Lakefront Newsletter - Winter 2011/12

Winter/Spring 2011/12 Volume 6 Number 2

this Edition Holiday Greetings From The Hoyt Family p1-2 A Look Back on Purity Spring’s Centennial Celebration p2 Amanda & Jon - The Perfect Hoyt Family Wedding p3 Hoyts Honored with Award for Civic Entrepreneurship p3 Happy 50th King Pine! p4 King Pine Coverts Snowmaking from Diesel to Electric p4 Danforth Bay to Host the Jimmy Fund Campout p5 The Bluffs Florida Reunion p5

Holiday Greetings!

As our 100 year anniversary comes to an end, we thank you for your continued patronage at our family businesses and reflect on our centennial year.

January blasted off with a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration and fantastic fireworks display on the slopes of King Pine. We are expecting an even more spectacular event this December 31st as we ring in the New Year and celebrate King Pine’s 50th birthday. Our Learn to Ski program brought in more first timers, and we hope to see you back this winter for the next level.

Purity Spring began welcoming guests to

1251 Eaton Rd., East Madison, NH 03849 (603) 367-8896 (800) 373-3754

Purity Theme Weekends p5 A Circle of Good Karma p6 our 100th year in lodging this past summer. A centennial celebration weekend in June began with a flag raising ceremony on the new Purity flag pole and commenced with a luncheon with speakers from the state government and local area lodging executives.

We continue to make yearly upgrades to guest rooms at Purity Spring, with mattress replacements and bathroom upgrades. The Mill is currently undergoing renovations. Built in 1991, The Mill porch was in need of repair. As the lower porch had little use over the years

“I Love It Here” Photos, Winners and Information p6 The Laura Foundation: News and Upcoming Events p7 Traditions Restaurant & Pub: Updates and Information p8 Camp Tohkomeupog: Memories That Last a Lifetime,

by Chris Largent p8

Happy Holidays, From The Hoyt Family we made the decision to extend the common to The Bluffs over the summer and built an This winter our wine selections will be increasarea and the Blue Heron Gift Shop into that additional 4 new sites, with 9 more sites being ing with offerings from around the globe. Sap space. The result provided an opportunity to built this spring. The addition of these sites will House Meadery will also be taking a place on place a guest access computer station in this bring us to over 250 seasonal and rental sites. the counter this winter for some additional expansion and provide better layout for the Last October we expanded the dining room local tasting. store, with a change of office space for better at The Inn and opened Traditions Restaurant Polar Express packages have returned customer service at The Mill Indoor Pool & and Pub. Chef Tasker created a menu that has to the resort this December. This wonderful Fitness Center. winter story is the perfect famOver the summer, we ily tradition. Our guests dress “Polar Express packages have returned to the resort made another move to in their pajamas and board the this December... our guests dress in their pajamas and enhance our Purity Green Polar Express for a ride to the efforts. We removed our dieboard the Polar Express for a ride to the North Pole.” North Pole. On the journey, you sel tanks at King Pine and will experience the story itself, installed a new snowmaking with howling wolves, conductors, building that utilizes electric power for both our provided our resort guests with the variety and elves, and even an appearance from Santa. air compressors and water pumps. Getting the quality they have always expected, with options We wish you a happy and safe holiday diesel machinery away from the lake has been the local public has been asking for over the season and a wonderful 2012! a need of ours for many years, and we have years. The Pub offers local beverages, from taken that step toward cleaner power. our neighbors at Tuckerman’s Brewery, Moat Sincerely, We welcomed more campers than ever Mountain Brewery and Smuttynose Brewery. The Hoyt Family

Purity’s centennial birthday cake

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A look back at Purity Spring’s centennial celebration

Ali Hoyt cuts the ribbon held by Ted Hoyt and little Annie Lundquist

kicked off with a flag raising ceremony on the front lawn. A new flag pole was erected and an American flag now flies every day along with a Purity Spring Resort flag designed specially for the 100th anniversary. A luncheon Purity Spring Resort celebrated 100 years of was also held on June 5th. Local and state welcoming guests to “the valley” during 2011. dignitaries, previous guests, staff, community The Centennial weekend celebration members and friends joined us for a celebra-

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Guests gather for Purity’s flag raising

tory luncheon which included a brief history by Steven Hoyt. Other speakers included: Janice Crawford, Purity Spring Resort’s first Marketing Director and current Director of the Mt. Washington Chamber of Commerce; Beth Steucek, CEO of New England Inns and Resorts; and Beau Adams, Vice President at Willis of New Hampshire. A letter of con-

Hoyt Family and Purity Spring Honored with Award for civic entrepreneurship

amanda jon... The perfect hoyt family wedding

weekend’s events started Friday evening with a gathering hosted by the groom’s parents at Milt’s Place complete with outside bonfire, BBQ Amanda Hoyt, daughter of Yvonne and Bob and music. The main event started on Saturday Hoyt, and Jonathan Morrill, tied the knot on with pictures at Sunset Beach taken before the October 8th, 2011 at Purity Spring Resort. It ceremony under blue skies with the mountain was an amazingly beautiful fall day, and perfect and fall foliage in the background. After the weather for the entire weekend. As you can reception the bridal party gathered with friends imagine, King Pine and Purity Spring Resort and family around a bonfire at Sunset Beach are very special places to both Amanda and to finish out the night! The fun continued the Jonathan since the two met on the slopes of next morning with Bob, Yvonne, and Stephanie, King Pine, and of course, Amanda grew up here. along with resort food service staff, putting on They tied the knot in front of family and friends a “Brunch Cookout” at Rocky Point. The Hoyt at the top of one of King Pine’s ski slopes family loved sharing the day with so many after riding the chair lift up the mountain. The family and friends and hosting this very special reception was then held on Picnic Island. The event on their home turf!

Limited-number custom centennial ornaments. u

gratulations was presented to the Hoyt family

by NH Executive Councilor, Ray Burton. A collectable pewter ornament was been designed

by Hampshire Pewter in Wolfeboro, NH to commemorate the 100th anniversary. The Hoyt Family History, which includes writing along with vintage photos, was compiled into a book. The book is a historical record of the Hoyt Family’s

Families loved posing around our antique carriage!

impact on “the Valley” from 1811 through 2011.

Both the Hoyt Family History, as well as the collectable pewter ornament, are available for purchase at the Blue Heron Gift Shop at The Mill.

Purity staff and families also participated in Madison’s Old Home Week parade, in period-correct costumes with an antique wagon and took home a trophy for 2nd place!

The Hoyt family and Purity Spring Resort were honored as recipients of the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council’s 2011 Bob Morrell Award for civic entrepreneurship at the joint meeting of the council and the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Grand Summit Hotel and Conference Center in Bartlett, November 1, 2011.

The Bob Morrell Award recognizes the qualities and values that Morrell (1920-1998), founder of Story Land and Heritage-New Hampshire, exemplified as a business and community leader.

“Just as Story Land was a family run, community-minded business, Purity Spring has been run by the Hoyt family for five generations and they are now celebrating the resort’s 100th anniversary and the ski area’s 50th season. Just as Story Land has brought people from far and wide to this region, so has Purity Spring while giving back to the area. The recognition is well deserved,” said Jac Cuddy, Executive Director of the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council, which is based out of the Technology Village in Conway.

Like Morrell, the Hoyts have long shown a commitment to the resort community of the Mount Washington Valley, with the family’s fourth and fifth generations now working at the resort.

From the fourth generation, Ted Hoyt is semi-retired but works a few days a week; Bob Hoyt serves as the resort’s president and general manager of the ski area; his wife, Yvonne,

oversees seasonal campers at Danforth Bay and The Bluffs; and Susie Hoyt is in charge of accounts payable and oversees the resort’s landscaping, among other duties.

Members of the fifth generation working at the resort include Steven Hoyt, who is the lodging manager, and his cousin, Andrew Mahoney, who is manager of Camp Tohkomeupog and who serves as assistant general manager at the ski resort.

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Happy 50th King Pine!

King Pine Ski Area is opening for its 50th season in 2011! The family-oriented ski resort has been owned and operated by the Hoyt family since 1962.

The ski area was appropriately named after the Eastern White Pines on the property that the King of England had marked with a blaze called The King’s Broad Arrow in the 1700’s.

Though the ski area was established in 1962, skiing at that time was not a new concept for Purity Spring Resort. Skiing at the resort began in 1938 when a rope tow was installed near Bald Ledge behind the original Inn at Purity Spring. During that winter, Milt Hoyt, son of property “The ski area founder Edward Hoyt, brought was appropriately E. small groups of students to the named after the Inn during winter Eastern White weekends to try the relatively new Pines on the sport of skiing. In property that the 1944, Milt left his teaching position King of England in West Hartford, to had marked with Connecticut, develop Purity Spring into a yeara blaze called round business.

The King’s Broad He opened the Inn and the camp Arrow in the to guests and hosted ski camps 1700’s.” during school vacation weeks. Celebrating 74 years this February, King Pine and Purity Spring’s Ski & Snowboard Camp is known as the longest running ski camp in the country.

In honor of the ski area’s 50th anniversary, the Framed Art Superstore of North Conway has unveiled its new 2011-2012 vintage ski poster commemorating King Pine.

This season, the resort will offer many new opportunities to save and plenty of ways for families to have fun on the snow.

For a full list of 50th anniversary events, visit www.KingPine.com/events.

King Pine invests in cleaner burning snowmaking King Pine spent the off-season upgrading its snowmaking system by removing diesel powered water pumps and compressors and replacing them with electric counterparts.

Two new 40 hp electric pumps were installed in a pump house near Purity Lake. These pumps will supply 2,200 gallons per minute to new water pumps within a new compressor building.

The new building now houses two new 300 hp water pumps, which will supply the snowmaking system with 2,000 gallons of water at 450 psi, with room to grow if needed. Also located within that building are two 500 hp electric compressors, which will supply 4,000 cubic feet of air per minute.

“Our decision to move forward with this project was based on the rising cost of diesel fuel and the ability to take advantage 5 of a more stable electric rate making the whole process more energy efficient,” explained Bob Hoyt,

In honor of King Pine’s 50th anniversary, a vintage commemorative King Pine vintage ski poster has been designed for the 2011/12 season!

The work was created by local artist, Diane Mello, and joins other posters created by her and sold by the Framed Art Super Store of North Conway.

SKI POSTER: The vintage King Pine ski poster is most popular as a 22” x 28” rolled poster. This version allows you to choose a frame matching home or office decor. Also makes a great gift for the kid’s bedroom! $20.00 FRAMED POSTER: Framed King Pine vintage ski posters are also available framed. Frames are beautiful, vintage-style matte black with a glass protective front. Makes the perfect holiday or birthday gift! $80.00

Thanks to the recent investment in converting from diesel to electric, snowmaking efforts at King Pine are greener and will increase capacity by 50%.

Rolled posters can be purchased online at KingPine.com. Framed posters must be picked up or shipping arrangements must be made.

King Pine General Manger. “Another important Call (603) 367-8896 for more information. factor in the decision to move forward with this project was the opportunity to remove the large diesel storage tank that was located at the edge Perfect for the of the lake, as the potential of an oil spill was King Pine, always a concern on our minds.”

Purity or The new equipment will increase King Pine’s Danforth fan! snowmaking capacity by 50 percent which, Available online weather permitting, should allow the ski area or by calling the opportunity to have more terrain open by the (603) 367-8896 Christmas holiday week.

Danforth Bay to Host the jimmy fund campout

Purity Spring Theme Weekends...

Let us make your group getaway a reality!

Let us customize a group getaway for you and 19+ of your friends. Whether your interests include shopping, golfing, boating, crafts, dancing, getting back to nature or something else, Purity Spring Resort is the perfect spot! Our spacious function rooms can accommodate a variety of themes or act as the hospitality suite.

Danforth Bay Camping and RV Resort is honored to be one of four campgrounds in New England to host the pilot year of the Jimmy Fund Campout. This event is a fundraising event to support adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Join us in the fall for a weekend of camping and special activities to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. For more information contact Danforth Bay Camping and RV Resort at 603-539-2069 or email reservations@danforthbay.com

The Hoyt family and Danforth Bay/The Bluffs remain committed to finding creative and innovative ways to protect our environment.

Purity Spring Resort and its family of businesses, continue to move forward with being environmentally friendly. In our efforts to be more Green, we stepped up our recycling program at all of our facilities. We are pleased to find that in the last year, we have more than doubled the amount of waste that we have recycled. Next on the green agenda for 2012? Solar-powered heaters for Danforth Bay and Bluffs swimming pools... stay tuned!

The Bluffs Florida Reunion

This annual event started out in January of 2007 with 8 members of The Bluffs Activities Committee who were visiting Bob and Janice

Smith in Vero Beach Florida, and decided to go out to lunch. When word got around the following summer at The Bluffs about this outing, other winter Florida residents asked to be included the following winter.

In January 2008 there were 37 in attendance, and so it was called The Bluffs Florida Reunion. Once again, Bluffs seasonal campers will gather in Florida for a mid-winter reunion luncheon.

Last year’s reunion took place at The Marsh Landing Restaurant in Fellsmere, Florida with over 70 attending and was organized and hosted by Bob and Janice Smith. This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31, 2012 and once again will be hosted by the Smiths at The Marsh Landing Restaurant.

There have been various smaller gatherings of Bluffs seasonal campers in past years in the surrounding New England area who periodically spend time together counting down the days until spring.

This year, the Seasonal Office at The Bluffs thought it would be fun to formally organize a northern luncheon for the New Englanders! We are currently exploring the options of hosting a midweek luncheon on the same day as the Florida reunion; perhaps with some “high tech” communication between the two sites. A weekend option is also being discussed to try and accommodate those who are still in the work force! Stay tuned for more details.

A sample of our theme weekends for 2012: April 10-15 April 20-22 May 6-13

May 25-29 June 22-24 September 7-9 September 11-16 Sept 28-30 October 5-7 October 19-21 October 27 October 28 - Nov 4

November 9-11 November 16-18 Nov 24 - Dec 16 December 30 - Jan 1

Scrapbook Extravaganza Ballroom Dance Mystery Quilting Retreat (Midweek, weekend & full week) Memorial Wknd Ballroom Dance King Pine Multisport Weekend Ballroom Dance Scrapbook Extravaganza Fall Foliage Covered Bridge Tour Peepin' Paddlers Tour Ballroom Dance Halloween Town Mystery Quilt Retreats (Midweek, weekend & full week) Quilt Workshop Retreat Mother/Daughter Scrapbook Polar Express Adventure Wknds New Year's Eve Celebration

Dates are subject to change. Please visit www.purityspring.com for updates or contact Laurie Campbell at (800) 373-3754 x225 for more details.

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A Circle of Good Karma Purity Spring Resort has become a home-awayfrom-home for many New England quilters, who stay at the resort twice a year, for one week at a time. As a result, many have become close with staff members at Purity Spring.

One particular group of gals, whom refer to themselves as the “Fat Quarter Queens”, heard about a particular fund-raiser for the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk. The Fat Quarter Queens got together and made a gorgeous, full-size quilt for the Moultonborough Academy Volleyball Team to use as part of their fundraising events (Bonnie Campbell, daughter of Purity’s Group Coordinator, Laurie Campbell, plays for the volleyball team). The

To complete the circle, one of the volleyball quilt was in school colors, of course, and had fabrics with cats, music notes, sneakers, etc. girls served breakfast to these thoughtful quilThe Moultonborough Academy Volleyball ters in November and the team is thinking of Team hosted a Dig for a Cure volleyball event additional ways to thank the Fat Quarter Queens. with raffles and raised over $1,400 for the October 2011 Making Strides walk.

Congratulations to our “I Love it Here” winners!

Congratulations to Elise Bergeron from Salem, NH! Her picture taken on top of Mt. Mary at Danforth Bay won our version of the “I Love it Here!” photo contest (thank you to VisitNH.com).

Purity Spring’s winner was Shelley Treyz and kids “loving” the lobster bake at Purity Spring last summer. Congrats to both families who won a weekend ski getaway to Purity Spring!

2011 Purity Spring “I Love It Here” honorable mentions

The Jones Family loves kayaking on Purity Lake

Larry the Lobster loves Thursday Cookout

Emma and Arielle from Jackson, Mississippi

2011 Danforth Bay “I Love It Here” honorable mentions

Nathan Moesta and his dog love paddling

Site c20 families love it here at Danforth Bay

Jodie Robichaud and family loving their tie dye’s

Halloween Town

social lives of people with disabilities. Through donations, fundraisers and grants, money has been raised and initial construction began in September 2011.

Currently, the property’s existing building is being winterized and expanded. Once complete, The Laura Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy there will be two handicap bathrooms, a small (providing funding to develop and support kitchen, and more storage space. The building therapeutic recreation and educational programs that enrich the quality of lives of individuals with autism and/or seizure disorders) began in 2008 with the passing of Laura Hoyt Mahoney. Laura’s greatest joy came from her grandchildren, including Drew, who suffers from both epilepsy and autism.

She saw first-hand how challenging these two disorders are for the individuals and the families caring for them. The Foundation was formed to honor her commitment to working with families affected by autism and epilepsy. Scheduled to open during the summer of 2012, Since 2008, the organization began the new center will offer two handicap bathrooms, fundraising with the goal of building an adaptive a small kitchen, and more storage space. sports and recreation center in Madison. The is slated to be open for programs such as social skills groups by the summer of 2012. Following this winterization project, the next endeavor will be the building of a barn for therapeutic horseback riding. In 2009, an outdoor riding ring was built on the property allowing for a very small riding program. However, with the building of the barn, there will be riding several days each week in the late spring, summer and fall. The barn will also contain an indoor climbing wall and a multipurpose court for things such as basketball.

Construction has begun on an Adaptive Sports & Recreation Center at the former Sweet Woodruffs Garden center site near Purity Spring Resort.

location is just south of Purity Spring Resort on Route 153; it was the former home of Sweet Woodruffs Garden Center. Once complete, the Laura Foundation’s adaptive sports and recreation center will provide opportunities for people to learn and participate in sports and leisure activities, increase independence and make new friends. The center’s activities are geared to enrich the physical, emotional and

North Conway & approximately 20 minutes from Purity Spring Resort). An Evening at Stone Mountain Arts Center will begin at 6:30 PM with a cocktail party and silent auction.

Next, attendees will enjoy a sit down dinner, live auction and a performance by singer/ songwriter Carol Noonan. More information can be found at www.thelaurafoundation.org.

4th Annual Halloween Town Saturday, October 27, 2012

Next up on the calendar of events is the Fourth Annual Halloween Town. This extremely successful day of fun brought the Laura Foundation more than $25,000 in 2011, and it returns to Camp Tohkomeupog on October 27, 2012. This free to the public event’s main attraction is a Trick-or-Treat Trail with 25 rustic cabins turned Halloween themed adventure with candy at each stop. Halloween Town has been so successful thanks to the help of the entire Purity Spring Resort family of businesses, hundreds of volunteers, and the local businesses sponsoring each cabin.

Barn Wall of Fame Campaign Ongoing fundraiser

The Laura Foundation also has an ongoing fundraiser – The Barn Wall of Fame Campaign.

Horseshoes are being sold with proceeds going toward the building of the barn. A horseshoe can be obtained for a donation of $100. It’s a great gift, or a wonderful way to celebrate, An Evening at Stone honor or memorialize a special person. Each Mountain Arts Center horseshoe will list the name or “in honor/ Friday, May 25, 2012 memory of...” painted on it. When the barn is finished, the horseshoe will be placed on the Money has been raised through donations wall or barn door showing the donor’s support and grants. There are also two annual events for a lifetime. held for the Laura Foundation, and they will be returning in 2012. The first will take place For event details, to make a donation, or information, on Friday, May 25 at the Stone Mountain Arts visit www.thelaurafoundation.org or e-mail Amy Center in Brownfield, Maine (15 minutes from Mahoney at laurafoundation@gmail.com.

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Traditions Restaurant & Pub Opened in October of 2010, Traditions made the dinner fare at Purity Spring available to the public. What once was the Inn dining room and Inn parlor, Traditions has expanded to become a local eatery while continuing its service to Purity Spring house guests.

The Hoyt family tree is displayed showing the generations of family members that have made this little valley such a wonderful vacation spot. The family tree brings us from Ebeneezer Hoyt to Ted, Laura, Bob, Kathy and Susie’s generation.

memories that last a lifetime Chris Largent At the start of seventh grade, when I asked my best friend Ben how his summer had been, he said he had had an awesome time! He told me that he had gotten a chance to dress in a loin cloth and feathers every Saturday “The next summer night that I talked my parents summer for a at his into sending me to celebration Native AmericanBen’s camp for two themed camp. was a little weeks. My mother Ipuzzled as to why that would was concerned that be so much fun, I would be homesick, but then he went on to say he had but I was not.” gone hiking for the first time in his life and had enjoyed it. I understood because even by the sixth grade I loved hiking.

The next summer I talked my parents into sending me to Ben’s camp for two weeks. My mother was concerned that I would be homesick, but I was not. I was introduced as Ben’s friend and since Ben was considered a cool kid I was accepted right away. However, as soon

The restaurant decor continues to expand as Steven Hoyt, Restaurant General Manager, finds and cleans “new” old stuff to adorn the walls. You may recognize some of the items displayed such as a pair of “trick” skis from Purity’s earlier days of waterskiing, a couple of glass carboys from our earliest days, and the 1892 Worlds Fair “Purest Water” medallions award are displayed in the new pub. The restaurant also pays tribute to local purveyor of milk, Abbots Dairy, and Tony Van Hasselt a frequent watercolors teacher with two beautiful watercolor prints of the local area.

The Inn building expansion included an as the hiking started, I made my own friends.

We hiked three trails of the Presidential Range, and on one hike we found ourselves in a valley covered in huge rocks. The counselor told us to reach under the rocks and there we found perfect, cold, white snow. We had a snowball fight right there in the middle of August. It was the shortest two weeks; I did not want to go home.

The following two years I attended the camp for three weeks and then five. I must confess, I only really got into the real “campy” activities like earning feathers for mastering camp skills later on; the hiking, the archery and the survival techniques captured my attention.

Every year it was harder and harder for me to leave, so the winter of my freshman year I was jubilant to receive a letter from the camp administration telling me that I had demonstrated leadership qualities and asking me if I wanted to become a counselor in training (CIT) the following summer. I was flattered but a little worried. I knew that it would be much different than just going to camp to have fun. But then I remembered a counselor, Reid, who had made me feel at home my first year and beyond. I remembered that I envied his sense of confidence and his sense of humor. I decided that it was worth a try to become like him.

That summer as a CIT, I would often hike at the front of a group of younger hikers, making sure that nothing was going wrong behind me.

There was one camper who had never hiked

addition to the porch. Future plans are in the works to make the porch a 3-season room by changing the screen windows to glass in the spring, fall and winter seasons.

Traditions continues to cater events and functions while weddings at the resort have expanded in past years from the Evergreen Room to the Island, atop King Pine, Sunset Beach and even Rocky Point. We are also able to offer green weddings in one of the most beautiful settings in the region. From the most basic no-power event, to a full affair with a white tent over looking the sunset on Purity Lake, our weddings create new family traditions.

Chris Largent began his journey at Tohkomeupog as a camper in the Panther Clan. He is now a counselor in the Deer Clan, working with boys just finishing 4th and 5th grades. Chris is currently enjoying senior year at Norwell High School. He is pictured here – back; gray tank-top – on top of Mt. Webster in the Presidential Range.

before, telling me after a hike that it had been the greatest day of his life. I remembered how I felt when I had found that snow under the rocks.

The winter after my counselor in training year was a long one. My fellow CITs and I all had an inbox going on Facebook in anticipation of getting asked back as counselors. Of the nine in the group of friends, only five were chosen, and I was one of them. Although I missed my friends I made sure my campers had an awesome time.

At the end of camp, one boy’s parents wrote me a note thanking me for giving their son “memories that will last a lifetime.” I know exactly what they mean because I have memories that will last my lifetime as well.