By Mike Sherman, Camp Woodstock Board of Advisors
Three years ago, Tony and I met to discuss the probability of potentially raising half a million dollars during a pandemic. We were also beginning to plan for a 100th anniversary celebration the year after, so how could a capital campaign fit into that? Fortunately, alums and Board Members Mary Schone and Marcus Dandurand took over most of the complicated anniversary preparation that led to a memorable experience for over 450 Woodstockers.
But what about the campaign? We decided a co-chair was needed to compensate for my lack of technological competence. It had to also be someone who loomed large in the eyes of fellow alums so Tony and I drove to New York City to convince Lauren Bertolini to help us figure out how to locate, contact, and convince six decades of Woodstockers to contribute to the future of a camp that was now a past but prominent memory to them. Lauren assented, followed by Andy Bauer and Diane Belcher, who agreed to co-chair the alumni division to build a network of captains and connectors who reached out to six decades of Woodstockers through various forms of communication, offering various ways of contributing.
Everything was coming together. Gifts, large and small, quickly began to accumulate from our three divisions, board, major and alumni. Metro Hartford helped us with a wealth search, brochure and printed material, donor recording and recognition and insisted on a $1.25 million-dollar goal, which I thought was unobtainable.
After two one hundred-thousand-dollar grants from YUSA written by Tony and Carey Greene, we now have exceeded that goal. Projects are completed as the cash comes in from pledges and later donations. Most importantly, we are securing the camp’s future as successfully as we celebrated its past at the 100th Anniversary. THANK YOU!
