We are a family that enjoys summer, but I have to say that my 11-year-old twins had literally their “BEST SUMMER EVER” this past July and August away at Camp Mowglis. Each of them flourished in ways that I had never imagined before, and in ways that they would not have had the chance to do if they’d stayed home. They were challenged and celebrated in this “all-around” camp, while they enjoyed their own personal favorite activities and even areas of developing expertise. We all loved that this was a place where really truly they could just “go play outside” for 7 whole weeks, totally unplugged, learning new skills, meeting kids and counselors from different parts of the country and even from around the world, taking on new roles of cooperation and responsibility–whether helping with the plants in the greenhouse as one of their daily camp chores, or on the trail in one of the weekly hikes in the nearby White Mountains. We live in a beautiful seaside New England town, 3 doors down from the beach…and yet when it came time to leave, they just didn’t want to leave their new friends, the lake and the mountains, the singing and the campfires, the super cool counselors, the regular rhythms of Camp Mowglis life. As their third year at a sleep away camp (years one and two at a 2-week camp), and in comparison to a variety of specialized day camps in earlier summers, I can easily see how this experience was far superior to all others. THANK YOU CAMP MOWGLIS!!

Kit Jenkins, MA

My son attended Mowglis for the first time this last summer. We wanted him to get away from his computers and have some fun outdoors. I was initially a little concerned, because he didn’t know anyone, has a shy and reserved personality, and would be away from home for 4 weeks, the longest period of time he has been away from home. And let’s not mention had little outdoor camping/hiking experience. As it turns out, he had a wonderful time. He learned a lot about hiking, rowing, and archery. Riflery was his favorite. He asked to return this next summer for the full 7 weeks, which is really the greatest testament for this camp.

Young Kim, MA

Mowglis is a very special place and a true school of the open. It has a power from the teachings that it instills to all who are part of that place; from camper to counselor, to the family and loved ones of any soul who has been fortunate to be part of the “Mowglis Family”. From the teaching of the virtues of brotherhood which is part of the large and all important life as one relates to anybody and in any place on the wonderful Earth. I am, and will always be so grateful for the chance to have spent time (as a camper from age 7 through 13 years as well as visiting in recent past and future) with the quality of people who are the “Mowglis Family”. I believe that the special beauty and serenity of Newfound Lake and the place on it called Mowglis travels to all places in the world for the lucky “Mowglis Brothers” since beginning in 1903 and always in the future. Mowglis represents, in my opinion, what is beautiful and worth learning about for all people in the world.

Arthur Sculco, Alumnus

Camp Mowglis is a sleep-away camp where I spend seven weeks each summer. It is important to me because it is where my appreciation for the great outdoors began. It is where I was introduced to my now favorite sport (Crew), and other nature-based athletic and skillful endeavors – archery, axemanship, and woodworking. It wasn’t until camp that I realized there are hundreds of ways to tie a knot, and mastering a few well can save lives. Speaking of lifesaving, there are few better ways to grab the attention of a bunch of young campers than to tell us we are about to learn survival skills in the wild and unpredictable woods (which we did)!

Camp was also a springboard for hiking, camping, weather forecasting, kayaking, row boating and canoeing – all things I carry with me as favorites activities when I have free time. The woodworking and whittling proficiency that I bring to my art electives at school all began at camp. So, the benefits of my time at Camp Mowglis transcend my home life, personal time and school. I have such positive feelings when I think back on my six summers as a camper. It is like a second home to me, filling me with a love of nature and all it has to offer. Even better that I shared the experience with fellow campers I now call friends, that share my same affection for the great outdoors.

Nathan Soukup (recent Mowglis graduate), MA

Camp Mowglis is like heaven on Earth with the most spectacular lake on site; it is a very close-knit, fun and loving community that we are glad to be a part of. The entire staff is amazing and very professional, the counselors are great, giving special attention to every camper. Camp Mowglis is not only a fantastic place for our boys to spend their summer but an amazing and caring place that teaches them how to be independent, learn about companionship, to love and respect nature. Camp Mowglis helped my boys understand their strengths and overcome their weaknesses, taught them to make the best out of every possible situation, encouraged them to learn new things and to have a positive attitude, all through activities that are fun, unique and well rounded. Next summer my youngest boy will join his two brothers at camp, that is how much Mowglis has become a part of our family since 2011.

Paola Rego, TX

I have been going to Mowglis for now the past 10 summers in a row. It is a great place and a great community to be part when you go there, it is not just about going away for a full summer, it’s also meeting people you know you will see again at some point in your life at Mowglis, learning values and grow to a better person. There are no words to describe how much this place has taught me, how much it brought to me. The joys and the memories are unforgettable. Spending my summers there was definitely the best choice I’ve ever made so far.

Axel Nunes, Lyon, France

My son was nine years old when we sent him away to Camp Mowglis last summer and we did have some reservations about him being away for so long. I am happy to say that it was a great experience. Daniel still talks about camp and is looking forward to going back again. I was very impressed with how personalized our experience was. We received personal letters that reassured us that Daniel was being well-taken care of and that he was being worked with and treated as an individual, not just another kid in the group. He really enjoyed himself and I believe there was a lot of personal growth that only happens with a bit of independence from family and a well structured program with a great staff.

Benjamin Millet, SC

My attendance to Mowglis as a camper (1952-1956) and as a member of the staff as rifle instructor (1961 & 1962) molded my life. I cannot say enough about this “School of the Open”. As a retired teacher, I have seen a lot of programs for young people. The program “curriculum” at Mowglis is, by far the best to teach character, confidence, maturity and knowledge of things practical in the context of having a really fun summer. A boy will have the experience of learning his limits and at the same time expanding them. He will grow physically, become very healthy because of living 24/7 mostly out of doors, learn skills from swimming, rowing, tennis, nature, environment, hiking, camping, to even singing. The list is long. Mowglis creates responsible mature young men. It did for me and for my sons who followed me there over the years.

James Beckford, NC

I attended Camp Mowglis as a camper from 1949-1951, and have been on the staff off and on since then. Some of us old campers, and staff members still maintain contact, and we all have benefited, and rely on the examples we experienced, and lessons gained as we learned how to make reasonable decisions for ourselves in pursuit of our own goals, and respecting our fellow Mowglis.

We are raising generations of nature-deprived people who would gain so much if they had the experience of spending summers with nature on Newfound Lake, and in the White mountains of New Hampshire. Both my sons, and step-son attended Mowglis, and continually speak of how much the camp did for them.

Arthur Bradbury, NH

My sons started going to Camp Mowglis when they were 8 and 12 years old. We live in France and my youngest barely spoke English. The first year, he was signed up for just half the summer. When I came to visit them after 3 weeks, my youngest said that if he couldn’t stay until the end of the summer, he would never speak to me again! 10 years later, at age 18, he still goes back as a junior counselor. My oldest has also been a member of the senior staff.

Mowglis has been wonderful for my children. In spite of being an all-boys camp, there is something maternal about it. Everyone knows everyone, no one gets lost in the crowd, all are taken care of.

Many parents are hesitant to send their children to a seven-week camp. In seven weeks, kids really have the time to let go of any family problems they might have. They have ample time to try all of the activities and make deep friendships. My children have never thought it too long. In fact, they think that an additional week would be cool. At the end of every summer, I can see how much they have grown up, become more independent and self-confident. They have really absorbed the good values that camp teaches.

During many summers, my children were able to experience many activities (hiking, camping, axemen-ship, sailing) in a safe and encouraging environment. Speaking of environment, there are no video games, phones, iPods allowed in camp. Children are able to have several weeks without screens in their faces. They can get “unhooked”. Social relationships are the priority. As a result, kids make friends for life.

Camp is on a beautiful lake surrounded by pines, the staff are as nice as could be and the values that camp exemplifies are humane and respectful of the environment. I highly recommend Camp Mowglis.

Thea Carini, Lyon, France

The summer of 2013 was my son’s first at Camp Mowglis, and I was worried as he was 13 and had never been away to camp before. I was looking for a camp that would have a supportive environment, yet be challenging enough to help my son transition from a boy to a young man. Well, I couldn’t have made a better choice than Camp Mowglis! There are not enough words to express how grateful I am for this wonderful place. It is truly like a big extended family. Thomas LOVED his summer there and cannot wait to return for a second year. My only regret is that I didn’t find out about it until he was 13. I wish he had started going there earlier. I really cannot say enough about this place. I truly believe it is one of the best experiences you can provide for your son over the summer. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Sue Klein, NY

I attended Camp Mowglis from 1977 to 1979, I was on the staff in 1980, and I have served on the Board of Trustees since 2009. My son and brother also attended and graduated from Mowglis. Without question, the experience and confidence I gained at the camp have carried me through life in an overwhelmingly positive way. I learned what I was capable of, and it was a lot more than I thought. I would not have known I was capable of leading an expedition to the Titanic or to find the Apollo rocket engines if I did not learn as a boy that I was capable of climbing that mountain in front of me. The program has both short-term and long-term achievements at its core, and it remains the same today as it did 110 years ago. In my view, the Mowglis program is invaluable in today’s age of instant gratification for little or no work. It is essential to building strong character and successful individuals.

David Concannon, PA

I have had a long and enriching relationship with Mowglis, starting in the summer of 2002 when I was nine years old. It was my first time away from home for longer than a few nights at a time, and certainly the first time I had been in an environment such as this. The initial experience was more than enough to cause me to keep coming back for the last 12 years, first as an older camper, then as a junior staff member, and now on into more senior counselor and coaching positions. Easily the most consistently formative experience of my life, being at Mowglis has taught me to grow both as a strong individual, while also allowing me to gain respect for the people around me, and friendships I developed there remain as strong as they were back when I was a camper. With a strong background in experiential education and a well established integration with the natural world, the camp continues to teach boys of all ages to disconnect from our technology-driven society, take a step back, and absorb all of the wonderful things one might find on a beautiful summer day in the mountains, or by the side of the lake. Numerous activities, or industries, based on both individual and group-based growth equip the campers with skills they will take with them years and years after they graduate. Whether or not they choose to join the staff, or even remain in close contact with the camp, individuals that have been touched by Camp Mowglis carry their experiences forward to become well versed, capable people. I know I would be nothing like I am now if not for the lessons learned and relationships sown as a result of growing in a wonderful place like this, and can safely say I regard Mowglis as a second home. We could all use a bit more time outside, and I can’t think of a better place.

Jay Gulitti, NY

Dear Prospective Mowglis Parent,

The decision to send your child to a sleep-away camp is a big one! As parents we were in your position nine years ago. We now have three sons (ages 20, 18 and 15) who are Mowglis graduates. Our two older sons are now working at Mowglis as counselors and our younger son participated in the Yearling program last summer. (Our 12 year old daughter is currently a camper at Onaway.) Mowglis has been a wonderful experience for our boys. We are appreciative and thankful for all they have gained.

Mowglis is a traditional boys’ camp where values, character and outdoor experiences are emphasized over competition. Camp days are filled with a wide variety of activities in a safe and structured setting, and the boys choose from many rich offerings. They can try sports like archery, riflery, sailing & windsurfing (just to name a few) they may never have the chance to experience…except at camp. Mowglis is also one of just a few camps to offer crew…a uniquely cooperative sport, where the synergy of the group is more important than the strength of one individual. Like most boys, our sons love team sports and play them throughout the school year. However, at Mowglis they spend their summer days doing a variety of activities, rather than be limited by the now popular special “camps” that emphasize only one sport or hobby.

At Mowglis our sons gained a real appreciation and respect for nature because of the beautiful lakefront setting and through the many off-site day hikes and overnight trips. Our boys have even climbed to the top of Mt. Washington! In the current age of technology and materialism it is wonderful for children to leave all of that behind and have fun and learn in an atmosphere free of electronics – TV, computer (especially social network sites), texting and video games – that can be so enticing and all-consuming to boys of that age. I am thankful my sons were happily ensconced at Mowglis as they approached their teen years and their summer days and evenings were filled with worthwhile activities.

Most of all, we appreciate that our boys set goals for themselves and had the satisfaction of reaching them. They gained a great deal of independence and became more personally responsible. They looked up to the older boys and to the staff and they worked hard to earn their awards. We feel the camp experience has played a key role in helping to prepare them for the future. And we know they formed friendships that will last a lifetime.

All of this is gained from the seven-week camp experience. We know it is difficult to let go of your son for this length of time. We live in a culture that puts enormous pressure on parents to be involved in EVERY aspect of their children’s lives…school, sports, extra-curricular activities, social life, friends, etc. We believe allowing our sons to have their own experiences, apart from us, is enormously beneficial.

We are happy to speak with any prospective parents who have questions or concerns they wish to direct to another parent. We are confident, given the opportunity to participate in the Mowglis experience, that your son will learn and grow in ways that will benefit him for a lifetime.

Sincerely,

Meg & Charlie Hurdman
Parents 2002-2010
Maine

August, 2013

Dear Camp Mowglis,

I am sorry that I did not have the opportunity to speak to you before taking Adam home yesterday, but I just want to let you know that Adam ended up loving camp and will definitely be returning to Mowglis next summer. When I dropped Adam off at camp on June 26th, he was filled with doubt and insecurities and after seven short weeks at Mowglis, I picked up a child who is confident and poised. He told me he feels like a different person and that he had a phenomenal summer. I cannot thank you and your wonderful staff enough, and I look forward to seeing Adam become a Mowglis graduate.

Thank you again.

Sincerely yours,

Debra Freedman
Bronx, NY

Spring 2013

Dear Alumni, Family, and Friends of Mowglis,

As the weather warms and opening day of camp draws closer my thoughts often turn to my mother, who passed away on February 9th. She was devoted to her family and always looked for ways to help her three children grow up strong and independent. I was her most challenging project: a big, awkward kid who did poorly at school, hated sports, and fought constantly with his Dad. She felt that I needed an active summer away from home with boys who did something other than play baseball. She was right, and by a series of fortunate events I ended up at Mowglis.

It’s opening day, 1959. The Director, Mr. Adams, greeted me warmly when I arrived at camp. After a short chat he asked a boy to take me up to Akela. He was D. Snow Margeson, a five year camper who quickly took me under his wing. “D” and I became close friends; we played lots of croquet and hung out together at the library and the rifle range. We loved to read and shoot and share private jokes. Later Petey Thompson, Roger Smith and I would earn our rowboat safety tests and spent a lot of time out on the lake together. I wasn’t much of a hiker that summer; when my dorm climbed Mt. Osceola I ran out of gas and was walked down separately by Mr. Wadsworth. I remember that he was really kind; I was also amazed and grateful that there was no teasing from the group afterwards.

During the next few years my life started to come together. That fall I felt more confident; my grades improved and I made more friends. During my second camp season I climbed Mt. Cardigan, which meant something after the previous year’s failure. The next fall I discovered football, which agreed with me more than baseball. I also tried wrestling and track. I wasn’t very good, but I was becoming more fit. The following summer I really enjoyed the camp hiking trips. I remember being totally awed by a spectacular view on top of Mt. Chocorua and a stunning sunset on the summit of Mt. Kinsman. After that I became a hiking and climbing fanatic. I covered lots of ground during my Den year and went on to be the only freshman starter on my prep school football team!

Over the years many Mowglis friends have told me how important different camp experiences were to their young lives. I’m sure my Mom, and theirs, would agree that it’s not easy to send a little boy off to camp for eight weeks. But my Mom knew what I needed and had the courage to make it happen. I suspect behind each of my buddies was a mother or father with the same selfless vision and insight.

Good Hunting,

Charlie Walbridge, WV
Board Member, Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation

February, 2013

For several years John and I and our three sons lived in Pelham Manor, N.Y., across the street from the Tweedy family, Alice Merwin Tweedy and her husband Bud and their children Meg and Bill. We would get together on Friday nights, and always the subject of Camp Mowglis would enter into the conversation.

Alice’s father had been involved with Mowglis for years. Her brother Gaius was a camper and on the board for years. Her son Bill attended the camp for several summers and served on staff as well. Gaius Jr. was a camper, as was his son. Meg attended and was a counselor at Onaway for many summers, and Alice was the president of the Board of Trustees of Camp Onaway for several years.

What chance did we have? We were reluctant to allow our sons to go away for a WHOLE SUMMER (!), but gradually, listening to the stories about the many benefits of a Mowglis summer, we decided to visit. It was the summer of 1982, when our oldest son Todd was 11 years old. We saw lots of very busy, engaged, energetic, and obviously happy boys. I wondered to myself how they could be so happy when their parents must have been heart-broken without them. Weren’t they homesick?

Todd liked what he saw and decided he would like to go the following summer. (Really? But what about me? Could I possibly survive this?) So at the end of June in 1983, Todd got in a van and headed north. Each day I waited by the mailbox for a letter and was rewarded with tales of the week’s activities. I still have the enthusiastic letters describing Land Sports Day, Woodsmen’s Day, Water Sports Day, many trips, and mountains climbed. The letters describing the buildup to Crew Day (the Beetons were RED Crew) and the day itself were so full of excitement!

Our first visiting weekend was bittersweet. I thought we’d just gotten there when we had to turn around and go home again. But Todd was clearly thriving and loving his summer.

Each visiting day, Jeremy and Kyle accompanied us and enjoyed the weekends. Jeremy wasn’t ready to go until three years later, but Kyle was eager to go even before Jeremy! They’d both sat and watched Bob Bengtson’s slideshow and talk at gatherings at our home, and Kyle begged us to go. “You’re too little,” we’d say, but finally, the year Jeremy was going, when Kyle was turning 9, we gave in to the pressure.

That summer, all three boys were at Mowglis. Todd was on Junior Staff, Jeremy was in Akela, and Kyle was in Cubs. The first time in 15 years we had no kids at home. We lived for visiting weekends. We figured that a half-season would be enough for Kyle at his young age, so at the first weekend, we asked Kyle if he wanted to come home, believing he was pining away from homesickness. He looked at us dumbfounded. “Why?” he said, “I want to stay!” I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad! Was he really having such a great time that he didn’t want to come home? But didn’t he miss us?

So he stayed and finished out the first of seven wonderful summers. Jeremy graduated from Den in 1988. Kyle continued through a second year of Cubs, on to Baloo, Toomai, Akela, Panther, and graduated from Den in 1992. At some point during his Mowglis years, Kyle said, “What do kids do all summer if they don’t go to camp?” Indeed. He couldn’t imagine a summer without being at Camp.

We felt that sending our sons to Mowglis was a gift to them. They experienced things there that we never would have been able to give them. We believe that Mowglis is responsible in part for the fine men they have become. Integrity, sportsmanship, respect for nature and the earth, teamwork, honesty, respect for others’ differences, a strong worth ethic — these are all things we all teach our children, but living them day in and day out for several summers gave them the practical experiences they couldn’t have gotten at home.

Being away from their schoolmates allows boys be free of pressures to “fit in,” to follow the crowd, and allows them to think for themselves and choose activities they might not at home.

People will often say, “How could you have sent your sons away? How could you have done that to them? I could never do that to MY son.” Yes, it was hard. Very hard. We missed them terribly. But we knew that the benefits for them far outweighed our pangs of loneliness.

I look at them today and answer, “How could I not?” John and I were so grateful for those years. And I dare say our sons would agree with me 100 percent!

Diana Beeton, CT

September, 2013

Dear Parents and Friends:

As the parents of three teenagers, my wife and I spend much of our time planning for school, summer, family vacations, athletics and all the activities that fill a family’s life in this modern era. There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day, or days in the month, to provide time to do everything, and yet we still hear the dreaded cries of “I’m bored!” with annoying frequency.

I often look back with envy on the four summers (1977-80) I spent as a boy at Camp Mowglis. It seemed like the days were longer then, and each day was filled with a myriad of options for activities my own parents could never provide even if they had a year to schedule everything. Camping, hiking, archery, tennis, swimming, riflery, sailing, rowing and the many other choices I had at Mowglis were either not on the menu of my family activities or they were, at best, something we could do one activity at a time on Saturdays, if something else didn’t already interfere. At home, I could go swimming at the local YMCA on Saturday, but I could never go swimming, rowing, sailing, play cards and tetherball with my friends, shoot a rifle and practice a skit on the average Tuesday – or any day.

As a parent in today’s world, sending my own son Ian (2008-10) off to Mowglis for seven weeks of fun was an easy decision because I knew I could never provide the same experiences to him in such a short time, knowing full well that every minute of our busy days was “taken” by the minutiae of modern life.

As a father and graduate of Mowglis, I also knew something else: Mowglis is not only fun, it is also about cultivating independence. As a camper, you are not only learning what you are capable of – which is A LOT more than you thought it was – you also learn what your friends are capable of, and you share your hard-earned achievements with each other every day. You don’t just climb a mountain on Trip Day, you learn that you are capable of climbing a mountain on the average Thursday, and you stand at the top with your friends while you share the experience with each other.

It may seem like an anachronism in the 21st century to base a summer camp experience around the characters and lessons taught in a book that was published in 1894. In 1903, Elizabeth Ford Holt established Camp Mowglis with the permission and encouragement of Rudyard Kipling, specifically to provide the lessons taught in The Jungle Book: self-sufficiency, brotherhood and adventure. But these lessons are even more important today, with new technologies promising us all an “easier life,” than they were a century ago. My son and I both believe, as does my brother John (1977-79), that Mowglis taught us the value of working together, taking responsibility, developing self-sufficiency and learning through doing. I have applied these lessons throughout my life, whether leading expeditions or succeeding in business. More importantly, I have been able to provide the Mowglis experience to my son and watch him thrive as a result. I encourage you to do the same.

Sincerely,

Dave Concannon, PA (Graduate 1979)
Father of Ian Concannon (Graduate 2010) and brother of John Concannon (Graduate 1978)

July, 2013

Dear Camp Mowglis,

As the 3rd Crew weekend comes upon us, I have been thinking about what our life might be like without Mowglis. Logan would probably still be spending his summers running after his siblings and riding his bike to the shopping center to hang out with his friends or even worse, glued to a gaming system. I’m sure none of these things would be detrimental to him but in comparison to what he’s able to do when he’s at camp, it sure feels detrimental. Summer at home with both parents working, would be a 10 week growth stunt. I was sad earlier this year when he said he didn’t want to return to camp but was going to consider his input when making the final decision and consider all of the experiences he’s had over the past two summers. The first that come to mind are sailing, crew, shooting, hiking, drama and the other industries that he’s experienced. Many parents probably say that their son learned to do chores and earn his keep but hard work and chores are not new to Logan. The amount he does at camp probably feels like a vacation compared to home.

Going to Mowglis was Logan’s first trip to another state other than New Jersey and even more importantly, his first trip alone with his father. The time spent in the car on that 10 hour drive from Philadelphia to Hebron gave my son (the middle child of 6 children) 20 hours of alone time with his dad with no distractions, no competing for attention, just two guys bonding. Those trips also taught his father how to let him go and trust him in the care of someone else. That’s a huge feat in itself! Logan also learned to let go. Of course homesickness reared it’s ugly head on more than one occasion through the past 3 years and he learned to work through that too. Logan got to explore the person he is without any assigned role to play. He grew in character while developing the ability to survive in the world. The survival skills he’s gained at camp weren’t confined to using a compass, starting a fire in the rain, building shelter in the wild or the various other skills he boasts from many days in camping industry, but also to survive without someone fixing his problems. He’s left to resolve conflict and uneasy feelings on his own. Although the counselors (one in particular has a special place in my heart) are there to help, reaching out to them isn’t as easy as going to mommy to fix things.

Last year was a monumental achievement in our relationship. On parent’s weekend Logan split his head open on a log. I was there (which may have made it worse) and took care of him but once he was all sewn up and had his hugs and kisses, I had to leave him. As a mom, that was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do. If it wasn’t for your support and my faith in you I don’t know if I would have done it. That one experience has taught me a very valuable lesson: you often get stuck in your comfort zone and need a push beyond too. I’m not always going to be comfortable with what is best for my child. Thank you for that.

Thank you for everything you have done to allow my children this opportunity and making them a part of an extended family. Every year I look forward to making our Blue Crew shirts and having the chance to chat with the moms I haven’t seen since last summer. I enjoyed (okay, sometimes) looking through the reels of footage captured and selecting the perfect clips to make a part of the recruiting video. Seeing how after decades men still come back to camp and get excited to see friends and reminisce about their days there as boys. My mom posted a video of Allen Sherman singing Camp Granada on my facebook wall….it reminded me of two things, summer camp has been an institution in existence since the days before AutoTune and that Mowglis has managed to keep it in its purest form.

Thanks Again, Kelli Gallagher