IPSWICH, MA – April 10, 2008 - A natural combination – children with inquisitive minds and active bodies, and a highly diverse natural world which makes up the 2,100-acre Crane Estate – has led to the creation of SummerQuest, a new and exciting summer camp operated jointly by The Trustees of Reservations and the Ipswich YMCA.
The Trustees will provide the perfect environment and stimulating natural, cultural and historic programs while incorporating special questing activities – outdoor, nature-based treasure hunts built around a theme -- such as Seacoast Safari, Shipwreck Sleuths, Junior Naturalists, Dune Detectives and Castle Kids into the daily fun! Children, between ages 9 -12, will search for life in tide pools, explore the fields, forest, and dunes with magnifying glasses, nets and binoculars for all things natural, swim and kayak in the ocean, and draw and journal throughout the expansive estate while creating and illustrating a special treasure map packed with clever clues. The YMCA will support the administrative elements of the camp, providing registration, transportation and a professional staff to insure that the children are well taken care of. SummerQuest will offer seven, one-week sessions, starting July 7th running through August 22. Programs will be held Monday through Friday 9AM – 4PM.
SummerQuest represents a strategic broadening of programs at the Crane Reservation – all intended to engage children and adults in a deeper more well-informed, connection to the natural world. For children this will offer more than just a “day at the beach.” They will have a chance to learn about the social and natural history of the Crane Reservation – and find ways to put it to their advantage in school. Through generous donations from the Crane Company, New England Biolabs and other donors, The Trustees and the Ipswich YMCA have put together a summer program targeted to serving the children of the area, particularly the underserved children who may not otherwise have the experience of going to camp on one of the most idyllic, diversified and beautiful natural environments in all of New England. SummerQuest is open to all qualified children, regardless of income and spaces are filled on a rolling basis. Parents and/or guardians are strongly urged to call the YMCA for information on how they can take advantage of this scholarship program which covers expenses for a week-long session to SummerQuest.
For registration information, please contact the Christine McGrath of the YMCA at 978.356.9622 x112 or, mcgrath@northshoreymca.org. More information on the content of SummerQuest may also be found on the Trustees of Reservations website at www.craneestate.org or www.thetrustees.org.
The Crane Estate is owned and operated by the nation’s oldest statewide land trust and non-profit conservation organization, The Trustees of Reservations. The Crane Estate is comprised of three properties; Crane Beach, the Crane Wildlife Refuge, and Castle Hill, a National Historic Landmark which includes the Great House Mansion and the Inn at Castle Hill. For hours of operation and more information about upcoming programs at the Crane Estate or other Trustees properties on the North Shore or across the state, please visit The Trustees of Reservations website www.thetrustees.org.
About the Trustees of Reservations
Since its founding in 1891 by Charles Eliot, an open space visionary and protégé of the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, The Trustees’ mission has been to preserve, protect and care for properties of exceptional scenic, historic, recreational and ecological value in Massachusetts. As land is being developed and open space is being fragmented at a rapid pace of an estimated 40 acres per day around the state, The Trustees are working to mobilize and inspire a critical mass of people and partners who care about quality of life in their communities and will work to protect and enjoy them.
The Trustees are 100,000 people like you, from every corner of Massachusetts, who share a deep set of similar values: a love of the land, of the outdoors and of the distinctive charms of New England, as well as a shared vision of celebrating and protecting them for everyone, forever.
With 99 reservations, comprising nearly 25,000 acres—all of which are open to the public—The Trustees of Reservations’ properties are tremendously diverse. On the North Shore, The Trustees own and manage some 20 reservations in Essex County including: Agassiz Rock, Appleton farms and Appleton Farms Grass Rides, Castle Hill, Crane Beach and the Crane Wildlife Refuge, Coolidge Reservation, Crowninshield Island, Greenwood Farm, Halibut Point, Long Hill, Misery Islands, Mount Anne Park, Old Town Hill, Pine and Hemlock Knoll, Ravenswood Park, Stavros Reservation, Stevens-Coolidge Place, Ward Reservation and Weir Hill. Encompassing 5,794 acres, these properties contain some of the most spectacular natural, historic and cultural resources in Massachusetts and all are open to the public. You can visit woodlands and hilltops, coastlines, great estates, historic houses and gardens as well as attend concerts, farm days and plant sales throughout the region. As a statewide, member-supported non-profit organization, please join us in saving the best of Massachusetts. To find out more about The Trustees of Reservations and the Northeast Region or how to volunteer or to become a member, please call The Trustees of Reservations at 781.784.0567, visit at www.thetrustees.org, or email membership@ttor.org.