Camp Kawanhee for Boys
Encyclopedia
Camp Kawanhee for Boys, or simply Camp Kawanhee, is an ACA
-accredited summer camp
for boys in Weld
, Maine
, on Webb Lake, in the United States
. The camp is a nonprofit organization
that is run under the supervision of a board of directors
; however, it is run directly during the summers by Executive Director
Mark Standen and Camp Director Dan Webster. Camp Kawanhee hosts nearly 150 campers per year in one seven-week session.
, but their adult lives had taken them to Columbus, Ohio
, and Englewood, New Jersey
, respectively. Both George and Raymond were involved in youth work- George was a teacher
and Raymond, a church youth worker.
George began going to the western mountains of Maine in 1909. On one of his visits, George and his cousin Burt Mitchell shot a deer and decided to take the deer to the top of nearby Mount Blue for a feast. It was on top of Mt. Blue that George Frank first saw the beautiful Webb Lake
. George made regular visits to the lake, and when he was married in 1912, George honeymooned on the lake. In 1917, Raymond accepted an invitation from George to visit the lake. Raymond also fell in love with the lake, and on frequent canoe trips around the lake, George and Raymond visited the beautiful cove that would be Kawanhee cove
many times. It was at this time that a dream of a summer camp began to take shape. The beautiful Kawanhee cove and the land that bordered the cove became the location of this dream.
The Frank brothers bought 60 acres (24.3 ha) and began to go to work. Part of the property was a potato field and had to be cleared to make the present day athletic field. The dining hall was the first building to be built and the Eagle and Falcon lodges were soon added. A man named Herbert L. Berry gave the brothers a $5,000 loan in those early days and today the Recreation Hall at Kawanhee is named in Mr. Berry’s honor. In 1921, Camp Kawanhee opened with 16 boys. Not every building was completed but they were underway. Each year Kawanhee grew in numbers. Lodges were added and equipment and activities were added. In the early days Kawanhee was advertised as a haven from hay fever
and many boys came to Kawanhee for that reason.
By the 1930s, Camp Kawanhee had been firmly established and attracted a population of over 100 campers every summer. In the late 1930s a young counselor named Walter Estabrook attended Camp Kawanhee. Little did he know that thirty years later he would own and manage Camp Kawanhee. Just as the world was different in the 1930s and 1940s so was Kawanhee. Horseback riding was a popular activity. Kawanhee even had their own stables. Boxing
was also an activity in those days, but soon was replaced by wrestling
. Kawanhee boys wore uniforms in those days and the staff was often decked out in their “whites”. In the war years of 1942–1945, Kawanhee boys sometimes helped harvest crops for the war effort. But, a Kawanhee camper of the 21st century would have been comfortable at Kawanhee in the early days of the camp. Many of the activities were the same: baseball
, archery
, swimming, nature, campcraft, range
, boating
, sailing
, tennis
and many others. Tripping was a strong activity just as it is today. Kawanhee has always taken advantage of its location in the western mountains.
In 1966, Raymond Frank died. George Frank continued to operate the camp, but he became concerned about the future of the camp as he grew older. In the late 1960s, George decided to sell the camp to a group headed by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Estabrook. This enabled Camp Kawanhee to continue to be a great influence on the lives of boys around the world.
As the Estabrooks began to operate the camp, Kawanhee moved with the times and changes were made. Enrollment increased. New activities were added. Soccer was added in the 1970s, and in the coming years kayaking
and volleyball
were added. The makeup of the camp also changed. Many foreign boys began attending Kawanhee in recent years. Today, Kawanhee attracts boys from every corner of the world
.
In 1977, a terrible fire destroyed the dining hall and three lodges. George Frank died in the fire. Kawanhee continued to operate that summer and by the next summer, a new dining hall was in operation.
In recent years Kawanhee has made even more changes. A scholarship fund was established. New lodges have been added and enrollment has reached all-time highs. A new ropes course was added in 2000 and additions were made to the course in 2001. A new arts and crafts center was also recently completed.
In 1999 another huge change took place when Mr. and Mrs. Estabrook and all other Kawanhee stock holders donated their stock to a non-profit foundation—The George and Raymond Frank Foundation. Kawanhee is now owned by the foundation and operated by a board of directors. A managing director hired by the board operates the camp. The camp has the highest return rate of any camp in the U.S.
American Camp Association
The American Camp Association , formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501 nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and similar camp programs.ACA runs an accreditation criterion for camps...
-accredited summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
for boys in Weld
Weld, Maine
Weld is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 402 at the 2000 census. Set beside Webb Lake and almost surrounded by mountains, Weld is noted for its scenic beauty. It is home to Mount Blue State Park and Camp Kawanhee for Boys....
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, on Webb Lake, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The camp is a nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that is run under the supervision of a board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
; however, it is run directly during the summers by Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
Mark Standen and Camp Director Dan Webster. Camp Kawanhee hosts nearly 150 campers per year in one seven-week session.
History
The story of Camp Kawanhee starts with the lives of George and Raymond Frank. George and Raymond were brothers born near Portland, MainePortland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, but their adult lives had taken them to Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, and Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, respectively. Both George and Raymond were involved in youth work- George was a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and Raymond, a church youth worker.
George began going to the western mountains of Maine in 1909. On one of his visits, George and his cousin Burt Mitchell shot a deer and decided to take the deer to the top of nearby Mount Blue for a feast. It was on top of Mt. Blue that George Frank first saw the beautiful Webb Lake
Webb Lake (Maine)
Webb Lake is a lake in the town of Weld in Franklin County, Maine. The latitude and longitude coordinates for this lake are 44.6981, -70.4487 and the altitude is 676 feet .Lake Webb is home to Camp Kawanhee for Boys....
. George made regular visits to the lake, and when he was married in 1912, George honeymooned on the lake. In 1917, Raymond accepted an invitation from George to visit the lake. Raymond also fell in love with the lake, and on frequent canoe trips around the lake, George and Raymond visited the beautiful cove that would be Kawanhee cove
Cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
many times. It was at this time that a dream of a summer camp began to take shape. The beautiful Kawanhee cove and the land that bordered the cove became the location of this dream.
The Frank brothers bought 60 acres (24.3 ha) and began to go to work. Part of the property was a potato field and had to be cleared to make the present day athletic field. The dining hall was the first building to be built and the Eagle and Falcon lodges were soon added. A man named Herbert L. Berry gave the brothers a $5,000 loan in those early days and today the Recreation Hall at Kawanhee is named in Mr. Berry’s honor. In 1921, Camp Kawanhee opened with 16 boys. Not every building was completed but they were underway. Each year Kawanhee grew in numbers. Lodges were added and equipment and activities were added. In the early days Kawanhee was advertised as a haven from hay fever
Hay Fever
Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss. Laura Hope Crews played the role in New York...
and many boys came to Kawanhee for that reason.
By the 1930s, Camp Kawanhee had been firmly established and attracted a population of over 100 campers every summer. In the late 1930s a young counselor named Walter Estabrook attended Camp Kawanhee. Little did he know that thirty years later he would own and manage Camp Kawanhee. Just as the world was different in the 1930s and 1940s so was Kawanhee. Horseback riding was a popular activity. Kawanhee even had their own stables. Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
was also an activity in those days, but soon was replaced by wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
. Kawanhee boys wore uniforms in those days and the staff was often decked out in their “whites”. In the war years of 1942–1945, Kawanhee boys sometimes helped harvest crops for the war effort. But, a Kawanhee camper of the 21st century would have been comfortable at Kawanhee in the early days of the camp. Many of the activities were the same: baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, swimming, nature, campcraft, range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and many others. Tripping was a strong activity just as it is today. Kawanhee has always taken advantage of its location in the western mountains.
In 1966, Raymond Frank died. George Frank continued to operate the camp, but he became concerned about the future of the camp as he grew older. In the late 1960s, George decided to sell the camp to a group headed by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Estabrook. This enabled Camp Kawanhee to continue to be a great influence on the lives of boys around the world.
As the Estabrooks began to operate the camp, Kawanhee moved with the times and changes were made. Enrollment increased. New activities were added. Soccer was added in the 1970s, and in the coming years kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
were added. The makeup of the camp also changed. Many foreign boys began attending Kawanhee in recent years. Today, Kawanhee attracts boys from every corner of the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
.
In 1977, a terrible fire destroyed the dining hall and three lodges. George Frank died in the fire. Kawanhee continued to operate that summer and by the next summer, a new dining hall was in operation.
In recent years Kawanhee has made even more changes. A scholarship fund was established. New lodges have been added and enrollment has reached all-time highs. A new ropes course was added in 2000 and additions were made to the course in 2001. A new arts and crafts center was also recently completed.
In 1999 another huge change took place when Mr. and Mrs. Estabrook and all other Kawanhee stock holders donated their stock to a non-profit foundation—The George and Raymond Frank Foundation. Kawanhee is now owned by the foundation and operated by a board of directors. A managing director hired by the board operates the camp. The camp has the highest return rate of any camp in the U.S.