HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

 

Mr. Francis T. Nichols founded Blue Hill Society for Aid to Children Inc. (BHSAC) in 1963 as a non profit community organization to administer outdoor programs for school age children in the peninsula area. He believed that all area children should learn to swim and learn to appreciate the out-of-doors, especially in a simple, rustic camp setting.  He also believed no child should be denied these opportunities for financial reasons.  During his lifetime his generosity sustained this vision.  In 1979 he and others established a permanent camp site on Walker Pond.

 

Today BHSAC, doing business as Nichols Day Camps, operates three day camps on that site.  Throughout a typical summer 300 children take part in these programs. 

 

The organization was originally run by a group of trustees who volunteered their time to oversee the running of the program.  In 1996 an Executive Director was hired who is now responsible for the overall operation of the camps, for budget planning and fundraising activities. An off season office is located on Caterpillar Hill in Sedgwick, just a short drive from the day camp property.  Visitors are always welcome. An on site camp office was built in 2008.

 

THE CAMPS

 

SCAMP CAMP is for children 4 ½ to 7 years old.  There is one 2-week session and two 3-week sessions – each limited to 40 children. Round trip bus service is provided from pick-up points in Penobscot and Blue Hill.  A Deer Isle bus stop may be added in 2011. A typical day includes either Red Cross or YMCA swimming instruction and activities such as free swim, arts and crafts, music, nature studies, field games and special event days.  A large building houses rainy day activities. A director, assistant director and six counselors provide careful guidance and instruction for these youngsters.

 

NICHOLS DAY CAMP is for children 6 to12 years old. Red Cross or YMCA swimming instruction, free swim, archery, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, arts and crafts, theater, nature/orienteering studies and field games are among the many activities offered. This camp also has one 2-week session of camp and two 3-week sessions of camp, with a director, assistant director and eighteen counselors to oversee the programs for up to 100 campers each session. Bus service is also available to these campers.

 

A large building, the “Woof”, is used for arts and crafts and rainy day activities, and an outdoor theater platform in the woods known as “The Thoof” is an enchanting spot for campers’ theatrical productions. During the summer of 2007 the campers were thrilled to be able to use our large new recreation building, Jon D. Woodward Hall, built after a three year capital campaign to improve facilities. This building also houses six flush toilets, a most welcomed improvement for the camps!

 

SUMMER ADVENTURE was a camping trip program for older, more advanced campers who took camping trips into the wilds of Maine. This program has been discontinued, for the time being, although we now have an on site camp called Nichols Adventure Camp.

 

NICHOLS ADVENTURE CAMP is for campers ages 11 to 14. Adventure campers attend camp during the same time that Scamp Camp and Nichols Day Camp operate. These campers are a part of a group of 10 to 12 children. They kayak around Walker Pond, testing the water quality and enjoying the wildlife, while exploring every aspect of Walker Pond. These campers also learn camp fire cooking skills and camp crafts. They also have certified swim instruction and have the use of the sailboats and windsurfers.  We are also using this program as a counselor in training/leadership program for future staff members. Bus service is provided for these campers also. A director and an assistant director run this program.

 

All three camps have visits from The Chewonki Foundation, an environmental awareness outreach program, to educate and entertain campers with their displays of live wildlife. The Marine Environmental Institute (M.E.R.I.) makes presentations about marine life during each session of camp. In previous summers, before the cost of transportation became too expensive, the camps also had occasional field trips to places like Fort Knox, Holbrook Island Sanctuary, and the U.S. Fish Hatchery. They also went on various tours sponsored by the Marine Environmental Research Institute. Visiting artists and musicians are always a welcome addition to the camp day. Steel drum band music has been known to rock our woods.

 

All counselors are CPR certified and trained in Red Cross Standard or Community First Aid programs. Many are also trained as Red Cross Lifeguards. BHSAC hires outstanding young adults who are not only good role models but people who love working with children.  Many return for several summers and provide great continuity and familiarity with campers and the programs. Many of the staff were campers themselves and some have parents who were once campers or counselors.

 

THE CHALLENGE

 

The amount charged campers for their tuition is far less than the amount it costs BHSAC to operate its programs.  In keeping with Mr. Nichols vision, BHSAC has purposely kept charges to a minimum so that the broadest possible cross-section of children will enjoy our programs. The current tuition rate for a three week session is not much more than half of the estimated cost per camper to operate the camp. Many campers who qualify for assistance pay only a small portion of the tuition. Each year dozens of "camperships" are awarded. We must therefore rely on fundraising activities, donations and earnings from our small endowment to finance the balance not covered by tuition income. 

 

We urge all our peninsula friends and neighbors, year-round and summer residents, to support Nichols Day Camps’ important summer programs for our children.  Gifts may be unrestricted for general purposes (to be used as Trustees determine) or restricted for camperships, facility improvements or for any of our camp programs. Those who wish to consider a gift of securities or real estate should call the office for specific instructions.

 

Bequests are of special value as we work to build our endowment.  A simple sentence in your will or a codicil to an existing will naming BHSAC as a primary or secondary beneficiary can provide a great legacy for our area’s children. For further information about the camps, our programs or making a gift, please call the Executive Director at 207-359-2122.

 

All gifts are tax deductible.  We are a public charity with 501 (c) (3) status.

Checks should be made out to BHSAC and sent to:

 

BLUE HILL SOCIETY FOR AID TO CHILDREN

P.O. BOX 472

BLUE HILL, MAINE, 04614