A Gift Rooted in Maine
From our Fall 2025 Chronicle Alumni Magazine
When Bill Dana and Emily Boochever first heard about Chewonki, it was through word of mouth — other families in Brunswick talking about a place where teenagers spent a semester studying the natural world, living in close community, and learning to take real responsibility for themselves and each other. Their daughter Lucy was the first to go, a bright and curious student who, as they recall, didn’t just learn but grew. Years later, her younger brother Jacob would follow — a little more reluctant at first, but just as transformed by the experience.
“Emily had to sit on him to finish his application,” Bill laughs, “but once he got there, he thrived.”
Both of their children’s time at Maine Coast Semester left an imprint that extended far beyond Chewonki Neck. Lucy went on to earn a PhD in Environmental Studies at UC Berkeley and now manages sustainability policy and community food systems for the University of California Cooperative Extension. Her husband, Lee Panich — also a Chewonki alumnus — teaches archaeology in the CU system. Jacob works in grant administration in higher education in Colorado, and, Bill and Emily note, “he has that same kind of bent — thoughtful, curious, grounded in something bigger.”
As a builder, Bill has always appreciated work that’s tangible and enduring. Emily, a longtime copy editor and attorney, shares that same appreciation for care, craft, and attention to detail. They both remember how much their daughter loved the hands-on parts of Chewonki — splitting wood, working on the farm, being outside every day. “Even though it may seem simple,” Bill says, “those experiences stay with you for life.”
At Chewonki, those “simple” moments are anything but. They teach students how to live in relationship with the land and one another — to see the energy, labor, and care that sustain a community. The couple recognize that connection instinctively. For them, a good life — and good work — has always meant stewardship: building something solid and leaving it stronger for those who come next.
That same sense of purpose is what led Bill and Emily to include Chewonki in their estate plans and join the Osprey Society, a group of alumni, parents, and friends who have committed to supporting Chewonki through a planned gift.
“We don’t have any specific desire about how it’s used,” they say. “We’ve always been impressed with how Chewonki stewards its resources and its people. If we can help, even a little bit, we trust they’ll use it to do the most good.”
When asked what motivated that decision, they pause for a moment, then add simply, “We wanted to do something meaningful.”
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 is one more way to sustain the strength and continuity of a community they deeply value.
Click here for more information about Chewonki’s planned giving programs.
