In this issue
Trustees' Corner
Camp Fireside's Board of Trustees is looking for additional members, volunteers or people interested in joining our newly formed alumni association. Candiates with specialized skills or experience in facility management, fundraising, marketing, or finance are encouraged to email Board Chairperson, Marcia Stanley at marcia@fireside.org.
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Two-Fold Vision Marks 57th Year
On October 10, 1953, the grounds of Camp Fireside were dedicated to the Lord. The 120-acre Joy Estate had been purchased the previous year and saw its first summer of campers. Spirits were high in anticipation of the great and wonderful things God would accomplish in the years to come.
Today we can say with certainty God has been exceedingly faithful in sustaining Camp Fireside through times of bounty and seasons of hardship. Fireside's founders believed and lived the words of Proverbs 22:6; "Train up a child...a young person...in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it." This encapsulates the original and continuing purpose of Camp Fireside; to share the Good News of the Gospel with all. To that end, the Board of Trustees has developed a two-fold vision: to offer a traditional, high quality camping experience while creating an atmosphere of intentional biblical worldview teaching. We believe it's important for people of all ages to experience the wonders of God's creation without everyday distractions and pressures. Equally important is equipping young people with the necessary tools and
knowledge to live out an authentic Christian faith.
Christian parents are increasingly at odds with a culture that seeks to distance their children from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by convincing them that faith is for the weak or unbalanced, or that truth is subjective. Every significant question a person may ask ultimately leads back to where he or she starts from - their answers to three questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? The answers Christianity provides differ radically from the answers offered by the secular world. They provide real hope and peace.
Camp Fireside will seek to be a leader in teaching youth how to become and stay authentically Christian through new program initiatives and staff development which will encourage critical thinking about how to view all of life through the lens of Christianity. We are pleased to announce that our director, Rob Lyons, has been admitted into Charles Colson's Centurions Program. Rob was one of a hundred other candidates selected to participate in this year's Wilberforce Forum's intensive distance learning program which prepares men and women to live out authentic Christian lives in their particular sphere of influence. We congratulate Rob on his accomplishment and look forward to the transformative work God will do through the ministry of Camp Fireside.
For more information about the Centurions Program, please visit www.breakpoint.org.
Winter storms fell cabin, damage Moody Hall
Record snowfall during the 2007/08 winter proved too much for a camper cabin and Fireside's cornerstone building, Moody Hall. Unfortunately, the cabin in the girls section was unable to be saved and was torn down. Moody Hall suffered significant structural damage to its mid-section which rendered the building unusable for the 2008 season. NGC Structural, LLC, Dover, NH was hired to investigate the building's structural integrity. A proposal for remedy was presented to the Board of Trustees with an estimated cost to complete the project of approximately $30-$50,000. However, upon further inspection by a contractor and architect, the true cost to fully restore this aged stucture proved to be far more than originally thought. The Board has decided to demolish the building and extension, while converting the kitchen into its own free-standing building. A temporary
dining hall will be erected alongside the kitchen for the coming summer season. While the situation is far from ideal, it is important to offer day and overnight camping to maintain our presence in the community. The Board is currently exploring facility expansion with the General Steel Company and formulating a plan to move the camp into year-round operation.
Summer 2009
Please be sure to check out the 2009 camp schedule at www.fireside.org. As always, please call the camp phone at (603) 332-1701 with questions. Messages are checked weekly during the winter months. Hope to see you next summer!
Conserving A Legacy
Camp Fireside is on the verge of placing approximately 170 of its 186-acre property into a conservation easement through the Federal Wetlands Reserve Program. The effort was initiated in 2007 and is expected to be finalized this spring. What does that mean? It means, the property within the easement will not be able to be developed and will remain conservation land in perpetuity. The remaining acreage which currently has structures on it may be developed as the camp grows or changes. There is also a 3-acre parcel (the old Pine Grove) that is included in the buildable land.
Board member, Larry Urban has worked tirelessly along with conservationist, Phil Auger from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension to make this possible. Conserving this beautiful piece of property is not only good for Fireside, it is good for the larger Barrington community as well.
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