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Director's Log Updated July 30

2010 Schedule posted

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Pilgrim Lodge News

Updated June 29 2010

Meet the 2010  camp staff

 

"be.lov.ed.comm.unity" (July 4-10, grades 7-9) has been cancelled due to low registration
please check the schedule for other options for 7th-9th graders

"Grandparents 2", "Sr. High Camp" and "Beyond the Boardwalk" are full


Huge crowd, beautiful weather for Jump Start Work Days
Season is off to a great start!

click here for photos

A huge thank you to everyone who turned out for Jump Start Work Days.  There was a small but dedicated crew on Friday and by Saturday at noon the crowd swelled to 145!  There were Jump Start Regulars, youth groups from all over, and a special crew of staff alumni there to honor Marilyn MacDuffie.  In a few hours Pilgrim Lodge was raked, swept, polished, planted and repaired.  This is a crowd that truly understands that Pilgrim Lodge is "Our Church's Summer Camp!"


Staffers return to honor Marilyn MacDuffie

 

Inch by inch, row by row, former Pilgrim Lodge Manager John MacDuffie preps the Pilgrim Lodge Garden with a little help from his friends in honor of his late wife Marilyn.

Right to Left, Top row: Allie McCleary Rimkunas, Karen Barnard Choate, Stephen Swanson, Daniel Eichorn and his daughter; Middle Row: Rocky Ackroyd, Sarah MacDuffie, Chad Petherbridge, Karla Swanson-Murphy; Bottom Row: Steve Kimball, Cornelius "Neil" Clark Jr., Leslie Swanson, John MacDuffie, Deborah Carll Curtis

 

In a memorial and tribute to Marilyn MacDuffie, who passed away last September, staff members from the seventies and eighties who knew, loved and worked with Marilyn, came to Jump Start Weekend to expand, prep and plant the organic garden.  Tales were told and songs were sung while remembering Marilyn, and days together in service at Pilgrim Lodge.  John MacDuffie was there as well.  It was a fitting tribute to a remarkable women who loved to garden and make PL a more beautiful place in every way. Thank you to all the staffers who came to help out. 

Click here and advance forward for photos from the garden reunion


Over 80 people stay at Pilgrim Lodge for the Youth Group Overnight!

After a hard days work, it was time for a fun night as Maine Conference Youth Groups came together for the second annual Youth Group Overnight!  There were groups from the following churches: Bridgeton, Wilton, New Glouster, Gorham, Blue Hill, Alfred, South Berwick, Bangor (Hammond St.) and Sumner.  It was a time of group building and connection making.  We hope to see everyone back at camp this summer!  Thanks also to groups from High St. Auburn and South Portland, who came and worked but were not able to stay the evening. 

click here and advance forward for photos of the event


From the Kennebec Journal:

JOSEPH REISERT: Maine summer sleep-away camps not just for kids from away


Pilgrim Lodge Local Church Jumper Training is now ONLINE


Article about PL staff member Gil Healy


The 2009 Wilderness Awakenings Log


Pilgrim Lodge Administrator Karen Steelhammer and her new granddaughter Jocelynn.
 
(Grandma is on the left)

 

 

Welcome Jocelynn!

PL Office Administrator Karen Steelhammer's new family member

Karen and John Steelhammer are grandparents.  It's true.

Weighing in at 7 lbs. Jocelynn was born on December 20, 2009

Congratulations to the entire family

Time to dig out the Farmhouse crib!

 

 


Pilgrim Lodge Prices to DECREASE from 2009 rates
(for a full week of camp)


Pilgrim Lodge is now accepting applications for summer staff 2010


PILGRIM LODGE LOCAL CHURCH JUMPERS and TEAM MEMBERS NEEDED

Find dates, location and directions to JUMPER TRAININGS

Jumper job description

See who your church's jumper is

 



 

In Loving Memory of Marilyn MacDuffie

1928-2009

Marilyn's family writes:

With sadness at our loss, but gratitude that she is set free, we send you word that our beloved Marilyn passed from life into Life on September 20th, 2009, at Red House, our family home on Mount Desert Island.

There will be a celebration of her 81 years among us on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pm at the Somesville Union Meeting House UCC, on Route 102 right in the village of Somesville. Please know that you will be very welcome if you are able to be with us - or if not, we hope you will think of us at that time and join us in a prayer of thanksgiving for her wonderful life

Our thoughts and prayers are with John and his family.


Photos from the 1st Women's Autumn Weekend

Meet the 2009 Pilgrim Lodge Staff

Possible sweatshop issues concerning PL 2009 T-shirts

The PL Dory gets a makeover!

~Thank you John MacDuffie~

The iconic PL dory, donated by counselor Doug Schroder, seemed like it had offered its last season of service in 2008.  Enter former PL Manager Rev. John MacDuffie and his passion for building and maintaining boats.  During the winter months John lovingly repaired the dory, coated the outside with fiberglass and painted both inside and out donating his time and the materials to do so.  The dory now rests peacefully on her mooring and is being used by another season of campers for dory swims, water worship and trips to the island!  Thank you John for the beautiful and dedicated offering of your time and talent.  It's a beautiful gift. 

The Carpenters Boat Shop
Keeps the PL Fleet of Prams Afloat

Pilgrim Lodge is the proud keeper of six beautiful nutshell prams.  As PL aficionados know they are named after the six of the seven dwarves. Learning (or figuring out) which dwarf is missing, and why, is a rite of passage.  For the past eight years the Carpenter's Boat Shop in Pemaquid has voluntarily refurbished one pram per year keeping the fleet in pristine shape.  This year it was Happy's turn.  The prams can be used as row boats or sail boats and are a popular subject with photographers because they're so beautiful.  The Carpenters Boat Shop is an amazing ministry that uses the art and craft of traditional boat building to help individuals in transition find a new direction.  Many thanks to Bobby Ives and our friends at the Carpenter's Boat Shop. 


Article on the Greening of Maine summer camps
from the Portland Press Herald:


Watch the promotional video

"Pilgrim Lodge: Faith, Fellowship, Fun!"

Video length: 12 minutes, 41 seconds

 

 

Bob Ditter on Getting Ready for Camp

 


An article (and video interview) from the Laniappe Times Picayoune about a

"Chef to watch"
named Kristyne Bouley. 

Ah, we knew her when... 

Kris is a former camper and staff member at PL.  She served nine summers in the kitchen at PL culminating as the camp chef for six.  I hear mac and cheese is all the rage in the Big Easy.  Way to go Bouley.

 


Mission Update: UPDATED- we passed the 10K mark!

The Pilgrim Lodge Mission program for 2008 focused on Camp To Belong.  Campers, counselors and deans learned about foster children in Maine.  The program brings siblings being raised in separate households together.  We made cards, sent birthday gifts, prayed and raised:

$10,053!

to help with this program.  Thanks everyone who gave and to the volunteers at Camp To Belong who came to PL all summer to present.

Article from the Sun Journal, August 21, 2008 about Camp To Belong


Read the 2008 Wilderness Awakenings Log Book!


MEET THE CAMP STAFF


Why the changes to email and photo procedures?  Click Here


 

The wedding of
János Mészár and Gabriella Barta

 

 


Maine State Law exempting summer camp meal tax signed into law!

(adapted from a MYCA announcement) The bill that the Maine Youth Camping Association (MYCA) submitted to clarify that camp meals are not subject to 7% sales tax has passed and was signed into law by Governor Baldacci. It is Public Law 529. The law clarifies: "This bill amends the definition of 'prepared food' under the sales tax law to exclude food and drinks served by a youth camp licensed under the Department of Health and Human Services." So Pilgrim Lodge and other Maine camps will have no further worries about a sales tax on meals. Jack Erler & Steve Sudduth did a fantastic job of making the connections needed for passage of this bill. As you know, its been a 3 year effort. Thanks to every camp that made a contact (or many) on this bill, and to private camps under the Children's Camp Alliance of Maine for contributions and activity on this measure. This is a great example of the power of camps being united and of having a superior governmental relations liaison (that's Jack!) who knows how to get complicated negotiations like this done. Everyone should feel great about this outcome!!


New Outdoor Ministries Committee Policies:

Leaving early / arriving late policyPilgrim Lodge desires to create a community with all of its participants.  Arriving late and leaving early creates gaps in that community that affect all participants.  Therefore we expect campers to arrive at the designated time and to stay for the duration of the program.  If you cannot make this commitment please cancel or reschedule your camp experience by calling the Maine Conference office. Deposits are non-refundable. A camper will be released for their own medical health or on the death or imminent death of a family member.

Counselorship PolicyAs a thank you we will reduce the camper fee for one household member or dependent in grades 3 - 12 by $75 for a week long camp.  Scholarships are available as well for campers in need.

Interpretation and reasoning:  

Leaving early /arriving late policy - In recent years we have seen an increase of campers arriving late after the group has begun forming, the guidelines laid out ,and expectations explained. We tried to accommodate parents by pushing the acceptable drop off time as late as noon on Monday.  We've also seen a marked increase in parents wanting to pick children up on Friday night or before breakfast on Saturday which breaks the flow of the event for the whole group and in particular the child's cabin group. A third issue involves parents picking children up for appointments and sporting events then returning them to camp.  We understand that there are many activities and choices for children and families: family vacations, routine doctors visits and team sporting events are common reasons for missing part of camp.  We know that making a choice is difficult but to protect the integrity of the PL program we are insisting that a choice be made. We will return any payments beyond the deposit and we can work to get the camper switched to a different session in his or her age range if possible.  Parents are asked to avoid conflicts with routine doctor and dentist appointments as well.

Counselorship Policy: This was originally designed to be only used for one's children.  While we appreciate everyone's volunteer efforts has been widely interpreted in recent years to include payment for oneself, grandchildren and other relatives.  The program was never designed to be used this widely and the financial implication for PL has been significant.  This renewed policy returns the counsellorship to its original intent.


The Pilgrim Lodge &
Maine Conference Outdoor Ministries
Archive Project

 

 


Pilgrim Lodge apparel is sweat-shop free

   Learn more!

 


Director's log July 30

PL News Archives