Maine’s oldest summer camp marks 125 years with UVA partnership

In a quaint corner of Maine, a historic summer camp is marking a milestone, celebrating 125 years of operation. This year also highlights the 15-year collaboration with the University of Virginia that began unexpectedly back in 2009 when Ben Swan, a UVA alumnus, walked into the office of Theresa Carroll, a nursing professor at the university.

Swan, who completed his master’s in English at UVA around 1982, was on a quest to find a medic for Pine Island Camp. His search led him to Carroll’s office, where he made a fortuitous pitch. “I saw a sign for UVA Nursing School, and I thought, ‘Well, who knows? Bound to be a bunch of nurses in there,’ and so I just walked in,” Swan recounted.

His request was straightforward. He needed someone youthful who could engage with campers and staff, possessing not just medical skills but also a willingness to spend 10 weeks on a secluded island with limited amenities.

Carroll, known for her dedication to student success, found the proposal intriguing. As she recalled, “They have a doctor who’s on call for them for emergencies, but basically they have this medic who takes care of the scrapes and scratches and sprained ankles, the kind of basic stuff. So, he said, ‘What do you think?’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t know, but I’m willing to give it a try.’”

Since then, UVA has been sending nursing students to Pine Island Camp each summer, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Glimpse into Camp Life

Pine Island Camp is nestled in the scenic Great Pond area, part of Maine’s Belgrade Lakes. The camp’s eastern section features platform tents, multipurpose buildings, a dining hall, and an infirmary, where current medic Sarah Jun, a fourth-year nursing student, tends to the campers.

One camper, 11-year-old Charlie, has developed a fondness for Jun. Praising her, he said, “She’s nice and helps you out. Takes your input into consideration.”

Charlie’s early camp experiences included a few health hiccups, but with Jun’s care, he felt at ease. “We talked about that for a little bit,” he remembered. “She gave me like, um, ‘What’s the word?’ I think Tums or something like that, just to like, help with the pain and then just told me to drink a bunch of water.”