Generations – The Magic of Childhood
Camp Evergreen and the Value of Getting Back to Nature
In 1981, “Little” Jim Loscutoff convinced his wife, Debby, to leave California. The destination: Camp Evergreen, an Andover day camp opened in 1964 by his father. Last year, Jim’s daughter, Allie, convinced her husband to leave his native France where they’d been living for ten years to join them.
Jim was seven when camp started and was its first registered camper. His daughter, Allie, was at the same age when she started leading campfire songs. During those first days, he remembers his babysitter helping the family send out promotional materials signed by the camp’s larger-than-life founder, Jim Sr., a 6’5” famed former Celtics player who played in seven world championships during his nine-year career with the team.
That first year, they had one hundred campers, a huge success Jim largely attributes to his father’s name. As far as how camp was built, he says, “He was the brawn and my mother was the brains.” To set up in their coveted spot within Harold Parker State Forest, his mom pursued permits and negotiated with neighbors. She was also good with press releases. The physical labor included clearing trees for a makeshift baseball field, building a bathhouse, digging a pool, and setting up a simple tent as a nurse’s station. They’ve upgraded since, but strive to maintain as much of the old structure and charm as possible.
From the beginning, Camp Evergreen’s purpose has been to let kids be kids in a way that facilitates their naturally adventurous spirits. “We’re the real deal around here,” says Debby, the longtime official “Camp Mom.” Unlike many camps today, who have increased their focus on STEM education, Evergreen usually sticks to … sticks, for kid-made fishing poles. And the stars, in the night sky, or onstage for the Evergreen version of “The Voice.” And the woods, for hiking adventures that supersede video games — especially this past summer when the kids arrived already sick of being stuck at home staring at screens.
In 2020, Jim says it took a little longer to get kids out of their shells but he thoroughly enjoyed their exuberance once it surfaced. He’s a magician and a musician both — fitting for a camp director — and he loved playing guitar during the younger kids’ lunches; they got up and danced. At 64, he’s spending more time in the office than he might prefer, but as Allie takes on more administrative duties, he’ll be able to get out more. “Maybe I’ll get to be the fun guy,” he says. And there may soon be help from the fourth generation, says Jim in lively jest, “My grandson, who’s a little over one, he just can’t reach the gas pedals on the lawnmower yet.”
Allie is deeply proud of her family and the lives touched by their camp. Strangers are always telling her stories about her dad and late grandpa. But they’re not really strangers. Her own fond memories inspire her to preserve Evergreen’s community presence at its fullest. “When I was a kid, we did this Christmas parade,” she says. “We’d get all the kids from camp and decorate a truck. I want to do more like that.”
Allie looks forward to fostering the campers’ love of nature. To her, that’s both environmentally protective and child nurturing. “The point of camp,” she says, “is to have old school fun and get back to the essence of being a kid — the magic of it.”
Camp Evergreen
Andover, Mass.
(978) 475-2502
CampEvergreen.com
Founded by the Loscutoff family in 1964, Camp Evergreen has rustic country charm to spare. In addition to being surrounded by nearly 3,000 acres of beautiful state forest, the 53-year-old Andover community linchpin rests where an old farm once was — and its buildings are still in use by the camp today. If your kids have some trouble “unplugging,” this is the place for them: with ponds, marshes and woods to explore on all sides, they won’t have time to think about cell phones or video games. Of course, they’ll also get to enjoy a whole host of traditional camp activities including arts and crafts, drama, woodshop, horseback riding, boating … and more sports than you can shake a stick at! Plus, daily Red Cross swimming lessons from trained water safety instructors ensure your little ones are right at home in the camp’s two huge pools. Perhaps best of all, you can rest assured knowing that the camp’s 1:5 staff-to-camper ratio is among the best in the region.
Camp Gottalikachallenge is a fast-paced adventure in problem solving! Campers’ days are filled with hands-on learning and challenging activities guaranteed to get their creativity flowing. Our program empowers participants to approach life’s challenges with confidence. Campers and Staffers are encouraged to share their talents, to take risks, to recognize their similarities and differences, to be inclusive, become leaders, and to have fun! At Camp Gottalikachallenge, campers form lasting friendships with their teammates and dorm buddies. This year’s Day Camp is July 20-24 in Manchester, NH, open to ages 9-14. Overnight Camps are Aug 2-7 and Aug 9-14 in Wolfeboro, NH open to ages 10-14. Financial assistance is available.
Located in North Chelmsford, Mass., Dance New England’s School of Dance has been providing quality classes for dancers of all experience levels for 24 years. Our studio boasts over 8,000 square feet of beautiful mill space, which includes five studio spaces and a Ballroom Cafe. Within these studio spaces, students of all ages can immerse themselves in a multitude of dance styles. DNE offers classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Irish Step and much more, and each style has various classes that cater towards specific age groups. DNE School of Dance is devoted to creating the best possible environment for dance instruction and social ballroom dancing. At DNE, students of all ages are welcome to study and practice the art of dance. Give us a call or visit our website for more information.
MRT’s Young Company is a professional theatre training program for high school students interested in all aspects of performing arts and new play development as a career. Nationally recognized playwrights, actors, and directors will work closely with students to develop their own voice in their scripts and learn about performing
The Merrimack Valley YMCA offers children, teens and families fun-filled summer experiences. Camp Lawrence for boys ages 8-16 and Camp Nokomis for girls ages 8-16 are overnight camps, located on Lake Winnipesaukee’s Bear Island, in Meredith, NH. Campers choose their schedules from a wide range of athletic, creative and instructional activities that are designed to challenge campers according to their age, interest and skill. Camp Otter is a day camp for boys and girls ages 6-13, located on Captain’s Pond in Salem, NH. Campers enjoy swimming, boating, basketball, archery, ropes course, and arts and crafts. Road Rangers travel day camp is an extension of Camp Otter and consists of themed day trips for boys and girls ages 10-14. Transportation is provided to Camp Otter from Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, Atkinson, Salem and Windham. The Merrimack Valley YMCA also offers a Family Camp on Bear Island for 10 days in late August. Families can rent cabins and enjoy a wide variety of camp activities for the entire family.
College for Kids at Middlesex Community College is designed to provide children with unique, fun and challenging opportunities to explore careers, gain new knowledge and skills, and boost confidence. College for Kids provides up to six weeks of engaging summer programs for children ages 8 to 17. All programs are taught by certified public school teachers or by professionals who are experts in their fields and have experience working with children. Summer programs explore subjects such as film production, aviation, web design, writing, science, veterinary medicine, children’s theater, culinary arts and fashion design. Year-round College for Kids offerings include after-school and school vacation programs. Programs are offered on the Bedford and Lowell campuses.
Nestled within Harold Parker State Forest of Andover, Camp Evergreen has maintained a firm commitment to nature-based education for 55 years and offers an eight-week summer camp for children ages 6 and up. Activities and skills offered at Camp Evergreen include animal tracking, fort-, shelter- and fire-building, archery, swimming, maple tapping, horseback riding, wild edible foraging and learning about Native American history and culture.
Brooks School Summer Programs
Camp Evergreen
Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s Young Company
Click here to schedule your FREE CLASS in Chelmsford