Dear Friends of Chewonki,

Josh Marvil, Chair

Have you seen Chewonki’s latest educational poster on Zero Waste? Check them out here. I’m busy sending them to friends and family to display in their schools and libraries. I love these posters. They are thoughtful and beautiful visual expressions of our mission – the understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world. The posters also remind me of how much Chewonki has changed over the years – from a summer boys camp to a year-round environmental education organization that serves a broad spectrum of campers, students, and families.

In the past 12 years alone, Chewonki has changed and progressed dramatically. We’ve built the Center for Environmental Education, purchased the Big Eddy Campground, started wilderness programs for girls and young women, and expanded and remodeled the Wallace Center (dining hall). We purchased a string of islands to ensure wilderness access along the coast of Maine. We started making biodiesel and installed a hydrogen fuel cell, we added solar panels and a wind turbine, and have been slowly transforming the campus into a model of sustainability. The Semester School grew and was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The Farm has been re-invigorated, integrated into our programs, and last season alone, it delivered 10,500 pounds of vegetables to the Chewonki kitchen. Our remarkable staff has received numerous accolades and awards throughout Maine, New England, and nationally. In all, Chewonki has grown, matured, and clearly established itself as a leader in environmental education, a center for leading-edge conservation, and a trend-setter in renewable energy curricula.

The latest significant change at Chewonki has been the transition of leadership. This doesn’t happen often at Chewonki. Don Hudson retired in July, after forty-four years at Chewonki including nineteen of those as president. On July 12, 2010 Willard Morgan became the fourth president in Chewonki’s history. The Board was particularly impressed by Willard's dedication to the Chewonki mission, his intellect, communication skills, and passion for education. He has already proven to be a thoughtful and effective leader.

By November, as soon as Willard settled in, we started to map out a multi-year strategic plan for the Chewonki Foundation. In numerous meetings, staff, trustees, and advisors cultivated a shared understanding of our strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within the context of current trends. It was an engaging and enthusiastic start. The meetings began with the exploration of our strategic direction, including specific core ideas and goals, and ended with an emerging plan for a two-year focus on specific institutional and operational issues. We will continue to work on a forward-looking plan for the next five to ten years at Chewonki.

This summer Chewonki will complete a $10 million capital campaign. That’s an incredible accomplishment for the Foundation, especially since we announced the public phase of the campaign at the beginning of the economic crisis. The campaign significantly increased endowment for scholarship and staff development; paid for the islands; and provided funds for faculty housing, a sustainable campus, and the girls’ camp. Thank you to all who supported this campaign. I hope you can join us to celebrate our success later this year.

I better get back to sending out the posters. After all, these posters, our programs, and Chewonki’s mission are as important and relevant as ever.

Best Regards,

Josh Marvil
Chair, Board of Trustees
The Chewonki Foundation