2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Mowglis
School of the Open
2020 was a year like no other. Amid the pandemic, camp operations were suspended for only the fourth time in Mowglis’ 117-year history. It was also the year when the strength and resilience of the Mowglis Pack shone through. Director Nick Robbins and the inaugural class of HEMF Fellows brought to the boys Mowglis at Home—a series of activities including weekly campfires delivered from the Campfire Circle. The boys responded with reports of backyard adventures and local climbs. Parents and families worked with us to navigate the uncertainties of the spring, and when it was clear that camp was not to be, many of them allowed us to simply apply their tuition to summer 2021.
The strength of the wolf is the pack,
And the strength of the pack is the wolf.
As Nick and the year-round team strengthened our finances—trimming expenses, and successfully receiving state and federal grants—our ever generous alumni and donors came through with record-breaking support. As we look forward with confidence to summer 2021, we reflect on 2020 with gratitude. Never have I been more proud to be part of such a singular community. Each and every one of you contributed to the strength of the Pack. Thank you for your enduring support. Good hunting!
Tomoharu Nishino President, HEMF
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF 11/1/20
The mission of Camp Mowglis is to develop integrity, empathy, resilience, and leadership in young men through the time-tested and fun outdoor experiential program and community we call The School of The Open. The Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation: A Vision for the Future of Mowglis
In 1962, a small group of alumni and former staff came together to form the Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation, purchasing the financially-struggling Camp Mowglis from John C. Adams, then owner and Director. The nine men who served on the original Board of Trustees had attended camp or worked on the staff under Colonel Alcott Farrar Elwell, and had been deeply influenced by him. Under the leadership of J. Tyson Stokes, William MacDonald, and William B. Hart, they worked tirelessly to preserve Mowglis’ ideals and to secure its future. Mowglis today is a fulfillment of their vision. Our enrollment is strong. We remain true to the founding ideals of Elizabeth Ford Holt. Our program carries forward the mission of the “School of the Open” articulated by Colonel Elwell nearly a century ago. And the Mowglis experience continues to inspire a new generation of campers to strive to be the best version of themselves. In short, the Mowglis Spirit is alive and well. The Foundation’s charter remains unchanged: To provide a steady hand as we look to the future, so that Mowglis will continue to guide generations of boys on their journey to becoming young men.
PRESIDENT Tomo Nishino, Glen Ridge, NJ Den ’84 and parent ‘18 and ‘23 VICE PRESIDENT Bill Tweedy, Fairfield, CT Den ’80 TREASURER Anabela Perozek, Wellesley, MA Parent ’15 and ‘21 SECRETARY Will Scott, Columbia, MD Den ’70 ASSISTANT TREASURER Erik Bernhardt, Portland, OR Den ’88 Joe Bouboulis, Asbury, NJ Den ’82 Rob Cerwinski, New York, NY Den ’83 and parent ‘21 Meg Drazek, Bristol, NH Parent ‘21 and ‘22 Jim Graff, Birdsboro, PA Den ’78 and parent ’12 Meg Hurdman, Falmouth, ME Parent ’05, ’06, ‘09 Kit Jenkins, Nahant, MA Parent ‘19 Andrew Khatri, Rumson, NJ Den ’93 Chris Mixter, Arlington, VA Den ‘92 Al Reiff, Watertown, CT Den ’77 and parent ’09 Ben Ringe, Glen Ridge, NJ Den ’85 Linda Robinson, Greensboro, GA Former staff, parent ’87 and ’92 and grandparent ‘19 Reinhard Rother, Wiesbaden, Germany Den ’69 Kristian Sanchez, Malden, MA Den ’92 Caleb White, Wellesley, MA Den ’79
HEMF FELLOWSHIP This year, with the help of a generous donation, we launched the Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation Fellowship Program. The mission of this program is to:
Help promising youth development professionals continue to grow in the field of outdoor/experiential education.
Encourage top Senior Staff members to return for subsequent summers by providing incentives, including additional salary, off-season professional development opportunities, and leadership roles at Camp.
Increase the number of aspiring youth development professionals on the Back Row: Jay Gulitti ‘06, Ms. ‘06Amanda Lyons, Julien Nunes Mowglis Summer Team. Front Row: Ms. Kate Burgess, Ms. Liz Cecere
Despite not running Camp this summer, 2020 has been a great inaugural year for the program. With over 40 years spent collectively at Mowglis, this year’s HEMF Fellows are Elizabeth Cecere, Jay Gulitti, Amanda Lyons, and Julien Nunes. They embody Mowglis’ core values of integrity, empathy, resilience, and leadership, and they’ve shown consistent dedication to their personal and professional growth. They are core members of the Pack, and they have undoubtedly set the example for HEMF Fellows to come. With the help of the HEMF Fellows, Mowglis@Home was born, with weekly video content for Campers to keep their Camp skills fresh. The Fellows organized, designed, and delivered all sorts of activities—from packing a pack, to flipping flapjacks, to holding an axe, to making campfire snacks—almost no Camp skill was left unfilmed. Weekly Campfires with special guests kept things extra exciting, and the HEMF Fellows were the crew behind the curtain. Next year and beyond, the HEMF Fellowship Program will continue, each year with a new class of Fellows. To the 2020 crew, we thank you for your time, commitment, patience, and dedication to making Mowglis a better place, even if it’s seen through a screen.
M OWG L I S AT H O M E 2 0 2 0 2020 was a summer like no other, but the HEMF Fellows, with the help of the year-round team, and a bevy of alumni volunteers, brought Mowglis into the homes of campers all over the world! The Fellows created a 7-week in-home program that comprised of pre-recorded video lessons, at-home Mowglis activities, and virtual “campfires” all summer long.
HIGHLIGHTS
Stories from the Junglebook by the campfire
Whitewater campfire with Charlie Walbridge
Candleboat building
Scary stories virtual campfire with Mr. Robbins
Behind the scenes in the Wood shop with Mr. Bengtson
Watershed basics with Mr. Greenwell
How to pack a pack
Shelter building
A visit to Soup Bowl Glide with Mr. Hart
Campfire cooking
Personal fitness with the Flying Zamboni Bros.
Plant identification
Camper to camper pen pal program
Songs around the campfire with Mr. Bengtson
Pancake flipping
Poster making for Crew Week
ENDOWMENT WHAT IS AN ENDOWMENT? An endowment is an investment fund created by a nonprofit organization to provide an additional source of consistent income. The corpus, or entire body of funds, are protected from use outside the rigorous policies that guide its function and management.
HOW DO WE MANAGE AND UTILIZE OUR ENDOWMENT? The endowment is actively managed by the Investment Committee, a five person group led by the Assistant Treasurer. Throughout the year, we review and update our investment policies, asset allocation, and investment funds to ensure the portfolio is positioned to achieve Mowglis’ long-term goals and to protect this invaluable revenue stream. Each year, Mowglis receives up to a 5% withdrawal from the endowment. This amount is based on a 3 year rolling average of the balance of the fund. This income is used for a variety of operating expenses, from capital improvements to scholarships. The growth of the endowment is also guided by the Director of Alumni Relations and the Endowment Committee. They aid us in soliciting new gifts and implementing focused campaigns for its growth.
ENDOWMENT: $2.6 million As of Oct 31, 2020
GENERAL FUND
An unrestricted endowment provides a reliable income stream to strengthen Mowglis’ programs by supporting operating expenses, weathering economic variances, or seeding new opportunities.
HART BUILDINGS & GROUNDS FUND
William B. Hart served as Director of Mowglis from 1962 to 1982. His legacy lives on through the Hart Buildings & Grounds fund, which safeguards the institution to which he dedicated much of his life.
RUSSELL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Mary and Ruth Russell’s history with Mowglis dates back to the earliest days of camp when Mary Russell served as the camp dietitian in 1910. Their love of Mowglis lives on in the Russell Scholarship Fund.
PERRY M. SMITH & EVA RIBARITS SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Created in 2018, the scholarship fund that bears their name supports scholarships for families in Hebron and the towns surrounding Mowglis.
THE DONALD CUMMINGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Donald Cummings served as Col. Elwell’s secretary in the late ‘40s. He went on to serve on early iterations of the board of trustees. He was a lifelong champion of Mowglis and the fund in his memory supports scholarships for deserving families.
Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation Portfolio Characteristics & Performance as of october 31, 2020
FINANCES Being unable to run our summer program in 2020 presented a variety of financial challenges. Tuition revenue typically represents a significant portion of Mowglis’ annual income. Director Nick Robbins and the board worked hard to trim expenses. Ultimately, it was thanks to the generous support of the Mowglis community, along with grant funding from the state and federal government, and investment income from our endowment that allowed us to weather the summer with only a small deficit. Because Mowglis was well-positioned to navigate such challenges, we were able to remain focused on efforts that advance Mowglis’ mission:
We provided a one-of-a-kind experience for our boys, even from a distance. We continued to invest in our campus through capital improvements, like building an addition to the Den, structural improvements to Waingunga and the Lodge, along with plumbing, electrical, and drainage upgrades throughout camp. We stayed connected with our alumni community with consistent and transparent communications. We are preparing for summer 2021, and everything that a Mowglis summer means to our boys and their families.
Matthew Baird ‘16, Deceased Joseph Beckford (Staff 57-61), Deceased K. Robert Bengtson ‘69 Abby Bergen (Mother of current campers Nathaniel ‘22 and Drew Bergen ‘24) Erik Berhnardt ‘88 Thomas Birdsall ‘88 Joseph Bouboulis ‘82 Arthur Bradbury ‘51 Allyn Brown ‘30, Deceased Peter Caley ‘72 David Concannon ‘79 Dr. Edward F. Conklin ‘42, Deceased Forty and Sandra Conklin, 74 Meg Drazek (Mother of current campers Cooper ‘21 and Spencer ‘22) Benjamin Dulany ‘33, Deceased Norris Eisenbrey ‘53 Dean Ellithorp ‘37, Deceased Helen C. Elwell, Deceased Roger Farrington ‘58 Sonia Faucher (Mother of Eric Diaz-Faucher ‘17) Charles Feuer ‘73 Jonathan Feuer ‘66 James & Alna Francis ‘49 James Graff ‘78 Philip Greven III ‘80 James Hart ‘00 Philip & Elizabeth Hawkins (Parents of Rob Hawkins ‘00)
Sen. John Heinz III ‘53, Deceased Roelof Hoekstra ‘76 Robert Howe ‘72 Frank Hubbard ‘66 George Hulme ‘70 Jay Hurdman ‘06 Meg Hurdman (Mother of Chris ‘05, Jay ‘06, and Robby ‘09) William Ketchum ‘33, Deceased Andrew Khatri ‘93 Julian Kingsley ‘06 Jim Kingsley (Camper 63-65, Staff 06-09) Christopher Kriesen ‘80 Edward Lincoln ‘56, Deceased Henry Livingston III ‘55 Henry Livingston Jr. ‘38, Deceased Charles Ludlow ‘41 Bruce (‘73) & Elizabeth MacDonald (Staff 06-09) Caroline Markovich (Staff 04-08) Frank Mauran III ‘37 Frank Mauran IV ‘72 Lockwood “Woody” Merriman ‘62 Bob Merwin ‘67 Stephen Minich ‘71 Edward Morrison III ‘53, Deceased John Morrison III ‘48, Deceased Tomoharu (‘84) & Chiaki Nishino Lt. Gilbert Crosby Paine ‘37, Deceased Elizabeth Parvex (Sister of Will Scott ‘70)
Christopher ‘77 & Catherine Phaneuf Gregory Phaneuf ‘82 Henry Phillips ‘50 Junius Powell ‘37, Deceased Samuel Punderson (Camper 78-79, 81) Henry “Buzz” Ringe ‘50, Deceased Benjamin Ringe ‘85 Nicholas & Diana Robbins (Director 2014-Present) Linda Robinson (Former Camp Nurse, Mother of Kenyon Salo ‘87 and Michael Robinson ‘92) Reinhard Rother ‘69 Mary R. Russell, Deceased Ruth E. Russell, Deceased Will Scott ‘70 John Scott ‘32, Deceased Jeffrey Shaw (Staff 77-81) Dwight Shepherd ‘67 Clyde “Mickey” Smith ‘46, Deceased Perry Smith ‘72 Stephen Stackpole ‘39, Deceased Holly Taylor (Staff 2009-Present) D.N. Thold ‘53 Christopher Thompson ‘84 Andrew Tobias ‘78 Bill Tweedy ‘80 James Van Schaick ‘67 Charles Walbridge ‘62 Douglas Warwick (Camper 49-51) James ‘69 & Linnea Westberg Carla Wragge (Mother of Adam Vigiano ‘96)
Full Waingunga $1,903-$2,499
There are a great many Mowglis traditions. One of our most prestigious is the Inner Circle Ceremony. Each new member earns their seat, having been spoken for by a member of the pack, and earning their four “husky marks.” In doing so, they have proven they have “carried the spirit of Mowglis into their victory and loyalty for the brothers of the pack.” As each boy is presented and accepted by Director Nick Robbins in his role as Akela, he declares, “Now admit these brothers to the Inner Circle, and may each brother now in the Inner Circle help to light them to better things, as they kindle a welcome within the Inner Circle.” The Inner Circle Society was founded to honor the tradition of loyalty and generosity to Camp Mowglis. Like our respected tradition, the Inner Circle Society is for those who serve Mowglis “faithfully and well” and who truly “carry the spirit of Mowglis.”
Gopher Squad $2,500-$4,999
Mt. Washington Squad $5,000-$7,499
Racing Crew $7,500-$9,999
Wolf’s Paw $10,000 +
2020 DONORS THE HEMF FISCAL YEAR RUNS FROM NOVEMBER 1 TO OCTOBER 31.
Frederick Fortmiller Hubert Fortmiller Andrew Fouracre
Amazon Smile
Eve Bould
Janice Crawford
James Francis, Jr.
Wilson Antoniuk
James Bradbury
Kenneth Crowell
L. Scott Frantz
Bo & Carmen Arce
Stephen Bridgewater
Byrd Davenport, Jr.
William Frantz
Valerie Aronsohn
John & Sandra Brown
Deborah Lott & John Davidge, III
James Froncek
Travis & Samantha Austin
Paul Brown
David Dawley
Stephen Fuguet
Paul Avery, Jr.
Randall Brown
Geoffrey de Lesseps
Lincoln Gamble
Richard Backus
Ted & Anne Bruntrager
Daniel Dennett
Walter Gamble
Thomas Baer
David Buchanan
Frank Dopp
Eva & David Gassiraro
Michael & Janet Bartlett, Sr.
Charles Buell
C. Mitchell Draper
Lynne Gassiraro
James Beckford
Matteo & Regan Cafiso
Meg & Greg Drazek
Celia Gibbs
Diana Beeton
Stuart Carothers
Dwight Duskin
Tiffany & Chad Glover
Morgan Beever
Elizabeth Cecere
Alan & Katherine Dutton
Gregory & Atsuko Goss
K. Robert Bengtson
Robert & Shu-Min Chang Cerwinski
Constance Earle
Jim Graff
John Bennett
Adna & Gabrielle Chaffee
Donald Eddy
Katherine Graff
Abigail & Daniel Bergen
John Chisholm
James Ennis
Tommy Greenwell
Peter Berking
Lynn Chong
Roger Farrington
Philip & Anne Greven
Erik Bernhardt
Ethan Christenson
John Fay
Daniel Hall
Thomas & Tina Birdsall, III
Stephen Cochran
Sally Fay
Hammond Isles Weath Advisors
Janice Blanchard
Richard Colton
Elisabeth Feuer
Pearce & Patricia Hammond, Jr.
William Boicourt
Pamela Cook Correia
Thomas Fisher, III
Douglas Hard
Henry Bonner, Jr.
John P. Cooke
Christopher Flower
Stephen & Lisa Hard
Robert Bordogna in memory of Rob Bordogna
Thomas Cox
Fritz Fortmiller
Don & Katharine Harding
James P. Hart
Kevin & Mary Kane
Alexander Lejeune
Lockwood Merriman
William B. Hart, Jr.
Sonia Sehra & Vikram Kaul
Nielsen Lewis
Robert Merwin & Judy Gross
Philip & Elizabeth Hawkins
Samuel Kendall & Catherine Zusy
Kitty Li
Stephen Minich
Jessica & Liam Hayden
Peter Kent
Danforth Lincoln
Edward Mitchell
Susan & David Hazelton
Jane Kent
Thomas Lincoln
John Mitchell
Teresa Heinz-Kerry
Andrfew Khatri
Henry Livingston
James & Laura Mixter
Heinz Family Foundation
Young Bae Kim
Richard Livingston
Christopher Mixter
Jeffrey Heit & Luisa Boverini
Gary King
Thomas Lloyd
Anne Moore
Henry Hodde
Barbara King
Kathleen Love
Robert Morrison
Cynthia Hoekstra
Gary & Judy King
Jill Macauley
David Morse
Roelof & Kate Hoekstra
Wayne King
Elizabeth & Jarrett Manno
Morgan Mowbray
William Holland
William King, Jr.
Edward Mariner
Erik Munroe
Hugo & Edith Hoogenboom
James & Kimberly Kingsley
Marion Mariner
John Munroe
Robert Howe
Julian Kingsley
Caroline Markovich
Charles & Louise Nadler
Bruce Hulme
Peter Kingsley
H. James & Fran Marshall
Newmont GoldCorp Legacy Fund
George Hulme
Bob & Joanne Kirkpatrick
Frank Mauran, III
Hiro Nishino
Jonathan Hulme
Jo Ann & Jay Kranis
Frank Mauran, IV
Shoh Nishino
Nathaniel Hulme
Arthur Kriesen
Oliver McGreevy
Tomoharu & Chiaki Nishino
James Hurdman
William Lacock
Alexander McGreevy
Nancy Northrup
Margaret & Charles Hurdman
Roger & Carol LaFontaine
Nicholas & Julia McGreevy
Axel Nunes
Rozlin Hurdman
Finette & Marc LaFontant
Bruce McKelvy
Richard O’Day
Sara Hutchinson-Gallagher
Michael Lampson
Hugh McKelvy
James Orr
Stanley Jackson, Jr.
Butler Lampson
William & Dana McKelvy
Keith Oster
Katherine Jenkins
Leigh Anne & Dirk Leas
William & Patricia McKelvy
Elizabeth Parvex
Hideaki Jin
Sylvia Lee
Alejandro Medina Mora
Billie & Greg Paul
Joshua Kahn
T. Sergent Pepper
Hillary Russell
Melanie Prester & Markus Solibieda
George Wadsworth
Anabela & Mike Perozek
Greaner Ryland
Mark & Kimberly Soukup
Charles Walbridge
Patricia Peters
Eli Salo
Steve & Kathy Spodick
Walbridge Family Foundation
Christopher & Katie Phaneuf
Catherine Sammon
Laurence Sprung
Jeffrey Walker
Gregory & Rhea Phaneuf
Kristian Sanchez
Philip Stathos
James Wallace
Henry Phillips
Gayle Schlenker
Terry & Shirley Stenberg
Elizabeth Ward
Charles Platt
Erik Schmidt
Douglas & Kari Stenberg
Rollin Warner, Jr.
Randon Porter, III
John & Nancy Schullinger
Bradley & Jill Stewart
Douglas & Jane Warwick
Phil & Alexis Prapopulos
Andrew Schwaller
Mary Ann Stoessel
Nancy Wederski
Weston Pullen
Karl Schwarzkopf & Cristina Culcea
Winnie Tseng & Kevin Stratton
R. Robert Werner
Peter & Mary Ratledge
Michael Scott
Frances Strawbridge
Adrian West
Morgan Reese
R. Strother Scott
Elliott Sweet
James & Linnea Westberg
Edward & Laure Redling
William Scott
Holly Taylor
Douglas Westberg
Al Reiff
Diane Sears
D. N. Thold
Brent Whelan
Alexander Reiff
John Sears
Christina & Mark Thomases
Caleb & Elizabeth White
Frank Richardson
Nicholas Sears
Thomas Tolman
Carter & Mac Wilcox
Benjamin Ringe
John Shane in honor of Chris Shane
William Tomford
Fielding Williams
Jennifer Ringe
Jean & Biff Shaw
Barry Travis
Andreas Wischlburger
Sarah Ringe
Jeffrey Shaw
James & Julie Tuedio
Andrew Worm
Douglas & Anna Robbins
Gregory Shelness
John & Ellen Turnbull
Gary Wright
Nicholas & Diana Robbins
Dwight Shepard
Alice Tweedy
Feng Qi & Bin Zhang
Linda Robinson
Aimee Skier
Gregory Valace
T. Price Zimmermann
John Rorke, IV
Perry Smith
James Van Schaick
Frank & Kathryn Zirnkilton
Reinhard Rother
Scott Smith
Tara & Jerry Ventura
Algot Runeman
Richard Sneider
Joseph Vitacco
Newfound Lake from the summit of Plymouth Mountain
DIRECTOR Nick Robbins nickrobbins@mowglis.org ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR & PROPERTY MANAGER Tommy Greenwell wtgreenwell@mowglis.org ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Diana Robbins diana@mowglis.org DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS James Hart james@mowglis.org REGISTRAR Holly Taylor holly@mowglis.org DIRECTOR EMERITUS Bob Bengtson krbengtson@mowglis.org
Camp Mowglis P.O. Box 9, Hebron, NH 03241 (603) 744-8095 • info@mowglis.org www.mowglis.org