Giving in gratitude: the Caperns’ story
Carolyn Capern, "Mama Sue" Rudolf, and Katii Capern after a week of Footnotes
In 1997, our family moved from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Dover, NH. There was a LOT of newness to get used to, but we quickly found our church home at St. John’s United Methodist Church. It wasn’t long before we heard about Wanakee from fans and families! So off went our young daughters, Carolyn and Katii, to their first camps - an awesome experience that kept on being awesome with each passing year.
It was always a big day when the Wanakee summer camp schedule arrived — the girls would spend hours trying to decide which ones to attend. Junior High Ropes. Choose Your Own Adventure. And the absolute must for both of them – Footnotes!
Year after year, Wanakee was the highlight of our daughters’ summers. They made friends and memories, learned new skills, and soaked up the positive atmosphere, fresh air, and campfire recipes (from hearty stir fry to tin foil babies to s’mores). Every summer, going to Wanakee was going home.
The Footnotes crew from St. John’s UMC in Dover, NH
Girls grow older, and suddenly it was senior year, a bittersweet experience for each of them that marked the end of a wonderful era. But then Katii signed up for Leaders In Training, counseled for two summers, volunteered for Senior High Camp, and even directed a musical theater camp — with Dad providing the musical accompaniment. Carolyn, meanwhile, has stayed in touch with many special Wanakee friends, loves returning to walk around camp as often as she is in New Hampshire, and has become an annual donor herself.
Carolyn, now 32, says, “My weeks at Wanakee kept me grounded throughout my most formative years – not just because of the fun times and the great people, but also because it was a place where I felt fully like myself. It has been many years since I’ve been a camper, but whenever I need to go to a peaceful place in my mind, it still looks like Wanakee.”
Mike Capern playing guitar at Wanakee
Katii, 29, says, “I will never forget the feeling I’d get when our car turned onto Upper New Hampton Road. It was the good kind of nervousness that I’m so grateful I experienced as a kid, because it shaped me into who I am. To this day, I cite Wanakee as an anchor and my favorite place in the world, full of grace and peace. The friends, memories, and lessons that came into my life as a camper, staff member, and volunteer stay with me.”
Those years at Wanakee were precious years for our daughters, providing special memories and a strong foundation for two young women growing up. It makes sense to us to continue to support Wanakee with monthly giving, both for the practical benefit that a fixed, known amount offers camp administrators, but also as an enduring thank you from our grateful family. We hope others will see fit to become regular donors as well, and that many children will find their Wanakee experiences to be equally meaningful and memorable for decades to come.