Some bloggers get invited on press junkets to Alaska, the Caribbean orAustralia.
I got an hour-long tour of Camp Mahackeno.
Hey, I’m not complaining. The gathering included an A-list of Westporters — YMCA trustees and major donors — and was capped off by a cookout at Y CEO Rob Reeves’ house. Best of all, this was a chance to revisit a piece of old Westport, a place that has in many ways changed dramatically since I was a camper there years ago. In other ways, it’s changed not at all.
David Cohen, Y VP of operations, welcomes the tour. Randee bok (senior director) and Jennifer Seirup (director, youth and family services) look on.
David Cohen, Randee Bok and Jen Seirup took turns talking about the 71-year-old camp. They take special pride in the Special Cares program for children with physical or mental challenges. Up to a dozen youngsters per session are mainstreamed as much as possible, and enjoy a staff-camper ration of no more than 1:2.
Mahackeno is open to children entering grades 1 through 7. It’s not cheap — and even kids in the Leaders in Training (grades 8-9) and Counselor in Training (grade 10) pay — but the Y provided 120 slots this summer to families in need, through Westport and Weston’s human services departments. In addition, they fund several Fresh Air Fund campers.
Bill Gault was on the tour. Like me, he is a former camper. When we were there, the Sunny Lane drop-off area was open and dusty. Now it’s lush with trees and plants. A few decades do that to a place.
We walked through the “LOGS” area, where campers meet for special activities. There are no logs to sit on — only benches — but that’s okay. “LOGS” stands for “Lots Of Good Stuff.”
There is archery, canoeing, baseball — all the usual camp stuff. There’s also a strong outdoors program for older campers, complete with team-building exercises.
Counselors’ shirts say “Professional Role Models.” Randee and Jen place a premium on staff development. They laughed — but also cringed — when Rob described the recollections of a camper from 40 years ago. Back then, a harsh waterfront director forced campers to swim in the cold Saugatuck River. They emerged covered with leeches.
Nothing says "summer camp" more than a lake, canoes and kids.
The Saugatuck is strictly for canoeing now. A large, well-guarded pool is one of the most popular spots at camp.
Mahackeno has a social conscience. During each session, campers are introduced to the Polar Bear initiative. They learn about climate change, and collect winter coats to distribute to needy families. (They briefly wear the coats, to understand how polar bears feel in July.)
The economy has taken a toll everywhere, including Mahackeno. Enrollment is down this summer. But Randee takes the long view.
“We expect kids to move on every year. We try to build independence, so they can go to sleepaway camps” — hopefully, those sponsored by other Ys. “And then we hope they’ll come back to our LIT and CIT training programs, and eventually become staff members.”
We ended our tour in the hollow down the hill from the drop-off circle. Large “Demolition” signs decorated two wooden buildings — part of the land where the Y hopes to build its new facility.
Nearby, happy campers played, ate, laughed and roughhoused. For 71 years, those things haven’t changed.
The tour group gathers in front of what the Y hopes will be its new building. (Photo by Dave Matlow)
There is no swimming in the best darn swimming hole in Westport? I remember a few years back paying for a summer pass so we could take the kids swimming in the pond at Mahackeno. The rope swing and all. Now kids are only playing in the chlorine reservoir ???? Sad
Progress.
I was a counselor for 2 summers and assisistant water front director for one, way back in the days of the river swims. We had 2 large ‘Mobey Dicks’ which were giant black rubber rafts moored in the river that provided a goal to swim to and a fun jumping off place. Those were the best summers ever.
So I take it you weren’t the waterfront guy who made the kids swim with the leeches?
My memories parallel with Mike Laux’s. I was at Mahackeno as a camper every summer from ’59-’65. Later, in high school I was a counselor during the days and a busboy at night at Mario’s. Whoever was talking about being forced to swim in the river 40 years ago and coming out with leeches is hallucinating or posturing. I was at camp the year they opened the new pool and stopped the river swimming and I think it was longer than 40 years ago. Now, maybe you could have gotten leeches in some parts of Lees Pond but no one was forced to swim there, although I gotta say we did at times but we weren’t ever forced. What you’ve described doesn’t sound like the same laid back fun at camp anymore. Sounds more like geopolitical indoctrination. Too bad. That’ll come soon enough.
I was a C.I.T. in ’75 and a boating instructor in ’76 at Mahackeno. I lived on Lee’s Pond and paddled a canoe to work every morning. I swam in the Saugatuck from the dam at Lee’s pond to Glenndenning. I hammered the makeshift ladder boards into the tree at the “roots” to hang the rope swing. I fished, hunted turtles in the muck, went on expeditions with friends and lost more than a few sneakers in the mud when the pond was drained in the early 70’s. These are some of the greatest memories of my life. No leaches!