AT 125! - Camp Dudley

Camp DuDley
at 125!
THE OTHER FELLOW FIRST
1885
125 YEARS
Dudley reached its 125th birthday in the summer
of 2009, during Director Andy Bisselle’s watch.
Andy was completing his 10th summer as Director.
2009

W
hen he first came to Camp Dudley as a Cub in
1977, young Andy Bisselle began his gradual,
albeit unwitting, climb into the role of director of Camp Dudley
some 23 years later. Andy’s relationship with Camp Dudley
actually started long before he ever walked through the gates.
His grandfather, Morgan Bisselle, grew up in New York City
and was a neighbor and friend of young #2700 Bob Marshall,
so Andy’s dad, #7441 Phil “Lefty” Bisselle, arrived in 1947 as
a Cub. Mom, Holly #13283, was Camp’s banker in the ’60s.
Brother #13744 Tom, and sister Wendy, were all part of the
team. For the Bisselles, Dudley was a family affair.

Andy’s early leaders at Dudley included #10649
Steve Wertimer, #10974 Regis Canning,
#11846 Tom Canning, #11856 John Canning, #7681 George
Nelson and #13082 Steve Luke. With a cast of characters
like that, it’s no wonder Andy became Director! Andy’s Cub
coach at Dudley in 1977 was one #10709 Doug Goodwin,
who, as it happened, lived with his family on Farmer Street in
Canton, New York, right down the street from the Bisselles!

When Camp Dudley launched a search for a
director in 2000 to succeed Wheaton Griffin,
Andy was in his 9th year at The Taft School and opened his
heart to the new opportunity. The fit was right and Andy was
hired in April 2000. He started in June of that year and, at
age 34, was the second youngest director in Dudley’s
history. He and his wife Fran, also a Taft teacher and coach
at that time, moved into the director’s house with their young
daughters, Lucy and Agnes, and embarked on their shared
vision: To create a summer camping and leadership training
opportunity for the girls and young women in the Dudley
family. “The time had come,” Andy noted.

In 2002, Dudley’s board of managers, chaired by #9061
C. Roland Stichweh, formally amended its mission to
include girls and young women. Within two years of changing
its mission, Camp Dudley had commenced a quiet launch
of the Dudley Family Campaign (DFC), a fundraising effort
with the ultimate goal of owning and operating a camp for
girls by the summer of 2009. Said Andy, “It is important to
note that the board of managers agreed to this mission change
and the monumental goal of acquiring or starting a camp for
girls in part because of the year-round management team in
place at that time.” A solid supporter of the new mission was
former director #7405 William J. Schmidt.

The quality of our staff team was critical,” said Andy,
who found a strong group already at Dudley when he
arrived in 2000. A few months before Andy and Fran
arrived, #11264 Mark “Davo” Davenport came to Camp as
Head of Leadership and got right to work helping with Andy’s
transition. Wheaton had also hired #17,600 Fred Guffey, to
head up Dudley’s maintenance crew and Fred lunged into the
job of managing Dudley’s more than 500 acres and numerous
buildings. #10932 Tim “JR” Scanlon became Business
Manager in 2003, following #12916 Taylor Schollmaier
and with the consultation of Dudley standby, #7532 Paul
Grinwis.

#
14508 Peggy Bolster joined the office staff in 2001,
working in archives, as an associate editor on the
CDA News and handling telephones and parents. #19542
Dawn Gay was hired in the spring of 2005 to work as the
assistant to the director. #19773 Linda “Ell-Ell” Lowe came
on in 2006 to round out the front office crew. This versatile
team handled mountains of inquiries, thousands of
applications, and provided reassurance to hundreds of parents
as the work load grew by about a third with the acquisition of
Camp Kiniya in May 2006.

Dudley had a long
tradition of fund-raising.
In 2004, the Board launched an
ambitious Dudley Family
Campaign under the guidance of
Director of Development #8804
M. John Storey and #15900
Bonnie Vaughan. Andy, John and
the Board set new goals, pegging
the Family Campaign at $10
million with Annual Giving
doubling during the life of the
Campaign. Dudley embraced the
new millennium during this time.
Connections with the entire
Dudley family were enhanced
through frequent communication by
way of the CDA News, edited by
Peggy Bolster and Martha Storey, a
new website, and the development
of on-line giving. As a result, the
Dudley Family Campaign
surpassed its goal, reaching $12
million by the fall of 2009.
These monies were raised for
Leadership, Scholarship, the Avery
Boathouse, and the acquisition of
Camp Dudley at Kiniya in
Colchester, Vermont.
Three ways that you can support
the 2008-09 Scholarship Program:
• Annual Giving through the William J. Schmidt Scholarship Fund, has a
goal this year of $550,000. Last year, thanks to the generosity of the Dudley
Family, we received more than 1300 gifts, with an average gift of more than
$400. Several families also contributed the total cost of a scholarship award for
a camper. In 2009 this will be $4,250 for one month, $7,000 for two months,
and $1,200 for Camp Dudley at Kiniya’s mini-camp program.
• Restricted Gifts, in memoriam or for specific regional programs. These gifts
have ranged in size from $10,000 to $150,000. Some of these are named,
and several are awarded regionally, including the Baltimore, Maryland
Rotary, the Kiawah, South Carolina Exchange Club, Maine, the North
Country (Adirondacks and Lake Champlain), Boston, Massachusetts
and Princeton, New Jersey.
• Fully-Endowed Scholarships. A gift to Camp Dudley of $110,000 underwrites,
in perpetuity, a four-week scholarship. Using a 4% spending guideline,
this gift would yield enough to cover the current cost of a 4-week scholarship.
These scholarships are recognized, if the donor wishes, and named.
Last year Willie wrote, “All of us at Dudley
thank you for your generous support of the
Scholarship Fund. Nothing at Dudley, and
now Kiniya, has meant more to me than to
see it grow.”
CAMP DUDLEY’S ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM...
CHANGING LIVES
We welcome your questions, and thank you for your support.
M. John Storey #8804, Director of Development
Camp Dudley, 126 Dudley Road, Westport, NY 12993, 518-962-4720
john@campdudley.org
Give online - www.campdudley.org
CAMP DUDLEY is proud of a scholarship program that makes it
possible for 200 boys and girls, regardless of their economic background
and means, to enjoy the fun and values that are at the heart
of the Dudley and Dudley at Kiniya experience. This program is
underwritten by more than 1300 Dudley alumni/ae, parents and
friends each year.
William J.“Willie” Schmidt #7405
July, 1922 - August, 2008
“Director Emeritus” Willie Schmidt,
who tirelessly advanced Dudley’s
Scholarship Program for more than
four decades.
ANNUALLY
WE TRY TO:
1. Provide important diversity within
Dudley’s camper communities:
Geographically — 40 states
Internationally — 25 countries
Ethnically — 10% non-white
2. Serve the local areas where we
operate, granting “North Country”
and “Green Mountain” scholarships.
3. Broaden the socio-economic range
of our families, including the
middle class.

During our 125th year, we were recognized by both the
United States House of Representatives with Resolution
HR300 and also by the Senate of the State of New York.
Excerpts follow;
News from the Office of…
Congressman John M. McHugh
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stephanie Valle
May 19, 2009
stephanie.valle@mail.house.gov or (202) 225-4611
McHugh Resolution to Honor Camp Dudley Passes House
Washington, D.C. - Congressman John M. McHugh (R-Pierrepont Manor) announced today that his legislation to honor Camp Dudley
YMCA in Westport, New York on its 125th anniversary unanimously passed the full House of Representatives last night. The
resolution congratulates Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York on the occasion of its 125th Anniversary and recognizes Camp
Dudley YMCA’s current staff, campers, and alumni for their contributions to their community.
Camp Dudley holds the distinction of being the oldest Camp in continuous operation in the United States. Westport is located in New
York’s 23rd Congressional District. Congressman McHugh submitted the following statement in support of the Resolution:
“Madam Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of H.Res. 300, which congratulates Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York,
on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. I want to thank the Gentlemen from California for their work to bring this resolution to the floor
today. Likewise, I wish to thank many of my colleagues in the House who have signed on as cosponsors.
“Camp Dudley is the oldest camp in continuous operation in the United States. It was founded in 1885 by Sumner F. Dudley, a YMCA
volunteer, and will celebrate its 125th anniversary this year. The camp is located in picturesque Westport, New York, on the shores of
Lake Champlain and surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains.
“Camp Dudley is truly a special place. It is a place that celebrates timeless traditional values and inspires boys, girls, men and women
to seek something higher than their own self-interest. In fact, Camp Dudley’s motto is appropriately “The Other Fellow First.”
“Over the years, Camp Dudley has remained true to its mission to develop moral, personal, physical and leadership skills in the spirit of
fellowship and fun. In fact, leadership development is a dynamic part of the Dudley experience. Camp Dudley uniquely refers to its
counselors as Leaders. This resolution recognizes this legacy of leadership.
“It is also important to recognize that Camp Dudley welcomes a diverse camper body of all faiths into their community. This resolution
further recognizes Camp Dudley’s commitment to making camp affordable for all socioeconomic levels. In fact, approximately 20
percent of summer campers are awarded scholarships on the basis of financial need and are funded from the generous support of
alumni and parents. This support has allowed campers and staff to make significant contributions in their own communities and
families. Many alumni have gone on to excel in a variety of fields including medicine, law, business, and government, to name just a
few. This resolution also recognizes Camp Dudley’s decision to expand its reach to include Camp Kiniya for girls in 2006. Camp Kiniya
is located on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain in Colchester, Vermont.
“Of note, the William J. Schmidt Annual Scholarship Fund, named after former Camp Director Willie Schmidt, was launched in 2004.
Thanks in large part to Dr. Schmidt’s generosity and fundraising efforts, thousands of boys and girls have the joy of a Camp Dudley
experience.
“Campers representing 35 states and 12 foreign countries have spent their summers at Camp Dudley. They have enjoyed this
experience so immensely that the camper return rate stands at 84 percent. One of the unique characteristics of Camp Dudley is the
loyalty and support of its alumni both through financial support and attendance at the more than forty-seven alumni gatherings occurring
each year across the country and around the world.
“Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution honoring Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York, on the occasion of its
125th anniversary and join with me in recognizing Camp Dudley’s current staff, campers, and alumni for their contributions to their
communities.”

Charlie Johnson, IV, led the Board following the
expansion of Dudley’s mission to include girls
camping and leadership training. The Dudley Family
Campaign was launched with the aim of fulfilling these
goals, including the building or acquisition of a camp for
girls by the year 2009. The “DFC” was headed by then
board chairman Tom “TC” Canning and his wife, Paula.

The board formed a Girls Committee which set to work
on goals and priorities. It also hired Fran Bisselle to
serve as a consultant to Dudley identifying girls’ camps with
which it might form an alliance. The first camp to emerge
was Camp Jeanne D’Arc – a ‘for-profit girls’ camp in Merrill,
New York. While a joint venture relationship ultimately did
not prove sustainable, Dudley learned a lot from the brief
intersection. “We learned that we wanted to own and operate
our own camp, that we wanted to be in charge, and that the
camp would be a non-profit enterprise,” Andy explained.

Other primary themes also emerged in this
initial phase of research. “We realized that very
few, if any, camps for girls offered team sports, leadership
training and a spiritual foundation – all in one,” said Andy.
Borrowing some of the successes of Camp Dudley, the idea
was to create a girls’ camp using a similar model but adapting
it to girls. Bearing all of her findings in mind, Fran continued
her search, and in 2004, met Jack and Marilyn Williams at
Camp Kiniya on its 135 acre campus in Colchester, Vermont.
Helen Van Buren had founded the Camp in 1919, and the
Williams had owned and operated Kiniya since 1951.

Kiniya had many traditions of its own, including
horseback riding, which was implemented in
the early 1930’s, a Big/Little Sister program, the Kiwi
celebration, its closing banquet and the beloved awards
ceremony which follows the banquet. The girls lived in
cabins, hiked into the hills of Vermont and enjoyed music,
drama and games, as well as sports like swimming, diving,
archery and canoeing. Through the years, the girls’ program
had expanded and thrived, adding many more sports,
including water-skiing, as well as a dance program and camp
craft. Girls continued to flock to the eastern shores of Lake
Champlain each summer to enjoy American camping life.

In 1994, Marnie McDonagh, a young woman from
Australia came to Kiniya to work as the water-ski
instructor. Marnie also captured the attention of Jack and
Marilyn Williams who asked Marnie to stay into the fall of
that year to help with administrative duties. Marnie returned
as Head Counselor the following summer and by 1998 was
promoted to the role of assistant director, and then associate
director at Kiniya. By 2005, Jack and Marilyn had spent five
decades nurturing a camp, its girls and its traditions, and
they were planning retirement, but not before placing Kiniya
into good hands.

After a brief courtship, Camp Dudley purchased
Camp Kiniya in May of 2006, and renamed
it Camp Dudley at Kiniya. The first order of business was
to switch the camp from a for-profit enterprise to non-profit
status and welcome the Kiniya girls into the Dudley family.
Happily for Camp Dudley, Marnie McDonagh became
director as soon as Dudley completed the purchase. “We
acquired a beautiful piece of land, a camp with long-standing
traditions and a strong core of campers, but the very best
asset of this acquisition was Marnie McDonagh and her
leadership ability,” remarked Andy, who became executive
director of both camps.

As Marnie embraced Camp Dudley and
incorporated new ideas into the Camp
Dudley at Kiniya program, she surrounded herself with a
strong team. That first summer, Dudley’s own #16964 Joanie
Chioffi signed on and worked along side Marnie in bringing
team sports to the CDKiniya campus. Joanie’s main focus
was launching the new leadership program. Working with the
maintenance crew at CDK, Joanie set up a leadership center
on the main campus where girls could gather and where she
could host training workshops. One summer later, Joanie’s
husband, #13820 Marcus, joined the staff as Program
Director and the trio continued to fortify leadership and
programming at CDKiniya, along with many other members
of the Camp Dudley family.

In the midst of merging the two camps, Fred Guffey
managed several major capital projects and improvements
to the physical campuses. Construction of the new
main office, including the Marshall Office and Stichweh
Leadership Center, was completed in 2003. A total overhaul
of the foundation resulted in the preservation of the Avery
Boathouse in 2005. Witherbee Hall was renovated in stages
from 2000 to 2002. The Beckman Dining Hall was upgraded
in 2004, as was Sommer Hall in 2007. A new water line
project was completed in 2008. In 2009, an erosion control
and beautification project was undertaken at Swim Point.
The maintenance crew in Westport continues to be an
integral part of keeping the campus fit for the onslaught of
campers every summer.

Several major projects have been completed at
CD Kiniya since 2006, including two brand new
cabins named after the donors who made them possible, the
Cady family and the Vanneman family. Cabin 9/10 was
renovated in 2009 and renamed The Schmidt Cabin after
Dudley director Willie Schmidt. The leadership center
at CDK was upgraded, as was the maintenance shop. A
water treatment building and a new well were added to the
CDK campus, as well as two new septic fields. Much to the
delight of the campers, the Senior Bathhouse was completely
renovated in 2009.

Andy, Davo and Martin Germerroth of the Hannover
CVJM worked to rejuvenate the German Exchange
Program at Camp Dudley, sending a group of young men to Camp
Abbensen in Hannover, Germany every other summer. In the
alternate summers, a contingent of Abbensen campers comes to
Dudley for a session. This program, first started in 1962, has
regained its original popularity in the last decade, and the third
generation of Dudley and Hannover families are now participating
in the five decade old program. Above, this year’s Dudley boys are
greeted at the airport by Eberhard and Ingrid Mangold.

Akey component of Dudley’s 125 years of success
has always been the summer staff. Year in and
year out, outstanding teachers, coaches, nurses, doctors and
others from around the globe, return to Camp Dudley to give
of themselves, to offer their expertise and guidance to the
camps they love. Mainstays include Dave “Langfu” and
Laura Langston, James Mayo, Joe and Dawn Maiurano,
Sheila and Fred Kapper, Mike Schloat, Blair Dils, Steve
Goodwin, and Dave West. “We are what we are because of
the devotion and passion of these folks,” said Director
Bisselle.

Celebrating that devotion and passion was at the
forefront of Camp Dudley’s 125th celebration
in the summer of 2009 planned by all five of the most recent
CDA officers, including #9701 Rich Maxwell, #12764 Chris
Perry, #12664 Ted Smith, #12330 Ralph LaRovere, and
#13804 Matt Storey. An estimated 700 alumni congregated
for a four-day celebration at the end of August on the
campus. The festivities included the usual Dudley CDA
Reunion standbys, such as capture the flag, greased
watermelon, picnics on the lawn, Hymn Sing and the
awarding of the CDA Man of the Year.

While boys in Westport and girls in Colchester
continue to enjoy team sports, spiritual reflection
and leadership training, both campuses have undergone
physical improvements, allowing both programs to thrive.
“We are grateful for our loyal alumni and the undying support
they have shown us over the past century and we hope to
continue to live, ‘The Other Fellow First,’ on both sides of
the lake, for another 125 years,” said Bisselle.

Robert H. “Bob”
Marshall,
Camper #2700, Leader,
Associate Director, Director
and, with his beloved wife
Ruth, the “Camp Dudley
Association Couple of the
Year” in 1968, passed away
on May 23, 2005 at his home
in Vero Beach Florida.
As former leader John Brust
eulogized, “Bob Marshall
lived energetically. Whether
he was blowing the whistle at
breakfast, giving out camper
awards, tending his garden, playing
tennis, taking leaders to Middlebury for dinner, reminiscing
about Westport during Prohibition, helping a kid get into
college, showing you the lake in his boat, flirting with someone
else’s wife, or hamming it up on the Witherbee stage, he
could leave you a bit breathless. Arriving at Dudley as camper
#2700, he was, at age 7, the youngest cub ever. Thirty years
later, when he became Director, camp numbers were in the
7000s; when he retired in 1971 they were in the 11,000s;
when he died 3 months ago at the age of 96, they were just
short of 20,000.”

Dr. William J.
“Willie” Schmidt,
who for six decades helped
kids to find their way from
modest backgrounds into
America’s oldest continuously
operating summer camp,
died August 8, 2008 in
Elizabethtown, NY. He
was 79.
By far his biggest
contribution, and lasting
legacy, is the dramatic
expansion of the scholarship
program, appropriately
re-named “The William J. Schmidt Annual Scholarship
Fund” in 2004. When Willie took over as Director in 1974,
Annual Giving, which underwrote the program, stood at
$25,000 per year. When he retired twenty years later, it had
reached $250,000 per year. Thousands of boys had the joy of
a Camp Dudley experience, thanks to Willie’s insistence on
“opening the place up.” A legendary recruiter, Willie said,
“I can tell if a kid is Dudley material in a minute,” which he
frequently did, offering astonished boys, he had just met at an
airport, a scholarship to Dudley.