THE YEAR

It was -2 degrees in Maine this past weekend and I am not quite sure if that is motivation to dream of summer or makes summer feel all too far away. Maybe a bit of both. Winter has surely arrived early, and with a vengeance, as snow covered roofs and fields now dot the landscape. Fortunately, our new and beautiful red buildings surely sparkle against the white backdrop.

As of a week ago a new year is upon us, though this one hardly feels like any other year. It’s THE year. The early conversations about Somerset go back nearly 10 years. And it’s been almost three years of acquiring the land, conceiving the master plan, designing the buildings, developing the program, and outlining our vision for what a brand new camp should look like. It has been a tremendous amount of work, stress, and, at times, uncertainty that has brought us to this point. But even more passion, excitement, and good fortune. The turning of the calendar brings the awesome reality that we have almost arrived.

Our fearless construction team continues to forge ahead as the cold winter months allow for ample time to complete the building interiors. Soon enough, the snow will melt, the lake will thaw, and sunny skies will return. And, for the first time in more than 30 years, Somerset will return to its rightful place as the summer home for a special group of talented, kind, “original” campers. It will be a return to the energy of non-stop activity, the sights of warm embraces amongst friends, and the sounds of cheerful echos.

Here’s hoping for an early spring. I, for one, think we’ve earned it.

-JH