We are so blessed to have had an amazing summer at Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer! Summers that are as fun, energetic and safe as this one don’t just happen. We are lucky to have such a passionate and skilled team on our full-time staff. They work tirelessly to ensure that Sea Gull and Seafarer are the best camps of all! We are so fortunate to have long-tenured leaders at Camp, so we know that their transitions are especially important for our community.
As such, we wanted to announce that Captain Lynn Moss has decided to retire as Camp Seafarer's Executive Director. Captain Lynn has been an incredible leader for Camp Seafarer for so many years. We have been blessed to have her at the helm of such a special place for more than a decade, and we have benefited so much from her passion, her leadership and, especially, her generous nature. She has held every camper and staff member to very high expectations, and she has done so in an empowering and loving way. She has truly embodied the Good Sport Award and the spirit of the Camp.
We are excited to announce that Diane Hillsgrove, a former Seafarer staff member and a wonderful YMCA executive, has accepted the role of Camp Seafarer Executive Director. She will begin this fall. Diane fell in love with Seafarer after spending several summers on staff. She has worked for the YMCA of the Triangle in a variety of roles for more than 20 years. She held the position of Executive Director of the Cary Family YMCA, one of our largest branches, for almost a decade before moving into her current role as a Regional Vice President. Diane brings an impressive level of experience to Seafarer. Just as importantly, she has a warm, nurturing spirit that will easily support the loving, inclusive environment that makes Camp Seafarer so special.
Throughout her busy career, Diane has continued to stay meaningfully connected to Camp Seafarer through her daughter, who is a camper, and through her own participation in different programs. Diane, her husband, Steve, and their children, Macie and Hayes, spent a significant amount of time at Seafarer this summer. Diane shadowed and worked side by side with Captain Lynn and the other directors learning the ropes of day-to-day operations of Camp. We hope you will join us and the whole Seafarer staff in welcoming Diane and her family as she prepares to take the helm and plot a course for a great future for Camp Seafarer.
The good news is that Captain Lynn is not going very far. Starting this fall, she will move into the role of Associate Director of Development for Sea Gull and Seafarer. This new role will allow her to continue working with all the wonderful families connected with Camp and give her a more flexible schedule, especially in the summer.
We want to invite each of you to join us in celebrating Captain Lynn during Homecoming Weekend, September 30 – October 2. In addition to getting a chance to enjoy camp life again, the weekend will provide a great opportunity to express your thanks, gratitude and love for Captain Lynn in person.
Whether you can attend Homecoming Weekend or not, please join us in thanking Lynn for so many wonderful years of service and help us to welcome Diane into her important role at Camp Seafarer. As you can expect, she’s already starting planning for a great summer in 2017!
Henry DeHart
Executive Vice President of Camping Services