2024 Alumni Newsletter
2024 Season Summary
This past summer at North Country Camps was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with record-breaking achievements, creative expressions, and thrilling adventures! With 187 campers hailing from 20 states and 3 countries, our camps were buzzing with excitement and camaraderie. We even had third and fourth-generation campers continuing their family tradition!
Hot Summer Days
Our waterfronts were alive with energy as children learned teamwork, coordination and navigation skills in small groups. Kayakers mastered their rolls and sailors enjoyed our newly expanded fleet, learning the nuances of each boat. Sail racing was incredibly popular with campers cheering NCC to the finish line in our race against Poko. Others refined their swimming skills with games of afternoon water polo and quidditch, and ‘Mortal Diving,’ an activity where campers were challenged to perform unique dives. Campers cooled off on the field with water games like ‘Drip Drip Drop,’ super soaker softball, and water balloon archery. The horses also enjoyed refreshing spa days to cool off when it was too hot for a trail ride.
Riding a Creative Wave
Creativity thrived as campers expressed themselves through the arts. From glazing whimsical clay miniatures to designing props for our Alice in Wonderland production, the artistic spirit was vibrant. Meanwhile, woodshop enthusiasts crafted nail art boards and model boats, and tested physics with Pinewood Derby cars. Rock stars were made overnight as original musical compositions came alive on stage along with dance routines, gymnastics, and comedic sketches at concerts. Workgroupers explored the art of floral design, volunteering at the Wildflower Farm in Keeseville when they were not honing their carpentry skills on the Lincoln Director’s Cabin, a wonderful legacy of giving back to our community.
Embracing the Wilderness
Our long NCC wilderness trip tradition continued to be a highlight of the summer for many campers. We started the season with day trips, setting off into the backcountry to go canoeing, hiking, sailing, biking and rock climbing, and then progressed to overnight and extended adventures. Campers embarked on 32 extended trips (2 nights or more) scaling mountains, navigating canoe routes and traversing miles of terrain backpacking. The trip program provided campers with fun and real adventures that enabled them to achieve goals they’d set for themselves, all while learning a wide array of new skills. In 2024, three campers completed their years-long quest to climb all 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks (the mountains over 4000 feet), thus becoming newly minted “46ers.” Three other campers accomplished the rare feat of completing their 50ers (read more in the article below).
A Sporting Summer
This summer, the Olympic spirit punctuated activities with international flair like rugby, cricket, ‘Kung fu and meditation,’ British field games and even salsa dancing, thanks to our diverse staff representing twelve countries. There were Olympic tetherball competitions with staff commentators, an Olympic-themed county fair, and a curiosity to lean into new experiences. Mountain biking enthusiasts worked on trail building and explored the concepts of forces and energy transfer while building banks and jumps for the new pump track. Meanwhile, tennis was a huge hit at Lincoln with expert coaching, and the pickleball craze hit Whip with the addition of a new court.
Unforgettable Final Weeks
Camp concluded on a high note with typical end-of-season events like the Chief’s Cup and Farrington Cup sail races, a ‘Mad Counselor Hunt,’ the horse show and the Pinewood Derby. At Lincoln, Trivia Night tested campers’ knowledge and agility while Whippoorwill campers danced with neon body paint for a visually stunning black light party. Lincoln entered the world of fantasy for the Final Four with teams of giants, dwarves, witches and peasants on a quest to find ‘Rory’s Big Mug.’ Lincoln’s banquet theme was the film ‘Inception’ but the décor also included a suspended DeLorean DMC-12 to give a nod to ‘Back to the Future,’ a close runner-up theme. Flappers and members of Whippoorwill’s crime family sampled charcuterie boards and mocktails in a magical speakeasy for their Roaring Twenties theme. The Final Concert on Birdie Beach provided a perfect sunset backdrop to reminisce on the summer's memories.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this summer a success—our dedicated staff, enthusiastic counselors, supportive families, and generous donors. Your contributions created unforgettable experiences and brought our camps to life. Here's to more adventures next summer!
Greetings from the Executive Director
Dear Camp Community,
As I step into the role of Executive Director this year, I’m filled with excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the North Country Camps family in a new leadership position. Camp Lincoln and Camp Whippoorwill hold a special place in my heart, and I’m eager to contribute to the vibrant traditions and values that make our camps unique.
My vision for our community centers on growth—both emotional and physical. I believe that fostering an environment where both campers and staff feel safe and supported is essential to our success. Together, we’ll enhance our program offerings, ensuring they are engaging and inclusive, while also prioritizing the wellbeing of everyone in our community. With my support, Summer Directors will guide our staff and campers through fun-filled summers. We’re already excited to have a strong, energetic team who will ensure that we provide our campers with wonderful experiences. Ruth Needleman is now in the role of Staffing Coordinator and is busy meeting new applicants as well as connecting with returning staff.
I’m committed to maintaining our facilities and implementing thoughtful improvements that reflect dedication to our roots and history, while being a steward of the land to keep it serving us well into the future. This intentional evolution will allow us to continue to serve our campers and staff, enhancing their experiences while preserving the spirit of what makes North Country Camps so special. I plan to utilize our non-profit status further by exploring grant and other funding opportunities that will help bolster our organization.
Another goal I have for this next year is to develop more formal ways for our community to give back to NCC. This will likely include traditional fundraising drives, but also chances to donate time, talent and skills. We’ll be sure to let you know how you might be able to engage with us more in the future, regardless of whether you have a camp age child or not!
I look forward to collaborating with all of you as we navigate this journey together. Let’s make this year unforgettable!
Warmly,
Kate Green - Executive Director, North Country Camps
NCCF Board Changes
The NCCF Board extends its gratitude to Betsy Ginsburg and Brian Ruder whose terms ended at our November 2024 meeting. Betsy and Brian have been members since the NCCF Board was formed in 2017. We appreciate their service, many years of hard work and deep commitment to the success of NCC.
The Board is also very pleased to welcome four new members: Matt Summers, Mark Sabath, Allie Emery and Ted Sonneborn. Mark, Matt, Allie and Ted are all former NCC campers and staff members. We’re grateful for their willingness to support NCC with their wisdom and experience. Their bios can be viewed here.
Climbing the Adirondack 50 – By Izzy Lorch, Elliot Martin and Lucy Mintz (Workgroup ’24)
For all our years at camp we’ve loved hiking. We've always signed up for every trip we could and are so thankful for the opportunities North Country Camps provided to us. In 2023, as older seniors, we completed our 46ers on Seymour and Wright. This past summer (2024) we completed our 50ers. For those who don't know, finishing the 50 means completing your 46er, along with the next four highest mountains in the Adirondacks: Green, Moose, MacNaughton and Lost Pond Peak. These peaks are all bushwacks, which means they have no trails, so we used a map and compass to navigate to the summits. Climbing these mountains was very fun, the views were amazing and we learned so much from these experiences.
Our favorite 50er, and the one we finished on, was Lost Pond Peak. It’s located near MacNaughton. While in the Adirondack Loj parking lot, we were gathering our gear while Barry talked to a ranger. Not even the ranger had climbed this remote peak! We hiked on a trail for about five miles until we hit the point on our map where we turned into the trail-less woods. We used our maps and compasses to find several bearings which we followed to the summit. We bushwhacked for about 2 miles which took about 4 hours because of the thick brush and steep terrain. The cool thing about this peak is that about a quarter mile from the summit, you hit Lost Pond (pictured above). This very remote pond is special because it is located at an elevation of 3924 ft. After hitting the pond, the summit is not too far but still involved some hard bushwhacking. We only spent a few minutes at the summit because it’s small and couldn’t fit us all to have lunch, so we went back to Lost Pond so we could celebrate with lunch and some treats. We then started down the mountain, which was easier than going up thanks to gravity but still took several hours. We used the opposite bearings we used to ascend the mountain, so we came out on the trail in the same exact spot that we started!
In completing the 50, we learned many new skills including using a map and compass, navigating dense forest, and most importantly using teamwork to find the correct path. These are skills we couldn’t have learned anywhere else and we are so grateful for these experiences. It was a fun challenge learning how to overcome these obstacles. We developed new traits, such as resilience and perseverance, which we use in our everyday lives. We are excited to use these skills on future hikes, whether it is a bushwhack or a trail hike.
2024 Alumni Weekend
Over 120 alumni joined us on the shores of Augur Lake for Alumni Weekend. Friday night was what one would expect–‘cocktail hour’ in front of the Lincoln Lodge followed by a dinner and slideshow showcasing alumni through the decades. Former campers and their families went swimming, climbed Pinnacle, took out boats, got in the saddle again, aimed for a bull’s eye at the archery range and challenged themselves on the ropes course.
On Saturday night, we had even more alumni join us at Whippoorwill for a night under sparkling lights to honor Pete, Jan and Judy with a birthday celebration. The Gucker Family hosted a beautiful dinner party with Betsy Johl Byrne and Bruce Hennessey as MCs. Alumni shared stories and heartfelt memories of all three with a little ‘roasting’ thrown in for many laughs.
At its heart, the weekend was about re-establishing and maintaining the bonds we all formed at our summer home. We laughed, we sang, and promised we would meet again.
If you missed Alumni Weekend and you’d like to share camp with your children, we invite you to sign up for Family Camp (August 22-24, 2025) which offers tailored activities and child-focused evening activities. You’ll also experience living in cabins, getting on stage for a concert and enjoying s’mores and singing. Registration details will be shared in the spring.
Celestial Happenings in the North Country
2024 was a remarkable year for skywatchers in the Adirondacks. In addition to the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse on April 8, we’ve had several extraordinary displays of the Northern Lights, including one that occurred late evening on the last Sunday of the camp season.
Eclipse over Augur Lake
Northern Lights as seen on Augur Lake and from Pinnacle
Alumni Meet-Ups
This past winter, we had a fantastic time reconnecting with former campers and counselors at our alumni gathering in New York City! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. If you missed it, don’t worry—be on the lookout for more details about another alumni event coming your way in the new year. We hope to see even more of you there for another fun evening of reminiscing and reconnecting!
Camper and Staff Recruiting
Camp enrollment for this season is progressing wonderfully. We've already filled numerous spots and anticipate Whippoorwill will be fully enrolled by the New Year. There are still opportunities for more campers to join us for an unforgettable experience at Camp Lincoln.
Our alumni community is one of our best sources for both camper and staff referrals. Nobody knows camp better than you and so we count on our alumni to share that enthusiasm with prospective campers and staff.
If you know any families who might be interested in NCC, our virtual open houses are an easy, low-key way for prospective families to meet our camp leaders, see a slideshow and learn all about NCC. A schedule and information about open houses can be found here.
The wonderful NCC experience we all know and love is really dependent on outstanding staff members. If you know anyone who might like to work at NCC in 2025, please encourage them to visit our webpage where we have specific information about employment at camp.
NCC Blog
While the summer season may be behind us, the stories, adventures, and memories we shared are still going strong! Our blog posts are still live on our website, where you can read all of the weekly updates, reflections, and special moments from this past summer. Whether you’re a camper, staff member or alumni, we hope the posts will remind you of the friendships, fun, and laughter that make camp so special.
Click here to check out the NCC Blog
Capital Campaign Building Projects
Over the last few years we’ve completed numerous projects: the new ropes course, the Whip dining hall renovations, the extension on the Whip Trip House and the construction of a new Whip office. During the 2024 camp season we completed the new director’s cabin at Lincoln. For those with a long memory, it’s located on the spot where Chief’s Cottage once stood (in the small clearing downhill from the pizza oven and just south of the Lincoln office). Many members of the 2024 Workgroup had a great experience assisting with the building’s construction.
Planned Giving
We are grateful to our alumni community for your generosity and giving. Thanks to you, North Country Camps will continue to provide the unique community and wilderness experiences that so many of us cherished in our youth.
There are several ways to make a contribution today:
• Online Donations: Click here to visit our website to make a quick and secure donation.
• Mail a Check: Send your donation to North Country Camps Foundation, PO Box 603, Contoocook, NH 03229.
• Employer Matching: Many companies match donations made by employees. Check with your employer to double your impact!
• Annual pledge
Your gift, no matter the size, has a lasting impact. Donate today and join us in making a meaningful difference in the life of a child.
For long term pledges, please consider extending your support for camp through your estate planning by adding us as a beneficiary of funds or stock. Because the North Country Camps Foundation is a nonprofit organization, you can simply list us in your will or trust as follows:
North Country Camps Foundation
395 Frontage Road
Keeseville, NY 12944
EIN # 37-1862801
If you’d like to discuss your plan for legacy giving, we would welcome the conversation.
Simply email Barry Needleman at bneedleman@comcast.net
