Interview with Wanakee
Evan McElreath, Executive Director
Leslie Drew, Assistant Director
Anyone who has had the experience of spending time in nature can appreciate how transformative a week or more at summer camp can be for a young person. Wanakee in Meredith takes it a step further providing a rustic adventure in small community settings that allow children to explore who they are and campers often surprise even themselves. Executive Director Evan McElreath says the staff “meets children where they are”. That means sometimes the staff have to work with problematic behaviors and by developing a rapport, they show the child better ways of interacting in the group. It can be a dramatic change allowing each child a fresh start in a new environment. “Magic can happen”, McElreath says in that clean slate environment.
Wanakee was founded in the early 1960’s by the Conference of Methodist Churches whose leadership strongly believed in supporting child development. Wanakee means “beautiful spiritual place in the hills” and their site in Meredith offers 227 acres of forest, fields, and access to Pemigewasset Lake. That environment provides an opportunity for children to try new things and learn what they are capable of. McElreath says, “part of the beauty is in the simplicity.” Being separated from the outside world, living without electricity and being intentional about being present in the moment, he says, leads to a new way of thinking. “Every night there is an evening campfire where the campers talk about high and low moments of the day”, which McElreath says “leads to deeper conversations”. Something about being in the quiet and dark around a fire provides a reset for the kids.
Assistant Director Leslie Drew explains Wanakee provides seven weeks of programming in 34 topics from survival training to art, offered in one-week increments. Campers choose something they are interested in and while they are at Wanakee, they live in a small community of 11 other campers. They stay with the same group and staffers for the week. Drew believes it offers opportunities for children to learn how to be part of a group. She says, “intentional community development is so needed right now”, as children wrestle with anxiety and pressures in their everyday world.
McElreath says the bonds developed between campers and staff are often life-long. He says many campers stay in touch with their campmates as do staff. Camper alumni gather back at the camp for reunions and staff who live around the world hold local reunions. Many campers even meet their future spouse at Wanakee.
Registration is open for the upcoming summer. McElreath says the staff work with families to make camp happen regardless of financial constraints. Donations to the camper fund, such as from The Children’s Auction, goes a long way to meeting that need. The camp also offers Work Days when the community can volunteer for a day to help prepare the camp for opening dayr. Wanakee’s facilities are available to community groups in the spring and fall. Camp Wanakee wants to be a good neighbor by offering their facilities for a youth retreat, family reunion, scouting trip, staff training, or other event.
The Children’s Auction has supported Wanakee since 2018. McElreath says 60% of their campers receive financial assistance. The Lakes Region, he says, has plenty of blue-collar families who serve the tourist economy and those kids deserve a summer experience of their own. He says Wanakee wants to support their neighbors in this way providing as many campers as possible with a transformational experience. “It just wouldn’t happen without the Children’s Auction”, he says.
Article written by Beth Osgood Dodge. If you are a Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction funded nonprofit contact Beth at beth03253@gmail.com to arrange an interview and let us spread awareness for your mission!
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