Dear Nyoda Campers, Counselors, Alumnae, Parents, and Friends:

As I write this, I am in a somewhat unique position: I am a former camper and counselor, I am a parent of a current Nyoda girl, and I am working on staff for a week as the nurse’s administrator. It is one of the hottest days we’ll have at camp – well over 90 degrees – and the shallow end is filled with campers enjoying morning rec swim. Heads in colorful bathing caps bob up and down; a beach ball soars up in the air, falls, and is batted up again. Across the lake, a camper carefully eases her arrows from a target. Girls wave at me as they pass by on their way to the Craft room.

So much about Nyoda has stayed the same: the routines and traditions, the role of song, the enthusiasm and dedication of the counselors, and the excitement of the campers as they move between activities, or as they join their bung-mates for time together. And, of course, the most important element is still here: the ineffable Nyoda spirit; the emphasis on kindness, compassion, tolerance, and understanding that is intrinsic to Nyoda remains embedded in camp culture.

We all remember the beauty of camp. Not only the sunlight on the lake or the clouds above the mountains, but also the rustic charm of the buildings. The fire of 2015 changed the physical landscape a bit, but it also brought beautiful new bungalows, bathrooms, and baggage rooms that keep with the camp aesthetic. As Nyoda nears her 100th birthday, it is time to update one more facility: the infirmary. Currently, the infirmary looks the same as it did when I started as a Nyoda girl 38 years ago, and is probably exactly as you can picture it from your time at camp, but the demands placed on the space are greater. Nyoda needs a new infirmary, one that allows privacy, comfort, efficiency, and mobility; one that will benefit the nursing staff and ameliorate the wait and stay for injured or ill campers, or simply those coming down for their medications. The new space will have a treatment room, a sick room for girls who need to remain overnight (as I did more than once as a Nyoda girl) and a much needed private space for the live-in nursing staff. The current structure simply cannot continue to support the needs of the campers and staff who live here all summer long.

I am so thankful that I have spent time at Nyoda over the past few summers. As I said before, I see how the fundamental qualities of camp are the same; it fills me with joy that my daughter’s experience so resembles my own, and that Nyoda has helped her grow into an amazing young woman. But I also see the ways in which the practical needs of camp still need to be met. It is up to us, the former counselors and campers and our families, to help camp grow in these vital ways. In honor of Nyoda’s 100th year, please join me in helping Nyoda meet this goal.

Nyoda Love and Many thanks,

The Farmhouse is actively working with contractors to develop a manageable budget that will allow the architectural plans to be brought to life. We are hoping to break ground in the very near future!

The NAA fundraising team needs your help to make the architectural plans for the new infirmary/craft room become a reality for campers in the near future. We are actively seeking donations to support this effort. If you have any questions about the project or the fundraising effort, please reach out to Leslie Brow at browleslie@yahoo.com. Thank you all in advance and for making this a reality for our current and future Nyoda Alumnae! #Nyodalove