Tuesday, December 15, 2020

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

As the 2020 Holiday Season approaches, consider giving an experiential gift to your children this year. The pandemic has turned our whole world upside down and brought challenges too numerous to count. Every day is spent in a virtual world on Zoom, digital work, digital school, even digital birthday parties. Although we have become amazingly efficient and comfortable in our digital universe, we have also learned to appreciate our natural surroundings even more. Our outdoor environment has given us the ability to practice social distancing while spending time with friends and family. The constant stress of being plugged-in seems to evaporate in the serenity of a babbling brook or a mountaintop view.

So when it comes to presents beneath the tree this holiday, think about a William Lawrence Camp summer for the young men in your family. Just like adults, our children will need a "break" from their virtual world. A few weeks without computers, mobile phones, and video screens combined with spectacular Lake Winnipesaukee sunsets and starlit night skies will do unmeasurable good. Scrambling up mountain ledges with their best buddy, paddling through wind-driven swells on Squam Lake, or building a campfire for the first time at Perch Point on Lower Beech Pond will provide a lifetime of memories. Your children will return home refreshed, more confident, and independent. A William Lawrence Camp summer may be the most significant and timely gift a parent could give a son in 2020. Remind your camper to light their William Lawrence candle this holiday; his wish of another summer on the "Knoll" may just come true.


Written by a Former WLC Parent and Board Member

Monday, November 30, 2020

A Lesson in Charitable Giving


Hello Campers and Parents!
  All of you can help us reach the FLWS campaign goal of $250,000.  Note that two of our campers are learning about charitable giving with the help of their parents.  Alejandro and Erik Rojas Pratt contribute a portion of their allowances to worthy organizations.  They are aware of FLWS, and each of them is donating to the campaign.  Their parents, Maija and Pepe, are matching each boy’s contribution, and then Maija, who works at State Street, will request a corporate matching gift for the entire amount.  What a great idea!

The Rojas Pratt Family lives in Cambridge, MA, and they learned about William Lawrence Camp from alumnus Chris Summersgill and his son Clemens.  They have assisted Chris in recruiting campers to WLC over the past few years.  Alejandro (known as Ale) is in the 8th grade.  He is 13 years old and will be a first year Senior in Summer 2021.  Erik is in the 5th grade.  He is 11 years old and will be in his last year as a Junior in Summer 2021.  Both boys attend a bilingual school in Cambridge, and they are currently taking classes remotely, due to COVID-19.  They both enjoy sports, especially soccer, baseball, basketball, and football.  Erik plays the piano, and Ale plays the trumpet and likes to create music on his computer.  In their spare time, they like to play video games, and Erik says he’s done a lot of reading when he has been quarantined.

When asked about Camp experiences, Ale said he misses his campmates, and he wonders about his Bill Larry Boy status.  Good news for Ale:  Since he was enrolled for last summer (which would have been his fifth year), he will be a Bill Larry Boy when he returns to the Knoll next summer!  Erik said he really likes Wilderness Skills, and he misses the conversations in the cabin at night after Taps.  Both boys said that they enjoy singing the national anthems in the Dining Hall.  They have roots in Mexico, England, and the USA, so they sing all three anthems, but they don’t have a favorite!

Thank you to the Rojas Pratt Family for their donation to WLC and for demonstrating how to teach philanthropy at home.  And thank you for securing a corporate matching gift!

P.S. to the recent college grads out there:  If an 8th grader and a 5th grader can donate to the FLWS campaign, you can, too!  Remember that participation is important.  Every dollar counts!

Written by Board of Trustee Member and Alumni Camper Parent, Lucy Hancock

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Overnight Summer Camp is a Win-Win Situation for Families



As parents, we all want what is best for our children. From the day they are born, we spend countless hours considering the right foods, activities, schools, books, and even friends to help them grow into confident, compassionate adults. We want to keep them close and protect them, but sometimes what is best for our children is to let them go.

Let them go to a place of new adventures, new responsibilities, new friends from all over the world and a new-found opportunity to take risks and get to know themselves better. Where could such a place exist, you ask? Why summer camp, of course.

Summer camp is more than just campfires and s’mores. Summer camps strive to provide their campers with a community where they are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and take healthy risks. For some boys, that risk might be making new friends. In the Boston Globe Magazine (2/22/2019) article entitled “At Summer Camp, Friendships Blossom Without Technology”, author Meaghan O’Neill says, “Camp is a controlled but fun environment purpose-built for making friends.” Given the communal nature of overnight camp, boys learn quickly how to live with each other, cope with different personalities, and discover what qualities they value in a friend. They hone their interpersonal skills without even realizing what an “interpersonal skill” is. O’Neill continues, “Friends from school or the neighborhood are known quantities. At summer camp, whether day or overnight, kids are freer to bond without parental intervention. And that’s good for their development.”

For other perhaps more seasoned campers, that risk might be challenging themselves to master a new skill or experiment with activities they have never tried before. William Lawrence’s Honor Society program challenges campers to master and complete 18 skills ranging from building and successfully lighting a fire in front of the whole camp (nerve-wracking) to spending a night alone in the woods after felling a tree, building a fire, and setting up camp for the night (even more nerve-wracking).

Have you ever played Australian rugby, shot an arrow through the bull’s eye, sailed a boat on your own across a pristine lake, used woodworking power tools, reached the top of the climbing tower or learned to slalom waterski? These are just a few of the activities to explore, be challenged by and eventually feel a sense of accomplishment whether the skills were mastered or not. Sometimes just trying something new gives a boost of confidence and willingness to try again.

At summer’s end, campers return home transformed into more independent, compassionate, confident and helpful young men (they have to clean their cabins and sort their own laundry!) ready to put their newly-discovered abilities to work for the rest of the year.

A strong, independent, confident, compassionate child. Now that is a win-win situation for any family.

Written by Board of Trustee Member and Camp parent, Seana Crellin

Monday, September 21, 2020

For Lawrence We Stand Donor List



Thank you to all our donors! Every dollar helps us reach our goal

Updated September 13, 2021

Nicole Ackerman

James Aitken

Eric Alban

Andre Amazeen

Rachel & John Anastasio

Ryan Anastasio

Sam Anastasio

Chuck Avery

Gail Avery

John Avery

A. Chapman Bailey

Jane Bailey

Alicia Baker

Patricia Baker

David Barone

Bruce Barton

Virginia Bauer

Julie Bayle-Cordier

Charlie Beeman

David Behler

Nick Berents

Jon Berman

Cara Beston

Jerry Bird

K.O. Bisson

Vicki Boone

Chris Borgia

Meredith and Roger Boshes

Stacy Braatz

Derek Brain

Paul Briggs

Nelson Brinckerhoff

Vivian Brocard

Derek Brown

George Brown

Gray Brown

Leslie Brown

Nathaniel Brown

Richard Brown

Susan Brown

Anne Bullitt

Phyllis Burke

Chris Burns

Jennifer Calabro

Geoffrey Calver

Alex Camerino

Steven Camerino

David Cancian

Rob Capone

Jamie Cardiddi

Lawrence Carle

Jeannine and Victor Caruso

Joe Caruso

Peter Case

Dennis Ceru

Jonathan Ceru

Steven and Julie Charrette

Christine Cheffers

Dehan Chen

Pam & Braden Chmiel

John Paul Chuck

Deborah Clauson

Charles Cleary

David Cleary

Esther Cleary

Peter Cleary

Rebecca Cleary

Thomas Cleary

Caroline Closuit

Stuart Cobb

Nicholas Collins

Andrew Cook

George Cooke

David Cooney

Mackenzie Copley

Mick Correll

Christopher W Couch

William Coutts

Richard Cowan

Nat Crane

Seana Crellin

John Cronin

Michaelene Cronin

Mary Ellen Crowley

Arthur Curtis

Edward D'Alelio

Anthony Dalessio

Erika Damon

Jessica Dawson

Yann Deguel Serres

Elisabeth Demarco

Donald Dermond

Daniel Dicamillo

Tom Diehl

Louis Doig

Samuel Dorfman

Karen Dow

Rani Doyle

Laurie Dubel

Alan Duff

Andrew Duncan

Jonathan Engram

Carl Erickson

Kristell Erout

Peter Evans P.G.

Rachel Falconer

Dave Farrow

Sonia Faucher

Mark Fidler

Ross Fidler

Daniel Fitzpatrick

Barbara Flaws Ivos

Jim Fontaine

Hugh and Diane Fredrick

Ricky French

Jonathan Friedman

Joseph Froelicher

Peter Froelicher

E. Paul Gallagher

Scott Gilbert

Mary Lynda Goldkamp

Holly Goldman

Robert Golledge Jr.

Stephen Gordon

Thomas Gorman

Eben Graves

Annie Gray

Paul and Joanne Guzzi

Marko Habjan

Kevin and Marcia Haigis

Lucy Hancock

William Hancock

Beezie Handy

Jonathan Handy

Karen Hansen

Alan Harding

David Hartwell

Robert Haskins

Sean Haughey

Judith Haycock

Michael Hayes

Daniel Hayllor

David Heckel

William Heckel

Diane Heidelberger

Dave Helgeson

Erik Helleren

Paul Helleren

Paul Hendrickson

Robert Hendrickson

Richard Hersee

Margaret Anne Heuss

Victoria Heydari

George Hill

Jackson Hillner

Susannah Hoch

Jacob Hoffman

Lexi Hoffman

Stephanie & Andrew Hohenstein

Tucker Holland

David Horton

Prescott Huidekoper

Jonah Hulbert

Neil Hulbert

Noah Hulbert

Therese Hurley

Christopher Hyde

Mark Hyde

Ryan Hyde

Andrew Iappini

David Jessup

Ken Johnson

David Johst

Nancy K Jones

Rachel Jones

Daniel Jordan

Daniel Kaczmare

Boris Kalinichenko

Shih Hui Kao

Eelco Kaper

Rebecca Keane

Michael & Madge Kellick

Nathan Kellogg

Douglas Kelly

Angus Kerr

Sergio Kiehl

Karen Kim

Frank King

William Kirby Jr

Eric and Cynthia Kirchhoff

Elizabeth Kirk

Clayton Konopacz

Janet Korts

Frantisek Kral

Jan & Helene Loning

Thomas Lane

David Lange

Kathleen Larkin

Casey Larkins

Elizabeth Larson

Bill Laskin

Lisa Laskin

Jason Ledbetter

Jon Letowt

George Lewis

Jonathan Lilienfeld

Stephanie Littell

Howard Lubinger

Pasquale Luongo

Jon Lynch

Ian Macfarlane

Robert Anthony Mackie

Brian & Jenna MacPhee

Laura Macs

Bruce Marston

Shawn Martin

Bill & Jen McCabe

Brendan McCabe

Dean McDowell

Daniel McGee

Kevin McGee

Sam McGrath

Geoffrey McIntosh

Tessa McKenzie Greer

Cameron McLean

Lisa McNamara

Kyra Mercer

Jodi Merklinger

Brendan Miller

Toby Mirman

Adam Muhith

Tom Myers

Dan Naparstek

Marilyn Natsch

Meredith Natsch

Michael Natsch

Shaun Needham

Liam Neish

Emily Nelson

Daniel Neske

Gordon Noble

Greg and Sarah Noble

Jim Noble

Christin OBrien

Donald Obrien

Andrew O'Connor

Krista and Thomas Olson/Middleton

Kevin O'Neill

John Orshak

Chris Ott

Kate Oxtoby

Kyle Page

Christina Passaretti

Dylan Paul

Sharon Paul

David Peabody

Harold Peebles

Barbara Perkins

Edward Perkins

Julie Perlman

Theodore Perry

Chris Peters

Connor Peters

Colter Peterson

Geoffrey Peyton

Susan Peyton

Jonathan Pineo

Rhonda Pirvulescu

Graham Pollard

Bob Poole

Robert Potterton

Stacie Provost

Edward and Amy Purdy

Jin Purdy

Patrick Rae

Ganesh Rao

Kate Renney

Marsha Rich

Faye Rimalovski

Winslow A. "Peter" Robbins

Betsy Roguet

Maija Rojas-Pratt

Robert Roog

Carolyn & John Rose

Arlene Rozzelle

Elizabeth Rubin

Glenn Rudberg

Scott & Laura Rudberg

John Rudberg, Jr

John Ruhala

Richard and Abigail Russell

Kate Guggenheim Samir Muhith

Deirdre Scali

Keith Schnaars

Kurt Schnaars

Nikki Schulz

Daniel Seaman

Ruarri Serpa

Pam Sharpe

Gregory Shenstone

Jacob Silverman

Kenny Simpson

Henrik Smedberg

Chris Smith

Peter Smith

Johan Soderman

Dale Spencer

Ben Starr

Nina and Gilbert Stephan

John S. Stephenson

Anne Stevenson

Susette Stigliano

Jeffrey Stump

Suzanna Stump

Zhen Su

Abby Summersgill

Jared Supple

Jennifer Supple

William Supple

Stanislav Svaricek

Rob Swan

David Swanson

John Swanson

George Taffet

Glen and Barbara Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Nancy Teeven

Steve Tingle

Marcel Trik

Peter Van Emburgh

Jane Venti

Lisa Walker

Robert Walker

Caroline and Martin Walsh

Diane Walton

Bill Wang

Peter Warren

Lee Webster

Ben Weeks

Steve Weeks

Daniel Wesolowski

Patricia Wesolowski

Diana White

Jonathan White

Matt White

Sarah White

Rainer Wichman

Ann Wicks

Dan Williams

Laura Winner

Thomas Winner

Dave “Tea Time” Wise

David Witherspoon

Wayne Wright

Willard Yankus

Elizabeth Young

M Kent Zambelli

Scott Zeller

William Zettek

Paul Zimmerman

Katharine Zins

Robert ZIns

Benevity Inc

BMS Matching Gift Program

Cengage Learning

Copper Beech Foundation

Dell Technologies

Facebook

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

Fidelity Charitable

IMK, Inc.

Network for Good

Schwab Charitable

The Biber Foundation

The Blackbaud Giving Fund

The Hulbert Charitable Donor Fund

TIAA Charitable

Vanguard Charitable

Women's Club of High Point Delray Beach Section 1


Thursday, May 7, 2020

In The Words of 2019 LIT, Griffin Wilson: Moving Through the Years

In my years here at William Lawrence Camp, I have had the joy of experiencing just about everything. When I first arrived as a Junior, I knew a little about camp because of my brother but I was amazed at how close the community was. I was nervous at first but I met somebody just like me. After the first day, I was too excited to go to bed. I tried tons of different activities and all the counselors were fun and encouraging.



Grif Wilson enjoying a period of tennis!
I spent two year as a Junior and then moved on up to a Middler. It was almost as if the new, exciting things were just refreshed. There were new cool counselors, cabins and trips. I went on the Squam Lake trip and there was a massive thunderstorm. Me, Ethan and Charlie were all stuck in a tent with rain pouring all around us. Suprisingly, it was one of the best times I had on a trip. We stayed up until about 1am just talking and fooling around.

As I became a Senior, I was close with the kids all the way back from Junior year. The counselors were more relaxed and you were independent. We had a dance with the girls of Fleur De Lis. I went on the Androscoggin River trip and ended up tipping the canoe but it was still very fun. Being a Senior also allowed me to try out skeet. Overall, my experience was a great one.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

In the Words of 2019 LIT, Anthony Stigliano: New Activities

Anthony helping WLC celebrate
Camp Kindness Day
I have attended William Lawrence camp for 6 years and have experienced all the activities it has to offer. Going from a suburban neighborhood to camp opened many doors to opportunities I would've never had back home.
            Two of these activities are riflery and archery, some very different sports compared to the norm. They require intense focus and patience in order to get the right shot. They take a lot of practice but are very rewarding and build discipline. On the other hand, ping pong is a fast paced activity which relies on ones reflexes and technique to propel them to victory. Once one picks up a paddle, it is very hard to put down. Almost every camper lines up outside the ping pong tables before meals at the dining hall just to get a chance to play. My personal favorite is challenge course. Everyone attempted to climb a tree as a kid, but usually didn't get very far. At challenge course, you can put these past thoughts to rest with the climbing tower and high ropes courses. At the tower, there are many routes to ascend, all varying in obstacles and difficulty. The high ropes courses also portray may different challenges, and require using ones balance in order to stay high among the trees. Water skiing and sailing are extremely fun, especially if you have never done water sports before. It is exhilarating for the boat to whip you around the lake as you water ski, although it is very challenging at first. However, it is one of the most rewarding activities at camp. Sailing is also hard at first, but is great fun and can be very relaxing or exciting depending on how you approach it.
William Lawrence has many activities that aren't available in our day to day lives, and keeps many. like myself, returning to camp for years.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

What is Free Swim and WHHHHY is it so Important!?

Take a moment and imagine the bugle has just blown and it’s the start of Free Swim. Your son is feeling tired from the morning’s activities but wants to hang with his friends. He meets up with everyone outside the cabin and a couple of his friends suggest going to the climbing tower. Your son knows he doesn’t have the energy to climb the tower. He is flooded with different emotions, about being the one who says no to the activity and not wanting to miss out on the fun but also really not wanting to go.  What does he do? How does he handle it?...

At William Lawrence Camp, Free Swim is the time each day where the boys experience absolute control over how they spend their time. After spending the morning and early afternoon in instructional activities and knowing that their evening already has a plan, Free Swim is their opportunity for two hours of unstructured activities. The boys can go from one area of camp to another at a whim. They can hang with one group of friends then join another or even meet someone new. This unstructured time is vital for their development. 

Katie Hurley, LCSW, writes in her article Summertime Solutions: The Benefits of Unstructured Play, “…unstructured play increases executive function skills such as organizing, staying focused, initiating tasks, self-regulation of emotions, and self-monitoring or the ability to keep track of what you’re doing.” Think back to your son standing with his group of friends debating whether to go to the climbing tower or not. He’s learning to regulate his emotions and check-in with his body. Hurley also says, “Through the context of unstructured play, groups of kids learn to share and verbalize their ideas, work together, and resolve disputes.” Your son is going to voice his thoughts and the boys are going to work together to decide what to do. We can provide evidence of that on the ball field, outside the cabin, down at the waterfront, just about anywhere on camp, campers are gathering in small groups and increasing their executive functions while figuring out what to do during Free Swim.

I know there are some parents out there thinking to themselves, “2 hours of free swim? But what if my son gets bored?” Our response to that is, “excellent!” In the Time Magazine article, How We're Endangering our Kids' Imaginations, Melissa Berstein says “…they desperately need more free time to ignite their imaginations, develop a sense of wonder, and discover their passions and purpose. Inventiveness occurs when kids have time for curiosity and exploration.” By allowing the boys to be bored for a few minutes, we are asking them to use their imaginations and creativity to entertain themselves. The Time Magazine article The Secret Power of Play says, “Children who can entertain themselves, or play with one another, are unconsciously learning how to adapt themselves to challenges they’ll face further down the road.” With no structure for two hours, WLC boys need to decide what they want to do and then make it happen, a concept that will be recurring in their lives.

We believe that Free Swim may just be the one of the most important times of growth for your son. Walking around camp during Free Swim you will observe a small group of boys sitting together at the green chairs sharing books, you will see the shy boy challenging himself on the climbing tower, two friends figuring out how to play tetherball, a parade of boys walking down to the waterfront, an exuberant game of gaga, boys lounging on sail boats and paddle boards in the middle of the lake just chatting and enjoying each other and the weather. Wherever you look you will see boys growing, developing and experiencing life. Your don’t have to take our word on how important this is; Alison Hail writes in her article What The Power Of Play Truly Means For Your Child, “Free play has the potential to significantly reshape and strengthen neural circuits of the brain, leading to increased perception and intuition, as well as to greater recall.” And who doesn’t want that for their child!?

Articles Referenced in this blog post:
https://www.kidskintha.com/power-of-play-2/

Written by Jessica Dawson, WLC Camper Development Coordinator

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

In The Words of 2019 LIT, Reece Stevenson: Staff Diversity


A large part of my experience at WLC is the staff from different parts of the world. It adds an entirely different prospective on life and completely changes the way camp is oriented. They are able to help make new activities as well as helps campers from different places fit in.
Reece assisting Noah Weiner in woodworking
            I have been at camp for 8 years and I am now a part of the LIT program and now work with staff from all over the world. And as aforecited they have made my experience as a camper and counselor amazing. Our staff come from all over the place including Spain,  New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, etc. this  has helped me take home a new prospective on life because of the experiences that they bring to camp. An example of this is this year we have a lot of staff from South Africa who taught me about the culture there and the major differences in language and ways of life which made me think a lot about how I live at home. This is an overall helpful experience because I normally dont critically think about my way of life but now I feel as if I am better off after having this introduced to me.
            These staff haven't only affected me but also the entirety of camp. They create new games for the camp and bring old ones from their countries. They create new games for the camp and bring old ones from their countries such as Aussie rules. As well as helping with games they also help kids from outside of America feel safer because they have a counselor who is just as far from home as them. This is also helpful for when they don't speak E  and enriches the William Lawrence Camp experience.
nglish very well and a staff speaking the same language can help with this a lot. Overall these staff add a new experience to camp that couldn't happen without them