Post by gotmoxie on Aug 8, 2010 20:05:54 GMT -5
Fish and Game Seeks Help to Reopen Barry Conservation Camp
at York Pond, Berlin.
August 8, 2010
BERLIN, N.H. (AP) -- Efforts are under way to reopen a New Hampshire summer camp that taught children outdoor skills for nearly 30 years before closing over infrastructure problems.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department closed its Barry Conservation Camp in Berlin last year, citing drinking water problems and state-mandated camp operating rules that made it more expensive to operate.
Fish and Game Director Glenn Normandeau is asking sportsmen and women, conservation commissions and clubs to help.
The department hopes organizations or individuals will volunteer to help fix up the camp or will commit to adopting a building or facility that they will repair and maintain for five years.
Related Article:
Take the Barry Conservation Camp Challenge; Goal to Reopen for 2011
CONCORD, N.H. -- Let’s get Barry Conservation Camp UP and running for summer 2011! That's the battle cry for a new initiative aimed at refurbishing and reopening the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's woodsy summer camp in Berlin, N.H. For almost thirty years, thousands of kids have experienced Barry Conservation Camp, learning outdoor skills such as camping, shooting, hiking, hunting and fishing, as well as deepening their appreciation for the conservation of our natural resources. Fish and Game ran the camp in partnership with 4-H through UNH Cooperative Extension. The camp was closed late in 2009.
"Having places and programs for connecting kids to the outdoors is essential for our future," said Mike Normandin, a member of the Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association who has stepped forward to coordinate the effort to reopen the camp. "Many sportsmen and women and alumni of Barry Conservation Camp feel the closing was most unfortunate, as it was the only full-fledged conservation camp in the state. The Barry Camp experience may well have influenced youth to pursue careers in conservation, as well as giving them the skills to enjoy a lifelong personal connection with the outdoors."
The N.H. Fish and Game Department is committed to maintaining the camp, but has few resources to commit to the project. "As we all know, these are tough times and with limited resources, the N.H. Fish and Game Department has struggled to keep the camp going," said Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau. "If we want kids to have a camp to enjoy, sportsmen and women, conservation commissions, clubs and interested individuals must step up to the plate. We not only need help with current repairs, but also a long-term commitment to the future of this unique camp."
There are multiple ways people can get involved with the Barry Camp Challenge:
ADOPT A PROJECT: Your club or organization can adopt a building or camp facility. This means making the necessary repairs and making a minimum 5-year commitment to helping Barry Camp. Projects range from adopting a basic 20 x 20-foot cabin or building a porch addition on the dining hall, to taking on smaller less-intensive projects such as installing new outdoor steps leading to the upper level of cabins. You can find a detailed list of Barry Camp projects and needs at www.wildnh.com/barrycamp
DONATE: A second way to help is by giving money. There is a need to raise at least $50,000 by December 2010 to help with the current list of repairs, as well as to provide a maintenance endowment for the future. Monetary donations can be sent to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, PO Box 3993, Concord, NH 03301. Please specify that the donation is for the Barry Camp Fund.
VOLUNTEER: Pitch in and help fix up the camp. The initial need is for 15 to 20 people with good carpentry skills to help with the first phase of repairs. The first work weekend is scheduled for August 14-15, 2010; to take part, you must register by contacting Mike Normandin (see contact information below). Additional work weekends will be scheduled in the near future.
Of course, you can always be a champion and help in all three ways!
For information on adopting a camp project, donating or volunteering, please contact Mike Normandin at mike@townserve.com or 603-455-5435.
"We at Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association see a tremendous opportunity for organizations such as ours, and like-minded civic clubs, to make a difference," concluded Normandin. "This is an opportunity to show that sportsmen can and will give generously of their time and resources when asked. Let’s get Barry Conservation Camp in shape and take a small step in ensuring that our kids can benefit from positive outdoor experiences."
John Harrigan
union LEADER Sunday August 8, 2010
Last November, Fish and Game announced it was closing the Barry Conservation Camp at the Berlin Hatchery in the White Mountain National Forest. Its buildings and infrastructure have been in decline because of deferred maintenance and improvement. Fish and Game is strapped for cash. It's the same old story.
Except for this: In what is so the New Hampshire way, the Belknap County Sportsmen's Association is stepping forward to raise money and organize a group of volunteer contractors to save the camp.
Why? First, because the Belknap club is a can-do outfit with a long history of putting young people first. And the Barry camp is one of a very few places where New Hampshire's youngsters can go to learn about hunting, fishing, environmental and conservation efforts, the magic of camp life, and the great outdoors. The wide variety of activities and educational programs the Barry Camp provides is, in a word, excellent, as anyone who has ever been lucky enough to send a kid there will tell you.
Here's what two of the key players are saying:
"Our club has been sending four or five kids per year to this camp," said Belknap president Mike Normandin of Gilford. "We had to send them to Maine this year, more money, more travel, not good. Next week F&G will do a press release on a plan to reopen next year. Our club is taking the lead in this project, in cooperation with F&G, with a work party set for the weekend of August 14-15."
Said Fish and Game director Glenn Normandeau:
"The Department remains firmly committed to the concept of youth conservation camp. Facilities like Barry Camp are unique places where outdoor education can shape future environmental stewards and give young people a chance to learn the skills for enjoying a healthy, active outdoor life."
What needs to done? All six buildings need attention -- roofing, replacement of rotting timbers and boards, windows, screens and doors. Also on the list: a wood shed, two sets of stairs, and shooting benches. The list goes on.
What is NOT needed is a host of unskilled workers (but thanks anyway). Scads of well-meaning volunteers will only be in the way.
Instead, the club is making a list of skilled people who offer their help (Mike Normandin's number is 455-5435), from which it will select 20 or so volunteers.
What IS needed is money to help pay for materials. For that, a special Barry Camp fund has been set up at the
Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire,
PO Box 3993, Concord, NH 03301.
Meanwhile, the Belknap membership, in no way a rich outfit, is on the hook for $4,000.
That's a lot of money for a small organization, but (there's always a "but"): "Our membership is focused on young people," said Mike Normandin. "That's what the Barry project is all about. It's all about the kids."
John Harrigan's address is Box 39, Colebrook 03576. E-mail him at hooligan@ncia.net.
at York Pond, Berlin.
August 8, 2010
BERLIN, N.H. (AP) -- Efforts are under way to reopen a New Hampshire summer camp that taught children outdoor skills for nearly 30 years before closing over infrastructure problems.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department closed its Barry Conservation Camp in Berlin last year, citing drinking water problems and state-mandated camp operating rules that made it more expensive to operate.
Fish and Game Director Glenn Normandeau is asking sportsmen and women, conservation commissions and clubs to help.
The department hopes organizations or individuals will volunteer to help fix up the camp or will commit to adopting a building or facility that they will repair and maintain for five years.
Related Article:
Take the Barry Conservation Camp Challenge; Goal to Reopen for 2011
CONCORD, N.H. -- Let’s get Barry Conservation Camp UP and running for summer 2011! That's the battle cry for a new initiative aimed at refurbishing and reopening the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's woodsy summer camp in Berlin, N.H. For almost thirty years, thousands of kids have experienced Barry Conservation Camp, learning outdoor skills such as camping, shooting, hiking, hunting and fishing, as well as deepening their appreciation for the conservation of our natural resources. Fish and Game ran the camp in partnership with 4-H through UNH Cooperative Extension. The camp was closed late in 2009.
"Having places and programs for connecting kids to the outdoors is essential for our future," said Mike Normandin, a member of the Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association who has stepped forward to coordinate the effort to reopen the camp. "Many sportsmen and women and alumni of Barry Conservation Camp feel the closing was most unfortunate, as it was the only full-fledged conservation camp in the state. The Barry Camp experience may well have influenced youth to pursue careers in conservation, as well as giving them the skills to enjoy a lifelong personal connection with the outdoors."
The N.H. Fish and Game Department is committed to maintaining the camp, but has few resources to commit to the project. "As we all know, these are tough times and with limited resources, the N.H. Fish and Game Department has struggled to keep the camp going," said Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau. "If we want kids to have a camp to enjoy, sportsmen and women, conservation commissions, clubs and interested individuals must step up to the plate. We not only need help with current repairs, but also a long-term commitment to the future of this unique camp."
There are multiple ways people can get involved with the Barry Camp Challenge:
ADOPT A PROJECT: Your club or organization can adopt a building or camp facility. This means making the necessary repairs and making a minimum 5-year commitment to helping Barry Camp. Projects range from adopting a basic 20 x 20-foot cabin or building a porch addition on the dining hall, to taking on smaller less-intensive projects such as installing new outdoor steps leading to the upper level of cabins. You can find a detailed list of Barry Camp projects and needs at www.wildnh.com/barrycamp
DONATE: A second way to help is by giving money. There is a need to raise at least $50,000 by December 2010 to help with the current list of repairs, as well as to provide a maintenance endowment for the future. Monetary donations can be sent to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, PO Box 3993, Concord, NH 03301. Please specify that the donation is for the Barry Camp Fund.
VOLUNTEER: Pitch in and help fix up the camp. The initial need is for 15 to 20 people with good carpentry skills to help with the first phase of repairs. The first work weekend is scheduled for August 14-15, 2010; to take part, you must register by contacting Mike Normandin (see contact information below). Additional work weekends will be scheduled in the near future.
Of course, you can always be a champion and help in all three ways!
For information on adopting a camp project, donating or volunteering, please contact Mike Normandin at mike@townserve.com or 603-455-5435.
"We at Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association see a tremendous opportunity for organizations such as ours, and like-minded civic clubs, to make a difference," concluded Normandin. "This is an opportunity to show that sportsmen can and will give generously of their time and resources when asked. Let’s get Barry Conservation Camp in shape and take a small step in ensuring that our kids can benefit from positive outdoor experiences."
John Harrigan
union LEADER Sunday August 8, 2010
Last November, Fish and Game announced it was closing the Barry Conservation Camp at the Berlin Hatchery in the White Mountain National Forest. Its buildings and infrastructure have been in decline because of deferred maintenance and improvement. Fish and Game is strapped for cash. It's the same old story.
Except for this: In what is so the New Hampshire way, the Belknap County Sportsmen's Association is stepping forward to raise money and organize a group of volunteer contractors to save the camp.
Why? First, because the Belknap club is a can-do outfit with a long history of putting young people first. And the Barry camp is one of a very few places where New Hampshire's youngsters can go to learn about hunting, fishing, environmental and conservation efforts, the magic of camp life, and the great outdoors. The wide variety of activities and educational programs the Barry Camp provides is, in a word, excellent, as anyone who has ever been lucky enough to send a kid there will tell you.
Here's what two of the key players are saying:
"Our club has been sending four or five kids per year to this camp," said Belknap president Mike Normandin of Gilford. "We had to send them to Maine this year, more money, more travel, not good. Next week F&G will do a press release on a plan to reopen next year. Our club is taking the lead in this project, in cooperation with F&G, with a work party set for the weekend of August 14-15."
Said Fish and Game director Glenn Normandeau:
"The Department remains firmly committed to the concept of youth conservation camp. Facilities like Barry Camp are unique places where outdoor education can shape future environmental stewards and give young people a chance to learn the skills for enjoying a healthy, active outdoor life."
What needs to done? All six buildings need attention -- roofing, replacement of rotting timbers and boards, windows, screens and doors. Also on the list: a wood shed, two sets of stairs, and shooting benches. The list goes on.
What is NOT needed is a host of unskilled workers (but thanks anyway). Scads of well-meaning volunteers will only be in the way.
Instead, the club is making a list of skilled people who offer their help (Mike Normandin's number is 455-5435), from which it will select 20 or so volunteers.
What IS needed is money to help pay for materials. For that, a special Barry Camp fund has been set up at the
Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire,
PO Box 3993, Concord, NH 03301.
Meanwhile, the Belknap membership, in no way a rich outfit, is on the hook for $4,000.
That's a lot of money for a small organization, but (there's always a "but"): "Our membership is focused on young people," said Mike Normandin. "That's what the Barry project is all about. It's all about the kids."
John Harrigan's address is Box 39, Colebrook 03576. E-mail him at hooligan@ncia.net.