To the Point the small point summer school newsletter spring 2010 contents President’s Letter A Note from the Directors Drama 2010 Season Preview Tennis Sailing Development and Fundraising A Garden Grows at SPSS Community Calendar Community Directory from the director Transforming Tadpole President’s Letter Newsletter News ello small pointers and SPSS campers! As anyone knows who’s been out to Newsletter Notes the Point (or logged on to the smallpoint.org webcam, or looked at recent pictures H of the beach or Club Road) it’s been a wild, wild winter. Snow and ice, wind and rain, waves and historically high tides have all had their way with our little corner of the coast, and the Summer School grounds were not spared. Merritt and Buell Heminway, newsletter notes Grey Terry and John Herrigel recently pitched in to right the Tadpole after she blew off This issue of To the Point is being her stands! distributed exclusively in digital Our intrepid new directors, Ben Lewis and John Herrigel, have stepped fearlessly form. This is more efficient, less into Malcolm’s big shoes. They’ve been hard at work recruiting counselors, figuring out expensive, and far more environ- budgets, developing exciting new programs and tweaking and improving old favorites. mentally friendly than printing and We think campers young and old and their families will be delighted with this summer’s mailing. However, we realize that full roster of activities. Highlights include an expansion of last year’s very popular some people will not be able to advanced sailing and regatta program, new community movie nights at Brad’s Barn, and receive the newsletter digitally. If a new afternoon program especially for teens, including activities and community service you or someone you know would projects. Be sure to check out Ben and John’s report, below, to learn more! like a printed version, please let And even as we’ve been caught in winter’s icy grip, we’ve been busy looking ahead. us know. Just send us an email As you read this, a beautiful Memorial Garden is under construction at the Summer (<[email protected]>) School. We are working to solve drainage and electricity problems before we open in with the recipient’s name and June, and we are developing exciting plans to renovate and improve the Arts and Nature address and we’ll gladly pop a copy in the mail. Continued on page 2 3 a note from the directors Drama Greetings from Maine! As spring arrives at last, drama is—as drama should be—a bit unsettled. The winter rain continues to pour down and extended this summer. Headed Sydney Harnett has offered to once on us here, but at least it’s rain, and we by Byron, assisted by other race-savvy again shepherd our youngest thespians might even be starting to see signs of instructors, we’ll have 420’s in the mix through the incremental steps that will spring. We can only hope… as well as a regatta or two. The Tadpole yield, we’re sure, a thoroughly delightful Your two new SPSS co-directors will go out every race (maybe Santa and unpredictable July play. August is are eagerly (and a little bit anxiously) Maria, Second Wind, and the Escape even more unpredictable, as we cast anticipating the start of our first too!) And of course, all of your favorite about for a candidate willing and able to summer at Sprague Hall. Needless to activities and programs from years past take on responsibility for the August say, Malcolm’s going to be a hard act will be back and better than ever. play. Volunteers? Nominees? But all will to follow, but we’ve got lots of exciting We are truly overjoyed and so very be resolved in good time, we promise – ideas and even a few tricks up our thankful that virtually every counselor watch the SPSS website for details! sleeves, and we’re looking forward to from last year will be returning, along Also, please note the revised date for getting started and really digging in. with a few new additions and a handful the July play. In an effort to maximize One of the biggest changes for the of veterans whom we’ve lured out of participation, we have scheduled the 2010 season is the creation of Navigators, retirement to join the fun and help performance for Saturday July 31st, with a new program for older children aged with our ever growing community. rehearsals beginning on July 26th. 12-15 that will be a loosely structured Please log onto our website at www. mix of recreational activities (including smallpointsummerschool.org to see the tennis, water sports, sailing, and a variety complete roster of over 25 strong! of fun and games) with community Feel free to reach out with questions service in Small Point and beyond. to either of us at our email address, Navigators will run Monday, Tuesday [email protected] and Friday afternoons from 1:00pm to <mailto:smallpointsummerschool@ 4:30pm in both July and August. So for gmail.com>, and check the website for all of you hipsters who secretly wished schedule updates and other important you hadn’t aged out of SPSS, you’re in information. luck! You get a PG year! All the best, and summer is just Other new ventures we hope to around the corner! incorporate this year include expansion —Ben Lewis and John Herrigel of the organic garden, an all-Small Point dog show, weekly bingo or movie nights in the Barn, and the return of the beach campout! Last year’s advanced sailing and racing program will be expanded 5 Continued from page 1 building (thanks to Hans Warner for his and make her a worthy opponent for SPSS occupies in Small Pointers’ hearts generosity and creativity!) the Wednesday and Saturday races. If that so many people have contributed Over the winter we purchased you can help, please let us know. We’re so generously in the face of daunting two new (used) vehicles to improve our making plans for our August fundraiser, financial circumstances and competing transportation logistics. (Thanks to the which will include a picnic dinner with obligations. Thank you ALL for your folks who’ve kindly donated garage family games and activities. Stay tuned! generous support. space for the vans until we can move Finally, despite the continuing Hope to see everyone at SPSS this them outside for the summer!) Merritt weak economy we had a very successful summer… Heminway is heading up a drive to raise fundraising year in 2009. It is deeply —Lynne Mitchell funds to put the Tadpole back in shape moving and a testament to the place that the small point summer school newsletter spring 2010 page 2 2010 Season Preview Tennis The snow is finally melting on our outdoor tennis courts here in Western Mass, and nets are being unfurled and Important Dates mounted… which leads us to thinking Memorial Day Clean-Up ................................... Saturday May 29 from 9:00am to Noon joyfully of tennis this summer at SPSS. (please bring tools!) I’m pleased to report that Sam Hyland Community Meeting ........................................ Sunday May 30 (10:00am in Sprague Hall) will be back for another year of stellar SPSS First Day ................................................. Monday June 28 leadership on the courts, with many able July Play ........................................................... Saturday July 31 (please note date change) assistants to be named soon. The staff “coaches” will again have the benefit of a August Fundraiser ............................................ Saturday August 14 half-day workshop with Maine Pines pro August Play ...................................................... Friday and Saturday August 21 & 22 Kevin Vincent. And in response to our SPA/SPOC Annual Meeting .............................. Saturday August 21 rapidly growing program (hurray!), we’re (9:00am in Sprague Hall) developing a slightly different schedule SPSS Last Day ................................................. Friday August 20 this summer. We promise to get it all worked out, with the courts rolled, the lines swept, and the nets stretched tight before the first serve in July! SPSS Weekly Schedule And one correction: the winner of the girls Good Sport award last August was Beginner’s Tennis Racing Sailing Mary Hyland. Belated congratulations! Ages 4 - 8 Ages 12 - 15 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 8:15AM - 9:00AM 1:00PM - 4:00PM Sailing (later on Wednesdays, after the SPYC race) Tennis We are stepping up the sailing program this summer to include another regatta Ages 9 - 12 Navigators Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Ages 12 - 15 or two for the experienced sailors 9:00AM -12:00PM Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays interested in learning to race. Last 1:00PM - 4:00PM summer Yann Pfitzer won the Explorers sportsmanship award at the Red Jacket Ages 4 - 8 Thursday Trips Youth Regatta in Rockland for capsizing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Ages dependant on week and type of trip with a minute to go before the start, 9:00AM - 12:00PM Thursdays 10:00AM - 4:00PM righting his boat, and still managed to win the start! We are looking to purchase Beginners’ Sailing a (used) Vanguard 420 and welcome any Ages 5 - 8 Thursday Trips Schedule leads. Head sailing instructors are being Tuesdays and Fridays (Tentative) asked to be life guard certified before the 9:00AM - 12:00PM July 1st- Basin, Watersports, Picnic summer begins and we hope to offer younger counselors the opportunity to July 8th- Maine Island Trail Association Arts & Nature (MITA) Island Clean-Up participate in First Aid training. We Ages 9 - 12 welcome the community’s help and July 15th- Seguin Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays guidance out on the water as we build 9:00AM - 12:00PM July 22nd- Beach Day skills and keep it fun and safe.