Fall 2015

N ot long ago, one of our Board members asked the group, “What have we done these past five years?” I had to stop and think about that question. I knew we had been busy, but even I couldn’t list what we had accomplished without giving it some thought. The question was a good one because too often Boards, work groups, or

individuals just keep moving without taking stock. And taking stock often allows us to determine if our direction has been on target and if we are being strategic, meaningful, and focused. Let’s take a look…

2010: After an almost year-long search, we hired Carrie Kashawlic as our new Executive Director. Carrie arrived on December 1st to the Director’s House, which had been totally renovated. I think the contractor was pulling out just as Carrie pulled in. House warming presents were a Christmas wreath on the door and a beautiful snow shovel. It snowed a lot the winter of 2011.

2011. What an inauspicious start to Lady Carrie’s first winter in New England and her first year at Fleur de Lis! Not only did we have a lot of snow, but as the ice went out of Laurel Lake in early spring, it took the last third of the dock with it. How do we run camp without a dock? Panic set in. A Friends letter went out, and the response was overwhelming. The dock was replaced and repaired, and we were back in business.

2012. The Board was working hard over the winter of 2012 on five key initiatives that were created in the fall of 2011 in a day-long planning session. Finally, we had time to be thinking strategically. Recruiting and retention were a focus along with chal-lenging development goals and the hope for a week-long camp for deserving girls. We had one big program expenditure we wanted to make; in the fall of 2011 and spring of 2012, the tennis courts in the Senior Field were rebuilt. They were up and running for summer play. The most extraordinary occurrence of the year was when we connected with Circle Camps for Grieving Children and began discussions about partnering to create a Circle Camp at Fleur de Lis.

2013. As we moved into 2013, we were not just meeting our development goals but exceeding them as well. This gave us confidence to do a big repair that had been on our “to do” list for years: we could actually renovate the Applecart and Senior WOG. In addition, stained glass was added as a program activity choice for campers. Lastly, now that we saw the partnership to create Circle of Fleur de Lis was viable, we could invest in that worthwhile program and identify co-directors who could make Circle Camp at FDL a reality. Circle Camp was work, but the result went far beyond our expectations not only for the girls but also for our volunteer staff. (continued on page 2)

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President

Jane E. Lawson

Vice President

Diane Foster

Treasurer

Christine Hassig Cressey

Secretary Libby Williams

Members-at-Large

Ruth White Keogh

Camp Director

Carrie Kashawlic

Fleur de Lis Core Values

Integrity

Loyalty

Service to Others

Caring Community

Est. 1929

Fleur de Lis Camp

2014. Our camper numbers continued to improve along with our camper retention rate. The Applecart and Senior WOG renovations were so successful that we had to do the same thing for our Mids and Mid counselors. In the fall, the Shangri-la got a long need-ed expansion, the Mid WOG got a face lift, and beau-tiful new showers were built out back. We were still focused on Circle of Fleur de Lis, and year two showed us that all the work from the first year paid dividends during our second summer. Almost 75% of campers returned with an almost equal number of returning volunteer staff. You could see the greater ease in volunteer faces as everyone seemed to know the ropes. And, of course, this was our 85th summer at Fleur de Lis. We had a joyful reunion and surpassed our fund raising goal of $85,000 by more than $15,000.

2015. And here we are in the fall of 2015. We have a new power boat, paddle boarding was our newest activity this summer, and Tent 10 was added to the Senior field. Before long, the fence around the Farmhouse tennis court will be replaced with one that will last 75 years and match the one in the Senior Field. Our girls – in both our programs – were happy and thriving. And five years on, we say thank you to Lady Carrie. She didn’t exactly get her five-year sweatshirt as the girls do, but she gets many hugs and grateful nods in recognition that together we have come a long way in a very short time.

In a nutshell, that’s what you can see as a result of the past five years. We are more strategic than we once were, as well as more purposeful and more focused. That said, we have still more to do. We are not done yet.

by Lady Jane Lawson, President

WOW! It was a fantastic summer for campers at Fleur de Lis this season! Not only did we have to build a new tent in the Senior Field—we had 47 Seniors at once—but we also hit the highest number of campers and camper weeks in 5 years. For the third year in a row, we had to close some programs because they were full!

We added paddle boarding to the list of activities at camp and another power boat to support our water ski program. The new powerboat, a Mastercraft, was designed specifically for water skiing, thereby enabling campers to experience even greater success in their skill development at water ski this summer. Our Mid campers and staff enjoyed their newly ren-ovated digs at the Mid Wog, and our sewing program had room to spread out this summer on the work space in the Jun-ior Lodge. Our CTs were uber-active with service this summer, having the opportunity to do more than 14 hours of community service, from serving at road races, to making ceramics bowls, to helping at the annual Fitzwilliam Police Association car show.

Again, for the third summer, Fleur de Lis was named Best of the Best—and we could not earn such recognition without the support of our fantastic community. Thank you!

The start of the summer was cold and rainy, making that first day of Open Activities just not the best. However, the weather for the remainder of the summer was good with only a few missed activities due to rain. And when it got really hot, our nurses were happy that campers stayed healthy and hydrated with the help of a new ice machine in the Old Dining Hall for all to use.

One highlight at campfire was the awarding of eighteen five-year sweatshirts! What a fantastic tribute to the experiences of Fleur de Lis!

Fall has descended upon Fitzwilliam, the Farmhouse tennis court fence has been replaced, and the Fall Family Festival avoided the doom and gloom weather forecasts and had a wonderful weekend. Richard is working to put camp to bed for the winter with painting, making repairs, blowing out water lines, and gathering lists and supplies for winter projects that will help Fleur de Lis look her best when we welcome campers back for the 2016 season!

by Lady Carrie

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Page 1-2: The Last 5 Years

Page 3: Summer 2015 Recap

Page 4: Summer Photos

Page 5: Future Campers &

FDL in News

Page 6-8: Circle of Fleur de Lis

Page 9: Fall Festival

Page 10: Wish List, Empty

Bowls, Calendar Dates

Page 11: Big and Little

Page 12: Announcements!

Page 13: FDL & Social Media &

More Summer Photos

Page 14: FDL Mission

Inside this issue:

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Page 5

Fleur de Lis is PROUD to share that we have again been named to the Best of the Best lists for 2015. We placed first in the Manchester Union Leader paper and Top 5 in the Boston Parents Paper. THANK YOU to everyone who voted, and we hope you will help us achieve these honors again in 2016!

Fleur de Lis wants to send a special FDL onesie to future

campers and then birthday cards as they grow up. If you know

of a little girl who may be too big for a onesie, we’ll send a

puzzle of Laurel Lake as a welcome-to-the-community gift as

well as the birthday cards! We’re starting to grow our legacy

and potential camper list, which we use for invitations to camp

events as well as the birthday celebrations. Hopefully, some day

we will share camp with these girls through Big and Little and

our traditional summer program.

If you know of any possible future camper(s), please send Lady

Carrie (carrie@fleurdeliscamp.org) her name, birth date,

parent’s address, and parent’s e-mail address so that she can

be added to this growing list. And of course, send back photos

of babies in the FDL onesie for future editions of Laurel Leaves.

by Lady Carrie

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T he Circle of Fleur de Lis is a volunteer-led, free week of camp for girls ages 9-13 who have experienced the loss of a parent. The program plan-ning began in the fall of 2012 with the organization Circle Camps for

Grieving Children. The first season of this camp was held in 2013 with many alumnae retuning to Fleur de Lis as volunteers to relive their camp counseling days for a week. The program is the result of a strategic goal to offer a philanthropic week as camp transitioned from an eight-week season to a seven-week season. The camp is completely free to all campers, so donations are essential as are the volunteers (for a day or a week) who commit to impacting the lives of all these girls.

by Lady Carrie

I received two pictures from the August 2015 week at Circle of Fleur de Lis Camp, and they brought back a flood of wonderful memories. Both photos were filled with campers and counselors who were smiling, enjoying themselves, and being just plain silly. Lady Pam Fricke had also sent me photos from the week, and practically all the photos

showed happy, smiling girls. Yes, there were also serious and thoughtful moments at camp as memories were recalled at the opening and closing campfires as well as the final rock ceremony. The girls were able to push past their comfort zones, and significant emotional growth happened in the grief classes. But even understanding that every girl there has had her world rocked with the death of a parent, most memories of Circle Camp were filled with smiles.

One could not help but laugh out loud when watching a group of girls flailing around on the water mat trying to regain their balance or seeing a wet sponge bounce off the nose of a willing counselor during the Carnival. One could not help but smile with pride at the accomplishments of a skirt finished, an arrow finding the bulls-eye, or a newly made birdhouse being carried down to the field. And do not forget all the joyful noise generated in the dining hall three times a day!

Circle of Fleur de Lis was and is indeed a very special and unique experience. A group of wonderful volunteer staff came together to create a week that for many girls was an experience of a lifetime. Under the leadership of Lady Jenn Maynard and Lady Kate Young Allen, little hearts that had been torn asunder with grief could begin and continue to heal. Girls could begin to grasp that wherever they found themselves, it was okay to grieve and remember — but it was just as important for them to understand that their lives could also be filled with fun and laughter and joy.

Fleur de Lis Camp should be proud of the gift it gives to these young girls of Circle Camp — the gift of a very special summer camp experience — to take forward into their lives.

by Lady Mary Conant

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Dear Friends of Fleur de Lis,

We can’t thank you enough for your past donations and the opportunities you have afforded Fleur de Lis campers: new boats, updating buildings and docks, new programs, and for some, tuition assistance.

In August 2015, over forty girls attended Circle of Fleur de Lis. I have had the honor of being at Circle when the buses arrive with the campers. The campers are so happy and excited to see one another and to be at Fleur de Lis! I have also had the honor of waving goodbye to those same buses at the end of the week. The same girls that came running off the bus five days earlier, now linger for one more hug, one more mo-ment in their safe place.

Fleur de Lis has a number of financial goals, one of them being the Circle of Fleur de Lis fundraising goal of $60,000 by November 30, 2015. As of September 1

st, we

were just shy of the halfway mark.

Please help us to reach our goal! Circle of Fleur de Lis is a FREE experience for the girls. Without your generosity, they might not have the opportunity to form Fleur de Lis friendships.

by Lady Christine Cressey, Treasurer

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I spend a good deal of my academic time considering how childhood trauma impacts the elderly. Child survivors of the Holocaust share with me their wartime stories as well as the decade upon decade of the aftermath. Many went on and lived full

lives— lives that never shook their past but expanded to something more. These hundreds of hours with child survivors prepared me for my summer work this year. I spent time at the Circle of Fleur de Lis with an astonishing team of fellow counselors and over forty girls ages 9-15 who had lost a parent. While death brought us together, I spent most of my time leading folks in silly songs, teaching the girls how to do contortions with a broom, and exploring with them the difference between fresh eggs from Richard's farm up the hill and the industrial eggs sent from Sysco.

I did have the great privilege of working with our social worker, Ellen, spending a full day hearing the story of every girl at camp. During the "Grief Circle," the girls shared stories and pictures with the other girls in their bunk. They talked about how their parent died, whom they lived with now, and some of their on-going fears. Some didn't know, for example, what would happen if their remaining parent died; some had already gone into foster care or had been adopted. Many have had to change schools and leave their friends as a result. Death was only part of the loss. Listening to them, I felt at home. That sounds odd, perhaps. Maybe because people were being real; kids are SO real, and when they talk about what matters to them, I cannot help but remember what matters to me. I think one of the best things we can do for someone is to bear witness to her experience without trying to judge or change it.

Instead of turning away from the sadness and trauma, we can just be there with them. Ask questions and help them elaborate and give words to some of their internal world. They say that not feeling alone but instead being surrounded by others like them is one of the best parts of camp. I believe it. I know from talking with survivors of trauma that these girls lives will be shaped in large ways by this experience. It's not something they will simply grieve for a year or so and then move on. With support, however, they can find others to step up and take on some of the parenting roles in their lives. They do not necessarily have to "grow up" so quickly because of this loss. It may sound mystical or a bit etheric to say this -- in some way, I feel that the survivors were comforting these girls through me. They showed me how to just "be" with people -- it was too late to save them from the Holocaust just as it's too late to save these girls' parents. It's not too late, however, to be together. We shared a precious moment together-- we lamented, celebrated, and even enjoyed a little gloppy camp food.

by Lady Sarah Federman, PhD, Federman.sarah@gmail.com Conflict Analysis & Resolution - Reprinted with permission, www.sarahfederman.com

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H urricane Joaquin loomed, but the 2015 Fall Family Festival was a great success. Although the weather was a bit chilly, there was not a single raindrop all weekend!

Alumnae arrived Friday night and enjoyed pizza in the Dining Hall followed by games and catching up around the fire in the cozy Farmhouse. Everybody slept in multiple layers to keep warm during the night, as it was a bit colder than even those chilly nights at the end of August session!

Families and friends arrived at camp on Saturday morning for pumpkin painting, archery, and cider and donuts in the Barn. It was a bit too cold to go swimming in Laurel Lake, but families enjoyed exploring camp in the fall and seeing the beautiful foliage.

After families departed, alumnae had a chance to do riflery with Lady Liz Young at the range. Despite not shooting for many years, there were still plenty of impressive marksmen (markswomen?) in the bunch. After a short rest hour around the fire in the barn, everybody enjoyed a wonderful dinner prepared by Sir Rick Briggs and his daughter, Charlotte, the highlights of which included lobster, steak, and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. Yum! Alumnae kept the laughter continuing into the night as they played games and sang songs in the Barn around the blazing campfire.

On Sunday morning, the sun finally came out and alumnae were able to walk down memory lane and explore their favorite places in camp. After exchanging hugs and goodbyes, everybody said their farewells to Laurel Lake until next summer.

A huge thank you to our volunteers, campers, families, and alumnae who made this weekend a great success! We can't wait to see you all next year!

by Ladies Bridget Scollan and Sarah Coburn, Volunteer Organizers

Fall Family Festival

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Lady Cathy McGuirk, Camp Nurse, accepts the empty ceramic bowls made by the 2015 CTs for the Fitzwilliam Community Church and the Fitzwilliam District Nurses Association Empty Bowls supper. The local soup supper event is a fundraiser to support local food drives. This is the first time Fleur de Lis has participated, and we hope from our first year of CT participation to expand to have campers also participate in this philanthropic endeavor in 2016.

by Lady Carrie

(It’s been a busy fall, so this is the list to date—look for more items in the

spring edition!)

25 Washcloths (face)

25 White fitted twin sheets

25 Vinyl zippered pillow covers

Plastic Hangers for the Costume

Closet

20 Milk crates (for the CT Cottage

to fit under the new benches on back porch)

Masking Tape, 1” thick

3 Binders 3” thick

Futon (for CT Cottage)

2 Bean bag chairs (for CT Cottage)

Knitting Needles (sizes 8-10, short

lengths preferred)

20 Sleeping-bag stuff sacks (not

sleeping bags, just the sack that you stuff a bag into)

10 Felt/soft, non-scratch draw-

string bags—for rifle safety glasses (bigger/wider than eyeglass cases)

Paint brushes (for backdrop

painting for plays)

Jan. 9: Boston Parents Paper Camp Fair (new location Dedham Health & Athletic Complex) Jan. 21: Merriam School Camp Fair, Acton, MA Jan. 24: Lincoln-Sudbury, MA Camp Fair Jan. 30: Camp Fair, Tips on Trips, Darien High School, CT March 12: Parenting NH Camp Fair, Manchester, NH March 19: Parenting NH Camp Fair, Nashua, NH (more camp fair dates will be added) May 7: Kimballs Farm Gathering, Westford,

MA June 11: Lady Nurse Service Day June 25: Opening Day at Camp! July 10: Visiting Day July 23: July Session Ends July 24: August Session Begins Aug. 14: Camp Ends Aug. 19-21: Big and Little Weekend Aug. 20-27: Circle of Fleur de Lis Oct. 1: Fall Family Festival

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F leur de Lis Camp has been offering a Big and Little Weekend for several years. Not only is it a

fantastic way for potential campers and their “Big” (Mom, Grandma, etc) to enjoy a weekend while con-

sidering camp as a summer destination, but it is also a philanthropic endeavor.

Lady Christine Creelman served on the Board of Fleur de Lis and also was involved with Big Sisters of Boston.

She linked our organizations together to be able to offer 7-10 pairs of girls from Big Sisters to attend the Big

and Little Weekend. And that, as they say, is history as the partnership has been a success ever since. A note

from a 2015 participant from Big Sisters is below, reprinted with permission.

by Lady Carrie

“This weekend was so much fun! It was Raina's first time away from home and she had an absolute blast. She was

definitely pushed out of her comfort zone a bit, between the contra (square) dancing on Friday, archery, riflery, and

surfing on Saturday afternoon, and singing around the campfire on Saturday night. But she had a great time and got to

have a lot of new experiences all wrapped up in one weekend. It was really fun as a big, too. Most of those experiences

were new to me as well, so we were able to just jump into them together which was a great bonding experience. One

highlight was getting to see all of the amazing stars in the sky on Saturday night! Growing up in the city, Raina hasn't had

many chances to see the night sky in its full glory. We spent a good amount of time just looking up at the stars and telling

ghost stories together on Saturday night after lights out, which was also a blast!

Thanks again for that opportunity. It was amazing!”

Big Sister Liza

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Nancy Howe:

Happy to have my two grandchildren returning:

Meagan and Chloe Howe.

Margaret Schneider

It thrills me to see Emma as excited as I always was just before heading to NH and to hear the conversation driving home in August.

Richard Sperry

Daughter Isabel Sperry (FDL 2005) is now a senior

at Yale. She participated in her freshman camping

initiation week three years ago. Thanks to FDL, her

many friends, and camping and outdoor activities.

We love FDL.

Ellie Bates

Glad Amy Bates returns to FDL Staff for 2015 after

a successful first year teaching 8th grade in

Chicago!

Susan Curry Barnett

On June 6, 2015 Susan Curry Barnett was inducted into the Williston-Northampton School Athletic Hall of Fame for her stellar 43 year coaching career at Northampton School for Girls and Williston-Northampton School. Over the years, she coached six different varsity sports: tennis, soccer, field hock-ey, basketball, ice hockey and softball. Quite a num-ber of Fleur de Lis alumnae have played for Susan over the years, and other local women were present at the induction ceremony. Susan hosted a party at her house later that evening to which more Fleur de Lis alumnae were present to congratulate her.

FdL folks present that I can recall are the following: Lisa Apthorp , Molly Couch Ward, Laura Couch Towle and her daughter, Liza Gudheim, Wendy Keiver Hewitt, Mary Conant, Amanda Leatherman Grubb, Leslie Harrison, Liz Young, Kate Kelly.

by Lady Mary Conant

Carol I. Redden

I’m very impressed with all Fleur de Lis is doing!

The following updates come from notes written on the donation mailing as well as Facebook posts. Thank you all for your comments!

Cordelia Holt

Former camper and CT got married August 22,

2015 in Ipswich, MA to Markus Zwick. They live in

Lund, Sweden.

Debbie Williams Anderson

Looked forward to seeing folks at Circle Camp.

Carolyn Beattie McIntosh

Passed away. Family wrote, “She remembered her days at camp fondly.” She attended Fleur de Lis

in the 1930’s.

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WE WANT YOUR NEWS!

Know of any FDL friends who have made the news?

Anything you want to share?

To send an update, visit our camp page on Facebook, email your news to

Linda O’Malley at lindaomal2000@yahoo.com,

or fill out the “news” section on the donation envelope. Thanks!

Online, Fleur de Lis has a Pinterest page. You can now find us at

http://www.pinterest.com/fdlcamp. Our Instagram page can be found @fleurdeliscamp.

Please check out both pages! In addition, we have a group on Linked In—Friends of Fleur de

Lis Camp for Girls—if you’d like to link with us. And as always, don’t forget to follow us on the

blog and via Facebook!

Fleur de Lis Camp 120 Howeville Rd.

Fitzwilliam, NH 03447 Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Fitzwilliam NH Permit No. 254

Fleur de Lis Camp Mission Statement

F leur de Lis Camp promotes the well being of girls and young women

socially, educationally and physically. We provide opportunities and

experiences to help them become self-sufficient and productive members of

their community and the world.

Fleur de Lis’ program is conducted in a natural environment, both safe and

nurturing, with the intention of fostering leadership skills, citizenship, and

self-confidence, while helping each girl reach her full potential. The girls and

young women of Fleur de Lis are developed in a spirit of cooperation and respect

with a focus on friendship, mentoring, positive example, and challenges

appropriate to the individual girl.

Fleur de Lis affirms its responsibility and obligation as a not-for-profit,

non-partisan organization serving the welfare of girls and young women. In this

spirit we strive to make our program affordable to all.