Wanakee's magic has deep roots: The Florence Shepard letter

I recently had the good fortune of meeting with the Rev. James A. Batten over lunch and received his incredibly detailed account of Wanakee’s origins. Jim, a long-time pastor and district superintendent in the former New Hampshire Conference, is the last surviving member of the committee responsible for identifying, purchasing, and launching Wanakee in 1961. He was one of the most important driving forces in the creation of Wanakee, and we are so grateful for all his efforts in sharing that story with us now. More importantly, we are grateful for the vision and commitment he provided in making this dream a reality.

In the 1950s, there were many competing financial pressures and differing visions among New Hampshire’s Methodist churches, including briefly considering the purchase of an old hotel for summer “camp” programming. Jim and other individuals stayed tirelessly focused on their vision of life-changing community in transcendent natural spaces, a dream that was realized through Wanakee. You can expect to hear more about the 15 years of visioning that ultimately led to our purchase and creation soon!

One document Jim shared really jumped out to me – a letter from the parent of a camper during the 1959 summer season, when the programming that pre-dates the name “Wanakee” and today’s physical site was provided at different locations around New Hampshire. The letter is incredibly prescient and relevant – it’s amazing how well the author’s description of her daughter’s experience in 1959 mirrors my own Wanakee experiences as a camper 15 and 20 years ago, as well as what we work diligently to create today. For me, Mrs. Shepard’s note underscores how fortunate we are to participate in a community with an incredible legacy of growth and meaning, and to have a beautiful spiritual place in the hills to gather and learn and connect. I’m eager to share her note with you as this week’s “Throwback Thursday.”

I’m so excited for 400+ young people and 80+ volunteers and staff to join us in community this summer! I know that our staff and volunteers will provide space for the “strengthening of the inner life” and many moments of Wanakee magic. We’ll see you July 1!

-James Tresner

A portion of the original letter from 1959
June 29, 1959
Dear Mrs. Harris,
Carol’s enthusiasm on returning from Pinnacle [the host camp for the NH Conference Summer Camp] was so high that I feel impelled to write and thank you and your husband for the obviously wonderful job you did as counsellors for her group. I thought you might feel rewarded to some extent to know that the beautiful spirituality and joy of the experience at camp was carried home and shared by the family of at least one of the group. I am sure this must also be true of most of the other youngsters.
I was most impressed by the kind of magic that was generated by their experience. Personally I wish the period could be extended to two weeks as it seemed to be very rough on the children emotionally to have to cut the idyll short/so soon. I think you people did very well to accomplish what you did in so short a time. The religious training was blended with the good times, activities and camaraderie so well that the real purpose of the camp was fulfilled to a remarkable extent. [...]
It will be quite a few years before another child of mine will be ready to go to this camp but I intend to urge others in our church to try to make it. [...]
Thank you again for giving my daughter in six brief days a little larger mission, a strengthening of the inner life that I think she will always carry with her.
Sincerely,
Florence Shepard