Alumni & Friends
Congratulations to our Sheep Pelt Giveaway Winners!
And the winners are…drumroll please…
December 1, 2022
Alumni & Friends
In Memorium: Gary Spiess (1940-2022)
With the deepest sadness, I am sharing that we recently learned of the death of Honorary Trustee and long-time Chewonki board member and friend, Gary
November 30, 2022
Foundation
Feeding Mind, Body, and Soul; One Year on Chewonki’s Kitchen Team
When I was offered a position at Chewonki as a seasonal cook last summer, I hesitated to accept. I’d just moved to Maine and didn’t know anyone else on staff (except my mother-in-law and 19-year veteran of the Chewonki facilities team, Carol James, who’d convinced me to apply). When I finally did accept, I didn’t have high expectations. I thought it was going to be just like any other job. I’d clock in, clock out, and count the days until the weekend. So, I was surprised when, on my first day, I was welcomed by the kitchen team with open arms and big smiles. I felt like I was walking into a family reunion
November 11, 2022
Board and Trustees
Gordy Hall Kept the Fire Alight
For nearly 70 years, Chewonki has been fortunate to count Gordy Hall as a camp counselor, trip leader, trustee, and dear friend. Gordy left us all the great gift of being memorable, and many of us have our own “Gordy stories” to share, and we hope to hear yours. He was a remarkable person, “one of a kind,” and left an indelible mark on Chewonki. As Gordy frequently said, “Gratitude is a powerful motivator.” We are grateful for all Gordy did for Chewonki through more than seventy years of connection and caring.
November 3, 2022
Foundation
Gordy’s Allagash Sass
I had the privilege of being invited by Gordy to join him, his wife, Taffy, and several of their friends along with Peg-WT, Greg Shute, Kate Z, for a late summer trip on the Allagash River. Although I responded with an immediate and enthusiastic, “yes!” I was, admittedly, a bit nervous to go. Before this trip, I never traveled the Allagash, and, frankly, had very limited paddling experience. Although I heard stories of the beauty of the landscape I kept thinking about other comments shared with me of the hardships of encountering a strong headwind. But Gordy, with his years and years of familiarity with the trip, and his characteristic enthusiasm, assured me that all would be well.
November 3, 2022
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Majora Inspiration
Last week we were thrilled to host acclaimed Social-Entrepreneur, Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, and MacArthur Genius, Majora Carter, as part of our Friday Night Speaker Series.
October 5, 2022
Staff News
Photos: Willard Morgan’s Send-off Celebration
On Tuesday, August 23rd, nearly 100 current and former staff members, alums, and friends joined us on campus to celebrate Willard Morgan’s eighteen years at
August 25, 2022
Sustainability
Forrest Nonconformist: Alumn Rethinks Reforestation
“If you wanted to reforest the Chewonki Farm, you wouldn’t plant trees. You would simply stop mowing. We have all these promising carbon-offset programs, but they are disconnected from reality.” -Forrest Fleischman
Since his early days as a Chewonki camper, student, and staffer in the 1990s and 2000s, Forrest Fleischman has become a leading expert in forest policy and governance. An associate professor in the Department of Forest Resources at the University of Minnesota, Fleischman’s work examines the intersection of scientific knowledge, government expertise, and civic engagement in policy-making and implementation and the outcomes of resulting policies [1]. His ideas have been featured by ProPublica, the BBC, NPR, Science News, and many others.
August 9, 2022
Staff News
Squishing Deeper into our Epic Mud Rove Tradition
Last month we published an article about our epic Mud Rove tradition, and we were excited to hear from several alumni & friends remembering their mud roves in Montsweag Brook. And a few folks told us there was more to the story…
August 8, 2022
Foundation
Alumna BLOOMs with Bigelow Labs
Congratulations to Maine Coast Semester 67 Alumna, Sophia Kovacs (Morse High School, Bath, ME), who recently completed Bigelow Laboratory’s Keller BLOOM Program. BLOOM (Bigelow Laboratory Orders of Magnitude) is a week-long ocean science-intensive that invites high school juniors to work side-by-side with Bigelow’s marine biologists.
July 8, 2022
