We are pleased to share that Greg Shute, long-time Chewonki staff member and former director of Northern and Coastal Properties has been selected for the 2025 Special Recognition Award from the American Camping Association (ACA).
The Special Recognition was first established by the ACA in 1978 to “…honor groups, organizations, or individuals for their efforts to promote camp on a national level.”
Past recipients of this award include a notable array of national leaders, activists, and advocates in the youth camping and education field.
“I’m grateful for the award and pleased to be recognized by the American Camping Association,” said Shute. “I also want give thanks to my good friend and former colleague Garth Altenburg, who I found out was the instigator of my nomination.”
According to Altenburg, former Chewonki Camp Director (’06-’18), Shute’s selection for the Special Recognition award was due to his many years working to improve risk management standards in youth camping, improve best practices in backcountry trip management, participation in the Maine Trip Leader working group partnered with the Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife, his contributions to the Wilderness Risk Management Association, and a lifetime of engagement and partnership with Indigenous communities throughout the region to improve awareness and recognition of the historical and current uses of the lands and waters used by so many youth camping and trip programs.
“Greg has had a significant influence on so many for so long, often behind the scenes in an unassuming way, but worth recognizing ,” says Altenburg.
The Special Recognition Award will be presented at the American Camping Association’s National Conference in Dallas, Texas, February 18-21.
Shute was also recently featured as the Guest of Honor at Chewonki Homecoming Day in October. After 41 years of excellent service to the foundation, Shute formally retired in December 2024 and has departed for an extended tour of the country with his wife Lynne.
If you would like to send a note of congratulations to Greg Shute, please contact our alumni office.
Greg Shute, former Director of Northern and Coastal Properties, Vice President, Wilderness Trips Director, and Camp Chewonki Staff Member (’83-’24)
Past Recipients of the American Camping Association Special Recognition Award
1978
Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC)
Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA)
(The above awards were presented by the
American Camping Association and the
International Association of Conference Center
Administrators.)
1982
Edmonia Dillon
William A. Hillman, Jr.
Hugh S. Markel
1983
Edwin Shapiro
Senator Robert Dole
Senator Gordon Humphrey
Representative Norman D’Amours
Representative Barber Conable
1984
Nancy Reagan
Beverly Miller
1986
Joan Farrow
Jesse Farrow
Ed Schirick
Lois Lehr
City of Kansas City
Paul Fjare
1987
Thomson K. Heinrichs
Bernie Moore
Barbara Winslow
Putnam Blodgett
Senator John C. Danforth
Senator Bob Packwood
Senator David Durenberger
Representative Barbara Kennelly
Representative J. J. Pickle
Representative John J. Duncan
1988
Glenn T. Job
Jack Pearse
National Wildlife Federation
1989
Frank M. Washburn
Mary Ennis
1990
Marvin Black
Fr. Karl Dowd
1991
Mimi Fogerty
1992
Bill Cole
Ruth Carlo DeNegroni
Elizabeth Kiester
George Sudduth
1993
Ed Andrews
Marion Doctor
Frederick T. Miller
Jeanne Otto
1994
Nannette Enloe
Western Association of Independent Camps
1995
Risk Management Design Team
Richard Smikle
Edward Schirick
Ray and Vicki Kalman
1997
Kenneth Bonsell
Faith Evans
Robert Lebby
1998
American National Red Cross-Chapter
Operations
Ray Bean
1999
Penny and Peter Kerns
2000
Pastor Duane E. Hanson
George Shafer
William P. (Bill) Tighe
International Staff Recruiting Agencies
Bunacamp
Camp America
Camp Counselors U.S.A.
Inter Exchange/Camp U.S.A.
International Camp Counselor Program
International Camping Fellowship
2001
Robert H. Miner
Michele Friedman
Cathy Palmer
Dave Silverstein
Maine Youth Camping Association
2002
Allen Beavers
George Marcus
Rulon Skinner
2004
Bette Bussel
Gary Forster
2005
James McCafferty
Rodger Popkin
Recreation Administration Program of Aurora –
George Williams University
2006
Michael Chauveau
Bonnie Dunn
Clark L. Ewing
2007
Judy Brookhiser
Mark Burkhardt
Sally Jewell
2008
Dennis Elliot
Stephen Wallace
2009
University of Georgia
Philip Lilienthal
REI & LNT PEAK
Nancy Frankel
Paul Newman posthumously
2010
Massachusetts Audubon
Reverend James Cherry
Don Brown
Rob Grabill
Camp Leaders
2011
Foundation for Jewish Camp
2012
Maine Summer Camps
Rep. Chellie Pingree
Girl Scouts of the USA
2013
Michael Thompson, Ph.D.
2014
Clemson University, Department of Parks,
Recreation, and Tourism Management
2015
Paul Sheridan (Camp Moves Me)
Andy Shlensky (Camp Moves Me)
2016
Jack Erler
Gene DeSantis
2017
Doug Siden
Ken Glotzer
2018
No Recipient
2019
Scott Brody
2020
Dan Konigsberg
2021
Danny Sudman
Travis Allison and the team with The Brief:
Camp and Covid 19
Andy Pritikin
Sara Kuljis
New England State Camp Associations
2022
Aaron Greenberg
Marisa Fink, Ed.D.
Michelle Cummings
2023
Terry Ackley
Michelle Koplan
2024
Steven R. Nelson
Maine Summer Camps (MSC)
2025
Greg Shute
Eden Martin
