Dear Friends of Pine Island Camp,
Believe it or not, we’re already approaching Thanksgiving, even though it feels like yesterday that we waved goodbye to the last boatload of campers, folded up the tents, and pulled the docks out of the water. Not long ago, Pine Island was alive with the sounds of boys playing, the bustle of the Dining Hall, the wakes of passing boats lapping against the shoreline, and the crackle of evening campfires. Now it sits in the middle of Great Pond, surrounded by frigid, pale blue water, its trees bare and its doors and windows secured with plywood. The tent platforms hold only fallen pine needles, and Honk Hall is packed with overturned rowboats carrying fresh coats of paint from our September boat maintenance weekend. As families around the country gather for Thanksgiving, the island will be sleeping soundly—while Pine Islanders everywhere share what they’re grateful for this year.
As the director of Pine Island, I have much to be thankful for. Outside of PIC, I’m grateful for my friends and family; my warm, safe home; my cute—if only occasionally well-behaved—pets; my health and mobility; the closeness of my immediate family; my beloved hometown of Portland; and my supportive, smart, ambitious, beautiful, and (did I mention?) supportive wife, Emily. These are all blessings that are easy to overlook amid the rush of everyday life, yet they are extraordinary when held up against the challenges so many people face across the country and the world. I am immeasurably lucky to live the life I do, to have what I have, and to look ahead to a bright, hopeful future—something I try never to take for granted, especially this time of year.
Today, though, I want to focus on what I’m grateful for within the world of Pine Island Camp. I have the privilege of serving as the director of a place that means so much to so many, and I know PIC will be mentioned at Thanksgiving tables far and wide. While I’m deeply thankful simply to be entrusted with this responsibility, there are specific pieces of the Pine Island experience worth highlighting. So here is my list of PIC “gratitudes.” I hope they resonate as you reflect and give thanks during this holiday season.
I’m grateful for a dip in Great Pond on a hot and humid day.
I’m grateful for bacon cheeseburgers on the first night of a canoeing trip.
I’m grateful for campers and counselors who remember to grab their clothes off the line before a storm rolls in.
I’m grateful for a full-camp Ghub Ghub chant in the middle of dinner.
I’m grateful for a slice of pizza and a cold Diet Coke after three days out in Norridgewock playing the King’s Game.
I’m grateful for a fire in the Dining Hall on a chilly morning.
I’m grateful for rousing renditions of “Lean on Me” and “Funiculi Funicula” during Password.
I’m grateful for the Kitchen Crew. Kitchen Crew, we love you!
I’m grateful for when the dustball bounces right to me.
I’m grateful for a grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch on a drizzly, dreary day at camp.
I’m grateful for a soft northwest breeze when the sun is beating down in July.
I’m grateful for Chipwiches.
I’m grateful for campers who greet me with “Good morning!” as they wait on the rock wall before breakfast.
I’m grateful for clean PIC t-shirts on Sundays.
I’m grateful for our drivers, who get us all where we need to go safely.
I’m grateful for the LTIPs who rake the perches.
I’m grateful for the way my pack gets lighter as the trip goes on.
I’m grateful for the osprey family that nests above the Campfire Circle.
I’m grateful for the Sunday Sports Report and all the team spirit that comes with it.
I’m grateful for the way the sunset turns gold before dinner and lights up the western side of the island.
I’m grateful for campers who help with the food orders.
I’m grateful for the mighty KWS, which keeps us moving smoothly between the island and mainland.
I’m grateful for a nap in my hammock during a lazy rest hour.
I’m grateful for John the Mailman, who keeps our mail coming by boat all summer long.
I’m grateful for a freezing Norridgewock shower after a hard-fought day at the King’s Game.
I’m grateful for Annie’s and SPAM after a long day on the trail.
I’m grateful for a sleeping pad that doesn’t deflate overnight.
I’m grateful for the loons of Great Pond, whose calls lull us to sleep.
I’m grateful for a calm Regatta day with just enough wind to keep the races honest.
I’m grateful for a quiet morning in an Adirondack chair on the outboard dock with a cup of coffee.
I’m grateful for a well-drawn SNS poster.
I’m grateful for Dunkin Donuts, which keeps us fueled on Sundays.
I’m grateful for classic PIC read-alouds like “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Most Dangerous Game.”
I’m grateful for the sound of the dories rocking gently on a calm evening.
I’m grateful for our fantastic counselors and staff, who work incredibly hard, give up other opportunities to make camp happen, and devote themselves fully to caring for our boys. They create the experience of a lifetime and serve as mentors whose lessons stay with campers for years.
I’m grateful for our volunteers, who travel to Pine Island and give their time, skills, and energy to sanding and painting boats, varnishing paddles, unrigging and repairing sailboats, and tackling a hundred quiet tasks that keep camp running.
I’m grateful for Sarah Hunter, our Director of Operations, whose mastery of countless behind-the-scenes systems keeps PIC afloat. From enrollment and family communication to fundraising, billing, licensing, and everything in between, Sarah is the backbone of Pine Island.
I’m grateful for Hannah Gordon, our Associate Director, who has brought energy, efficiency, and initiative to her new role, taking on projects that move us forward and make the whole organization better.
I’m grateful for Peter Thompson, our Facilities Manager, who is one of the hardest-working people I know — keeping PIC safe, compliant, and beautiful through all conditions, often working alone and without hesitation.
I’m grateful for our Board of Directors, who lend their wisdom, expertise, and steady support. Their trust and alignment with the camp’s vision give me the confidence to lead well.
I’m grateful for our donors — the friends of Pine Island whose generosity powers our mission and ensures that this place can continue to shape boys’ lives.
And I’m grateful for our families and campers. There is no Pine Island without the boys who bring the island to life each summer and the families who bravely and lovingly send them to us. Their trust, partnership, and enthusiasm make our work possible — and joyful.
In some ways, this list says it all. In others, it doesn’t begin to capture the depth of gratitude I feel for Pine Island—what it means to me, to our community, and to the world beyond Great Pond. But it’s a start. PIC is more than a place; it’s a spirit, a community, and a reminder of how good the world can be when people come together with purpose and heart. As you gather for Thanksgiving this year, I hope Pine Island crosses your mind with the same warmth and joy that it brings me, and that your holiday is filled with gratitude, good company, and bright moments.
Akka Lakka! And thank you for being part of what makes PIC extraordinary.
