07/04/2021
To all Members of the Masquebec Hill Community:
After thirty-nine memorable summers of exuberant camaraderie, shared adventures and the honorable integrity of campers supporting the best in each other; our treasured Masquebec Hill is officially closing its doors. The Camp whose generous spirit you all gifted with empathy, good will, courage, thoughtfulness, and loyalty is ending its four-decade run and finishing strong!
Treasured and especially relevant in its emphasis on integrity, Masquebec Hill was sorely missed when COVID-19 prevented opening last summer. Looking forward to this summer of 2021, Campers “couldn’t wait” to get back to celebrate the 40th Season with friends and mentors, to be around the good-hearted genius and insightful ingenuity of Elders George Cullinan and Charlie Faithorn, to wolf down second helpings of Deb Tatham’s roast turkey and stuffing after basketball and a swim, to consider long-term goals and aspirations listening to a counselor’s Fireside Chat or a Chapel sermon, to make helping others and strengthening integrity part of summer growing.
But, for the second season in a row, Camp has been called off. Vaccinations for younger campers, the most promising protection for camp life, wouldn’t be made available in time; nor could an on-campus facility to isolate six campers be staffed. For the many from abroad, long-distance travel, especially to and from the United Kingdom, is too unpredictable to count on. By the summer of 2022, I will no longer be a spring chicken of 83 but a grouch of 84, more than too old to find new campers, train counselors and lead a Masquebec Hill group back to Newfound. A younger director could do it, but permission to conduct a youth camp surrounded by Kneeland family property extends only to the current in-family directorship.
So, how will we see each other and when will we connect?
Masquebec Hill has left the building, but that generous spirit of good will campers and counselors have endowed it with still resonates in the rafters and, more importantly, in the fond memories and integrity of alumni. Camp’s important alumni function will be carried on by The Roll Call Society whose membership automatically includes every camper, counselor and staffer who has within the past forty years attended Camp.
Masquebec Hill remains my home, and you are invited to come back any time of the year; come soon and come often; come back “to a deep, crystal-clear glacial lake in the rugged mountains of New Hampshire for joyful gatherings of alumni known to bring out the best in each other. Let’s celebrate the Camp we built together, do our share of thankful laughing and tall tell old tales of bold summer growing… of Kirk, Harlan, Helen, Schandy, Jerry, Wes, Riley, Harry, Blake, Colin, Danny, Will, Brett, Timmy, BK, Rick, Mike, Jake, Greg, Marco, Dan, Ronnie, Ethan, Ethan and Ethan (the list goes on and includes you) and we’ll fondly remember Nicky D. and John……………….. Put on another log.”
With enormous gratitude for all you have meant to Masquebec Hill, and my very best!
"Huge"
Dave Hughes
D
