Michael Brockey is flying high.The 25-year old former Kabeyun counselor and camper is now more than half-way through his training to become an Air Force fighter pilot. 

When Michael left Kabeyun in August 2019, he headed to Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, where he remains today. The second lieutenant has mastered the T-6 and now is flying the T-38, a trainer fighter jet he calls “the fun one.” The photo above shows Michael during his initial solo flight in a T-38 earlier this month.

Missing camp? Enjoy the tradition of ending a day with camp's bugler, Jeff Kuebler, blowing Taps from the dock at sunset.

This op-ed was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader on July 21, 2020.

For over a century, camp has been a summertime staple, nowhere more so than in New Hampshire. Every year, as camps help shape the lives of over 150,000 young people, New Hampshire’s camp industry generates millions of dollars in revenue and supports countless jobs. In 2020, however, every camp in the state is either shuttered or profoundly constrained due to COVID-19. Without direct and measurable support, the survival of this vital industry and cherished tradition is in serious doubt.

Greetings from camp. As I write this in early April, I am acutely aware that there is no knowing what anxieties and losses your family – and the entire Kabeyun community – may experience due to COVID-19 by the time you read this. I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe and remain so. I am certain the values we foster at Kabeyun are the ones we now need more than ever: resilience, responsibility, compassion, adaptability, and calm in the face of adversity.

Running an overnight camp takes a tremendous depth and breadth of expertise. Fortunately, Kabeyun has a strong and committed group of 15 Trustees to help steer The John and Anna Newton Porter Foundation, established in 1973 to operate Kabeyun and ensure its longevity.

Two middle schoolers are Kabeyun-bound this summer thanks to the initiative of their teacher, Cam Netland, and the generosity of more than 50 donors. Cam, a Kabeyun counselor and former camper, ran his first marathon in January and used the race to raise $5,000 to help his students attend camp. “I’ve run half marathons before, but this was a much bigger endeavor,” Cam...

While most Kabeyun counselors were once Kabeyun campers, Alex Hill is a delightful exception. He found Kabeyun by answering an ad in 2008 and quickly became a pivotal part of our staff. He spent one year leading rock climbing trips and six years teaching Photography before shifting to Sailing, which he now heads. Alex was a driving force behind camp’s 2019 acquisition of a Drascombe Gig,...

Campers, staff, and visitors will notice something new the next time they arrive at Kabeyun: The Perch. Nestled in a grove of trees between Woodchucks dock and Chipmunk’s Rock, The Perch is a new building that will house camp’s fishing program.