CAMP
MERRIE-WOODE Situated, Celebrated on Fairfield Lake
Spring 2019
Preserving Our Landscape for the Next Century As we are about to kick off our 101st summer along the shores of Lake Fairfield, we find ourselves looking towards the future. What will define our second century of camping in this place of rarest beauty? What new challenges will our campers face as they inch farther away from the millennium? One thing is certain: this sacred landscape, under the watchful eye of Old Bald, will continue to shape Merrie-Woode girls as long as we are fortunate enough to inhabit it. To set the groundwork for camp to thrive in this next era, we must work to invest in our land as much as we work to invest in our programming, our facilities, and so many other aspects of excellence at Merrie-Woode. As we begin this process, we are excited to work with Reed Hilderbrand, a much acclaimed landscape architecture firm based in Cambridge, MA. Reed Hildebrand was a key partner in the recent construction and landscaping of the beautiful new Castle and King Arthur’s Court project. As we look to the future, they will be an important partner as we develop a new ten year Master Site and Landscaping Plan, a long term plan for our campus and surrounding land. When Reed Hilderbrand first came to visit camp property, it was clear that they understood our values and the essence of Merrie-Woode. They dove deep into our historical photos and film footage not only to gain an appreciation for Merrie-Woode’s rich history, but to study how the landscape of camp has changed over the past century. One of their biggest suggestions was to encourage us to get in touch with our past and return the landscape of camp back to a more natural setting. We are developing a vision and a plan to essentially “unlandscape” Merrie-Woode and return
This conceptual photo from Reed Hilderbrand shows a possible new view as you enter the old gate post with the Landsports Field on the right and the Nature Nook on the left.
our grounds to a setting which would be more consistent with the landscape enjoyed by Dammie Day and her campers in the 1920s. Reed Hilderbrand describes MerrieWoode as “a threshold between civilization and the wilderness – an idyllic setting for physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth that balances human needs and natural systems. Building upon Merrie-Woode’s core values, Reed Hilderbrand embeds a love of nature, simplified living, and self-
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Inside... Wit’s End....................................Page 2 New Docks...............................Page 12 Staff Leadership Weekend.......Page 13 Centennial Ripple.....................Page 14 Alumnae Paddling Clinic..........Page 17 2018 Annual Fund....................Page 18