Sean Blacker introduced his "older" sister Holly Blacker, who is the director of Camp Wightman in Stonington. Holly attended Avon High School, and UCONN and since graduating in 1978, had worked in the fertilizer industry for 40 years. Holly grew up on the Burnham Farm, just across from Avon High School, which she also graduated from. She subsequently attended UCONN, graduating in 1978 with the intention to be a farmer. Instead sheoperated a fertilizer plant in Orange County NY, where she also cultivated onions.
As a youngster Holly attended Camp Wightman herself, filling many roles over the years including as camper, junior counselor, counselor, coordinator and now, as a retired adult, serving as its director, a role she had fantasized about, but never thought she'd fill. "Now I'm in charge and making changes!," spake Holly, to good-natured laughter throughout the room.
Camp Wightman has always been very volunteer oriented, as it's owned by the American Baptist Churches of CT - indeed all the churches share in its ownership. Many, many volunteers are needed to run it, and thousands have, for the 63 years it's been in operation. Approximately 200 volunteers are needed each year, with its mission not unlike that of Rotary, to provide "service above self. "
"They take kids who really don't want to be at a church camp", said Holly, adding, "They say: 'I don't want to be here, I hate you', which after a week, often becomes 'I love you.' "
Located near Griswold CT on a very rocky site adjacent to Billings Lake, neighbors of Camp Wightman had wondered why we would locate our camp in such a place. Explaining that now, 50 years later Foxwoods Casino has become a neighbor and Holly disclosed that the property value is now much higher. "While we'd never sell it", said Holly, "those same neighbors now marvel at our wisdom in buying that rocky land. Go figure!"
Camp Wightman administration works hard to keep its grounds as pristine as the nearby 27000 acre Patchoug State Park. In 1960, a singer named Paula Libby wrote a song about the camp that emphasized its special nature. Camp Wightman welcomes all faiths, and is year around now, though during its first 40 years it was a summer only camp.
Other changes include accommodating the smaller family sizes of today, so the Camp is more open to these smaller family groups. Billings Lake has public access and 20 -30 private homes, but the Camp owns 40% of the lake front. Today's kids arrive without knowing how to fish, boat or swim so we teach all of this, as well as kayaking, standup paddle-boarding, archery, spelunking and other skills. Every year we have a fishing contest known as
"To Catch a Fisher-Person." Billings Lake is full of perch. Often the boys will hog the rods and reals, and then catch fish but are squeamish about taking them off the hook. The girls seem to know how to do this instinctively, and they will teach the boys this skill, but then they craftily take the poles for themselves. These activities give all the kids something else to do besides electronics, which are generally discouraged in camp. With outdoor activities available all day they get tired, go to bed earlier and stay out of trouble. The kids are also encouraged to start talking to the person next to them, to take a walk, and to appreciate nature. Frogs, turtles abound in and near the lake.
The camp includes 34 buildings, with the newest over 20 years old, and which volunteers clean and paint as needed. There are 205 beds in total, with 36 of these within 12 covered Conestoga-type wagons, which are actual WW 1 era supply wagons made by Studebaker. The dining hall accommodates 150 people in one sitting. Their indoor and outdoor chapels are used daily and the youth campers run the services, and in so doing learn not to be intimidated by attending religious services, which many had been previously been.
The camp also serves adults. Sandy runs an 'adults with special challenges camp', twice per summer. That program has been has been operational for over 50 years. A handicap-accessible golf cart helps with adult camper mobility and Sean also assists. Holly had personally assisted, Juanita, who is blind, to participate. Sharing a cabin with 5 others, including Juanita, a power outage occurred one evening at bedtime. Having a limited number flashlights and lanterns, Juanita shared her own special "flashlight" with another camper, her cane. "For me", said Holly, "this was an E.F. Hutton moment." (Ed. Note: "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.") Holly said she grew so much from having Juanita in her cabin and also learn from all the youth every year. Holly's brother, our very own Sean Blacker, also assists. The camp also does retreats for outside organizations, hosts sewing, scrapbook and antiquities clubs, hosts scout troops and invited group visits.
The recent purchase of a truckload of 128 mattresses was instructive in terms of the kids learning collaboration. The best price required the Camp to unload the mattresses on their own. Campers unloaded all the mattresses.
A "Thursday crew" has been coming to volunteer each week for 50 years. Made up of mostly retired men, some with accompanying spouses, they do whatever varied work that is needed including exchanging smoke detector batteries, building picnic tables, and everything else. They get satisfaction and share fellowship in doing that work on our behalf.
Holly closed with: "Our creed is "Faith, fellowship and thankfulness' and thank you for the opportunity to present to you.
Rotarian Greg DeManche thanked Holly for making him feel 40 years younger, noting that in his younger days he was the aquatic director at the Camp.
Anne Clark also waxed nostalgic, noting she had met her husband at a similar camp, in her case it was a coed music camp.
From the Camp Wightman brochure: " The Bible is not just stories of people long ago but is living and alive today. Join us this summer to walk in the shoes of those who went before us, hear their stories & adventures, and explore the idea that our lives are part of "The Story" as well."
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Natasha Haims was born in St. Petersburg, Russia as an only child. She immigrated in 1976 with her parents and came directly to Hartford, Connecticut where she was in one of the first five families from the Soviet Union to do so. After arriving, she studied English as a second language, but shortly thereafter she went to work so that her parents could also learn English. Before settling in West Hartford, she lived in Baltimore for a year. While working full time, she earned an Associates degree in computer studies and continued her education with a Bachelor’s of General Studies at the University of Connecticut. Later she earned her paralegal certificate from the University of Hartford, also while working full time.
In 1982 Natasha married her husband Howard Haims after meeting him on a blind date. He passed away in 2010 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Natasha has two children - Barbara of West Hartford and Michael of Aurora, Colorado. Lilian, her granddaughter by Barbara is thirteen. Natasha currently cares for her elderly mother, a published author, World War II survivor and survivor of the ninety-day seizure of St. Petersburg, Russia. Natasha has a dog, Autumn, adopted in 2012 from a dog rescue. Autumn speaks English, understands Russian and is fluent in food language.
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