Pine Tree Society

Pine Tree Society Blog

“I do all the things others do, I just do them differently.”

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When John W. Conner passed away in 2017 at the age of 86, there were two things really important in his life that his family wanted to pay tribute to:  the Shriners Hospitals for Children and Pine Tree Camp. 

“A lot of what he wanted to do, was able to do, and did do was because of Pine Tree Camp and Shriners Hospital,” his son John D. Conner recalled.

John W. Conner grew up on a farm in central Maine and was diagnosed with polio in 1935 during the Great Depression.  He spent much of his childhood away from his family at the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, only coming home for six weeks in the summer and two weeks at Christmas.  At Christmastime in 1944, he came home for good to be with his five brothers and sisters.

A year later, Pine Tree Camp was founded and became a place his doctors recommended he go each summer.  It was during one of those summers that he designed the iconic Pine Tree CampCamp Logo logo.  Since that time, John’s emblem has been a positive symbol for the thousands of campers who drive down the camp road each summer and have their lives forever changed.

“Pine Tree Camp is family for so many people,” John D. continued. “My father was away from home so much as a child that his family truly became those he spent so much of his life with at the Shriners Hospital and Pine Tree Camp.”

John W. spent many years travelling back and forth from Maine to Springfield for continued treatment for polio including three spinal fusions and extensive physical therapy.  Over time, he regained the use of his limbs and was able to lead a very active and full life.  He often said, “I do all the things others do, I just do them differently.”

John W. was an avid sportsman who loved the Maine outdoors.

“We never mastered being a Mainer quite like he did,” his son John D. fondly remembered.  “Dad loved to fish, especially fly fishing.  I can still hear him grumbling about any type of fishing except fly fishing.  He often carried me in to Kokadjo to fish the Roach Ponds for trout, the only fish that existed to him.”

“I imagine he first learned how to fish at Pine Tree Camp,” John’s sister Victoria said.  “The spirit our father had for fly fishing was undeniable.  Passing that along to his children and grandchildren brought him much joy.”

John D.’s three children spent many summers with their grandfather learning the art of fly fishing and how to be a Mainer.

“And Dad learning to duck as their flies tended to catch him more than the fish.  He never hesitated to hunt and be as much of an outdoorsman as he could. He trekked many of the Baxter State Park trails and climbed Mount Katahdin, something I hope to do with my children and sister in the future, in honor, memory, and for him.”

Victoria recalls how their father didn’t talk about his struggles with polio. 

“I remember going for walks with him, witnessing his limp, helping take his boots off in the winter — little things like that to help; but the disability never became a topic of conversation, because my Dad never viewed it as a disability.  I think his years at Pine Tree Camp contributed to that mentality of breaking through barriers and adopting a mentality of inclusiveness.”

When John W. was in his early 80s, Victoria brought him back to Pine Tree Camp so they could walk the grounds together, see what had changed and reminisce about the early days.  He was using crutches and it brought to mind an old photo of him when he was 10 years old standing with crutches on that very same lawn.  It is a memory that will stay with her forever.

“My Dad was very proud of his years at Pine Tree Camp.  My visits with him to the camp over various stages of our lives really demonstrated how much the camp did for him as a young man and the great impact it had on him his whole life.”

“She needed to trust somebody”

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“I didn’t like the path I was going down.  I wasn’t making good choices and I wanted a fresh life and people I could count on.”

Julie is 42 years old and lives with intellectual disabilities.  Since she decided to turn her life around, she’s never looked back.  That’s where Pine Tree Society’s Home and Community Support Programs came in to help her develop the life skills and confidence she needed to speak up for herself and make better choices.Individual and DSP

“I’ve grown a lot,” said Julie. “I hung out with a lot of people who were bad influences.  Working with Pine Tree Society has helped me with that. I’m not hanging with a bad group anymore and I’m making better choices.”

Julie struggles with reading, writing and math and worked hard to gain her independence.  In 2015, with support from Pine Tree Society, she obtained full guardianship over herself and became her own representative payee. 

“I now live independently in my own apartment,” Julie continued. “I do my own laundry, buy my own groceries and pay my own bills.  I rely on myself to do things.”

“Her ability to speak up for herself now is just tremendous,” said Shelley Zielinski, director of Adult Support Services at Pine Tree Society. “She created a picture of what she wanted her life to look like, and we supported her along the way.  She still needs support, but it’s nowhere near the level when she first came to us.” 

Pine Tree Society’s Home and Community Support Programs are customized for each individual and are designed to meet a person’s needs at any point in their life.Individual and DSP

“We all have goals.  We all have places we want to be in our life and our career,” continued Zielinski.  “Our clients tell us what they envision for themselves and we do everything in our power to help them get there.  It’s different for every single person and the sky is the limit.” 

“Julie needed to trust somebody,” said Teresa Davis, Julie’s direct support professional at Pine Tree Society.  “And our relationship is built on trust.”

They talk a lot about choices and Julie knows that Teresa is there for her when she needs to work through a decision.  Together, Julie and Teresa have accomplished a lot.  From changing apartments when Julie didn’t feel comfortable in her neighborhood to setting goals to live healthier, they work together each step of the way.

“We stay focused on the importance of communication and talking through pros and cons before making a decision,” said Teresa.  “And when you make a mistake, you just need to stand up, brush off and begin again.  I’m going to be here for you no matter what.”

Pine Tree Camp is never boring

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In our lives when you spend time at a place long enough, you realize each place has its own distinct rhythm. Pine Tree Camp has always had a rhythm that you would never call normal. But it’s okay, normal is boring. Camp is a myriad of adjectives, but it’s never boring.

Coming to camp for over thirty years, the rhythms have changed dramatically, just as my life has. As a child, the early morning rhythms were usually hearing the campers who had Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy, who needed to be turned every two hours or less to prevent pain and bedsores.

Then, as I grew older and most, if not all those campers passed on, the rhythms would focus on college age experiences. The bell signifying the progress of a day at camp was complimented by the low hum of busses taking campers on trips around the state, usually to a restaurant – maybe a movie. Wherever it was, physical access was first priority.

So the rhythms shifted again and camp was a place to focus on lifelong friendships, to do activities one would maybe not have access to, or maybe not have access to as easily at camp.

The rhythms changed in other ways. As camp staff returned, you would see their kids grow to become staff members themselves, complimenting their experiences at camp with college degrees, often serving the same population of disabled people as teachers or therapists. With the rhythms of North Pond and lessons learned at Pine Tree Camp, impressed upon the soul for life.

Mike Reynolds

 

“I’d go back in a minute”

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“I’d go back in a minute,” Joan McDonough just turned 83, and that’s how she feels about Pine Tree Camp. “It was home to me almost every summer.”

She starting going in 1946, just one year after camp first opened, and went every year until 1951.

“I had curvature of the spine and had been in the hospital for two and half years wearing various braces to straighten me out.  I was home from the hospital for no more than two weeks before I went to camp.  It was great after being stuck in the hospital.”

Originally, Pine Tree Camp campers had polio, cerebral palsy, curvature of the spine like Joan, or had lost a limb during childhood.  Back at that time, campers went for the full summer.

“When I hit camp’s gate and came down over the hill, I knew I was home.  We were there for July and August and we had a good time.  We did everything.  And I made a lot of friends.”

In 1948, Joan had to have spinal surgery and was in a full body cast.

“I said ‘I can’t do that, because I can’t go to camp.’  And they said ‘Oh yes you can.’  And I went to camp in a full body cast.  I was in Cabin 11 that year. The day before I knew I was going home I walked down into the water all the way and got my cast soaking wringing wet.  Nobody gave me a hard time because they knew I was having it off the next day.” 

When she goes back to visit camp, it brings back so many good memories.

“A lot of things have changed.  Most of the cabins at the time I was there were on the right of the dining hall.  Now they’re on the left hand side closer to the water.  The dining hall has changed quite a bit, but the waterfront is just about the same.  They’ve done a lot to it and I’m so glad they do.  I give what I can.  More than willing to give what I can every year.  I’m having trouble with my back again now, but they can’t do any more for it.  I’m 83 and I guess I’ll make out all right.”

Camp Communicate making things possible

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14 years ago, Linda Bonnar, Director of Communication Pathways at Pine Tree Society, founded Camp Communicate, a retreat designed specifically for children who are non-verbal and who use computerized devices to communicate.

Being the Camp Communicateonly one in school who uses a computer to communicate can be isolating. At Camp Communicate, our campers are just one of the gang. They have the unique opportunity to spend time with other kids communicating with their devices in an accessible summer camp environment. This allows them to meet friends and be more comfortable and confident with their devices.

Camp Communicate is made possible by Pine Tree Camp and Pine Tree Society’s Communication Pathways team. Our Speech-Language Pathologists and Assistive Technology Practitioners have designed an amazing curriculum that encourages natural communication opportunities for our campers – as well as education and relaxation for their parents.

Ladan Iman

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Ladman Idan“Working here made me change my entire career path.” 

22-year-old Ladan Iman from Auburn has been working at Pine Tree Camp for the past four years. She started out as a counselor and has worked her way up to staff liaison, where she assists campers and their families/caregivers whose personal care needs exceed those that can be provided by camp staff.

Before declaring her sociology major as an undergraduate, Ladan wanted to study international business. However, after working her second summer at Pine Tree Camp and having “the best summer of my life,” Ladan found her passion.Ladman Idan

“Pine Tree Camp changed my perspective on how I want to help others. I want to help others in a more specific population.”

Ladan received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Social Work at Springfield College.

Accessible treehouse and nature trails

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Wednesday, June 27th 

“I’ve never been in a treehouse until now.”Treehouse trail

Pine Tree Camp gives people with disabilities the opportunity to immerse completely in nature.

In 2010, Pine Tree Society partnered with The Treehouse Guys—a non-profit organization formally known as Forever Young Treehouses— to build the first fully accessible treehouse in the State of Maine right here at Pine Tree Camp.  Since then, thousands of campers have enjoyed spending time high in the trees.

The treehouse is one of the many aspects of camp that campers absolutely love. It and the surrounding naTreehouseture trail is designed for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. While there, campers can participate in the nature program, where they learn about the Maine woods and the plants and animals that live there.

Having the treehouse and nature trails accessible gives every single camper a chance to experience nature activities to the full extent, regardless of their disability.

Marie Preston’s Spirit Lives On

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Marie Preston was the second Executive Director of Pine Tree Society – or Easter Seals as it was known — and was instrumental in establishing Pine Tree Camp in 1945.

Her son, Jim Preston, was eight years old at the time and recalls that it was after the war that his mother became executive director.

Newspaper articles from the time reveal Mrs. Marie I. Preston as a tireless advocate for people with disabilities.  From spearheading conferences to leading fundraising efforts to running Pine Tree Camp and the Hyde Home in Bath, the Lewiston Daily Sun and Evening Journal made frequent mention of her efforts and accomplishments.

She achieved much before she died in December 1956 at the age of 56.

She opened Pine Tree Camp.  She opened the Hyde Home.  She was instrumental in the passage of Maine legislation providing for education of children with disabilities through the Department of Health and Welfare.  Just a year before her death she completed plans for an adult rehabilitation program and workshop at Hyde Home.

When asked what spurred her passion, Jim is sure it was her personal experience with polio that drove her.

“When she was five she had polio. She couldn’t walk and was wheeled around in a baby carriage until she was cured at age eight.  After that, she was physically all right but I’m sure it impacted her.”

When Pine Tree Camp first opened Jim describes it as typical of the time.  There was a main lodge where everyone came together for dining and there were individual cabins in the surrounding woods.

He and his father, Burton Preston, worked together to get ten cabins ready for the first year.

“We planted a big victory garden and grew all the vegetables to feed the campers and counselors.  Originally, the campers had polio and cerebral palsy and there were some who had lost a limb in farm accidents.”

Jim spent five summers there with his mother.  His father died when he was nine.

“I always loved camp.  I have many memories of the kids and of working at the camp as a family.” 

He has particularly fond memories of the early years when there were just 15 to 20 small cabins.  “We’d all have dinner together every night and after dinner people would sit around and visit.”

He recalls how it was always a big deal to put the docks in at the start of the summer and that everybody helped out.

“I’ve always been gratified by the experience,” he said.

Mrs. Marie I. Preston instilled the spirit of Pine Tree Camp in her son and in all of us who carry on her legacy today.

Thanks to her, thousands of people of all ages have been gratified by their experience at Pine Tree Camp.

Overnight Camping

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Pine Tree Camp June 21, 2018

“I wish I could stay here forever.”

“I wish I could make a friend.”

Every session campers have the opportunity to sign up for an overnight camping experience at the breathtaking southerly shore of North Pond.

At the end of free swim, the campers and their counselors head over to the campsite where they make their own dinner and s’mores at the fire, sing songs, learn about the outdoors, and make “wish boats.”

For over 30 years, campers have been decorating and writing wishes on wooden boats. As the sun sets, campers and counselors light candles in the center of the wish boats and set them afloat to drift out onto the water. Campers love to sit on the shore and watch their boats float farther and farther away, waiting for their wishes to come true. Pine Tree Camp

Our wish boats are a tradition that the entire North Pond community loves. Neighbors from all over the pond receive the wish boats on their shore where some keep them, nailing them on their walls, sheds, or fences. The North Pond Association has labeled these people as “wish keepers”, honoring the camper’s wishes for years after their wish boats set sail.