"I am so grateful for the goodbye I received this past summer at Timberlake. It’s helping me through this transition. I had a chance to throw an epic final banquet, feel the energy of songs, contemplate deeply during silent meeting, and receive overwhelming appreciation from the community. I’m so glad I had such a great final summer at TL."
As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure Farm & Wilderness's long-term sustainability and keep summer camp tuition affordable the Board has decided to eliminate some key leadership positions including the Director of Camps role as a standalone position. Following discussions about potentially restructuring the Director of Camps role to combine it with Timberlake Director responsibilities, W has decided to pursue other opportunities and his last day at Farm & Wilderness was December 31, 2024. W plans to do contracted work for F&W including onboarding new the new TL Director after the position is hired in February.
W’s impact on Timberlake over the years has been profound. Farm and Wilderness hopes you will join us in celebrating W and sharing your messages of gratitude. Please share a message with W in the form at the bottom of this page . These messages will be collected and put together a special tribute package for W.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Tulio at tulio@farmandwilderness.org or Jay at jay@farmandwilderness.org.
W's Reflections on his time at Timberlake:
"You might be surprised to know my very first summer was in 2007 as an Arts counselor for Tupelo and Foxes cabin. I’ve been around so long my former campers’ former campers’ former campers’ have worked for me – making me a camp great great grandfather. I’ve held almost every role there is to hold at TL and worked under two directors before I took over in 2019. I’m proud of my work over the years, and I appreciate you indulging me as I share just a few:
- Creating a more diverse Timberlake. My staff have consistently been around 50% or more staff of color and we have increased the number of non-binary and queer staff. I firmly believe that every camper deserves a champion, and I worked hard to find the staff to and nurture a camp culture to make that a reality;
- Bringing best practices from the classroom to camp, creating firm routines and rituals across camp. It reduced behavioral issues, improved the morale and skill of my staff, and created more epic summers. We were better able to see more of each TL camper and help them create their own magic;
- Working to tell the story of F&W in a way more folks could hear it through the creation of the first camp-based Instagram, our podcast, many YouTube videos, our TikTok, and countless fliers and posters. I was also a key writer in creating the current F&W mission and values.
Through all of these accomplishments, I’ve consistently believed in the power of Timberlake to transform the lives of our campers. To create spaces for kids to believe anything is possible, to learn that everybody counts, to just get it done and achieve great things. Campers learn they have agency to make a dent in this world, to grow their sincerity more than their sarcasm, and that they are interdependent with the world around them. I used to say greatness await – it still does for our campers as they experience big work, big fun, and big feelings.
Share your appreciations for W so we can pass them along.