News

A Letter from Ben, Summer 2011

Dear Walden Campers and Parents,

As the summer approaches, the 2011 tripping staff and I are very excited about yet another summer of safe and fulfilling canoe trips. Our collective efforts of dialoging with campers before and after their canoe trips last summer has yielded valuable information to guide the focus of our program moving forward. It is clear that campers of all ages enjoy feeling a sense of autonomy in the planning of canoe trip menus and activities. I am thrilled to state that we will continue to implement these initiatives in the summer of 2011 in order to improve on what was without a doubt the most successful summer of canoe trips that I have witnessed in my 14 summers at Walden.

What can parents and campers expect in 2011?

• A well-trained and highly skilled tripping staff led by long time Waldeners James Hirsh and Jonny Rolin.
• Fulfilling canoe trip routes that are catered to the age and abilities of all campers.
• Opportunities for campers/cabin groups to exercise autonomy in selecting menus and activities.
• Open dialogue with campers before and after trips to prepare them for the experience and collect their feedback.
• A continued commitment to the enhancements that we made to Seeker Trips (learn more here)

Please do not hesitate to respond to me by email (benfagan@hotmail.com) should you have any questions or concerns about the program.

Sincerely,

Ben Fagan, Program Director and Supervisor of the Canoe Tripping Program at Camp Walden.