Trading Places: Alumni Sending Kids to the “Other” Camp
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ISSUE 18 BECKET-CHIMNEY CORNERS YMCA SUMMER 2015 A Message from QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER the CEO I love that there is a timelessness to camp, and this issue that the outside world seems Trading Places: Sending Kids to the “Other” Camp P 1 very far away. However, as Changing Lives Campaign Update P 2 a YMCA and an institution that advocates for children, 2014 Financial Report P 4 we have a responsibility to Alumni Notes P 7 ensure that our children are safe. Trading Places: Alumni Sending Kids to This summer Becket- Chimney Corners YMCA the “Other” Camp is implementing a new Most alumni of Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA security process for visitors assume that their children will one day attend their to camp. Following a year- favorite camp. But what happens when the son you long security audit for the hoped to tent with on Dads’ Weekend turns out to organization, the camps and be a girl, or the girl you planned to sing Good Night Circle songs to is a boy? For most alumni, sending Berkshire Outdoor Center their child to either camp is a win-win. are unveiling the Raptor System. Lee Rudy When Camp Becket alumnus Lee Rudy married his wife Caryn he began to think of the day he’d have a The Raptor System Lee and Caryn Rudy with their daughters Eliza and Julia. child to send to camp, and hoped one might attend provides an effective way Camp Becket, the place Lee credits for helping him to keep unwanted visitors be the person he is today. A Philadelphia-based attorney, Lee had to rely out of camp while staff heavily on his negotiating skills to persuade Caryn “The father and son weekend was always an annual to send their daughters to Chimney Corners Camp. can track those allowed highlight for me. When my dad came up and spent on camp. Guests will a weekend in a tent, usually in the rain, I always “When Julia was born the conversation about camp have their driver’s license pictured that would be something I’d want to became real. We both were attached to our camps. After a bunch of conversations we agreed that if scanned and screened for participate in when I became a parent. I’m lucky enough to be the father of two amazing kids—both our second child was a boy both kids would go to registered sex offenders in daughters, though, so Dads’ weekend was not in the Becket and Chimney Corners.” all 50 states, outstanding cards.” Even though Lee didn’t attend Chimney Corners restraining orders, custody As it turned out, not only did Lee have himself, his sister Rebecca did, eventually becoming issues, suspended or daughters, his wife Caryn was an Assistant Counselor. “Becca shared my fervor expelled students, known determined to have her for Becket and Chimney. It wasn’t just a blind trust gang members or for any daughters attend the all-girls that it would be similar.” custom alert. Quaker camp in the Poconos Lee, who had been a camper, ICEP member, AIDE that she attended as a child. and counselor (1980-1989), had also enjoyed a fair amount of interaction with Chimney campers and When a visitor is cleared, staff, and could see for himself that the core values Becket-Chimney Corners ((cont’d on pg 3 (cont’d on pg 2) Photo at top: Chimney Corners Camp alumnae ham it up at Alumni Weekend 2014. See page 6 for more details about Alumni Weekend 2015! BCCYMCA News Issue 18 Summer 2015 Message from the CEO (cont’d from cover) Changing Lives Campaign Update Changing Lives: The Campaign for Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA surpassed YMCA will supply the guest 0LOOLRQWRZDUGDQDPELWLRXVPLOOLRQJRDO7HQ0LOOLRQLVDVLJQL¿FDQW benchmark for the camps and Berkshire Outdoor Center as this is the most money a wrist band which will ever raised in a campaign. signal to staff that the guest CEO Phil Connor is pleased with the progress and the overall advancement of has been vetted through the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA development operation. Raptor System. If a potential ³,QWKHFDPSVFRPSOHWHGWKHLU¿UVWPDMRUIXQGUDLVLQJFDPSDLJQDQGUDLVHG WKUHDWLVLGHQWL¿HGWKH5DSWRU $1 Million. In 2005 we raised $4.2 Million in our Tradition and Vision: Our System sends instant alerts to Legacy Campaign and now the Changing Lives campaign has already surpassed GHVLJQDWHGRI¿FLDOVLQFOXGLQJ both of these earlier efforts in dollars and donors,” says Phil. law enforcement. The success that Phil refers to is more than dollars raised. It is improvements to WKH¿QDQFLDOLQIUDVWUXFWXUHDVZHOODVIDFLOLWLHVWKDWIDFLOLWDWHSURJUDPVWREHQH¿W the camper experience today and tomorrow. Parents attending Moms’ Changing Lives has already met its $3 Million goal to increase the endowment. The endowment has grown to over and Dads’ Weekend will be 0LOOLRQPDNLQJSRVVLEOHPRUH¿QDQFLDODLGWRGHVHUYLQJIDPLOLHVDVZHOODVWKHQHFHVVDU\FXVKLRQWRZHDWKHUIXWXUH processed through Raptor, ¿QDQFLDOVWUDLQ along with staff and adult The Annual Fund makes up $2.35 Million of the campaign goal and we are well on our way to surpassing that goal guests to our Berkshire having seen a 50% growth in the Annual Fund since 2009. Outdoor Center. Parents $3 Million to go Toward Capital picking up or dropping off Nearly $4 Million of the $7 Million required in the capital portion campers who are only on camp of the campaign has been raised. for a short time and within “We’ve made some excellent headway. However, the homestretch $12,000,000+ VSHFL¿FFRQ¿QHVZLOOQRWEH requires an additional $3 million -- all required to achieve our $10,000,000 June 2015 put through Raptor. planned capital improvements,” explains Changing Lives Co-Chair and Trustee Amy Hurwitz Gutschenritter. “Our goal is to reach $11 Million by the end of the summer and The implementation of this wrap up outreach in early 2016 so we can celebrate next summer,” new system is our effort to be FRQWLQXHV$P\FRQ¿GHQWWKHFDPSDLJQZLOOVXUSDVVLWVJRDO $7,000,000 July 2013 proactive and keep prohibited Early capital support has made possible the construction of the risk at bay. maintenance facility now located off of Hamilton Road. Other $3,800,000 January 2013 capital plans include: $2,500,000 July 2012 Thank you for your • A New Camp Becket Dining Hall to address much needed cooperation when you visit occupancy space to preserve the camp community at meals camp and always keep in mind • A repurposed Paul Dudley White Building for everyday program space that we are Changing Lives for • Converting Camp Becket into a pedestrian friendly space requiring Good and making decisions to infrastructure updates ensure a safe and happy space for our campers and guests. • A finished Chimney Corners Camp Lower Level for more program space for the girls’ camp and the Berkshire Outdoor Center Jim Goldman, fellow Changing Lives Co-Chair with Amy reiterates that the home stretch is uphill. Amici & Agape, ³)RUXVWRVXUSDVV0LOOLRQZHUHTXLUHDIHZPRUHVL[¿JXUHJLIWVDQGPDQ\PDQ\¿YH¿JXUHJLIWVWREHJLYHQ RYHUD¿YH\HDUSHULRG:HQHHGWKHVXSSRUWRIRXUHQWLUHFRPPXQLW\DQGZHDUHDVNLQJHYHU\RQHWRVWUHWFKDQGWR make Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA one of their top philanthropic priorities.” Phil Connor CEO Phil Connor credits the tremendous leadership of campaign chairs Jim Goldman and Amy Hurwitz Gutschenritter to Changing Lives’ success. “There is no question in my mind that Jim and Amy’s leadership correlates to our results so far. The time they give attending events, meeting with alumni and parents to solicit for the campaign is nothing I have ever seen. Their commitment to the camps is astounding.” Log on to bccymca.org to view the Changing Lives Campaign videos and to learn more about the capital projects to be funded. 2 Trading Places: (cont’d from front cover) instilled at Camp Becket were also part of the better at interpersonal problem solving. fabric of Chimney Corners. That comes from Chimney Corners. Living in a cabin with 7 other girls and resolving Lee and Caryn were on the same page that a month-long, single sex camp would give their SUREOHPVRQWKHLURZQKDVEHQH¿WVWKDWODVW throughout the year. They also see other two daughters independence, increase their people’s perspectives better and do not rely self-esteem and provide a new perspective on on adults to speak for them. They know their life while taking the time to try out new how to advocate for what they want.” experiences. Additionally, Lee and Caryn appreciate But when their second child Eliza was born that a big part of Chimney Corners is being (another girl!), both girls were supposed to silly, dressing in crazy clothes, and not caring Lee Rudy being greeted by go to Caryn’s Poconos camp. “I needed to about looks. his daughters on Visiting Day at Chimney Corners Camp. renegotiate,” Lee said, laughing. He was helped when his parents bought a lake house When Moms’ Weekend comes around Lee in Lee, MA, twenty minutes from camp. “I admits it’s the one weekend a year he wishes “There is a bittersweet quality to that weekend. pointed out that we could stay with my parents he could be back at Camp Becket. I am happy Caryn gets to share it with our on drop-off and pick-up weekends.” However, while Lee’s sister Rebecca joins JLUOVEXW,ZLVK,JRWWRH[SHULHQFHLW¿UVWKDQG After a combined eight summers at the Caryn in a tent with his two girls, Lee reunions Still, the look on Julia’s and Eliza’s faces camp, Lee and Caryn are both thrilled with with fellow Becket alum and father of two when I show up at visiting day and they come their choice. Both girls have truly thrived at Chimney campers Matt Axelrod for some running to hug me more than makes up for Chimney. “Both of the girls are noticeably JRO¿QJDQGUHPLQLVFLQJ missing out on camping out at Becket.” ³$IWHUKLV¿UVW'DGV¶:HHNHQGP\ “All the guys I know who went to Camp husband came home and said he ‘got it’.