Alumni Spotlight: Peggy Bailey

Peggy (left) with Laura Stewart Lynch at the most recent alumni reunion.

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Peggy Bailey, a Mohawker whose experiences and memories of her time at camp mirror so many of my own. Peggy began her time at camp in 1970 as an Oscadee camper. After two additional years of being a Senior camper, Peggy then started her time as a CIT. At that time, the CIT program was a two-year experience, during which Counselors in Training lived in “The Lodge,” located close to the current Ceramics building. [Editor’s note: The Lodge, which was originally built to serve as Camp’s Infirmary, has been used as both CIT lodging and the Staff Lounge over the years; it is the oldest standing building on Camp.] Peggy remembers her CIT years as being especially close knit – in more ways than one. With twenty young teenagers stuffed in The Lodge from “head to toe,” it’s no wonder she and others left with lifelong bonds. It was during those years of being a CIT that she met MJ Curtin May, someone Peggy credits as being a role model then and a long-time dear friend now.

Peggy’s time as a camper and CIT was followed by a couple years of being a counselor and later a Unit Leader in the Mohican and Oscadee units. She finally rounded out her staff experience at camp with two years of serving as the CIT Director - talk about a full-circle experience! Peggy notes that one of the biggest upgrades of going from camper to staff member was simply the amount of time spent at camp. While being a camper for two weeks gave her a small dose of the joy we all know and love, being there for an entire summer provided her with enough spirit to sustain her through the whole year.

Peggy (center) serving dinner on the archery field on the kitchen staff's night out. Also pictured (to her left) Wendy Smith and Cindy Morse, and (far right) Deb Halstead.

Like many alumni, some of Peggy’s most cherished memories center around the Dining Hall. While the food at the time might not have been a highlight, the singing and camaraderie there certainly were. Similarly, Peggy fondly recalls spending evenings chatting around the campfire with many of the friends she still holds dear to this day.

Eventually, Peggy had to make the difficult transition from spending her summers at Camp to spending her days in the “real world.” Even so, Peggy carried with her the best part of Mohawk — the joy of connecting with people. That same passion guided her toward a career in human services, beginning with a position at the Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven.

Fun fact: Peggy actually applied for and interviewed for the job during her last summer at Camp! She remembers keeping her business suit in her cabin and heading out for interviews during her days off; an experience I can relate to, and one that is apparently more common than I realized!

Over the years, Peggy became a social worker and worked her way up to the position of Clinical Director, until her retirement a couple of years ago. The lessons she learned from Mohawk about being a member of a team and being a leader certainly contributed to her success in her career.

More recently, Peggy finds herself enjoying one of the greatest benefits of retirement: spending time with her 20-month-old grandbaby. She and her husband live in Woodbridge, CT, not too far from Camp!

Additionally, she’s loved attending alumni reunions at camp, finding them a great opportunity to catch up with old friends as if no time has passed at all. At these reunions, Peggy has also enjoyed seeing the updates that have been made to camp over the years. From cabin upgrades to waterfront improvements, she credits the Marchand family with being great caretakers and stewards of the place we all know and love.

The next time you are at an alumni event, be sure to say hello to Peggy!