We can't talk about what we need until I tell you how proud I am of what we are doing!

My deepest thanks goes out to our staff members, campers, retreat-goers, program participants, supportive board members and benefactors. As 2011 comes to a close, we have so much to be thankful for and proud of - from the programs we offered to the projects we completed to the support we received from our community and beyond. 

The sleep-away camp was a huge success; enrollment was close to 500 for another season. Parents, families and churches continue to support this program, which began in is basic form in 1947 - for $5 a week - and has continued through the years with great success.

Our community programs were also highly successful. 

• The Day Camp, managed by Georgiana Jaycox, is a top-notch program run in our accredited facility by caring college age staff.
  
• Our growing sailing program is finding new ways to get young people hooked on sailing and develop a life-long love of awareness through a sport that truly awakens the senses. 
  
• Shelter Island Show Kids, run by Linda VanKesterin and Juliet Kwan, was also a big success. This years production of Annie Jr was spectacular and we can't wait to find out which production 2012 will bring.
  
• The Environmental Education and Awareness Program which only began in 2003, now counts 25 regularly attending schools among its participants. 
  
• HUGS (Human Understanding Growth Seminars) is in a partnership with us again. 
  
• The American Cancer Society holds Camp Adventure here with us and Camp Northstar, sponsored by Special Olympics and helps with respite care through sports camps for mentally challenged adults, is in its fifth year of partnership with us. 
  

These are just a few of the organizations active at Camp Quinipet this year. We are home to about 100 different nonprofits.

Our retreat groups and churches have also been faithful to us. 

Nearly every Methodist Church with an active youth group in New York City and Nassau and Suffolk counties attends some kind of program or sponsors a retreat at Quinipet. Programs sponsored by other non-denominational church groups are also on the rise. 

By supporting Quinipet, you support all the nonprofit community organizations that run programs at our camp. 

In 2006, Quinipet became self-supporting. But we continue to need your help to run our programs and improve our infrastructure. We completed the Sue and George Klein Welcome Center in 2010 with 50 percent funding. The remaining 50 percent was obtained through a low-interest, nonprofit, church mortgage. Borrowing is NOT the preferred way to ensure an organization's future. But we needed to complete the construction to meet code requirements. Borrowing only half of the $1.4 million is a great mark of success. But we need to pay off the loan and, of course, there is much more work to be done. 

Some of the projects and work on our master plan list are just dreams and others have to become realities very soon so Camp Quinipet's programs can continue. Please contact me directly at greg@quinipet.org to talk about our priorities. 

To learn more about our needs, read on. 

And as always, thank you so much for your time and support -
Greg Nissen

If one of these projects catches your attention and you would like to discuss a family gift or estate planning, or would like to raise the funds through a personal network with our assistance, please contact Gregory Nissen, the director at greg@quinipet.org or our main number 631-749-0430

By pressing the Donate button to the right, you will be supporting the camp and programs you love. Your donation will go directly toward the continued capital improvements at the camp.

These projects are a list of dreams AND essential items. 

Sometimes we dream big, sometimes we dream small, but we need your help if we are to dream at all.

You can, of course, support the project of your choice but our priorities this fall are the Wesley Hall retrofits and renovations. In the spring we hope to redo the Bobilin bathrooms.

Thank you for dreaming with us. The success of the  Klein Welcome Center has given us great momentum.  Come join  our growing camp program!