Frequently Asked Questions
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How can I find out which programs are being offered at Pinewoods this year,
and how can I register for a session?
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Go to the web sites of the four
groups that offer programs at Pinewoods
Is Pinewoods handicapped accessible?
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Although we are moving toward making it more accessible, at this point it
is difficult to get around camp. For the mobility-impaired: Trails are
dirt and often rough, with some hills. Although the main pavilion has a ramp,
the dining hall, the primary indoor gathering place, and most of the dance
pavilions require climbing steps to reach the floor. There are four
accessible bathrooms at different points in camp. None of the housing
is fully accessible. For the sight-impaired: Pinewoods is spread out over
several acres, connected by dirt trails that are not logically organized.
A companion would probably be needed. Please consult with Judy Savage,
Executive Director, to see whether Pinewoods can meet your needs.
I don't know if I can afford to go to Pinewoods. Are there ways to attend
programs at reduced cost?
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Yes, there are several ways to cut costs. Each user group has some scholarship
money available, which makes the cost of a week much more affordable.
Contact each group for information. Some local dance groups also have
scholarship money available; ask your local leaders about this.
And some groups have programs that are less than a week long,
which are less expensive.
There are also opportunities to work at Pinewoods,
or to be a volunteer crew member. These positions allow you to attend one class
during the day, and the evening dances or concerts, while doing work to benefit
Pinewoods during most of the day. The Executive Director of Pinewoods makes an
effort to save some volunteer and crew spots for people, especially young ones,
who might not be able to afford to come to camp otherwise.
What exactly does "rustic" mean in the description of camp facilities?
I'm not a fan of "sleeping out."
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Rustic means that the facilities are simple, and give you more contact
with nature than modern motels. However, you don’t have to shoot your own
supper or sleep in a hammock! There are one-room cabins, and several
multi-room houses. All are enclosed and have camp-type beds and wooden chairs,
and small closets and dressers. There are hot water and showers in all
areas of camp. Most bathroom facilities are in buildings near a group of cabins,
but have regular toilets and basins. The larger houses have indoor plumbing
as well. However, there is no television, only limited phone service
(and a request that cell phone use be restricted to your own cabin for the
most part), and no air conditioning (other than the breeze) or heat
(other than a fire built in the camphouse fireplace if it gets really cold
some night, which is rare). You can get some idea of what camp is like from
the pictures on the web site.
Do you have to be an expert dancer or musician to come to Pinewoods?
I’ve always heard that it is a very special place, where the dancing
and music are better than most other places.
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It is a very special place, and on average the dancing and music are
better than most other places! And, each program makes a conscious effort
to have options available for dancers or musicians of all ability and
experience levels. There are always a number of people attending Pinewoods
for the first time; you won’t be alone, and you will be very welcome!
I don't know if I want to dance or play music 8 hours a day. Is there
anything else to do at Pinewoods?
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Yes, lots. There is swimming in our two lovely clear water lakes.
The camp has several canoes and kayaks that can be used by any adult camper.
There are trails that lead around one of the lakes, and others that go off
around nearby cranberry growing areas. There are chairs on the deck where
you can read (or nap), with a library of vacation reading. There are
archives about programs at Pinewoods Camp going back many years that can
be fun to look at. Many weeks also have time periods when there are
different kinds of programming, to provide some variety. If you can stand
to leave Pinewoods, there is a state forest nearby; the town of Plymouth
with its famous Rock is a few miles away; Cape Cod and Boston are in easy
driving distance; and there is reenactment of life in the early days at
Plimouth Plantation.
However, few leave camp until they are dragged away at the end of the week;
it becomes a world to itself for most who come to love it.
Is Pinewoods owned by CDSS (or one of the other user groups)?
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No, Pinewoods is owned by Pinewoods Camp, Inc., an independent non-profit
organization. However, the four user groups participated actively in
buying Pinewoods from the Conant family in 1976
(see the History section),
and all of them are represented on the Board of Directors of PCI, which
sets policy for the camp. Pinewoods is intertwined with CDSS and the other
user groups through the shared summer programs. However, the groups have
overlapping but distinct agendas, and their own needs for financial support.
If I give money to Pinewoods, what will it be spent on?
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Unless you request some specific use, your money will be put in the reserve fund
of Pinewoods Camp, Inc. There it will be used to help make repairs to
buildings and infrastructure (like electricity, water, sewage); support the
summer and year-round staff at camp (the director lives on the grounds, and
is involved in work related to camp all year); provide insurance coverage, etc.
There are also a number of major expenses for building renovation on the
horizon, as buildings built many years ago reach the end of their useful life.
We need to be ready for the expenses that will be involved in
those renovations. And, with the pace of development around the Pinewoods
area increasing, we need to have financial flexibility to buy nearby
properties or otherwise participate in keeping the environment safe for
dance and music.
I already give money to one of the user groups;
why should I donate to Pinewoods as well?
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The wonderful experiences you have had at Pinewoods have been due both
to the people and programs provided by your user group(s), and to the
setting and atmosphere provided by Pinewoods Camp. Both are deserving of
your support, and your support is necessary for both to continue to offer
the programs you love.
Pinewoods Camp, Inc. is a non-profit organization. Donations are an
increasingly important part of the operating budget of Pinewoods, as
we strive to keep its fees as low as possible for the user groups so
that a wide variety of people can attend.
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