Remembering Dwight Haynes

*Dwight Haynes on his bike in Concord, NH*

With deep sadness, we share the news with our Wanakee community of the recent passing of Rev. Dwight Haynes on March 24th.

Rev. Haynes, or Pastor Dwight as most people knew him, had a long and distinguished career serving churches throughout New Hampshire. He was a devoted supporter of Wanakee and outdoor ministries, serving as a volunteer counselor, event director, training leader, and overseeing Wanakee's operations while serving as the former New Hampshire Conference Council Director. The depth and breadth of his involvement at camp was truly laudable, and spoke to his commitment to this community and our mission.

In retirement, Dwight always made a point of writing handwritten letters (many on his infamous 3x5 cards) to any and all campers from his home congregation, most recently at Bow Mills UMC. Thanks in part to Dwight, BMUMC is one of our strongest church partnerships – we were fortunate to welcome roughly 20 of their campers last summer, each of whom received a thoughtful, encouraging letter during their time at Wanakee.

As someone who invested deeply in relationships, nurtured a deep love of the outdoors, biked 1,000 miles a year into his 80s (including last year), and fought for justice and equality, including marching in Montgomery with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Dwight embodied many of the best characteristics of Wanakee. He was caring, thoughtful, courageous, gentle, and much more. He will be deeply missed, and his impact at camp, in New Hampshire, and around the world, will live on. In this Easter season, we are grateful for the promise of new life.

You can read more about Dwight's 36,000 miles of biking in the Concord Monitor's article "Concord cyclist, 80, still pedaling 1,000 miles a year."

Here are the details for the Rev. Haynes' memorial service:

Thursday, April 12, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Wesley United Methodist Church
79 Clinton Street, Concord, NH

Refreshments and a time for visiting will follow the service. For those coming from outside the Concord and Bow areas, please consider parking at Bow Mills UMC and carpooling to Wesley.