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Rev. Allan Wells-Goodwin passed
away on March 27, 2007. Allan was a long-time supporter of Mechuwana
and its ministry. His wife, Dana Beth, and son, Ben, both attended
camp for many years - Dana Beth currently deans "Camp I Am" and Ben was a
junior/senior high music theater camper for many years. Allan loved
Mechuwana and was excited about the new "Friends of Mechuwana" program.
Allan most recently was the minister at the North Sebago UMC and had been
the minister in Boothbay Harbor for many years. Please keep Ben and
Dana Beth and the rest of Allan's family in your prayers. If you would
like to send a card to Ben and Dana Beth, please email
mechuwana@aol.com and request their
address.
We are sad to announce that George
Allen, Mechuwana's camp photographer for many many years, and the
husband of Marcia, our beloved camp cook, passed away today, March 8, 2007.
George was loved by so many camp friends and will be greatly missed.
If you have camp memories or stories about George that you would like to
share, please email them to Beth at
mechuwana@aol.com. We will be sure to post them here and share them with
Marcia.
 Lacy Greenlaw - a long time Jr/Sr
High Music Theatre camper passed away on September 25, 2006 after a hard fought
battle with cancer. She will be remembered as "Babe the Blue Ox" from
Taller Than Truth, and for her great laugh and positive attitude.
If you have memories you want to add to this page, please email us at
mechuwana@aol.com.
We have also started a scholarship fund called the Lacy Greenlaw Music Theatre Scholarship. This money will be used to send a
camper to a music theatre camp each summer in honor of Lacy. If you
would like to donate, please mail your check (made payable to "Mechuwana"
and noted 'Lacy Greenlaw' in the memo field) to camp at PO Box 277, Winthrop
ME 04364.
We had a wonderful gathering at Mechuwana on Monday, October
9th, on the perfect fall day - sun shining, warm temperatures, and beautiful
colors on the trees. Fifty of Lacy's camp friends gathered in the
Mechuwana Memorial Chapel to celebrate Lacy's amazing life, and to comfort
each other as we all came to terms with our loss. Here is what Beth
D., Lacy's camp counselor and friend for many years, shared at the
service:
Good morning. It’s so nice to see so many camp friends here
today to celebrate the life of Lacy Greenlaw. Lacy was someone many of us
knew well, some only knew from seeing her on stage or at rallies, some had
seen her recently, and others not for years. We are all here to celebrate
our own memories of her wonderful spirit and life, and we are all here to
grieve and begin healing after such a sudden and tragic loss. Lacy’s emails
to me – the last one coming just days before she died – always ended with
this quote: “People say dance like no one is watching. I say, dance like the
whole world is watching you, and they can't take their eyes off of you....."
I think that is how I want to remember Lacy. Dancing, laughing,
singing…always without fear, without apology and with the intent of making
others around her as happy as she could make them.
My first memory of Lacy is one that many of you have – this tiny little girl
dressed in blue, face painted bright blue, singing her heart out as Babe the
Blue Ox in “Taller Than Truth.” That was Lacy’s first year at music camp,
her first role at music camp, and the one for which she will forever be
remembered. I didn’t know Lacy then, but I remember her making an impression
on me, with her blue face, her wide smile, and her enthusiasm. In her alumni
posting on camp’s website she wrote: “I came to camp in 1997 for Jr./Sr.
Music Theatre Camp, as a perky little blue ox named Babe, in the premier
show of Taller Than Truth. I didn't miss a summer since that first taste of
the most peaceful and happiest place I've ever stepped foot in.” We all know
how Lacy felt…as we feel that way about camp too. “The most peaceful and
happiest place”…the reason that many of us wanted to race to camp when we
heard that Lacy had died. We needed the comfort and familiarity of this
place that we all hold so close to our hearts. After the phone call from
Lacy’s boyfriend, Josh, I made the calls to many of you and then did exactly
that…I headed to camp…to the boat dock. This is where I go in times of
sadness and this is where I sat, thinking of Lacy and “remembering the times
we had here…” as the Mechuwana song reminds us to do time and time again.
As the years went by and I began counseling music theater camp, I was so
excited to have Lacy in my cabin. The cabin 8 girls were a close knit group
– Lauren, Amy, Ali, Martha, Hilary, Alexis, Katie and Lacy. They made me
laugh and I loved them, and still do love them, very much. I remember the
year that we tried to win the clean cabin award – though it was sort of a
lost cause as cabin 1 had Ryan Beckwith, an ex-Marine, leading the cleaning
brigade and what did we have? Lacy Greenlaw…slob extraordinaire and her what
seemed like dozens of bras strewn all over the floor of our cabin. She
didn’t care about a clean cabin…she just came to camp to have fun…
Over the years I got to know Lacy more. And over these past two and a half
years, during her battle with cancer, I became more and more in awe of Lacy
and how she lived her life. She was an inspiration – never thinking that the
cancer was winning the battle, and never letting anyone feel sorry for her
during her illness. It is often said that God doesn’t give you anything you
can’t handle. Well, Lacy handled cancer with dignity and with a fierce
spirit and determination that made me wonder where she got her strength.
This little wisp of a young woman, fighting day after day, enduring painful
treatment, because she KNEW she would beat this.
While trying to figure out what I wanted to say about Lacy, I found this
poem. It really sums up my feelings about Lacy’s cancer and I think that she
would have liked it:
A POEM ABOUT CANCER
Cancer is so limited . . .
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot eat away peace
It cannot destroy confidence
It cannot shut our memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot reduce eternal life
It cannot quench the Spirit
It cannot lessen the power of the Resurrection.
Our greatest enemy is not disease,
But despair.
Lacy’s last MySpace post, which I forwarded on to many of
you who often asked about Lacy and how she was doing, was another upbeat one
– telling people what was going on with her treatment and illness, and
always telling us she loved us. You never had to guess with Lacy about how
she was feeling – a lesson for all of us, I think. If she loved you, she
told you…and if there were times when she was angry or upset with you…you
knew that too. Her MySpace also said: “ I have cancer. I've had it since
April 2004. I'm currently on my second round of chemo, and I've had 2 kinds
of radiation therapy, one to my lungs, and the other to my hip. Ewings
Sarcoma is a bitch, and I hate it, but it's also one of the best things that
has ever happened to me. It's made me appreciate life so much more, and made
me a stronger person. I know that I can overcome anything placed in front of
me. I'm petrified, no doubt. But it's not going to stop me from living life
to the fullest.”
Lacy did live her life the fullest…and made our lives fuller by being in it.
Lacy, I miss you and love you very much. We will all keep dancing like
everyone, including you, is watching…because we know you will be. God bless
you. - Beth
Megan B. Perry -
Megan was a music theater camper
for many years, and a rallygoer for many years also. Megan graduated
from high school in 1998, and her sister Jennifer also attended camp and
rallies. Sadly, Megan was in New Orleans helping with the hurricane
relief efforts when she was in a bus involved in a serious accident.
Megan passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2005. (The picture at the right is of Megan with Andy White at their
senior rally in 1998.)
Memories of Megan
I remember that Megan always told me that Mechuwana was her "Cheers" - a
place where "everybody knew her name." And she loved camp and the
people there very much. Megan was a bright light and free spirit who
touched those who knew her. Many of her camp friends were at Mechuwana
chaperoning the senior high December rally when they heard the news of
Megan's tragic passing. She will be missed very much. - Beth
D.
Meg will always be one of those people you look forward to seeing every
time you come home to Mechuwana. Her laughter, selflessness, and good
ways just made everyone feel good. Her humor was one to top also, always
there with a big hug and a laugh if you were feeling down. She will be
sadly missed by all I am sure. I don't know what else to say except that,
she can not be summed up in few words. She was just a great person who
will be missed. - Andy WhiteWe should all take a lesson from
Megan and do what we want to do in life, even joining the circus! I
admire the fact that she was so willing to go down to New Orleans and
help. It seems like a lot of people want to help and make a difference,
and Megan just went and did it. As for memories, I had a lot of great ones
of Megan at rallies and at Music/Theatre. I was thinking about of all the
times I spent with Megan and they really go back a long way! We were in
plays together both at the elementary/junior high level and also in senior
high. I especially remember Life is Good to Me and Godspell. I think it
was a couple of summers after Godspell when Megan and I both helped out
with elem/junior high and we snuck away on a wild adventure at Mechuwana.
Of course I can't disclose any more information...but it sure was fun! -
Beth Libby I was so sad to hear about Megan. All I remember is her favorite red Trix
shirt and the roles we played together in Godspell, Fiddler and other
shows...oh and the many boxes of Fruity Pebbles and dances to Paradise by
the Dashboard Light. She will be missed dearly. - Mary Ellen (LaPlante)
Blankson
I also remember Godspell
with her as she had us work so hard to get the round song right at the
beginning of the play!! She will be missed. Rachel, Cara, and I had a moment
for her at Grove Chapel which was nice. The snow fell off a branch just
behind the cross as I was thinking of her family and friends and it was kind
of like she was saying hello or goodbye. - Tina Taylor
I grew up going to
church with Megan in Brunswick at the United Methodist Church. My most
vivid and fond memories are spending time with her during church coffee hour
and during the Christmas Madrigal - during that evening, while waiting for
our parts in the performance, we would gather in one of the Sunday School
rooms with other kids and watch movies. After I moved, I met up with
Megan again at camp rallies. She treated me like a little brother and
introduced me to everyone there - saying that she needed me to meet them and
have them meet me. She always had a hug, a smile and a word of
encouragement. I will miss her very much. - Paul Christian Marshall
 Mechuwana
and its staff would like to extend their deepest sympathies to the family
and friends of Marlee Johnston, 14, who passed away unexpectedly on
November 26, 2005 in Fayette. Marlee had been a day camper for many
years at camp.
A tribute to
Marlee Johnston
“If I could sit across the porch from God, I’d thank him for lending me
you.” – Flavia
I was blessed
to get to know Marlee through day camp swim camp and last year I got to see
her several times at Winthrop Middle School. Marlee was more than just a
camper to me. She was a friend and an inspiration. Marlee and I bonded the
first summer that she attended camp when we found out that we both were Type
1 diabetics with insulin pumps. Each swim time we would proudly wear our
pumps in our waterproof cases and jump in the water proving that diabetics
could do anything! Marlee was a great swimmer and always strived to do
better. One of my fondest memories with Marlee is of the time when she and I
and another boy in her swim class were swimming out to the float. All of the
sudden the boy says to me, “Why is it that diabetics are such good
swimmers?” Marlee and I just giggled, said that must just be part of the
deal and continued swimming. I was so excited when last year I was able to
see Marlee at the middle school when I would go up for different projects.
She was always surrounded by other kids and had a great big smile on her
face. We would chat briefly about the latest in diabetes technology or just
about how we were doing in general. I always looked forward to seeing Marlee.
It deeply saddens me to think of not seeing Marlee again but I pray that her
vivacious spirit will live on through those of us who knew her best as well
as those who only caught a glimpse of that spunky, beautiful, amazing girl.
-Cara Anderman
 We are sad to announce the passing of
Reverend Tomila
Joanna C. Louise on Thursday, October 20, 2005. Tomila counseled for many
years at the Jr/Sr High Creative Arts Camp at Mechuwana. Her talents
and gifts brought great joy to all those who knew her and learned from her.
She will be missed very much.
If you would like to include your thoughts
and/or stories about Tomila with others through this website, please email
Beth Dimond at mechuwana@aol.com and
she will post your thoughts on a special tribute page.
Remembering
Tomila....by Reverend Linda Campbell-Marshall |
Natalie "Chicken" (Fowle)
Wiswell died recently. As a camper at Mechuwana who always loved to
be around "Chicken" back in the '50s, she always represented the wonderful
kind of counselor who was always there in whatever ways campers needed
her. She had an infectious laugh that made the days seem brighter and
more fun. She was an example to all of us of what the spirit of Mechuwana
was all about. She cared about people and loved to share her feelings
about camp.