Educational Corner

This fall, there’s a new kind of house on the market… Nature’s Open House
Winding Trails is presenting Nature’s Open House this fall. It is an event that combines literacy and nature. Come with your family and listen to author Tracy Kane read from her books. Take a half mile stroll through the woods of Winding Trails while touring 50+ custom built fairy and gnome houses for inspiration. Then enter our permanent Nature’s Open House Village and build a house with your family.

Nature’s Open House is the Connecticut premier of an event called “The Fairy House Tour” in Portsmouth, NH." It was based on Tracy Kane’s amazing books “The Fairy Houses Series.” I was dragged up to see the event whining and crabbing that I had better things to do. The event blew me over. It was a simple premise that captured the hearts and minds of anyone who participated. The creativity and ingenuity of the houses on the tour were jaw dropping. The books and tour inspired readers and visitors to try their hand in building a habitat at the park. Using only natural materials, builders are free to create a place that is inviting, cozy, and uniquely theirs. That is it; they become official architects for fairy, gnome, and animal habitats. It is addictive. Creative thinking suggests a couple of shells would spruce up the doorway, or perhaps there is a better leaf for that floor mat. Building fairy houses provides a learning environment that is entirely self motivating and educating. It connects the written word to the natural world. It teaches respect for nature. It excites children to explore the natural world and provides a quiet time to observe and discover. This all happens naturally. The official education lingo would be “inquiry based learning” which is powerful and resonates because of its experiential nature.

This type of activity for young people is even more important today than it has ever been. Not only has the modern world moved us further from the land, but technology has allowed entertainment to become passive. Educational instruction is no longer an art, but a science. Athletics has become a business, rather than a game. Marketers appeal to wants, rather than needs and the media sells sensationalism, which helps breed fear. Despite the obvious benefits of our scientific breakthroughs and technologically rich lives, the good life is still an art. Thankfully, our young people have not changed. Only our institutions and their toys have. Kids still want love, care, and have the freedom to experience. Programs like Nature’s Open House and The Fairy Houses Tour provides a small dose of those values and space. Try it, you will like it. Learn more on our Nature's Open House page.

Camp Corner

As I waived off the last busload of children on the last day of our 60th season of camp I remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, who would have thought that eight weeks, 40 days, could go by so quickly’? This summer we opened up our camp gates to over 1,500 children and the agenda was fun. One of the things that we pride ourselves on and that not many other camps do is focus on building character. We want every child who comes to camp to realize the importance of good character and we instill eight different character traits into them over the course of our eight weeks of camp. As we go through the summer we don’t focus on winning or losing, instead we emphasize teamwork and respect. We know that some activities may be difficult for some people but with perseverance and some self-discipline anyone can do anything. Our camp community is built on some of the very basic foundations of character. Camp is about having fun, and we have lots, but it is more than just that, it goes beyond and builds and enhances your character.

This summer, campers were treated to a variety of special events, stunning performances, and a load of various day-to-day activities. In session 1 water was everywhere, literally, as we splashed into the summer with style. Campers were treated to the one-of-a-kind juggling act of the Big Hair Jugglers, they were soaked at our water carnival, and they went crazy over our Crazy Hat Day. Session 2 took us back in time to the old west as our Wild Wild West session lassoed up some good ole-fashioned fun. From the Western dress-up day to the full-sized mechanical bull, this session offered up a truly unique western experience. In session 3 the houses from the Harry Potter series came to life as the entire camp went head-to-head in various team challenges earning them points for their house and ultimately vying for the title of tournament champion. From the explosive opening ceremonies to the annual camp-wide capture the flag battle, the world of Harry Potter was among us. Finally, in our final session of camp we put the motto of Survivor to the test to see which tribal team could ultimately outwit, outlast and outplay the rest by competing in a series of wilderness themed challenges.

Now that camp is over and done for the season, I am pleased to say that it was another great success. Of course, an extremely large part of this success is due to the hard working staff of over 120 very talented young men and women that come in for nine weeks to work with your children and strive to make each and everyday at camp a special one for them. I would like to particularly thank the administration team including; Greg Ranaldi, Renee Felter, Ellen Margiotta, Jennifer Parker, Amanda Martin, John Myska, Savanna Mazur, Joan Skydel, Meghan Bond and Melissa Thorpe for all of their tireless efforts and hard work in helping to keep things running smooth. As I sit down and begin the planning for next summer, I just want to be sure that I say thank you again to all of you who have chosen to spend a portion or maybe all of your summer here with us at camp. We know that you have several choices when it comes to choosing a summer camp and we are so glad that you have chosen to spend your time with us.

Sincerely,

Sean Nadeau
Camp Director

Trails Fund
Do you have Securities?

Would you like to see your charitable dollars go further? Now you can donate securities and bypass capital gains taxes. Gifts of stock, mutual funds, and IRA distributions can be electronically transferred to the Trails Fund through an account at A.G. Edwards. Call (860) 674-9114 for more information. For those families who were blessed this year financially, please consider a gift to the Trails Fund as you are wrapping up your 2007 fiscal year. Winding Trail’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30th, however, we accept your generosity year round. We will recognize your gift during the summer to maximize our gratitude.

Thank you!

Winding Trails would like to thank those who gave generously to the Trails Fund this year. We have recognized our benefactors below. If you recognize some of the names, please thank them for their additional support to conserving our environment, educating our youth and providing opportunities for children to attend camp. We will share the accounting information and how that support was used in the winter newsletter.

Visionaries - Donations of $10,000 and over

Trail Blazers - Donations of $5,000 and over
Winding Trails Fat Tire Classic Mountain Bike Race
Pace Setters - $2,500 and over
Ellen J. Goldfarb Trust Fund
Farmington Community Chest

Ambassadors – $1,000 and over
Benidorm Bikes and Snowboards
Farmington Exchange Club
Farmington Savings Bank
Beverly McKeon
Pyne Davidson Printing Services
The Ziegler Family

Partners – $500 and over
Mary H. Cary
Michael and Carol Geer
Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc.
Kris and Nancy Jensen
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Liistro
The Torsiello Family
Circle of Friends - $250 and over
Anonymous
Robert and Delia Ayer
Horace and Joan Brown
Scott and Sue Brown
Chris and Kristin Chisholm
Clato-Day’s Taekwondo School
Connecticut Environthon
The Dale Family
Joe and Carol Ferro
Diane & Chris Fuselier
The Gervais Family
Fred and Missy Hatfield
Jeffrey and Jennifer Hogan
Mark and Lisa LaFontaine
The LaForest-Roys Family
Lindquist Insurance
Lion’s Club of Unionville
Craig and Michele Matava
Sean and Paula O’Brien
The Platosh Family
The Wasserbauer Family

Patrons – Less than $250
Advance Communications, Inc.
Advanced Benefit Strategies, Inc.
Anonymous
Robb Armstrong
Harry Azarigian
Mike & Judy Bacon
Jeffery Baldwin
Greg & Sue Batton
Joseph & Margery Belkin
John & Janice Benda
John & Jeanette Bonee
Judith & James Bonk
Kerry & Maura Callahan
Tom & Barbara Costello
Country Sports
Cowles Family
Michael Cristino
Brian & Betty Cunningham
Al Curry
Mrs. Prudence Cutler
Mr. & Mrs. G. H. Dale
E. Hope Emery
Patricia & David Engelhardt
Farmington Savings Bank
Paul & Andrea Ficks
John Fussell
Mary M. Glaser
Nicole & Hannah Glisson
Margaret Goz
Katherine Grabowski
Maria B. Gregoire
The Guggenheim Family
Richard H. Hadden
Don & Sally Hammerberg
Stephanie & Brian Hanuschak
Bobby & Kathryn Helfrich
Dennis & Kathleen Hickey
The Glenn Hogan Family
Kevin & Louisa Hogan
Lynn Ingvertsen
Ray & Phyllis Janowski
Ray & Eleanor Josephson
Robert & Holly Julian
Knights Of Columbus
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Lavendier
Dr. & Mrs. Charles Leach
Ricki Ann Levesque
Scott & Jessica Lister
William & Laura Lynch
Louise & Al Mann
Marine Rescue Products Inc.
Rae & Joe McGann
Joyce Mundt
Gerard Nolan
Henry & Irene Otte
Tenley & Jim Phillips
Professional Promotions
The Puglielli Family
Ralph Pulver & Sue Aseltine
Howard & Judith Rosenfield
Gary & Anita Santa Maria
Ed & Cathy Schirick
Greg Schuler
Scott & Sherry Sleyster
Alyse & Jay Sicklick
Harold & Phyllis St. Onge
The Surkis/Tumicki Family
Robert & Julie Tacinelli
Susan Tannenbaum
Sarah Torrence
Kerry & Wink Tharpe
Carlos Valinho
Donna & Deane Williams