Past Web Page News Notes 2015-19
DECEMBER, 2019, NEWS
- The Alumni Association Winter Gathering will be held Sunday, January 5 from
1:30 - 5 PM at Radio Social, 20 Carlson Road in Rochester. $5 per person will be collected there, to cover some appetizers.
All are welcome, but if possible please notify Jon Northrup by Dec. 29 if you are coming. More details in the
recent Alumni Association Beaver Tales newsletter.
- New in the Massawepie History pages of this website: Forester Staff Photos
. Take a look at past staffs you may remember, and (as with the Central staff photos) if you can add
to the collection of photos or identify any of the names of staff members on photos without keys,
please contact Peter Collinge.
- As of 12/31, keys of names for the 1985-87 Central Staff Photos
have now been added, thanks to help from Mark Kurtz and Kathy Hakes Elliott.
OCTOBER, 2019, NEWS
New in the Massawepie History pages of this website:
Staff Photos from past years,
starting with Central Staff Photos. Take a look at past staffs you may remember,
and if you can add to the collection of photos or identify any of the names of staff members on photos without keys,
please contact Peter Collinge.
AUGUST, 2019, NEWS
- Massawepie has completed another successful summer camp season with 1662 total Scouts BSA
youth campers at Camp Pioneer, including a number of troops of girls.
- The Alumni Association provided a new recognition item for the end-of-summer Staff Banquet:
customized fleece blankets for 2019 staffers who had completed five or more years on staff.
Three-year staffers also received a special ringer T-shirt, a recognition that began in 2018. Congratulations to those staffers!
These recognitions are provided through the generous support of Massawepie Staff Alumni Association members - thanks!
- Several new Childwold Park House items from the 1890s are now posted on the Historic Documents - Old
Massawepie History web page.
- Several new postcard images (Childwold railroad station, Gale's Cabins on Catamount Pond) are now posted on the
Photos - Old Massawepie History web page.
JUNE, 2019, NEWS
- Beaver Weekend was a big success, with many projects finished including new latrines,
new trail boardwalks, reroofed buildings, vehicle repairs, tent setup, etc. Alumni members traveled from as far away as Vermont,
Ohio, and Colorado to attend and help camp. Please plan now to attend next year: June 5-7, 2020.
- Phase one of the Staff Site Electricity Project was also completed Beaver Weekend.
Two new lean-tos in the staff site each have lights and eight electrical outlets, plus eight USB outlets for phone charging.
So far, Alumni Association members have donated $2865 to support this project. THANK YOU!
- The Alumni Association's Annual Meeting was held on June 1 during Beaver Weeked at
Massawepie. 2019 activities and accomplishments were reviewed, and the slate of officers and Executive Board members was approved.
Five new members who joined during the weekend are included in the fine-looking group below.
- The BSA National Camping School (NCS) is again being held at Massawepie this year, June 14-20. Over 110 participants and
39 staff members were registered as of early June. NCS is a great way to show off Massawepie to the rest of the BSA!
APRIL, 2019, NEWS
- Are you coming to Beaver Weekend May 31 - June 2? Help get Massawepie ready for its
68th summer season! Then, after dinner Saturday, we'll have the Alumni Association annual meeting and election
of officers, followed by some excellent fellowship and reminiscing. Be there or be square! For any questions
about Weekend logistics or project work, contact Property Superintendent Ben Geiger at
Ben.GeigerATscouting.org (replace AT by @) or (518)359-3900.
- Current Alumni Association members: Look for your Spring newsletter, complete with
membership renewal/donation form, in the mail in early May.
- There was a good turnout of Alumni members for the Association's Spring Gathering at New York Beer Project in Victor.
More details and photos will be in the newsletter.
FEBRUARY, 2019, NEWS
- Staffing for 2019 summer camp is underway. Matthew Ghirarda will return as Camp Director,
with Brendan Flaherty as Program Director and Freddy Stein
as Trek Director.
- Doug Turner has decided to retire after 31 years as Trek Director at Massawepie, working
first for the Association of Adirondack Scout Camps, then for Adirondack Scout Reservation, and finally for Massawepie Scout Camps.
His wife Laura also worked in the Trek Program for many of those years. Doug started at Massawepie as a CIT in 1972,
then worked on Forester staff in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was Mountaineer Camp Director in 1987.
In 2019, Doug and Laura will enjoy their first summer at home in many years. Thank you for your service, Doug and Laura!!!
- The Alumni Association's Winter Gathering was held on Sunday, January 6 (2019), at
Radio Social, 20 Carlson Road, Rochester. The 20+ members in attendance had a good time reminiscing, and some took advantage of the
various games available at that locale:
- Massawepie got a brief mention on p.28 of the Jan./Feb. issue of Adirondack Explorer. The article about climbing
Sawyer Mt. included Ned Hallahan, and mentioned that he spent the fall at Massawepie as a student in St. Lawrence University's
Adirondack Semester.
DECEMBER, 2018, NEWS
- Sadly, 2015-16 Massawepie Camp Director David Cheney lost his battle with cancer on
December 26. Dave was a volunteer Scouter and then a professional with Seneca Waterways Council, BSA, and will be missed by his many friends and
Scout colleagues. More information is available in his obituary.
- The Alumni Association's Winter Gathering will be held on Sunday, January 6 (2019), at
Radio Social, 20 Carlson Road, Rochester. The cost will be $5 for some food to share, with drinks and amusements also available to
purchase. Please pre-register by December 23 by contacting Jon Northrup. For his contact info and more details about the event,
see page 5 of the recent newsletter.
- A newly updated Massawepie Hiking Trails Map has been posted on the
Massawepie Maps web page. Thanks to volunteer Anthony Ferrari from Fairport Troop 207 for his efforts
on this update!
- The Fall Beaver Tales newsletter has been distributed to all current Alumni Association
members. Thanks again to those members who have agreed to receive their newsletter electronically, which saves us postage and printing
costs. If you didn't get a newsletter, and believe that your dues are up-to-date, please contact Peter Collinge (Treasurer) at
collinge@localnet.com.
NOVEMBER, 2018, NEWS
When Massawepie was first being developed in the early 1950s, Robert D. Smith was the Otetiana Council's Assistant Scout Executive
and spent time visiting and helping with the new camp. Recently, his son, Robert S. "Bo" Smith (Captain USN Ret.) found the
Alumni Association website and shared some of his experiences with Massawepie:
My name is Robert S. Smith. My father was the Assistant Scout Executive in Rochester,
New York from 1950-1954. I was a Boy Scout at that time. My father did a lot of development work at Camp Massawepie
while he was there. I accompanied him on many trips to Massawepie in 1951-1954. I was present when we entered the hotel and
many guest cottages the first year the Boy Scouts bought the camp. It was like the previous owners just picked up and left
leaving lots of stuff there; including envelopes with stamps from the 1930s. I actually used the ten pin bowling alley.
It was complete with pins, balls, everything. We worked on setting up the camp Pioneer for the first year. The next year
we went across the lake as soon as the thaw allowed work and participated in the set up of Camp Mountaineer. Although
Camp Voyager didn't exist yet, we did some of the first exploring for the camp by taking canoes around the lake into virgin
forests. I went on many five and ten mile hikes in the nearby mountains including Mt. Arab. I explored the Racket River and
Long Lake and developed a three day canoe trip there.
Note: The actual Hotel Childwold was torn down in 1946, but a number of the hotel buildings were still in existence when the Scouts
bought the property in 1951, and two hotel cabins lasted into the 1970s. If you would like to read more about Bo Smith's childhood,
including his time at "old Camp Cutler" (now the western part of Webster Park) in 1950, he has posted a colorful memoir online at
bo-smith.net/bosmemoir/childhood.
SEPTEMBER, 2018, NEWS
The Alumni Association started a new veteran staff recognition this year by giving out special "Three Year Staffer" ringer
T-shirts at the end of the summer to all 2018 Massawepie staffers completing 3+ years on staff. Pictured below is 2018
Program Director Brendan Flaherty wearing one of the shirts.
JULY, 2018, NEWS
- On July 5, a Northeast Region Area 3 Camp Assessment team visited Massawepie to review
compliance with the National Camp Accreditation Program standards for Boy Scout Resident Camp, High Adventure, and the COPE/Climbing
program. As usual, Massawepie was fully accredited in all areas, and the Camp Assessment team had very positive comments about the
camp program (along with a few helpful suggestions). Overall, Massawepie is having another great summer, with attendance up from 2017.
- The Massawepie Ranger staff, with some help from other camp staff, created and exhibited a float in the
Tupper Lake Woodsmen's Days Parade. Here's what the Tupper Lake Free Press July 18 edition said about the Massawepie
float, "The scouts and the leaders from the Massawepie Scout Camp entered a very woodsy looking float this year, with some colorful
characters aboard. The 3900-acre Boy Scout camp in Piercefield draws over 2,000 scouts from all over the country each year during its
six weeks of operation. The boy scout float won second in the youth division." A photo of the float appeared on the "Massawepie Scout
Camps" Facebook page recently. (If you haven't already liked that Facebook page, you should, and you might also consider liking the
"Massawepie Adirondack Treks" page!)
JUNE, 2018, NEWS
- The Massawepie Staff Alumni Association annual meeting was held on June 2 at Massawepie. New officers and Executive Committee members
were elected, including Freddy Stein as the new Association Chair and Jon Northrup as the Vice-Chair; see the
About Us page for more details. Here's the group in attendance at the meeting:
- Good News: So far, $2270 has been raised from Massawepie Alumni donations for the Association's
2018 Camp Improvement Project: upgrading staff beds and mattresses. Six double mattresses
have been purchased to replace the worst of those in the staff cabins, and Ben Geiger (Massawepie Property Superintendent) has
also arranged for a donation of some twin mattresses and bunk beds from a helpful college that is updating their dorm furniture.
The MSAA has also purchased some plywood to make backboards to go under the new 4" thick foam mattresses for the cots in the staff
tents, so that younger staff who are in camp tents all summer have more comfortable sleeping arrangements. More donations are always welcome
and can be sent payable to Seneca Waterways Council and mailed c/o Don DeClerck (see his addess info under Membership on the
About Us page).
MAY, 2018, NEWS
- Are you coming to Beaver Weekend June 1-3? All of the cool Massawepie Alumni will be there,
getting Massawepie ready for its 67th summer season. Then, after dinner Saturday, we'll have the Alumni Association annual
meeting and election of officers, followed by some excellent fellowship and reminiscing. Hope you can come. For any questions
about Weekend logistics or project work, contact Property Superintendent Ben Geiger at
Ben.GeigerATscouting.org (replace AT by @) or (518)359-3900.
- National Camping School is returning to Massawepie June 16-22, for the first time since 2011.
Over 100 key staff members from Scout camps around the Northeast will be at Massawepie, learning how to offer quality Scout camp
experiences this summer in their home camps.
- Current Alumni Association members: Look for your Spring newsletter, complete with membership renewal/donation form, in the mail
in early May.
APRIL, 2018, NEWS
Two dozen Rochester-area Alumni Association members enjoyed an afternoon of fellowship on Sunday, March 4 at
WhichCraft Brews in Webster. There was much talk of good times at camp, past and future!
MARCH, 2018, NEWS
The Executive Committee of the Massawepie Staff Alumni Association (MSAA) has chosen the Association's
2018 Camp Improvement Project: upgrading staff beds and mattresses. Many of
the mattresses in the staff cabins are ancient, some are rather dirty, and those aren't really conducive to
a good night's sleep for staff. The MSAA will be raising funds to replace as many mattresses as possible.
Ben Geiger (Massawepie Property Superintendent) has also arranged for a donation of some twin mattresses and bunk beds
from a helpful college that is updating their dorm furniture, so the MSAA can concentrate on replacing the double
mattresses that some cabins have (which are there for married staff and off-season use like Family Camp). If enough
money is raised, the MSAA will also purchase some 4" thick foam mattresses for the cots in the staff tents, so that
younger staff who are in camp all summer have better mattresses than the 3" thick ones that the one-week campers use.
FEBRUARY, 2018, NEWS
The 2018 Massawepie summer camp management team will be: Matthew Ghirarda,
Reservation Director and Jon Northrup, Camp Director. Matthew is the new
Seneca Waterways Council Program Director, and has prior experience in the BSA's Boston Minuteman Council,
Nashua Valley Council and Katahdin Area Council. Jon was also the 2017 Massawepie Camp Director, and has 13 prior years
of experience on the Massawepie staff. The co-Program Directors for Camp Pioneer will be
Freddy Stein and Brendan Flaherty,
both of whom have many years of camp staff experience. Massawepie is in good hands!
JULY, 2017, NEWS
On July 6, an Assessment Team from Area 3 of the BSA Northeast Region visited Massawepie and fully accredited
Camp Pioneer, the COPE/Climbing program, and the Trek program. As usual, the comments from the visiting team about the
camp, the program, and the staff were quite complimentary. Congratulations to the camp staff, Reservation Director
Don DeClerck, Camp Director Jon Northrup, Program Director Christie Geiger, and Property Superintendent Ben Geiger.
JUNE, 2017, NEWS
On the evening of Saturday, June 3, 2017, after a Beaver Weekend work day, the Turner Trek Center was dedicated. The
dedication ceremony was the culmination of a campaign by the Massawepie Staff Alumni Association to raise $25,000 in
Massawepie Square Foot Endowment funds. The Trek Center is now named for the Turner family, who collectively have served
over 100 summers on camp staff. Guests at the dedication ceremony included many members of the Turner family, including
nine who have served on camp staff, and Dick Trier, Massawepie Reservation Director during 1986-89. More information and
photos from the dedication are available here. The evening concluded with
the Alumni Association annual meeting and election of officers.
MAY, 2017, NEWS
- This year's Beaver Weekend, June 2-4, will be a busy one! In addition to many projects getting camp ready for summer,
the Turner Trek Center will be dedicated on Saturday at 7:15 PM, followed by the
annual meeting and election of officers of the Massawepie Staff Alumni Association. Hope to see you there!
- Bob Marshall, one of the first proponents of wilderness preservation in the Adirondacks and nationally and a founder
of the Wilderness Society, spent the summer of 1922 as a student at the Cranberry Lake Field Station of the New York
State College of Forestry (now ESF). He used his weekends to take far-ranging hikes in the Cranberry Lake area, which
eventually included visits to 94 lakes and ponds. At the end, he ranked the 94 water bodies for scenic beauty, much as
he and his companions had earlier ranked the Adirondack High Peaks for views. Here's how he ranked
the Massawepie waters:
- #8 Massawepie Lake
- #15 Long Pond
- #18 Deer Pond
- #20 Town Line Pond
- #29 Horseshoe Pond
- #53 Catamount Pond
Marshall apparently never saw Pine Pond, and either missed or didn't bother to include Round Pond. This information comes
from a compilation of Marshall's writings, Bob Marshall in the Adirondacks, edited by Phil Brown and published
by Lost Pond Press in 2006.
- Another Scouter gone home: Long-time Massawepie staffer Adelaide (Addy) Meyering
passed away on April 16. Addy began working at Camp Forester in 1980 when her husband Ray became Rifle Range Director.
She ran the Trading Post and later the Handicraft Lodge, and after Forester closed she became Ray's assistant in 1995
at the Mountaineer Rifle Range, which continued to operate after Pioneer reopened in 2000 and Mountaineer closed.
Finally, in 2005 the new Pioneer Rifle Range, a project of the Massawepie Staff Alumni Association, opened with 16
shooting points to accomodate the expanded camp population, and Ray and Addy ran it for two years. In 2006 the range was
dedicated to them as the "Ray and Addy Meyering Rifle Range." For more information see her
obituary.
FEBRUARY, 2017, NEWS
The MSAA Winter Gathering will take place on Sunday, March 5, from 2-5 pm
at KnuckleHead Craft Brewing, located near the western edge of the town of Webster. All friends of Massawepie are
welcome for an enjoyable afternoon of food, drink and camaraderie. The focus will be on reliving our days,
weeks and years at Massawepie. Please bring photos and memorabilia. There will be a $5.00 per person fee (pay Peter
Collinge at the event, cash/check) to cover some Charcuterie Platters (and maybe more).
Drinks (beer, wine, hard cider, and soda) will be available on a cash basis.
Please invite friends from camp staff who may not be on our list.
To help with ordering, we NEED to know how many will attend.
PLEASE respond by Wednesday, March 1st! We need name/s and number attending.
Please respond to Mark Pulvino: email him at mpulvino@rochester.rr.com,
or call him at 585-645-5421 (leave message if no answer).
JANUARY, 2017, NEWS
- The Massawepie Staff Alumni Association donated $150 to buy pizzas and soda for the Massawepie staff holiday party
on January 6. Along with providing fellowship for the 2016 camp staff, this party gave Camp Director Dave Cheney a
great opportunity to solicit and collects staff applications for 2017.
- If you attended Massawepie in the 1980s, some of the scenes from this
camp promotion video from that era may look familiar.
Those of you who have been to Massawepie since that time may enjoy seeing what has changed and what has stayed the
same!
- Some sad news: Former Massawepie/Mountaineer Camp Director (1991, 1992, and 1996) Rich Marsden passed on
January 25. For more information see his
obituary.
DECEMBER, 2016, NEWS
The campaign to name the Turner Trek Center is now complete and exceeded its goal.
A total of $27,925 was raised by the Alumni Association, or over 111% of the $25,000 goal. These funds went into the
Massawepie Square Foot Endowment Fund in order to help support Massawepie's future along
with recognizing the long-time staffers from the Turner family. Many thanks to all who helped and/or donated!
Dedication of the Turner Trek Center is tentatively planned for Beaver Weekend, 2017.
JULY, 2016, NEWS
- Camp Pioneer is having another excellent summer under Camp Director Dave Cheney and his staff, including
Program Director Jon Northrup, Business Manager Christie Geiger, and Senior Commissioner Mary Beth Boyle.
Following its annual on-site assessment in early July, the camp was again full accredited by the Northeast Region
of the Boy Scouts of America.
- The campaign to raise $25,000 for the Massawepie Square Foot Endowment Fund in order to
name the Turner Trek Center has now met its goal. These funds will help support Massawepie's
future along with recognizing the long-time staffers from the Turner family. Many thanks to all who helped and/or donated!
A dedication ceremony will be scheduled once the plaque is finalized and received - stay tuned.
JUNE, 2016, NEWS
- Update as of June 26: $963 more needed by June 30! Generous Massawepie Alumni donors
have now contributed $23,075 toward the goal of $25,000 to name the Massawepie Trek Lodge for long-time staffers of the
Turner Family. Since an anonymous donor is matching (dollar-for-dollar, through June 30) all gifts for this campaign, a
total of $963 more by June 30 would achieve the goal. If you haven't donated, or would like to give more, please see the
note below under May for more information. All gifts will be greatly appreciated!
- Beaver Weekend 2016 went very well, with many projects completed and a good group
of new volunteers in attendance. Pierre Loncle won the award for furthest distance traveled, coming from Colorado, and
there were also volunteers from Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia in attendance. Thanks to all who attended. Start planning
now to attend Beaver Weekend June 2-4, 2017!
MAY, 2016, NEWS
- The Spring, 2016 Beaver Tales Newsletter has been mailed to members, with
information about Beaver Weekend and the June 4 Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association. We hope to see you there!
(Thanks as always to George Varga for a great job editing the newsletter.)
- Matching Gifts through June 30! An anonymous donor is currently matching
(dollar-for-dollar) all gifts for the Alumni Association's project to honor long-time staff members by renaming the
Massawepie Trek Center as the Turner Trek Center. The Turner family
(Jerry, Doris, Russ, Ginny, Nancy, Doug, Laura, Michelle, Samantha, and Justin) collectively have served
over 100 seasons on Massawepie staff! In particular, Doug has served as Trek Director for 26 summers, assisted by
Laura for much of that time, and is known throughout Adirondack Scout Camps for his trek expertise. Naming the Trek Center
for the Turner Family certainly seems appropriate. To date, over $15,000 has been raised for the Massawepie Square Foot
Endowment Fund toward the $25,000 goal. To donate or for more details, including donor recognitions, download the
Turner Trek Center brochure. Please consider giving whatever you can afford to help
support Massawepie's future and to honor our long-time staffers. If you can give before June 30, your gift will be
doubled!
MARCH, 2016, NEWS
- Turner Trek Center update: We've now raised $12,815 toward naming the
name the Massawepie Trek Center for the long-time staffers of the Turner family. That's 51% of the $25,000 goal -
we've crossed the halfway point! Many thanks to all who have donated! We hope to finish this campaign in 2016.
Sadly, Jerry Turner passed away in late January so won't see the eventual name plaque on the building, but he and his
family knew this project was underway and have assisted.
JANUARY, 2016, NEWS
- Matching Gifts through January 31! As of January 25, $1960 in gifts to the
Massawepie Square Foot Fund have been received since December 1 toward the Turner Trek Cener naming project. These gifts
will all be matched (see the news note for December below) dollar for dollar, adding another $1960 to the fund. Including
that match, we've now raised $11,855 toward the $25,000 goal for this project. Thanks to all who have donated!
DECEMBER, 2015, NEWS
- Matching Gifts through January 31! An anonymous donor is currently matching
(dollar-for-dollar) all gifts for the Alumni Association's project to honor long-time staff members by renaming the
Massawepie Trek Center as the Turner Trek Center. The Turner family
(Jerry, Doris, Russ, Ginny, Nancy, Doug, Laura, Michelle, Samantha, and Justin) collectively have served
over 100 seasons on Massawepie staff! In particular, Doug has served as Trek Director for 26 summers, assisted by
Laura for much of that time, and is known throughout Adirondack Scout Camps for his trek expertise. Naming the Trek Center
for the Turner Family certainly seems appropriate. To date, over $9000 has been raised for the Massawepie Square Foot
Endowment Fund toward the $25,000 goal. To donate or for more details, including donor recognitions, download the
Turner Trek Center brochure. Please consider giving whatever you can afford to help
support Massawepie's future and to honor our long-time staffers. If you can give before January 31, your gift will be
doubled!
- HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all Massawepie Alumni and Friends!
NOVEMBER, 2015, NEWS
- A total of 1883 Scouts attended summer camp at Massawepie's Camp Pioneer last summer. That's an
increase of 31 Scouts from 2014, meaning that more Scouts are learning character, citizenship,
and fitness while enjoying Massawepie's beautiful outdoor setting. There were also about 50 Scouts in Trek groups based at
Massawepie, plus significant summer groups from St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES and from Kalamazoo College.
- Over Columbus Day Weekend 2015, the 46 Peaks Challenge was held at Massawepie.
Different Scout groups attempted to climb all 46 Adirondack High Peaks. About 350 Boy Scouts and leaders from 31 units
(Boy Scout troops and Venturing crews) participated. The Scouts came from five different Scout councils around New York
State, though most were from the Seneca Waterways Council (Rochester/Finger Lakes area). Different groups climbed
different mountains on Saturday and/or Sunday, being careful to keep day group sizes in the High Peaks Wilderness
under 16 people and camping groups under 9 people. Peaks were assigned to groups based on experience, with several novice
groups being assigned to Cascade and Porter at different times. More experienced leaders led their troops to more
challenging peaks, and four adult leaders became 46ers during the weekend on different peaks.
The weekend's motto was "Safety First, Summits Second," and the Scouts did "miss" two of the 46 peaks due to group
leaders correctly deciding that their groups were too tired to reach them safely. But having Scouts on 44 peaks in one
weekend was quite an accomplishment. There were no significant injuries, nor were any rescues needed. (OK, maybe a few
groups did make wrong turns, but they recovered.) The weekend culminated with a special showing of the new movie The
46ers (which was more meaningful to the Scouts who had just climbed some of the peaks shown) and discussion with
young director Blake Cortright. The film showed the Scouts that the weather in the peaks is not always as nice as it was
that weekend, and reinforced the need to be prepared for the unexpected. Between the hikes and film, many Scouts
were exposed to the High Peaks for the first time. Hopefully some will be future ADK members! For photos of the weekend,
see www.facebook.com/46Peaks.
JULY, 2015, NEWS
- Fundraising for naming the Turner Trek Center (see the April news notes
below) is well underway, with over $7500 raised for the Massawepie Square Foot Endowment toward the $25,000 goal.
This is the Alumni Association's 15th anniversary project, which will help support camp and recognize a worthy staff family.
If you haven't yet donated, your help is still needed. For more details, download the
Turner Trek Center brochure.
- Summer Camp is well underway at Massawepie under new camp director Dave Cheney. The Northeast Region assessment visit
took place July 9, and Massawepie is fully accredited by the BSA for another year. New programs for 2015 include
aerial archery (think skeet shooting with arrows) and logrolling (OK, the log is plastic due to safety concerns,
but it's still fun) at the waterfront.
APRIL, 2015, NEWS
Big News! For 2015, the Alumni Association is again tackling a project to honor long-time
staff members. Following in the tradition of our Loren Hakes Campfire Circle and the Ray and Addy Meyering Rifle Range, we
will be raising funds to honor the Turner Family by renaming the Massawepie Trek Center as the
Turner Trek Center. (Since that building is already built, the funds raised
will go to the Massawepie Square Foot Endowment to permanently fund future camp maintenance and equipment needs.)
The Turner family (Gerry, Doris, Russ, Ginny, Nancy, Doug, Laura, Michelle, Samantha, and Justin) collectively have served
over 100 seasons on Massawepie staff! Doug has served as Trek Director for 25 summers, assisted by Laura for much of
that time, and is known throughout Adirondack Scout Camps for his trek expertise. Naming the Trek Center for them certainly
seems appropriate, and will accomplish two worthy things at once: recognize the Turner family's service at camp,
and strengthen the Square Foot Endowment for the future of Massawepie.
The Seneca Waterways Council has agreed to rename the Trek Center if the Alumni Association can raise $25,000 in
donations for the Massawepie Square Foot Endowment. (That's considerably less than might usually be expected to name a
camp building, in recognition of the Turner family's service to Massawepie.) Over $4000 has already been raised from the
Alumni Association's Executive Committee and a friend. We'll need the help of many, many past staff members and friends
to raise the additional $21,000. Any donor of more than $60 will receive a "free" one-year membership in the Alumni
Association. Other recognitions are available for donors of $100 (an Alumni Associaton 15th Anniversary refrigerator magnet),
$200 (a Turner Trek Center lapel/hat pin), $500 (name on a plaque on the building), or more. For more details,
download the Turner Trek Center brochure. Alumni Association members will receive a
copy of the brochure with the Spring newsletter in early May. Please consider giving whatever you can afford to help
support Massawepie's future and to honor our long-tme staffers!
MARCH, 2015, NEWS
Were you on the 2005 or 1985 Massawepie Staff? Then start planning to come to Massawepie June 5-7, 2015! The MSAA
is sponsoring 30th and 10th Anniversary (respectively) Staff Reunions during Beaver Weekend this year.
Get together with some old friends and help get Massawepie ready for the summer season. More details to come.
FEBRUARY, 2015, NEWS
- Save the date! The MSAA Winter Event will be held on Sunday, March 8 at Custom Brewcrafters
in Honeoye Falls. Rochester-area members, look for more details soon in your mail or e-mail. Others who are interested
can write for information to MassawepieAlumniATyahoo.com. (Replace the "AT"
with "@".)
- Massawepie's 2015 Camp Director has been announced! Dave Cheney was recently promoted
to Seneca Waterways Council Program Director, and in that capacity will serve as the Massawepie Camp Director. Dave was
a long-time Scouting volunteer before joining the professional staff. He has previously served as Senior District
Executive for Towpath District, and was a past Camp Director for Cub Scout Adventure Camp at Cutler Scout Reservation.
Welcome to Massawepie, Dave!
Click BELOW to see earlier News Notes from:
Massawepie is the Boy Scout summer
camp for the Seneca Waterways Council
which serves youth in five counties near Rochester, New York: Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, & Yates counties.
The Massawepie Scout Camps are located on New York State Route 3
between Cranberry Lake and Tupper Lake in the Adirondack Mountains.
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Added to the Web: July 25, 2021; Last Updated: July 25, 2021