Time for action

We as the alumni have an opportunity to be heard and we need to act quickly and efficiently so that there are people to listen. What we are asking is that each and every one of you is to do two things. First, we have been asked to contribute to the report. Please direct comments specific to the report to Joanne Sparks (joanne.sparkes@innovatia.net). She will compile information and send it to Pat Davis (CEO of the Y). To make sure that we are heard we would like you to go above and beyond this and send an e-mail or letters directly to the board and Y staff. These are some points we want to make

1) The report is written with a clear biased.
There are 3 members of the Saint John YM-YWCA Board of Directors that are also members of the Camping Task Force who are making these recommendations.

The 1st Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, Dale Knox, listed as the Chairman of the Glenn Carpenter Centre and is the son-in-law of Glenn Carpenter.

There was no cost analysis included in the report associated with repair of Glenburn versus the creation of a camp at Ashburn.

The challenges listed in the report were all challenges associated with selling Glenburn and keeping Ashburn. There were no challenges associated with keeping Glenburn and selling Ashburn.

The report begins with the recommendation that the Y keep one camp, close Glenburn and keep Ashburn and this is done without any rationale behind this conclusion.

The benefits related to keeping the camp at Ashburn are primarily a result of work done to create partnerships at this facility and money spent at this facility rather than at Glenburn (ex. Water trampolines, archery, ACAP environmental programs, etc.)

2) Camp enrollment at Glenburn has been increasing over the past three years while the rest of New Brunswick and North America has suffered major declines.

3) Seamless transfer of residential camping from Glenburn to Ashburn Lake is not a realistic goal. At some point, they will funding both camps simultaneously, while dealing with the reality of limited capital.

4) Capital campaigns in recent history have not been successful due to a lack of confidence in the Saint John YM-YWCA by the local community. There is no evidence that this attempt will achieve more success that previous attempts.

5) The success of Glenburn is based around the culture and tradition of the experience of camp combined with the unique location on the Belleisle Bay. Urban residential camping could not successfully reproduce this rural experience.

Board contacts

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Members:
Gary Howard (ghoward@caa.maritimes.ca)- Chair
Dale Knox (dale.knox@tabufile.ca)- 1st Vice Chair
Alyson Townsend (atownsend@ccsa.cable.ca)- 2nd Vice Chair
Dean Mullin (dean.mullin@avisbudget.com)- Treasurer
Donna Mazerolle (donnamazerolle@rogers.com)- Past Chair

Board Members:Karen White ?
Michael Bacon ?
Sherry Arsenault (sherry@nbnet.nb.ca)
Ted Cheney ?Janet Scott (janetscott@enterprisesj.com)
Janet Thompson-Price (jthompsonprice@smss.com)
Djoura Abbas (Djoura.Abbas@ca.ey.com)


This is written in point form because you need to put these in your own words and add whatever else you want to. This is just a start and we are going to have to do lots more if we are going to influence this process. The ultimate goal of this letter to stall the process and open active talk with the camp community and its major contributors to provide realistic solutions to residential camping in our region.

The second thing that we want people to commit to is showing up in significant force in Saint John for the next scheduled Board meeting. This could happen as early as June 16th and we need to be present to influence the Board at this time. More on this later.

We also need any media contacts that people have in order to move on to a next phase of action.

This is a real chance to have your voice heard. We don't need to spell out what camp means to everyone because if you're reading this then you know!

Please contact us if you have suggestions on how to proceed.