to help a neighbor because you know them a little bit, and it is easiest to help friends and family because you know them the best.

As we talked more, I learned that his theory is all based on his time as a Horizons and Ohana camper and through various Visiting Weekends at Lanakila and Hive. Of camp, he had concluded, “As soon as you get there, you are friends with everyone else there. It is easy to give help and get help, everyone cares about each other and has lots of fun together. This is how camp is but not the way that every place in the world is.”

And then he asked why. As any ex perienced parent or counselor would have done in that moment, I asked him what he thought. We talked. I love these conversations because they light up my heart and soul and make me feel connected.

Finally, I asked him, “What can you do to make one other place in the world a little bit more like camp?”

I ask you the same question. And then, let’s talk.

With Love, Vanessa Mendillo Riegler Executive Director vriegler@alohafoundation.org

Winter 2023 Reveille: Jenn Merritt, Director of Communications; Holly Fisher, Designer; Jenn Grossman Wheeler, Director of Photography and Camp Photographers. Email jmerritt@alohafoundation.org with story ideas, suggestions, or feedback.

Arlynn Polletta (Associate Director of Equity, Inclusion & Outreach) and Vanessa outside the Hive dining hall during the August 2022 Reunion.

Kara Klenk (former Aloha camper/ counselor) wrote, “Those who know me can attest I am seldom without words. And yet I found it difficult to put into words how special it was for me to share Aloha with my children for the first time at the Reunion this past summer. I always love returning to Aloha, which I have been lucky enough to do many times since my camper/ counselor days. I love being at camp and reconnecting with old friends, remembering stories and catching up on everyone’s current life.

But it was an entirely different experi ence to see camp through my 3-yearold daughter’s eyes. She made friends quickly (very camp), loved exploring the campus, and was completely swept up in the buzz of camp activity. She was able to connect the songs we have been singing her whole life to the physical place and the feeling that is Aloha. Or as she calls it, ‘Ha-loha.’ It

was truly a magical weekend and I can’t wait for the next one.”

From Lizzy Hoke (former Hive camp er/counselor): “The joy of the pine and canvas-scented breeze that wafted through the Dolphin Dell put a huge grin on my face as we moved into tent D6½. The smells of camp cannot be

beat, from the upper Hilander shack to the boathouse, the tunnel to Ellie’s office, the workroom to the Halekipa... each is an echo of playful laughter, a scampering Lolander on an important mission, Anti-Qs holding matching friendship-bracelet adorned hands, a quiet one-on-one with a beloved tent family member, screaming campers tearing down the hill for Hive’s Birth day... even the Lolander jinx elicits happy memories of circling up for counselor check-in after taps and sitting guard on nightshift, using the trusty wet paper towel liberally and writing intercamp notes.

The wholesome games (yeah send up!) and joyful singing, from the Comb to Rainbow’s End to the extraordinary Wishing Fire Sunday sendoff, fed my heart with the simple nourishment of community, together, live and in person. It’s been easy to forget the immeasurable value of these com ings-together from the pandemic

Update on Hive & Aloha Building Projects

In other positive Reunion news, many attendees were interested in learning more and touring the sites of the Hive and Aloha Campus Enhancement Projects.

At Hive, Shaw Shack will be renovated into a much-needed bright and comfortable space for counselors to relax, re-charge, and access technology for college work or job searches, or connections with family and friends.

At Aloha, two new buildings (similar to Club Shack) will be constructed on the hillside to provide additional gathering space for campers and activities, as well as offer more indoor shelter options during inclement weather.

As of the end of October, just over $130,000 had been raised by alums and friends toward these initiatives. Additional contributions are expected before the end of the fiscal year in December.

This is the first year, at least in recent memory, that a fundraising initiative for a priority project was launched in conjunction with a Reunion. Most alumni and friends who have contributed to date give regularly to the Annual Fund and were pleased to direct their support or make an additional gift to this special Reunion venture.

Reunion attendees from top left: Byrd Oliver Wood, Mary Oliver Fromyer, former Aloha Director Nancy Pennell, and Mary-Agnes Moore Evans (seated).

Shaw Shack at Hive will be renovated.

Aloha’s new buildings will closely resemble Club Shack.

the Aloha Foundation

bunker. Even better, counselors and their campers and their campers’ campers, all adults, many with their own Hivers (or Hivers-to-be), found ourselves devouring grilled cheese and tomato soup on the Hive dining hall porch, reminiscing about old tentmates and shack shenanigans. It all left me yearning for more, so much so that I started insisting the next Reunion would be in three (not five) years so we can get back on track and keep kin dling the flames of friendships true. See you at Reunion 2025?”

A camp reunion would not be complete without shared meals like this one in Aloha’s dining room (above), the opportunity to star in a favorite, ridiculous skit (left), or reflective moments at Rainbow’s End (below) and Wishing Fire.

Lucy Marshall West (former Hive/ Aloha camper, former Aloha counselor) wrote: “Sleeping in a tent under the full moon with its bright reflection on Lake Morey was everything I hoped for. The sound of the loons across the lake lulled us to sleep. The cool, crisp August air was refreshing and brought back memories of those Lanz night gowns we all wore to keep warm! I was snug in my sleeping bag and so happy to wake up early to the sound of the morning bird songs. I loved sharing meals in the dining room. We all remembered the system and thor oughly enjoyed our time together. Connecting with Aloha friends and catching up with each other was so much fun. The open activity time was awesome. I made sure to go down the slide with a splash. Thank you for planning a wonderful Reunion!”

Winnie Eichner (former Aloha camper, current Aloha counselor) shared this planes, trains, and automobiles story about fellow Reunion attendee Barb Makris (former Hive/Aloha camper, former Hive counselor): “If Aloha had a top rank in fortitude and resilience, Barb earned it. She’s my hero! A longtime camper and counselor, she travelled solo from her home in Fort Lauderdale with a change of planes in Atlanta, where they took her off that plane last and lost her cell phone in the process so missed her connection. Undeterred, in her wheelchair with her decorated pink prosthetic leg, she contacted AT&T to get a phone replacement, then a flight to Lebanon. Once she checked into the Hanover Inn, she was too late for her dialysis treatment, so she postponed it to the following Monday in St. Johnsbury. She made it to camp for lunch on Saturday. To get in and out of the Aloha dining room, she had to avoid the stairs by getting pushed through the kitchen. She had used a remarkable local couple, owners of a Fairlee accessible taxi service (ask Cathy McGrath about them). After the Hive festivities, they were able to return her

to her hotel in Hanover, and later get her to St. Johnsbury for dialysis, then to her plane. She never complained, just managed to work it all out cheerfully. She’s absolutely delightful, undeterred. It’s as if she climbs the Bluff every day!”

Posie Taylor (former Hive/Aloha camper, former Aloha counselor, former Hive Director, former Executive Direc tor) wrote: “The very warm welcome we all received from all the current counselors and leaders was heartwarm ing, especially since we remember just how tired WE were at the end of a long, hot, and fabulous summer! Thanks to all who planned every moment, who fed us so bountifully, who gave us welcome gifts and long-overdue hugs, who helped us get our out-of-practice bodies into canoes and kayaks, who led us in singing old favorites, who shared news of important issues our camps are facing with courage and clarity, and who clearly care as deeply for all that Aloha can be as we do. All in all, an inspiring and wonderful time of re membrance, reconnection, and hope! I am so proud to be part of this Aloha community.”

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

AT THE HULBERT OUTDOOR CENTER

“Two years away from Hulbert gave us some good perspective on how the Hulbert experience boosts community connections. Connections that we work to forge over months at school happen at Hulbert in a matter of days.”

BB&N Teacher

During the 2022-2023 academic year, over 2,000 students from more than fifty schools will participate in Hulbert programs on our campus in Fairlee or on location at their own schools.

Returning for their 14th year, Buckingham Browne & Nichols School from Cambridge, MA arrived at Hulbert on October 7th for a multi-day overnight program. Ross Cannon, Hulbert’s Program Director, said as soon as the bus rounded the corner on Lake Morey Road, you could feel the energy shift on campus.

“Sixty 6th grade students will do that,” commented Ross, “and I can’t think of a better opportunity for them. To get to know each other better, learn about others’ strengths and what each individual brings to the table, and bond in positive ways as a group all on a beautiful 400-acre campus with plenty of room to be active and immersed in nature.”

For BB&N, Hulbert is a key part of setting the tone and laying the groundwork for a successful year. “Reading situations and

responding respectfully” was the main theme of this year’s program, which centered around these goals:

1) Developing leadership skills, focusing on varying styles,

2) Learning new skills, taking responsible risks, and pushing beyond comfort zones,

3) Devising plans to implement skills into school life, and

4) Building a strong and connected community among students for the rest of the school year.

After an interruption because of COVID-19, teachers at BB&N said, “Two years away from Hulbert gave us some good perspective on how the Hulbert experience boosts community connec tions. Connections that we work to forge over months at school happen at Hulbert in a matter of days.”

Here’s a closer look at the BB&N program at Hulbert:

WEDNESDAY

Arrival – Welcome, Move into Cabins New Games & Teacher Meeting

Lunch

Teambuilding/Low Ropes (all groups) Recreation Time Dinner

Night Journey or Beast

Breakfast

THURSDAY

Teambuilding (groups 1 & 2)

Canoeing/Archery (groups 3 & 4)

Lunch

Teambuilding (groups 3 & 4)

High Ropes Course (groups 1 & 2)

Recreation Time Dinner

Campfire

Breakfast

FRIDAY

Cabin Clean-up & Teacher Meeting

High Ropes Course (groups 3 & 4)

Canoeing/Archery (groups 1 & 2)

Closing Circle & Departure

Top photo: Students from Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School explore Lake Morey on a beautiful (and brisk!) fall morning. Instructors teach canoe strokes and the parts of a canoe, and groups often spot turtles, birds, and fish as they explore open waters and marshes.

Aloha

HULBERT SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Teambuilding/Low Ropes

Hulbert instructors present challenges to small groups to provoke problem solving, cooperation, clear communication, and trust. This experiential approach helps participants recognize the strengths of each team member’s contribution and consider how they can use their own strengths to make the team work best. Each group debriefs with valuable discussions that address group dynamics, leadership, and collaboration.

Night Journey

Leave your flashlights behind! In this activity, core groups venture into the night, and experience, explore, and discuss life in the dark. Students learn about nocturnal animals and their adaptations to darkness, experiment with night vision, and explore the powers of their other senses. Many students cite Night Walks as the highlight of their Hulbert experience.

“The Beast” Communication Challenge

This is an exciting, energetic exercise in communication, patience, and cooperation. The group is broken randomly into teams of about five students, and given the task of recreating an object built with Legos. Each student is limited to a particular role. This activity demonstrates the importance of role diversity and precise communication.

High Ropes Course

Students from Crossroads Academy work together on the “bull ring” challenge, which involves moving an object to its destination over difficult terrain. This activ ity positions students to practice commu nication skills and group collaboration as they work as a team.

Our high ropes course includes many elements: trapeze, zip-lines, rock climbing routes, and many mid-level and high bridges each offering unique challenges. This course gives an opportunity for individuals to step out of their comfort zone and challenge their mind and body. It also encourages a supportive environment that enables group bond ing. We practice “challenge by choice” and help students navigate the course to find something that fits their challenge level. Many find that they can apply climbing on our ropes course as a metaphor for personal challenge in their day-to-day life. This activity can emphasize the importance of trust, support, and courage for leaders and teams.

Working closely with Hulbert, schools customize their students’ experience by choosing from more than 25 different activities that correspond to their goals for their program. These are some of the many options offered.

Ever made an egg boat? Students from Westshire and Samuel Morey Elementary Schools in Fairlee practice teamwork, cooperation, and communication as they build boats from natural materials to test in the brook on Hulbert’s campus. The first boat that makes it the farthest down the river wins!

What Differentiates Hulbert School Programs?

• Hulbert’s School Programs are tailored specifically to meet your group’s needs and objectives.

• They are led by highly trained & passionate instructors often with years of experience at our day or residential camps.

• They offer the option of day-long sessions or overnight accommodations.

• They take place on a stunning campus, which offers lake access and activities like canoeing, archery, and hiking.

• They can be held on the Hulbert campus, on location at your school, or with some creativity, perhaps even virtually.

• They include great food and communal meals in the dining hall.

In 2022, Hulbert’s School Program Endowment, funded through the generosity of donors, will support 33 school groups who otherwise would not be able to participate. We expect to contribute nearly $100,000 to schools this year.

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Let’s discuss a customized day or overnight program to meet your group’s needs. We offer programs for adults and profession als, in addition to school groups.

CONTACT: Ross Cannon Hulbert Program Director (802) 333-3405, ext. 3118

alohafoundation.org/about-hulbert

Ross Cannon, Hulbert’s Program Director, discusses ropes course safety and group objectives with students from Fairfield Country Day School .

GratitudeFor Gordo

Talented. Funny. Thoughtful. Hard working. Generous. And as a member of Aloha’s leadership team wrote: a force

Sarah Gordon Littlefield spent an incredible 30 summers at Aloha Camp, beginning in 1983. Gordo has held every role: camper, Midi, tent counselor, Head of the Woodchuck Hole (Campcraft), Head of Club, Assistant Director, and Director. She has given her all to the Aloha Foundation and its community.

On these pages, just a few of the official representatives from Gordo’s fan club share their gratitude. We expect these insights to resonate with many of you, too. Thank you, Gordo!

Vanessa Mendillo Riegler Executive Director

Unequivocally, there are so many great things I can say about our Gordo. She has many superpow ers 90% of them are centered around the growth and development of young women. Gordo has been incredibly instrumental in helping girls and families like mine know how to step outside of our comfort zone and strive for more personally and for one another.

Our first summer at Aloha was a life-changing three-week experience for our whole family. After that year, the girls were SET on staying the full summer there was NO WAY they

were not going to be there with all of their new best (forever) friends for seven weeks. This was quite the ordeal of a conversation, particularly since neither my husband or I had ever spent one night at an outdoor camp, we knew no one in Vermont, and we loved our summer travel excursions.

Well, the girls were able to convince me, but their dad was not sold on the idea. As fate would have it, we met Gordo during the Aloha Reunion at our home that fall in Atlanta. I shared with her my husband’s uncertainty about 7 weeks of camp. In her harmonious voice, she says “I got it.” She met with a group of dads that night in our basement. Thirty minutes later, everyone, including my husband, had changed their mind and supported the 7-week

camper experience. I don’t know what she said, but I’m confident that she gave them a clear visual of what the girls would gain. She conveyed to them that the girls’ confidence would grow, and how they would learn that the world belongs to them. I’m sure she convinced them that she would be there for the girls 24/7 and her door would be always open. She pledged to the dads that families could also call upon her at any time. This proved to be a pledge she kept.

At Aloha, we have been fortunate to have had Gordo as an executive, an ambassador, and our champion. We are forever grateful for her leader ship, her care, compassion, and deeply felt friendship.

Verna Cleveland Trustee, Camp Parent

Celebrating Gordo’s 30 Years at Aloha

Gordo has been my idol since my first summer at Aloha when I was 13, so getting to work more closely with her over the years was an absolute dream come true. It was also one of those unique experiences where working with your idol actually lived up to the hype. Gordo is one of the most caring, hard-working, and intentional people I have ever worked with. She is also one of the most fun. She can tackle a challeng ing issue with thoughtfulness and care one day, and the next she can be found singing campers and counselors awake with a rousing rendition of “I’m Alive, Awake, Alert, Enthusiastic.” Gordo brings humor and her deep love for Aloha into everything she does, and it was such a privilege to work with and learn from her. Gordo, thank you for sharing your leadership and your heart with us these past 30 years!

Erin Gerrity Program Director 2019

At camp, we talk about the “magic” of Aloha, the Aloha spirit, the sense of community we create, and the feeling that one gets by being part of camp. For me, it is impossible to separate the essence of Aloha from Sarah Gordon Littlefield. The deep care and love that Gordo has for Aloha radiates out of her. I think campers and counselors see and feel this when she is speaking at Wedding Ring or Sunday Assembly, singing songs in the Hale, jumping into a dunk tank during Nancy’s Nightmare, or even when she is having a difficult conversation or helping someone through a challenging moment. What is harder to see immediately is the amount of intention and thought, and the level of detail and work, she put into camp all year long in order to lead us in building an amazing summer, each summer. I have loved Aloha since I first came to camp as a 20-year-old counselor

looking for a summer job that involved working with kids. But staying on to become Program Director and Assistant Director, and working with Gordo as Director, is an experience for which I am incredibly grateful. Gordo leads with grace, humility, humor, and trust—getting to be her Upper Porch teammate was a gift. Aloha was so lucky to have you as its leader, Gordo. Thank you for all you did to make Aloha the place that it is for all of us who are lucky enough to experience it and come to love it.

Katie Shearer Program Director 2017, 2018 Assistant Director 2019

Gordo loves to chop wood. She is happy to wear an inflatable unicorn costume. She has a passion for singing and getting the notes and the rhythms right. She will willingly sneak around in the middle of the night to stick googly eyes all over another campus. Gordo loves bacon. She likes to make up words like “fabadoobee” and “sheezamcloodle cakes.” She really likes a calendar and a to-do list. Gordo likes to uphold traditions and she likes to learn new ways to do things. She shows a deep love for the Aloha community in her conversations and her actions. She shares inspiring thoughts and special moments. She usually cries during inspiring thoughts and special moments. She will probably cry reading this page. I feel so privileged to have worked with Gordo in many different roles, to have trod the boards of the Upper Porch with her, to have been included in her family, and to call her my friend. Gordo, we love you—thank you for sharing your skills, expertise, and love with us for 30 years.

Wilson

Erin

Assistant Director 2011-2013 Program Director 2015 Assistant Director 2016-2018

Erin Wilson, Gordo, and Katie Shearer

Gordo and Ellie Thompson Pennell, Hive Director

Follow the Aloha Foundation on

Reaching Beyond A Unifying Theme in 2022

This year, we adopted our first organiza tion-wide theme, selected after several brainstorming sessions and discussions with year-round staff. We wanted to report back on how it’s gone so far!

First, you might be asking: what’s the purpose of this again? Well, in recent years, our summer camps have selected themes—either the same one or individu alized ones—and have used them as a uniting idea for campers and counselors throughout the season. In most cases, the idea is discussed initially by leadership teams at spring planning weekends, then woven into the camp experience in different ways, for example, through stories, reflections, assemblies, or camper or counselor talks. Themes offer a special centering focus for the community and can be interpreted broadly to apply to different situations.

In 2022, we wanted to make this concept more inclusive, so we extended it to our whole community, including Hive, Aloha, Lanakila, Horizons, Ohana, Hulbert, and administrative departments like Opera tions, Development, and Communications.

Some areas where we highlighted Reaching Beyond this year were:

• All-Staff Foundation Gathering

• Campfires at Ohana and Horizons

• Hive’s Sunday assemblies and Visiting Weekend

• Spring newsletters (Buzz, Scamp Spirit, & Lanalog) and residential camp director letter to families

• Club’s Vespers evening program at Aloha

• “Reaching Beyond” buttons for Aloha & Hive communities

• Lanakila’s vision letter

• Gulick Legacy Society appeal

• Executive Director communications (Reveille, Key Insights)

• Social media, web pages, video

We hope to have the community help us select a new theme in 2023. Also on our list will be focusing more on areas like Buildings & Grounds or Finance, where a theme is just as applicable, but requires a bit more discussion and planning to incorporate. We already have some good ideas!

How Some Aloha Campers Reached Beyond

From the Fall 2022 Scamp Spirit

“I usually consider myself a very unathletic person. I’m not super good at sports and gym is my least favorite class. I always thought this trait was natural; a permanent part of me. However, this year, I realized it all had to do with my mindset. I convinced myself I was not athletic even though I’d never actually tried. This summer, I reached beyond by trying athletic activities, such as going for my canoeing rank, going to swimming and tennis activity periods, and doing the camp-wide triathlon.”

Ella Frajnd

“I learned t-rescues and a paddle roll at Kayaking. Whenever something seemed too difficult, I’d ask someone for help. I’m usually shy when it comes to new people.”

Millie Pastrana

“I learned to chop wood and did two parts of a triathlon. I did biking and swimming and stepped outside of my comfort zone for that.” Anya Taylor

Horizons Day Camp Director Stuart Fairbairn leads campers in some stretching in morning assembly.

To help facilitate the transformation I experienced as a camper for the next generation of Aloha.

To support children in discovering who they are and who they want to be.

To bring joy and share my passion.

To make a positive impact on a child’s life.

Why We Work Here

FROM OUR COUNSELORS & STAFF

This summer, we asked counselors and staff from Hive, Aloha, Lanakila, Horizons, and Ohana to share their “WHY” on sticky notes. Why do you work at the Alohas? Here’s just some of what they wrote.

To exchange cultures and experiences with both counselors and campers.

Because Aloha is where I learned to have healthy strong relationships and I spend the summer helping others do the same.

I want to inspire other people to be good to EVERYONE, because we don’t know how others are struggling.

To give back to the place that gave me everything.

Create a more understanding world. Helping campers see that we have more in common than we don’t.

Share the magic of the Aloha Foundation that impacted me almost more than anything else.

To become a better educator. To gain invaluable experience that I can take with me in all facets of my life.

To be at a place where I can be my authentic self.

Create diversity. Learn about children and get to know other people.

To help me gain a career. I want to be a teacher.

To learn a different way to connect with nature to experi ence something new.

To explore new things, new culture, share my culture. Inspire kids and be inspired by them.

To share music with the community and create lifelong memories and friendships.

Follow the Aloha Foundation on Facebook

Births

Weddings

Andrea (former Hive/Aloha camper, Aloha counselor) and Colby Walker (Lanakila camper/counselor) welcomed baby girl Sam Walker on October 10, 2022. Logan is adjusting to being a big brother and a family of four.

Dewey

at Ohana on June 11, 2022.

Geoff Browning (former Lanakila camper/ counselor) and his wife Devin were excited to welcome Rowan Lena Browning into the world on October 12, 2022. She was born in Washington DC, is small and mighty, and enjoys naps, listening to music, and escaping every swaddle she is put in. Her parents love her to pieces and look forward to the person she will become. Attached artwork was done in celebration of her birth by close friend Goodloe Byron.

Paul Mandelson (former Lanakila camper/ counselor) married Branda Czechan in Washington, D.C. on November 13, 2021. Former Aloha camper/counselor Emily Mandelson was the Best Woman. Other Lanakila alumni, Ridge, and Mother of the Groom Jennifer Mandelson dominated the dance floor.

Birthday Celebration

Schunk (former Lanakila camper/counselor) and Pearl Jurist-Schoen were married

Camp family members in attendance included Dewey’s parents Perry Allison and Michael Schunk, Abigail Schunk Good, Virginia S. Allison (former Trustee), Stephen Allison, Amy Steele, Allison Steele, Ben and Brendan Allison, Tim Bucklin Owen and Sophia Bucklin. A large crowd of camp friends joined the celebration.

Kathy (Emery) Hastings (former Aloha camper, camp parent) celebrated her birthday with friends on the porch of the Aloha Main House this fall. Friend Sandy Chivers shared this lovely photo of the occasion!

Stuart Dickison (Lanakila counselor) and Ariel Matza (Hive/Aloha and Lanakila counselor) were married at Lanakila on September 4, 2022. Many camp friends & family were in attendance.

Photo credit: michael-tallman.com

@elisabeth_viilu_photography

In Memoriam

Cynthia Lee Babbott (former Hive/Aloha camper, former Hive counselor) 92, of Suffield, CT passed away on August 15, 2022. She is survived by her children Peter Sansom, Douglas E. Sansom, her stepson, Dr. Stewart Babbott, her stepdaughter Dr. Margaret Babbott, grandchildren Jennifer Ney, Tory Sansom, Sawyer Sansom, Brenna Sansom, Ned Babbott, Ellen Babbott, Michael Babbott, Noah Babbott-Bryan and Claire Babbott-Bryan, and four great-grandchildren.

Mary French Conway (former Aloha camper, camp parent/grandparent) passed on August 25, 2022 at age 93. Mary was the loving mother of Peter F. Conway, William T. Conway, Jane C. Barber, and Anne C. Juster; dear Grammy of Katherine and Susannah Conway, Justin and Willa Conway, Nicholaus, Cody, and Todd Barber, and Julia, Grace, and Hal Juster; and precious great-grandmother of five.

John P. Gualtieri, Jr. (former Lanakila counselor) of Southern Shores, NC passed on February 28, 2022. He is survived by his wife Maureen McGrath, five children: Ann Tenan, Susan Jungles, John R. Gualtieri, Kenneth Gualtieri, and Keir Gualtieri; eleven grandchil dren and four great grandchildren.

Stephen Taylor Hall (former Lanakila camper/ counselor, former Horizons counselor), 62, died June 7, 2022, in Green Valley, AZ. He spent eight summers at Lanakila and devel oped many lifelong friendships with his fellow campers and counselors. He also spent eight additional summers at Horizons Day Camp and worked in the Sailing, Boating, and Tripping departments. He leaves his wife Lisa van Leuwen-Hall and his sons Tucker and Dylan van Leuwen-Hall

John “Jack” F. Herrick (camp parent/ grandparent) died on October 25, 2022 at his home in Shaker Heights, OH surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife of 60 years Mary Taylor Herrick (former Trustee); his son and daughter-in-law John F. Herrick, Jr. and Laura Parham Herrick; his daughter and son-in-law Catherine Herrick Levy and Robert L. Levy; and his four grandchildren Taylor W. Herrick, Charles F. Herrick, Jack H. Levy, and Elinor (Nell) T. Levy.

Caroline Murray (former Hive camper/ counselor, camp parent/grandparent) of Ashfield, MA, passed away on July 1, 2022 at the age of 77. Caroline is survived by her husband Ted (former Trustee), their children Ben and Sarah, and four grandchildren, Ainsley, Charlie, Abby, and Elliott, and extended family.

Sally Biscoe Palache (former Hive/Aloha camper) passed on March 4, 2022. Sally is survived by her two children: daughter, Lisa Palache Carey and son, Whitney Palache; and two grandchildren: Helen Adele Carey and John Kenneth Carey.

Elizabeth “Happy” Rands (former Hive/Aloha camper, camp parent) passed away on April 25, 2022 at age 78. She is survived by her children Barbara Rands Valente and William E. Rands, as well as four grandchildren.

Lederle “Lee” Stearns Tenney (former Aloha camper/counselor) passed on March 9, 2022. She is survived by her son, Steve and her daughters, Lederle, Lauren, and Sarah, thirteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Email Cheryl Olson: colson@alohafoundation.org.

Aloha “strings” like the one above chron icle an individual’s relationship with the Aloha Foundation. It’s factual. It’s true. A string may also be an indicator of that person’s relationship with the organiza tion the longer the string, the deeper the relationship. That’s not always true we all know someone from camp who was only there briefly, but made an indelible impression. But for Charlie Pughe, the string is certainly an indicator of his deep connection and service to the Alohas.

Charlie’s string starts in 1978. He was a camper at Lanakila for two summers (L7879). That’s factual. It’s true. It can’t, howev er, quantify the extent of the relationship started those 44 (!) years ago. It doesn’t count, for example, how many lifelong friends Charlie made as a camper (but I can tell you there are many of us).

The * in a string indicates “counselor.” Charlie’s first stretch as a counselor (*8087) lasted eight years. Factual. True. It doesn’t shed any light on his kitchen work as a Bridger (well, he may have eaten more than his share), his countless hours on the water as a Sailing counselor (OK, that’s not really a hardship), his leadership as a Trip Lead and Department Head (in sunbathing…I mean…sailing), as a Unit

Honoring Charlie Pughe

Head for Lakeside and member of the La nakila “Brain Trust.” Nowhere in the string does it say anything about spearheading the Lanakila Banquet “bough” committee (allowing him unfettered access to the “old blue” truck and chainsaw, beside the point, I’m sure). Also not evident in this portion of the string is Charlie’s meeting his future wife (Kerrie Morrison who has her own impressive Aloha string).

Charlie’s second counselor stint (93-95) was short only three years. Factual and true. What’s not captured? Charlie was the Lanakila Assistant Director 94-95—a position that pivoted Charlie out of the camper-counseling role and into a coun selor-counseling role.

It wasn’t long before the Board asked Charlie to join them and as the string shows, Charlie’s first (!) stint as Trustee ran 96-03. No mention of his early commit tee work, especially on the then-named Buildings and Grounds Committee, which he would eventually chair.

The next string of “T” (10-22) overlapped with the “P” (11-16) in Charlie’s string, in dicating his simultaneous roles as parent (across all three residential camps) and Trustee. As a parent and a Trustee, the

Excuse Me While I Stare Intently at Your Name Tag

How quickly can you decipher an Aloha string? Even for those of us who are used to seeing them, it’s not easy! We need a minute or two to make sense of what we’re reading. Imagine being a parent, counselor, or prospective family who is newer to the Foundation. It’s like a code with a missing key!

Because of limited space, we do not typically print strings on event name tags, but continue to maintain them as a reference point in our alumni database. More often, at events or in publications, we include roles (current Aloha parent, former Hive camper, former Lanakila counselor), maiden names, and offer personal introductions whenever possible.

path between Fairlee and Burlington be comes pretty worn lots of camp dropoffs, Show Weekends (Visiting Weekends), and pick-ups to be sure. But also quarterly Trustee meetings, visits with Founda tion staff, lunches with the Buildings & Grounds team, and any number of rea sons to make the trip to the camps.

Throughout his tenure, Charlie served on countless committees and task forces, and was an officer, including two years as the Chair. To itemize how he has contrib uted to the Foundation would at the same time be overwhelming and inadequate. And while there were times (I’m talking to you, COVID) Charlie would like to forget, there’s no doubt Charlie’s unflappable manner and overall good nature made those times easier for the rest of us. His leadership made us a stronger organiza tion and community.

Charlie’s string is a long one. It may not be the longest, but it’s certainly one with a significant positive impact on the Aloha Foundation. On behalf of the entire Aloha community, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Peter W. Gaillard

Trustee Emeritus, Former Lanakila camper/counselor, Former Lanakila/Hive/Aloha Parent

At their November meeting, the Board of Trustees honored Charlie Pughe for his dedicated years of service on the Aloha Foundation Board of Trustees.

LANAKILA REUNION

2968 Lake Morey Road

Fairlee, Vermont, 05045

Residential Camps

Aloha, Hive & Lanakila

Full: June 23-August 9

1st: June 23-July 16

Visiting Weekend: July 15 & 16

2nd: July 18-August 9

alohafoundation.org

Summer 2023 Dates

Ohana Family Camp

Memorial Day Family Camp: May 26-29

Military Families: June 18-23

2nd: June 24-July 1

3rd: July 1-8

4th: July 8-15

5th: July 15-22

6th: July 22-29

7th: July 29-August 5

8th: August 5-12

9th: August 12-17

Horizons Day Camp

1st: June 26-July 7

2nd: July 10-21

3rd: July 24-August 4

4th: August 7-11

Hulbert Family Camp

August 13-19

Three generations of family sitting by the campfire

Campfire is the final evening of the session, devoted to sharing memories from the week, singing camp songs, and best of all, making s’mores while watching the sun set over Lake Fairlee!

at Ohana.