Jodi Sperling & Mitch Morgan, Owners/Directors
When you imagine going to Maine summer camp as a child, think of Camp Kingswood in Bridgton as the ideal. Its serene lakefront environment has welcomed a few hundred campers each year… for more than 110 years. Jodi Sperling and Mitch Morgan bought the camp in 2020 — the first summer of the pandemic. Jodi said, “Taking over a camp in COVID was considered crazy! For the first time in the 100+ year history of summer camps in America, most camps cancelled their 2020 summers and the industry was at risk of tanking completely. Here we were, meeting with the Boston Jewish Community Center with an offer, and no one knew if 2021 would be normal or cancelled again. Still, after both running non-profit camps, Mitch and I shared a dream of owning a camp. We knew that COVID presented a one-time opportunity.”
The dream paid off as Camp Kingswood was home to 400 children and teens from across the world in 2022. Jodi and Mitch made several improvements including, “Expanding our waterfront to add a third boating dock, launching a new sailing program, sending every grade on their own unique Maine adventure trip, growing our Farm Program launched in 2021… and starting a mountain biking program.”
“Overnight camp is important for the healthy social and emotional development of young people,” Jodi noted. “Especially coming out of COVID, camp is needed more than ever. It offers kids a safe space to learn and practice important life skills like making friends, navigating social situations, and working as part of a team.”
For information about the summer 2023 season, visit: CampKingswood.org
