December 2025

For Bill and Emily, giving to Chewonki isn’t just about one organization — it’s about giving back to the Maine community that has shaped their lives. From Gardiner to Camden to Brunswick, they’ve spent their years building things that last: homes, friendships, and a sense of belonging. Supporting Chewonki through planned giving is one more way to sustain the strength and continuity of a community they deeply value.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kerianne Gwinnell as the new Director of the Center for Environmental Education at Chewonki! Kerianne joined us last year to lead our Traveling Natural History programs before stepping into this new role.

For more than a century, natural history has been at the heart of Chewonki. For the last two decades, Fred Cichocki—known to generations simply as Doc Fred—has been one of its most faithful partners.

At Chewonki, learning and sustainability are deeply intertwined. Every experience—from farm chores to field studies to nights under the stars—invites participants to see how their choices ripple through the natural world. Now, we’re taking that understanding further through beneficial electrification—a key step in our long-term plan to decarbonize campus operations and model real-world climate solutions.

For Ben King, Chewonki’s new Camp Director, camp has always meant family. The friendships he formed around campfires and cabins have stayed with him for life — and in one case changed it entirely, when he met his wife, Linsey, while they were both summer camp counselors years ago.