Years 2008

walkereh@alumni.hiram.edu

Aug 25, 2008, 5:58 PM

to dave.holgate, meg.salamack, karen.draper, mark.holberg, russ.myer, devin.hollands, brett.holberg, rachel.coon, garrett.simpson, lghunt, cmacdonald89, emily.patka, dangottfried@gmail.com, mzzp, ktkat417, jonmarkgo, jwquimby, glowstargirl@gmail.com, lowensteind, nmachac1, alima.lindsey

Dear Board Members of Unirondack,

I, like several other staff from this summer, heard what I could only hope to be a malicious rumor: that a number of board members have been compiling a list of complaints with the intent to fire Aimee Spong. I would rather not even think of it as a possibility. The dishonesty of hiding some case against her from the whole camp community, a list of complaints clearly nulled by the success all of the staff and campers witnessed this summer, seems below what a board—one reflective of camp’s thoughtfulness and values—should be. I have worked under three other directors, and none has committed themselves so selflessly to their job and taken care of both campers and staff as Aimee has. All I and the rest of the staff can do is sing the highest praise of Aimee, and I hope that if these painful rumors prove true, our voice makes a difference. Other than pages of how well Aimee handled things here this summer, I feel that it is my responsibility to share what my last camp went through and how, with rumors like these, Unirondack could be dangerously close to the same end.

After my second year as a counselor at my last camp, Dutchess County YMCA’s Wa Wa Segowea, our long-time director resigned. She spent nineteen years as the director, but years of increasing debt made the board understandably frantic. When the board was pressed to find a new director, they hired a woman the board president later told me “looked good on paper,” a woman who had twelve years of experience as a camp director. She hired back all of us old staff plus a few internationals, and Wa Wa booked up with long-time campers. Everything seemed set to its annual rhythm.

Once staff showed, though, little went well. All of us felt violated when the new director’s boss came during staff week and hinted at elaborate plans to change camp, to sell some of the property, to gut core traditions, to work by this private system they had plotted out for at least weeks if not months. The board later said they had no clue what she and her boss were doing, and the staff and campers knew less. Soon the campers arrived and her mistreatment of the staff—from ignoring and invalidating our worries to scolding staff members for being sick—spread to the children, too. By the end of the first week, campers whispered pitiable things when she passed, pleas like “Put the heart back into camp.” Staff, already disgruntled, had no problem feeding the campers’ loath.

By the end of summer, she had doomed camp. At the beginning of June the following year, she sent a letter to the about twenty die-hard, registered campers saying camp would not be opened because of maintenance issues. What she neglected to say was that the twenty or so people she mailed were the only people signed up, twenty die-hards for a summer minimum of more than 200. There was nothing wrong with the camp, as I saw three days later on a work weekend and heard from the board. Instead, she had given the board an impossible list of tasks to take care of on volunteer weekends, purposely setting them up for failure. With this fatal lack of communication, Wa Wa has remained closed, and may reopen next summer under new management and as an “overflow camp” neutered of its own distinctive character.

Then there is Aimee, who instead of “looking good on paper” has proved herself over two summers to be incredibly capable and wholly dedicated to camp. Rather than demoralizing staff and running off more than two hundred campers, she put together an amazing core of counselors, kitchen, and crew (with many staff this year returning from last) and left every camper this summer with an effervescent sense of how much Unirondack can make a difference, if given the right leadership. I certainly do not know what this rumored list of grievances could have in it and I do know everyone makes mistakes, but it would hurt so much to see Aimee run out of her position because of miscommunication or something more insidious. To hear these rumors reminds me of how important clear, open dialogue was to keeping my old camp alive, and how hypocritical it would be for deceptive practices to run a camp so centered on understanding and growth.

If these rumors are true, I would like to remind you of how much stress they can cause someone who has done the dictionary definition of extraordinary work. Please take all of our worries seriously, and even though I am a young counselor, keep in mind what has happened elsewhere.

Sincerely,

Eli Walker

Counselor

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Devin Hollands <devinhollands@gmail.com>

Aug 25, 2008, 6:44 PM

to walkereh

Thanks for the very thoughtful letter.

   "The board later said they had no clue what she and her boss were doing, and the staff and campers knew less."

Consider for a moment what can happen to the best of camps when communication is lacking.  From my short interjection into the situation  all the love and warmth and understanding given to the staff and campers was not at all sent the other way up to the board level.

   There is nothing dishonest going on.  The board works with Aimee and can not share details with the community at large.

That is why it is hard to respond to you John, Elizabeth, Garrett, Loren.... 

Look again at your old camp and then look again at this summer....  some of it matches if you look at the start of the summer.....

I am not speaking for the board just myself - and look at one small aspect of the whole thing...  If the camp is in trouble and at risk of not opening due to NYS regs, building work that need doing etc..   Unirondack had REAL needs not fake  it turns out......

   for some reason they did not get done....  

Our camp does have a buildings and grounds committee.... but if the director does not want to communicate and use it then....   Somehow the board and the director did not communicate in the needs to open camp.....  with communication people could have come and helped from the outside...  the entire camp community was Not communicated to by the staff... and thus we lost Emerson for the first time in how many years?  If you loose Emerson you can loose Channing if that core does not come through.

  The staff in fact continues to tell people it was due to a nurse situation only.  So dishonest on who's part....? If there were issues and honest ask for help and acceptance of outside help - we could have pulled that all together. I know some volunteers did not come through from my chats with Aimee...  but I am just thinking now... there is a wide community that was not told a dang thing....  and were fed stories when we did arrive on camp.....

So that is one small snap shot that could have taken place at your old camp or Unirondack...

Now multiply that.... Most of these situations  staff campers have no clue about  and FOR SURE  it was a GREAT SUMMER and Aimee did that by smart hiring and your/her hard work.

Every year the board needs to evaluate the director and look at the situation. 

  I was told in July that Aimee was resigning.....  that would put the camp in a situation like your old one where we would need to RUSH to find a new director and guess what.... the ones like you suffered under are out there  and I did not want one on our grounds...  so I got involved to see what was up.

   The entire board is dedicated to camp and is working very hard.. Lots of emails and communication and phone conferences etc etc to plan for next season....and the fall.

  I asked Garrett as a senior staff and you also to not make anything us vs them... the board are normal folks working for camp....  They all are Very in tune.  The youth members are tossing in their 2 cents.....   Now the staff has tossed in very well thought out letters...

Everything is on the table and being looked at.  Unirondack being a landed camp has huge need for $$, labor and support  from churches board volunteers and staff...  the 2 summer months clearly make or break it  but he other 10 months are critical to the 2.  There seems to have been very very stressful times for Aimee and for board members during these 10 months.....  or just the month or so leading to camp Aimee told me the shit hit the fan.... starting with the phone service.....

  anyway  this note is from me to you... not intended for circulation...and not from the board.

--

Devin Hollands

585-309-3898

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walkereh@alumni.hiram.edu

Aug 26, 2008, 8:56 PM

to me

Thanks for the quick reply, Devin. I've managed to finish a book and read an e-mail from Garrett between then and now, and he, then I, asked other staff on my long CC list to hold off on a deluge of support for Aimee.

I'm glad the mirror of my camp's story made some impression, but I just want to emphasize what's the core of the complaint here when the handful of us leftover Saturday night heard your alert that the board was "putting together a list of grievances," as Aimee phrased it. I framed the story with the need for honesty and transparency, not really the level of lying at camp. Lies are always used as a front for parent and camper peace of mind. What's troubling and outright damaging in this situation is the original four members of the board's underhanded way of dealing with their problems.

Since this is between you and me, I'll mention that I saw Jon Gottfried's e-mail correspondence with Dave Holberg at the start of the summer. In it Dave made complaints about Aimee, sending messages to "leaders@unirondack.org," then panicked when he realized Aimee might be on the same e-mail list. He asked Jon if Aimee was in fact on its listserve and that if she was that Jon "please remove her from it." Jon simply replied, "Aimee's a leader at camp." I don't know what happened after that, but Dave clearly does not have honesty or open communication in mind. How is Aimee supposed to get things done when the board president is very obviously destroying any means of doing so? How is camp supposed to function with a board president sneaking information, much of it negative and relative to Aimee, by the director?

It's dishonest and underhanded dealings like that and them compiling a list of grievances that troubles me and makes Aimee far too anxious. If you can do anything, Devin, I'd like you to impress on the board how miserable it feels to have people conspiring behind your back, trying to fire you over things other than the health of camp, which in numbers and finances did phenomenally. For one thing, I'm pretty sure a not-for-profit agency is required by law to be transparent to the public, regardless of what other board members may claim.

But most importantly I want you to keep in mind how stressful their whispers and plans are for Aimee and how their shady practices can push her to quit. It's that fear, the fear Aimee will quit--not resign, because she plans to stay another year--the fear camp will be without her because a group of power-hungry board members feel like they know what's best for camp when Dave and Mark have no clue and Meg has a suspect history, this fear is what's driven the staff to rally for Aimee. I wish for you to keep all this in mind and reassess for yourself what those against Aimee, especially Dave, have as the best interest, be it camp or theirs.

Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:44:06 -0400

From: devinhollands@gmail.com

To: walkereh@alumni.hiram.edu

Subject: Re: Letter to the Board

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Devin Hollands <devinhollands@gmail.com>

Aug 26, 2008, 9:13 PM

to walkereh

thanks so much,  support for Aimee is ok, it is when they start to threaten or say harsh things they can freak out people and not help Aimee.

Just for kicks I attached the job description of the Director.  this is what one would be evaluated against.  also good reading for those of you who may be future leaders or board....  HUGE list of tasks....  real eye opener for anyone...

Anyone is free to read this document.

dh

Camp Director

General Description

NYS Department of Health regulations require that a Director must have two summers, or the equivalent, of administrative experience in children’s camps in order to be a Director of a summer camp in New York.  They must also be either: a) 25 years of age; or b) 21 years of age and have a Bachelor’s degree.  Administrative experience includes any supervisory role such as Program Director, Assistant Director, or other similar job titles.

The Director must be a responsible person with the following essential qualities:

· A thorough understanding of outdoor recreation safety.

· Ability to set a positive tone of acceptance, inclusiveness, and warmth in all camp activities.

· Ability to make effective decisions in difficult situations.

· Thorough knowledge of UU principles, governance, and religious education.

· Experience in the use and facilitation of inclusive group decision-making processes.

· Familiarity with budgeting, bookkeeping and other financial planning and maintenance tools.

· Basic office skills including: word processing, database use and maintenance, email and other internet use, and effective organizational skills.

· Experience and skills in recruiting, training and supervising a large staff of high school- and college-aged teens and young adults, as well as additional key leaders.

· Experience and skills in recruiting and supervising a large number of skilled volunteers in a variety of areas.

· Ability to network and coordinate among disparate areas of a decentralized organization.

· Ability to effectively organize and follow through on a large amount of communication with a variety of interested parties.

Central Responsibilities of the Director:

· Recruit and register campers for all camp programs.

· Ensure that all camp programs operate safely, provide appropriate religious, educational, and/or recreational content, and provide an environment for personal, emotional and spiritual growth.

· Maintain a firm commitment to the long-term success of the camp.

· Implement camp policies adopted by the Board

· Recruit, train and supervise adequate staff for all programs.

· Provide ample opportunities for personal and professional growth for staff.

· Recruit and supervise skilled volunteers to support all programs.

· Provide leadership, and set a positive example for campers, staff and volunteers.

· Recruit and contract with renters during times when camp programs are not in session.

· Report to the Board of Directors quarterly and the Corporation annually, attending all Board of Directors meetings and the Annual Meeting of the Corporation.  Update the Board on the progress of planning for the summer program as well as other programs during the Spring and Fall.

· Assist the Board of Directors in planning for the future of the camp.

· Propose an annual budget to the Treasurer for review and approval by the Board

· Manage the finances of the camp within the confines of the budget approved by the Board of Directors to ensure continued financial stability.  

· Maintain careful financial records, and prepare an expenses and income statement for each Board Meeting.  

· Maintain registration and other records

· Assist the Board of Directors in fundraising and grant writing to support capital improvement, campership, and other funds.

· Ensure effective maintenance and appropriate improvement of camp property.

· Report to, and abide by the regulations of appropriate governmental agencies including: NYS Department of Health; Internal Revenue Service and State Tax Department(s); and NYS Department of Labor.

· Network with related organizations including: UU congregations, regional and/or national UU organizations; other UU camps and/or national UU camping organizations; businesses which provide services to the camp; and other camping organizations.

· Maintain ongoing professional development and personal education to ensure growth and fulfillment in the role of Director.

The Director is expected to recruit volunteers, or hire professionals to assist in some of these central responsibilities, but the Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring their completion.

Shared Responsibilities with the Board of Directors:

The Board of Directors is specifically committed to maintaining a major role in all of the following responsibilities:

· Long-range planning for the future of the camp.

· Fundraising and grant writing to support capital improvements, camperships, and other funds.

· Program philosophy and development.

· Organizing the Annual Meeting of the Corporation, and maintaining significant church membership and participation in the corporation.

· Recruiting skilled volunteers to support camp programs.  Selection of resource persons is subject to the mutual approval of the Board and the Director.  Resource persons should lead programs that to the greatest extent possible foster UU values.

· Maintaining historical and archival records of the camp and the corporation.

· Maintenance and improvement of camp property.

· Networking with related organizations.

· Identifying ways that the Board of Directors can assist the Director in fulfilling other responsibilities.

· Participate with the Board in an evaluation of the summer program and staffing, summer volunteers and the Director’s performance.

The Board of Directors is committed to providing a fair, progressive-minded working environment with regular feedback on job performance and effective oversight without unwarranted intrusion.  The Board of Directors maintains sole responsibility for setting broad camp policies, camp philosophy, long-term plans and the camp budget.

Specific Responsibilities:

Fall/Winter/Spring:

· Camp Property:

- Supervise the Facilities Manager.

- Arrange for kitchen help or program leaders for any programs that need such assistance.

- Ensure that camp property is properly prepared for camp programs and rental groups.

- Ensure the camp facilities are properly closed in the fall, and properly opened in the spring.

- Arrange for a pre-operational inspection with the Health Inspector.

- Plan maintenance and improvement projects with the Facilities Manager, Board of Directors and Buildings and Grounds Committee.

- Ensure that camp equipment and supplies are properly stored for the winter.

· Winter Office:

- Respond to all correspondence in a timely fashion.

- Promote the camp in a wide range of appropriate venues.

- Pay all incoming bills, and deposit all incoming payments.

- Maintain careful paper and electronic records of all financial transactions.

- Maintain registration records of all campers in all programs.

- Send reminder cards in June, letting campers know if they need to file any additional paperwork or payments before the summer season begins.

- Maintain camp mailing list and database.

- Create and maintain regular electronic data backups.

- Keep effectively organized paper records.

- Produce and mail annual program brochure.

- Produce and mail newsletters and other mailings as appropriate.

- File all required payroll and income statements.

- Prepare and file annual NYS Department of Health application for Permit to Operate a Children’s Camp, including comprehensive Health and Safety Plan.

- Work with the Treasurer to provide recognition to all donors, and ensure that they have all the paperwork they need to claim appropriate tax deductions.

-  Prepare the annual budget.

- Prepare quarterly reports to Board of Directors and an Annual Report for the Corporation.

- File detailed quarterly financial reports with the Treasurer.

- Provide references for past staff and volunteers as needed.

- Arrange rental of camp property when programs are not in session.

- Send, collect, and organize required camper forms.

- Thank volunteers for their efforts.

· Planning for Operational Season:

- Recruit adequate staff for all camp programs in all areas including leadership, program, maintenance and kitchen.

- Develop new programs, and replace ineffective programs.

- Recruit Theme Leaders and medical professionals for summer sessions, and program coordinators for spring and fall programs.

- Ensure that the camp website is kept up-to-date with camp calendar, program descriptions, and other information.

- Prepare summer policies and procedures including: staff evaluation, camper feedback on programs, health and safety procedures, and staffing structure.

- Send, collect and organize contracts and appropriate employment paperwork for all staff.

- Respond to individual questions and concerns from campers, parents, volunteers and staff members.

- Plan Staff Orientation, including all elements required by the NYS Department of Health, setting of policies for staff behavior, planning of summer programs, and training in camper-staff interactions.

- Ensure that sufficient staff possess required safety certifications; if possible, arrange for certification courses to be offered at camp.

- Ensure open lines of communication among leadership staff during planning stages to allow for effective input into camp setup.

· Networking:

- Attend appropriate meetings and conferences such as: District Annual General Meetings, Council of UU Camps and Conferences Annual Meeting, NY State Convention of Universalists Annual Meeting, and other events as possible.

- Attend multiple UU churches in different areas each year, taking questions and discussing camp offerings.

- Maintain active professional relationships with District personnel.

- Assist the Board of Directors in maintaining an active, productive liaison network in area churches.

- Keep informed on regional and national UU church issues and news.

- Keep informed on state laws and health codes affecting camp operations.

- Recruit campers, staff and volunteers.

Summer Responsibilities:

During the summer, the Director is ultimately responsible for all camp operations.  The Director must ensure that the camp is safe physically, emotionally and spiritually.  The Director must maintain an active, visible role in the camp community, cultivating a positive, welcoming attitude among campers, staff and volunteers.  The Director must ensure that staff and volunteers have the tools they need to succeed in their assigned roles, and that staff and volunteers are clear on their roles and responsibilities.  The Director must serve as a central point of communication and a clearinghouse for information within the camp.

An additional note on the responsibilities of the Director: The Director is legally classified as a Mandated Reporter by New York State.  This means that certain types of criminal activity and/or abuse information that is reported to staff at the camp must be reported to the appropriate authorities by the Director or an appointee.  Failure to do so can result in the Director facing criminal penalties as an Accessory to any crime committed.

· Summer Office

- The Summer Office takes on all of the regularly recurring roles of the Winter Office, above.  In addition, the Summer Office must do the following:

- Provide appropriate camper information to the Program Director and Program Staff, the Medical Director, the Kitchen, and the Camp Store Manager.

- Arrange transportation for campers from Syracuse and Utica, as needed.

- Arrange suppliers for operational essentials, such as various food suppliers, office equipment, camp store merchandise, and program supplies.

- Help staff purchase supplies and budget funds.

- Take, print, and distribute group photos for each session.

· Staff Training and Supervision

- Prepare and execute an effective Orientation program that will include the following activities:

Unirondack Philosophy

Unirondack Traditions and Lore

The Camp Structure (Role of the Board,Director, Members)

Health and Safety Procedures (Waterfront, Fire, and General)

Daily Schedule

Staff Duties and Scheduling

Camp Bell System

Camp Personnel Policies

Kitchen and Infirmary Structure and Usage

Staff and Camper Housing

Visitation Policies

Layout of Camp and Excursion Sites

Staff Relationships with Campers and Parents

Drug and Alcohol Policies

Sexuality in Camp

First Aid Procedures (including Waterfront and Excursions)

Lines of Authority and Responsibility

4. More specific training and opportunities for sharing should be provided to those staff whom the Director deems in need of such preparation. Areas for exploration include:

Counseling and Human Relations Skills

Specific and General Areas of Camper Problems and Needs

Positive Role Modeling

Authority and Empowerment of Staff and Campers

Intra-Staff Relationships and Conflict Resolution

Rules for  Staff and Campers in Specific Program Areas (i.e.: Waterfront, A & C Shop, etc.)

Camp Council (Purpose, Process, and Staff Roles)

Teamwork (Understanding the needs of the group as well as the individual)

Maintenance Needs of the Camp

Overall Camp Atmosphere and Goals

- Identify and provide growth opportunities for staff members.

- Provide extensive opportunities for staff involvement in camp decision-making using inclusive processes.

- Create a community within the staff that promotes open, honest communication, a sense of responsibility and ownership of the camp and its program, and encourages independent decision-making and responsibility for one’s own actions.

- Maintain effective, open lines of communication among leadership staff, and among the full staff.

- Provide information to new staff members to help them orient themselves to Unirondack culture and traditions.

- Ensure that staff are aware of, and actively following the procedures set out in the Comprehensive Health and Safety Plan.

- Ensure that the Kitchen Staff are informed in, and following health codes pertaining to food preparation.

- Work with the staff in setting effective policies for staff behavior.

- Provide an effective evaluation mechanism for staff, with regular feedback and opportunities for improvement when needed.

- Ensure that staff are maintaining positive staff-camper interactions.

- Ensure that camp programs provide age-appropriate educational, religious, and/or recreational content.

· Volunteer Supervision

- Ensure that Medical Directors are properly oriented to camp procedures and applicable Health codes.

- Provide complete medical information on all campers to Medical Directors.

- Seek out, and provide effective feedback on program content and delivery for Theme Leaders.

- Ensure that volunteers feel supported and included, and have all of the equipment and information they need to fulfill their role in the camp.

- Invite volunteers to staff meetings, as appropriate.

· Camper Supervision

- Ensure that campers are properly oriented to camp safety procedures, and that these procedures are being followed.

- Provide clear, useful information to new campers so that they understand where they should be and what is happening.

- Ensure that campers who are having any kind of personal difficulties are being properly attended to.

- Work with campers who are creating difficult situations for staff to make better decisions.

- Encourage the community of campers to model the community of staff, where open, honest communication is highly valued, campers are expected to feel a sense of responsibility and ownership for the camp and its program, and campers are expected to independently make healthy decisions, and given the tools to know how to do so.

- Spend time with campers getting to know them, and allowing them to get to know you as a person.

- Remove campers from camp that are a danger to themselves or others.

· Communication and Information Sharing:

- Meet regularly (once or twice weekly) with the entire staff to discuss issues and share information.

- Meet regularly (daily, or close to it) with leadership staff to discuss issues and share information.

- Ensure that appropriate personnel are aware of programs and decisions that impact the area of camp that they are responsible for.

- Ensure that excursion plans are safe, have reasonable transportation expectations, and that each staff member understands their place in the plans and the timing of the activities.

- Provide means for private conversations with staff and campers, and protect confidentiality of shared information.