ISSUE UPCOMING EVENTS 08 MARCH 2012 Mon, April 2 Dinner at Mory’s (Yale University) Wed, April 4 Boston Friends of Camp Alumni and Parent Reception Message from A QUARTERLY the CEO NEWSLETTER Tell your Sat, April 21 & Sun, April 22 Board of Trustee Meeting In February I had the Becket-Chimney Camp Open House at Camp Becket and Chimney Corners Camp Sat, April 28 opportunity to travel to Asia Corners YMCA Story Fri, April 27 – Sun, April 28 Spring Work Weekend and visit two of our Travel at bccymca.org. and Service Program YMCA this issue Sat, May 12 Fairfi eld County Friends of Camp Alumni and Parent Reception partners in China and Japan. New Foundation for Brewster House P.2 Every year we select one Sat, June 16 Camp Open House at Camp Becket and Chimney Corners Camp Master Site Plan Update P.3 or two of our International Adult ICEP Trip to Peru P.5 Access the survey in Sun, June 24 First Session Begins YMCA partners to visit. This Annual Fund Update P.6 “What’s New: on the is an opportunity for Becket- Fri, July 13 – Sun, July 15 First Session Moms’ and Dads’ Weekend Chimney Corners YMCA Alumni Notes P.7 Home Page or under Sun, July 22 Second Session Begins to ensure our cross cultural Alumni.” relationships remain strong Fri, August 10 – Sun, August 12 Second Session Moms’ and Dads’ Weekend and that our ICEP participants experience a safe, culturally Camper Finds a Second Family enriching program with a For updates, changes, and a full list of all alumni, parent and camp strong service component. It at Camp Becket Zeph is also an award winning information events please go to the EVENTS page at www.bccymca.org. is important for us to always reiterate to our partners Jennifer Brown admits she was dancer. Hip Hop, jazz, tap, pop, that our travel program a little scared when her son crump’n and most recently ballet have been in Zeph’s dancing is not tourist focused, but Zephanah Knightton went to Camp Becket last summer for the repertoire and this past holiday community service based fi rst time. Knowing Zeph was still season he performed in the and we thoroughly review mourning the recent loss of his Nutcracker. the travel plans as well as our dad, Jennifer called camp regularly partnership agreements. to make sure he was okay. It was through Zeph’s involvement with the Albany Berkshire Ballet that As you may know, we “Where we come from is a Jennifer met Chimney Corners Camp Zeph Knightton Director Shannon Donovan-Monti, cancelled our ICEP Japan trip very different place from where whose daughter Bridget shared the last year following the natural the other campers live and that worried me,” explained same dance teacher as Zeph. disasters the country suffered Jennifer, a resident of Springfi eld, in early 2011. Although Massachusetts, “but I knew Zeph “Everyone could see that Zeph was a ICEP Japan does not travel would be around other young men great kid. And his mom shared with to the area devastated by and that camp would get his mind me that dance was an incentive to keep his grades up. Jennifer does a the earthquake and tsunami, off of things at home.” great job getting her kids involved www.bccymca.org | [email protected] | www.bccymca.org our YMCA partner, Tochigi Little did Jennifer know that on the very fi rst day, and she responded immediately to our offer of summer YMCA, provided signifi cant Zeph made seven new friends and by the end of his camp,” recalled Shannon, who is excited to welcome Ph. 413.623.8991 Fax 413.623.5890 Fax 413.623.8991 Ph. relief support to those Zeph’s sister Zyiasia this summer to Chimney Corners. 748 Hamilton Road, Becket, MA 01223 MA Becket, Road, Hamilton 748 four weeks he considered the entire cabin his communities as part of their “second family.” mission. The year-off allowed And Zeph is already giving his younger sister some tips, including “always carry a fl ashlight and keep your shoes Two State YMCA State Two the Tochigi YMCA to focus “I was with my family, just not my blood family,” said Zeph, a fi fth on when you walk around camp at night.” But camp on their communities and be grader at the Homer School, taught Zeph a few other lessons as well. better prepared to welcome who is an avid football player our travelers in 2012. with aspirations to play for “I learned how to be a good person and camp helped Louisiana State me understand that being in a family means you should Masato Akita, CEO of the University. help people rather than just doing things for yourself,” Tochigi YMCA, our TSP and Zeph’s experience impressed his mom. liaison Kumiko Indo along (cont’d on pg 5) BCCYMCA News Issue 08 March 2012 March 08 Issue News BCCYMCA “Changing Lives for Good” Good” for Lives “Changing with their Board Chair Skira (cont’d on pg 2) Above photo: Phil Connor meets with the staff of the National YMCA of China during his recent trip to Asia. BCCY-news-Mar2012-v8.indd 2-3 3/1/12 4:50 PM BCCYMCA News Issue 08 March 2012 Message from the CEO In Memoriam (cont’d from cover) Young Alumni Action Group to Reconnect the Under 30 Crowd Master Site Plan a Road Map to Future Joanna L. Hilgenberg (P) of Funatsu welcomed me in Japan. Historic Brewster House Alumni News & Notes Belmont, MA died on June 21, 2011. Joanna is survived by her children TheyIn November are proud ofof 2011our collaboration the Alumni Council approved the creation of a host of new initiatives in these areas which the YAAG will be Alumni News & Notes appear regularly in editions of the Becket-ChimneyQ&A withCorners Jim YMCA Brown, NEWS. Chief Operating Offi cer and consider our ICEP participants Facility Enhancements and grandchildren, including son a new volunteer group to further outreach, increase connection, and responsible for including enhanced e-communications, a revised Send your news and photos by mail to John Anz, or email to [email protected]. and Camp Becket alumnus Matthew respectful and truly engaged in the Receives New Foundation Jim Brown, Chief Operating Offi cer How does the YMCA’s programs factor foster ongoing participation and support among our former campers e-newsletter, regional and special events, and giving opportunities just Hilgenberg and daughter and cross cultural program. Peterfor Becket-Chimney Garrell (CB camper Corners ’76-’81, YMCA Aide ’82, Staff Plains, NY with my husband Carl and my two childreninto the master site process? The best and recent and current staff members. The Young Alumni Action Group for young alumni. Chimney Corner Camp alumna Sarah The Brewster House is the fi rst thing ‘84)worked just closelyrecently with contacted CEO Phil the AlumniConnor, Offi ce Brooke, 5 and Brandon, 3. Currently, I am a Vice example ofHilgenberg. supporting She our was camp predeceased programs by (YAAG) inaugural members include co-chairs Allison DeLuca and We are also excited about offering campers and families see whenIf you are not receiving the news you deserve as young alumni, make writingthe Board “Since of Trustees, my last summerstaff and at Black camp in 1984 I President in the Legal and Compliance department came out ofher the former new husband design Alanfor our Hilgenberg. camper Josh Schupack, and Dan Baginski, Julia Carroll, Libby Gutschenritter, ICEP China for the fourth year and rounding the corner of YMCAsure Road. that the Offi ce of Development has your email address and movedRiver Architects2,887 miles to fromcomplete Rudd a Ponddetailed and now live of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Through Morgancabins. WeJulia deliberately L. McNiven kept (P) the of layoutSimsbury, myLucy visit Schuldt, to Shanghai Savi wasTuber fi lledand withStuart Winchester.Every summer, the Brewsteryour House birth date. You can contact Director of Annual Fund & Alumni inMaster Manhattan Site Plan Beach, in late CA 2010. with myOver wife Anne of 20 Stanley, I am able to continue the spirit of giving simple, andCT appropriately died on October sized, 16, 2011. so that Julia is survived by a large family including suchThis graciousness. talented and Jinambitious Wei, the group Acting will focus hostson three bonnet areas clad of alumni Chimney CornersRelations John Anz by email at [email protected], or complete the years,the last our year 9 year progress old son has Will been and made the family dogs – and volunteerism that I learned at Chimney Cornerscampers in our construction cabin program Bingoto implement and Yahtzee. the Master Many Site Becket Plan, alums will be able through many volunteer events, an active charitablecould do moredaughter, of the Chimney work themselves.Corners Camp Generalconnection Secretary for our of under the National 30 crowd – Communications,campers busily Development tending to theYoung herb Alumni Survey now “live” at www.bccymca.org. alumna and Camp Becket parent toincluding appreciate the that construction I met Anne of attwo my new 50th Grateful gift program, and a mentorship where I go to a localOur hope is that campers will get the entire Committeeand Events. of OverYMCA the China course and of theShi year younggarden, alumni sewing, will notic cookinge over a fi re and Lynn McNiven Centa, daughter and Deadsmaller show footprint in 1988 cabins in Long at Chimney Beach - despite my school regularly to read to a third grader. Thankfully,structure framed and weather tight during Hi their TSP liaison included me in singing and playing games from the Chimney Corners parent Michelle parentsCorners telling Camp me and that Camp nothing Becket.