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Conistonians Volunteer in Their Local Communities to Keep Camp on the Map

This summer, many campers, alumni, community members, and afterschool families are volunteering in their local community to help the “Keep Coniston on the Map Campaign”. Thanks to a generous donor each hour of volunteering converts to a $5 gift to Camp. A big thanks to all Conistonians for making a difference in their local community! We hope you enjoy some of the stories, quotes, and photos from Camps volunteerism program below.

“The map is just incredible. What a clever way to engage campers and teach them the importance of being a part of positive change in the world.”

— Coniston Parent

Campers, Grace and Molly helped pick up trash around their town and local beach. Making the environment a healthier place for their community to enjoy.

Camper, Terry cleaned up a flower bed in his neighborhood that had a lot of litter and trash so the local gardener could replant flowers. 

Camper, Addison helped moved books for her local public library for a project to expand the Children’s section.

Alumna, Jennifer from the UK, virtually ran a Guide and Ranger program for girls aged 10-17, who previous to COVID-19 would meet in their community weekly. Similar to Coniston the girls are all from different backgrounds and many are going through personal struggles, making regular contact with friends so vital. Through projects, skills, and activities the girls learn to make new friends, build self-confidence and independence, while also learning how to be part of a larger community. Many of the morals, ethics, and life lessons we teach come from things learned at from my summers at Coniston.

Every Wednesday, CIT Claire and her mother have been volunteering at the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Their jobs have varied from sorting canned food/dry goods into categories so they can be distributed; filling plastic bags with bulk oatmeal and sealing the bags with a heat sealer; packing fresh fruits and veggies from large crates into small mesh bags for distribution; and cleaning up when she is done.

“We’ve decided to volunteer at the Arlington Food Assistance Center because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused food instability to skyrocket — people are dealing with unemployment and can’t afford food.

Everyone at AFAC is super careful to wash their hands, and wear masks, gloves, and hats when we work together. They play music while we’re there, and every now and then songs come on that remind me of Camp There’s a nice community feel, and we look forward to our Wednesday afternoons.”

—Claire

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Camp Winning Spirit Community Day

First of all, I need to tell you how grateful I am to YMCA Camp Coniston for its continued efforts to make the world brighter, despite the drastic changes COVID-19 has brought to all of our lives. The decision to offer Community Days is a shining example of your commitment to your community as a whole, and I feel tremendously blessed to be a part of it.

It was such a joy to see families enjoying all the beauty that Coniston has to offer; whether on or in the water, or running across the lawn to make s’mores. I will never forget the absolute joy with which two friends from Camp Winning Spirit ran out across the lawn, dancing in the rain.

So please know, I deeply appreciate Coniston’s invitation to pediatric cancer families this summer. On behalf of all of us at the Childhood Cancer Lifeline, thank you.

— Sylvia Pelletier, President of Childhood Cancer Lifeline of NH

The sentiment is shared by many families as well. Below are their messages and photos of appreciation.

For families of pediatric cancer survivors, the pandemic has further complicated our efforts to keep our kiddos safe and healthy. For our family, this meant continuing to remain on lockdown, even as summer has brought chances for others to head out safely into the world again. We are so appreciative of Coniston’s Community Days as one of the only true “days of summer” we’ve been able to enjoy as a family this year. We all left the day feeling energized and relieved that we were able to have some summer fun as a family. Thank you, Coniston!

— The Pepin Family

We cannot say enough about your amazing Camp and staff. Even though this year looked different at Camp my kids looked forward to it for weeks and had a GREAT time. Camp Coniston is for us about lifelong memories and bonding with the special family of Childhood Cancer Lifeline. The counselors do everything to make it fun and you can tell they love the Camp and greeting us every year. A heartfelt “Thank You” from our family for helping our special kids feel like kids and forget if only for a short time the weight of their illnesses.

— The Anderson Family

It was refreshing to have a day of respite at Coniston in the midst of COVID-19. Beth really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with some friends in person. We appreciate all of the efforts that made the day possible. Seeing some familiar counselors was great too. During this time of “social distancing” the day was a bright reminder that we all are in this together.

— The Brooks Family

Thanks so much to everyone for this event. It really means a lot to us. This year was a pretty big deal for Bradley because it was the first time he could go in the lake (so the first time we could all go in the lake). He had his port the last two times so he couldn’t go in because of the risk of infection. This was also his first time at camp since he finished his two years of chemo so he did a lot more running around. He even fell asleep on the car ride home

— The Rainford Family

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Virtual Vespers Keeping the Coniston Community Connected

Keeping people connected during this time is important work Camp can easily do. To that end, we have reached out through social media to our Community and beyond, providing activities in which families and youth may participate, weekly inspirational and spiritual presentations (aka vespers). Through this type of programming Coniston’s engagement has seen an extreme rate of growth and we even have people join us with no previous connection to YMCA Camp Coniston. Read a few testimonials below:

“Evening Vespers was always a time of quiet contemplation and inspiration.  Bob Sanders would frequently offer a message dealing with camp life and how to make the best of it.  His presentation usually had to do with developing relationships.  45 years later Coniston’s virtual Vespers are very nostalgic and often very personal.  But the themes haven’t changed that much, and I still find them refreshing as they remind me of the importance of relationships that the Coniston experience always provided.”

— Dave Barden, Sanders’ Era Alumni

“Aaaahhh, Virtual Vespers!  It’s a time to decompress after a day at work.  It’s a chance to reconnect with camp friends, for whom camp represents a happy place, filled with lingering memories, and sometimes a growing-up place where we discovered who we really are.  It’s a virtual visit, a step back in time to days when we walked along the pine-needle-covered roadway under a green canopy by sparkling lake waters to late-afternoon vespers.  The vesper speakers inspire us with their earnest words of reflection and leave us smiling.  Thank you, Camp Coniston, for continuing the summer magic.” 

— Karen Fitch Parker, Camper and Staff Member, 1967-1977

Just like every evening at Camp, a little after 5:00pm (EST) the Camp bell rings and cabins make their way in silence to Boys & Girls Vespers. To so many Conistonians, this reflective time as we come together and sit by the lake is an extremely important time. At 5:15pm (EST), Vespers begins by a counselor who shares a personal message or life lesson that helped shape them into the person they are today. 

To stay informed and join us each week we recommend you add Virtual Vespers to your calendar by clicking this link.

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Coniston Community Fundraisers

The Coniston Community has stepped up in a BIG way and hundreds of campers and alumni got involved in very unique ways to ensure the future of Coniston.

CONISTON BRACELETS
1st-year staff members, John Shelley and Ellie Wilson jumped into action when they heard Camp needed help by creating a fundraiser. These entrepreneurs sold homemade friendship bracelets and more importantly found a way of keeping the spirit of Camp alive during these times.

CONISTON TRIVIA NIGHT!
On June 25, 2020 over 150 CIT groups across the country from the late 90’s through the 2010’s gathered for a special trivia night fundraiser to help support Camp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the generosity of so many, thousands of dollars were raised.

More than just a financial boost, the night was an opportunity for old friends to reconnect, laugh, and reminisce about summers on the lake. Congratulations to the 2001/2002 CIT team who took home the big win to have the donations to Camp made in their honor!

CONISTON HATS
After spending five summers at Coniston, Kiley MacLeod knew that she wanted to help the place that has given her so much. She created a fundraiser to sell custom embroidered hats.

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George Floyd and BLM

To Our Coniston Community: 

Black lives matter. We apologize for not speaking up sooner to say this and make sure you all know that we are paying attention and that we as an organization unequivocally believe in the cause of racial justice, stand with the Black community, and condemn racism.

We didn’t release a statement earlier both because we were afraid to say the wrong thing and because we weren’t sure if we had anything valuable to add to this conversation. We also did not want to make an empty statement that isn’t backed up by concrete actions Camp is taking to become a more inclusive and actively anti-racist organization. 

However, we realized last week that the wrong thing to say is nothing at all. We want you, our Coniston community, to know we are paying attention, we are listening, we are having conversations, and we are actively working on those concrete steps. We understand the importance of taking action and we hope you understand that it will take time to figure out how to translate the values each of us on staff and on our board holds individually into actions that an entire organization takes — including steps to make sure that we are truly living our anti-racist values and teaching them to campers during camp sessions when we are once again open. 

Camp has always worked hard to teach and live the values of respect, honesty, inclusivity, responsibility, and caring. But we acknowledge that we need to and must go further and we’re deeply committed to doing that. We also acknowledge that, despite our good intentions, Camp has not always felt welcoming to every community member. 

As a predominantly white organization, we have a special responsibility to our community to teach and model anti-racist behavior. History teaches us that movements for change are most successful when privileged communities use their voices to advocate on behalf of marginalized communities. And our hearts tell us that it is the right thing to do. 

John Tilley, John McNair, Nicole Berthiaume 
June 10, 2020

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COVID-19 Brings the Most Talented Communications Team of Volunteers to Life!

In response to COVID-19, a Communications Committee was formed to support the communication needs for Camp. Without this committees support and hard work the Coniston Community would not be as well informed.

The committee is chaired by Board Member, Lynne Delise, and a group of highly talented communication and fundraising alumni. Members of the committee include:

Anna Kelsey, Grassroots Prospects Manager at Democratic National Committee

Liz Morris, MBA Candidate | The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and Formerly the Assistant Director of Planned Giving for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Joe Whelan, Assistant Director of Development, Regional & Global Programs at University of Delaware, MBA Candidate

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Thank You to our Coniston Nurses!

Doctors, nurses, and public health officials are an essential pillar in providing our society with comfort and safety. In many cities in lockdown, healthcare workers are thanked every night for their work. A chorus of applause and cheers echo through the city from the apartments and balconies along the empty streets. A daily act of gratitude to the people who are working above and beyond. Coniston would like to extend an enormous thank you and encourage others to display their gratitude to healthcare workers in our local community and nation.

We also extend a resounding thank you and Class A Clap to our camp nurses who provide safety and comfort to thousands of kids every summer at camp. They are a driving force in making Coniston a welcoming and comfortable place. However, it’s not just Coniston that they impact. When they are not supporting our campers and staff many of them are school nurses and help keep children stay healthy and safe all year.

Our nurses are so important to us. While they are keeping camp and their local communities healthy and strong they are also helping our communities stay connected. Many of our nurses have taken on the role of helping send hundreds of kids to camp on camperships from their local districts. By doing this, many children who may not have had the chance, have had the opportunity to enjoy a summer (or many) by the lake as campers then as counselors, Program Directors, Boys’ and Girls’ Camp Directors and leaders in the Coniston Community. Beyond the Coniston Community, our nurses are also dedicated to send members of the Concord Refugee Community to Camp, giving more people summers at Coniston. Their work cannot be quantified as they are a cornerstone to the camp and local community. Words could never explain our gratitude for your efforts and selflessness.

To our camp nurses and all healthcare workers, who tirelessly work behind the scenes we say thank you for taking time away from your jobs and lives. You truly are the best.

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Coniston Says Goodbye to Sanders’ Era Nurse, Patricia Ford (Reny)

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing on Patricia Ford (Reny) on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 after a lengthy battle with metastatic lung cancer. Pat was Camp Nurse from 1972 – 1978 and was joined each summer by her son Michael Reny and husband D. Reny. Additionally, D. Reny worked on photography and riflery staff.

Michael Reny shared the following memories… Camp Coniston holds a profound place in my heart and my mother’s passing brings back all the joy that I experienced there. I was 7 yrs old and had no idea where we were going one summer day when Pat & Don brought me to the camp. She was one of the summer nurses along with my dad who had a variety of roles. I had the privilege of being an out of cabin camper and got to see behind the scenes of camp life and experience being a camper. I would stay in one of the infirmary back rooms for a session then the next session join the regular boys camp in an appropriate cabin…all 8 weeks each summer for 5-6 yrs. I’d help in the infirmary during sick calls-handing out cough drops for soar throats after campfire battles. I participated and excelled in all the programs and got to make many friends and see them return each summer. I wish I had kept in closer touch. I tried to return every couple years for reunion and always wanted to take a week at the end of summer…but life was busy. I so wanted my kids to go to camp…but that didn’t happen either. I took Pat back once in the 90’s. I know she thoroughly enjoyed her time at camp as did I.

Blondie who worked with Patricia for 5 years as camp nurses shared the following with us… Pat was very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. She and husband stopped in Hershey to see me a few months before she died and although she knew her time was short her sense of humor came through. Great person. 

During the year Pat was part of a small coalition of sister Nurse Practitioners who successfully lobbied the New Hampshire Legislature to provide rights of independent practice and additionally the rights of prescriptive practice to help New Hampshire patients attain the quality and affordable healthcare that has become the standard for healthcare in New Hampshire. Pat was the first Nurse Practitioner in New Hampshire to serve as an independent practitioner. She owned and operated her own practice named Healthy Generations in Franklin, N.H. and built the practice to nearly 4000 patients over 20 years. Pat earned the Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award in 1991 due to her accomplishments in providing leadership in the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association. Pat was also presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association. Pat concluded her illustrious Nurse Practitioner career while practicing at Whole Life Healthcare in Newington, N.H., while simultaneously modernizing and managing the first aid station and sick call hours on Star Island for the Star Island Corp she said it was just like Camp!

Pat will be greatly missed by the entire Coniston Community.