Sends us your email and ideas

We have more than 300 emails for camp alumni, but over the last couple of years some of you have moved or changed your email accounts.

Please send your new email and emails of other alumni to campstephensalumni@gmail.com so that we can update our list of camp alumni.

If you have an idea for a blog entry or wish to contribute other material like letters, recipes, diary entries, trip maps. . .send them my way.

If any links are broken, please tell me.

And don't be bashful. It's OK to comment. Really. It's OK.


Saturday, December 14, 2013

"To My Successor"

Staff pic from the early 70s.

"For the casual reader this document would appear comprehensive but for the new Director of Camping it is but a momentary orientation or covering sketch to the work and concerns ahead."

- outgoing Camp Stephens Camp Director Doug McEwen 1970

Doug McEwen put together this 54-page document that outlined the role of the camp director for incoming director Punch Jackson. It not only instructed Punch what he should know about filling Doug's shoes, but explains the overall philosophy of camp and its programs.

More important, Doug put on paper what a new director needs to know about the people working under him or her.

Doug McEwen
Much has obviously changed about Copeland Island in the past 43 years since this was written, but much of it is still recognizable today.

What Doug wrote so many years ago also offers a unique history of the island and camp.

And, of course, insight into some of the people who made it all happen.

Punch gave this to me at the 50th trail anniversary and I now share it with you. Download have a have a peek.

Merry Christmas, Bruce