Lolla Page’s beautiful new poem from Tent Row ’66 is a love letter to Lake Aloaloa, Council Ring nights and the friendships that have held fast for sixty summers and more. As you read their words about threads unbroken and “The Spirit of Nakanawa,” let it nudge you to reach out to your own Tent Row and make sure you’re registered to come back, sing together and keep those TIES strong at this year’s reunion events.
Sixty summers circle back to one bright place in time— Tent Row ‘66, still standing in the echo of our rhyme.
Pensacola gathers us again, not just to reminisce, but to feel the threads unbroken in every laugh and kiss.
Sixty-five years of friendship— a lifetime, and then some— woven through Lake Aloaloa’s shores where we first became “we,” from “one.”
Amazon fierce, Valkyrie strong, we carried banners high, not just in games or victories, but in the way we tried.
Council Ring beneath the stars, hands joined, voices clear, where stories shaped our younger selves and still draw us back here.
“The Spirit of Nakanawa”— our anthem, bold and true— not just a song we used to sing, but a promise we still do.
Time has weathered, softened, changed, yet something holds us fast— a lake, a song, a circle wide, where present meets the past.
Nakanawa Sponsors Fifth Annual Crossville Character Banquet
A crowd of outstanding young athletes, their coaches, families and banquet sponsors filled the Cumberland County Community Center on the evening of April 11 for the Fifth Annual Character Banquet. The event honors character with college scholarships awarded to nominees from Cumberland County and Stone Memorial High Schools. Camp Nakanawa’s name and directors were prominent on this special evening, an initiative of Pepe and Ann Perron, to promote values we share: team over self, sportsmanship before score, hard work with personal integrity.
Keynote speaker Chris Lofton, University of Tennessee All-American basketball star and recent Hall of Fame inductee was a focus of the festive evening. Tennessee orange was prominent in the room, but Nakanawa provided table runners in sky blue and gold for the CCHS Jets and black and gold for the SMHS Panthers. The Nakanawa office crew extraordinaire including Program Administrator Corie Wilson, Registrar Rene’ Smith, Executive Director Cindy DuBose and David BuBose were vital to set-up and clean-up as they greeted local leaders from the education, business and health care sectors of Crossville. Master of Ceremonies Pepe coordinated introductions and thank-you’s. Cindy DuBose gave the blessing before dinner.
Twenty-three nominees representing all high-school teams submitted essays on character; three athletes from each high school were chosen to receive $500 college scholarships. Their honors extend a different kind of win, $500 to their teams. This year’s cross country, soccer, girls’ flag football, tennis and basketball teams have double victories.
Chris Lofton recounted stories of dedicated practice, clutch-victories, lonely disappointments and challenges to his faith in times of adversity. The grit and work ethic Chris brought to his team delivered great wins and long after the buzzer, his humility and grateful attitude exemplify character-based leadership for which Nakanawa is proud to stand.
Shelly Landau recently returned from CU Boulder, where she recertified with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Wilderness First Aid program. This two‑day course prepared students to assess, treat and make critical decisions for injured or ill people in remote environments—skills that fit hand‑in‑glove with Camp Nakanawa’s long commitment to safe outdoor adventure.
Note Taking
Shelly's studious scribing during the two day event.
NOLS Handouts
Illustrations of specific wraps for injuries while in the wild.
Workshops
First person POV at the National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness First Aid
Shelly brings this knowledge back to camp to help educate and train her fellow counselors. During counselor training, Shelly and Margaret Matens give “an overview of basic hiking first aid while at Nakanawa,” which reminds everyone that our safety practices are rooted in the real places our girls explore—from trails around the lake and the Dam to nearby Cumberland Cove, “only a 15 minute drive from camp… at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.” Using slides filled with familiar photos and stories, Shelly walks counselors through the everyday issues we’ve quietly managed for generations: dehydration, sunburn and heat illness, insect stings and ticks, blisters and the occasional sprained ankle.
She gives simple but powerful habits—packing water, hats, sunscreen, insect repellent and closed‑toe shoes; drinking before you feel thirsty; and treating every sting with care, including knowing when an epi‑pen and 911 are needed—showing how good planning makes adventure possible. In this way, today’s training echoes the example set in the 1920s by Col. Rice, who first inspired our Bold & Ready outdoor education by leading campers on long trail walks from camp to Cumberland Cove, where they camped out and explored the Plateau. His spirit of preparation, resilience and love for the woods still motivates us every time we lace up our boots and head down the trail with our girls.
Shelly, Margaret and the entire Bold & Ready team continue Nakanawa’s long history of pairing outdoor exploration with thoughtful, up‑to‑date safety. For more than a century we’ve taken girls into the woods, along the trails and out onto the water, always with trained counselors, on‑site nurses and doctors and clear protocols guiding each step. As Shelly says, we are “really looking for some young blood to start taking this on,” and we are still seeking active, enthusiastic Bold & Ready counselors who feel called to carry this legacy forward for the next generation of Nakanawa girls. That legacy continues in our Bold & Ready program, where campers hike to places like Cumberland Cove, play in the waterfalls and learn to love wild spaces—backed by leaders who know that “YOU set the tone” and that true boldness grows best in a carefully tended, safe environment. Wo‑He‑Lo!
The echoes of campers laughing and the sunlight shimmering on Lake Aloaloa carry more than nostalgia for Mariela Moscoso, TR 90. Those echoes carry the voices of three generations of women whose lives were shaped by the same summer magic.
Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mariela’s journey to Nakanawa began long before she was born. “My mother passed on the tradition to me,” she recalls warmly. “And she inherited it from my grandmother. I’m a third-generation Amazon. That connection makes our bond to camp even more special.”
Mariela spent “six unforgettable summers” at Nakanawa. “I loved tennis, horseback riding, and arts and crafts,” she says, smiling at the memory of her hand-made lap desk and her first cross- stitch project. “And Casey’s leadership and Jeep’s fabulous sense of humor made everything magical for me.”
The memories she treasures most are soulful. “Singing under the stars by the campfire, the thrill of riding horses in open fields, and the excitement of getting the yearbook with everyone’s addresses. Those small, perfect moments shaped me.”
Mariela’s path led her to The Catholic University of America, where she earned a BA in Archaeology and a Minor in Art History, followed by a Masters in Arts Education from NYU. Her professional life has been an extension of what Nakanawa taught her — leadership, creativity, and service.
She has spent years uplifting young voices through the arts and engagement in cultural diversity as Executive Director of YEAH! (Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities), as a youth advocate at Monroe Harding, and as a champion for Latino communities with HOLA Indiana. “My love for developing storytelling, culture, and community was fostered at camp,” she reflects. “Art builds confidence, empathy, and connection, the same values I learned at Nakanawa.”
After fifteen years in New York City, Mariela moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 2017 and now calls Spring Hill home. There, she and her husband are raising their two children, a son in high school and a daughter preparing for her fourth summer at camp, plus two cats who, as Mariela jokes, “rule the household.”
Returning to camp as an adult felt like stepping back into a cherished photograph for Mariela. “I was not able to attend camp as a counselor, but after we moved back to the area, I was overjoyed to stop by and show my family where I spent so many summers; and my favorite return to camp was dropping our daughter off for her first summer.”
Even years later, Mariela keeps in touch with camp friends through reunion chats and old photo swaps. “We may not see each other often, but the bond is still there,” she says. “Those friendships and the lessons behind them last a lifetime.” Between her work, her family, and her love of tennis and gardening, Mariela continues to live out the spirit of Nakanawa. “Camp taught me to find joy in community and confidence in my voice,” she says. “Now I try to pass that same spark to every young person I meet.” For Mariela, the magic of Nakanawa isn’t just a childhood memory, it’s a legacy, stitched carefully into every story she tells, every lesson she teaches, and every song she sings beneath the stars.
The Executive Director Search Committee has spent the past few months meeting and interviewing a talented pool of candidates. While their respective backgrounds and experience were varied, they all shared one important trait: love and respect for Nakanawa, her traditions and her values. We are grateful for those who expressed such a deep commitment to camp and are fortunate to count them as part of our Nakanawa family.
On behalf of the search committee, we are excited and honored to officially welcome Cindy Alexander Dubose ’86 as our next Executive Director. As a former camper and longtime counselor, she brings a deep love for camp and a spirit of mentorship to help counselors and campers experience their best selves through camp and throughout the year.
You can learn about Cindy below and will hear more from her throughout the year. Thank you for your shared enthusiasm as we carried out this important search.
The Executive Director Search Committee
Pamela Griffith Pabian ‘03 and Alex Seblatnigg ’88, co-chairs
Wyeth Burgess ‘75
Ginny Bass Carl ‘79
Georgia Graham Mattern ‘81
Lori Wagner ‘86
Cynthia Alexander DuBose grew up in deep South Texas along the border with Mexico. Her experiences in the small town of Edinburg taught her to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of many cultures and appreciate the beauty of nature. Her mother, LuAnn Alexander, was a Nakanawa counselor in the 1950s and encouraged Cindy and her older sister, Sharon, to join the fun at camp. In 1980 as a Junior Camper, Cindy first experienced the joy of a summer at Nakanawa. As part of Tent Row 1986, she was elected Amazon Secretary. While attending the University of Texas at Austin, Cindy served three summers as a cabin counselor while teaching tennis and sailing at Nakanawa. She returned to camp in 2015 as a tennis counselor. Since 2016, Cindy has served as Junior Camp Head Counselor for the Two- and Four-Week sessions.
For 30 years Cindy taught social studies, served as an instructional leader and coached tennis in Texas public high schools. She recently retired from her role as Instructional Dean for Lady Bird Johnson High School in San Antonio. During her teaching career, she received several recognitions including Johnson Campus Teacher of the Year, Lady Bird Johnson Legacy Award and McAllen ISD District Technology Teacher of the Year. Her husband David also recently retired after serving as a Licensed School Psychologist in several middle and high schools for over 30 years in the San Antonio area. Cindy and David have been married since 2008. They both share a love of working with students of all abilities and all ages. The DuBose family would not be complete without their dog, Lulu, an energetic six-year-old Vizla who is definitely going to enjoy her time at camp. She looks forward to making many new friends at Nakanawa.
Cindy loves all things outdoors and looks forward to being in the beauty of the Cumberland Plateau. She grew up playing tennis and other sports. Recently, she has caught the golf bug and competes in LPGA Amateur events and her team has qualified for several national tournaments. At camp, Cindy loves opportunities to sail, canoe, hike, fish and simply watch the starry sky at night.
Cindy is a natural camp counselor. She can plan a day of activities then pivot when rain threatens to cancel the fun. Her talent for making learning experiences fun is rare. As part of the Nakanawa leadership team for the past decade, Cindy considers herself fortunate to have been mentored by the outstanding leaders that have shaped Nakanawa’s transition to a non-profit organization. She is grateful that Karen, Ann and Pepe have generously shared their knowledge and expertise regarding camp. Cindy looks forward to working with the Nakanawa Board of Directors, leadership team, staff, alumni, parents, counselors and especially the campers to build on Nakanawa’s strong history to provide a joyful and transformative experience. Her favorite line is “Nakanawa girls can do anything”. She believes camp prepares young girls for life’s challenges and offers lasting relationships that will carry them through good and bad times. Cindy is humbled and excited to continue the traditions of camp, serve our Nakanawa community and provide summers of joy for many years to come.
The “Hats Off to Karen Hale” campaign has been a joyful outpouring of gratitude, with a sea of hats—caps, visors, cowboy hats, and everything in between—tipped in Karen’s honor. It has been moving to see so many current campers, alumnae, counselors, staff, and families pause and send their love and heartfelt messages to Karen as she steps away after a lifetime of commitment to Camp Nakanawa. Each tribute is unique, but every single one brims with appreciation for Karen’s courage, humor, hospitality, and unwavering dedication.
With well over 25 hat tips pouring in from Tennessee to Texas and far beyond, this campaign is a true reminder of how many lives Karen has touched. Click to see the video tributes and relive the Nakanawa spirit we all share.
With 75 campers, 68 mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends, and 28 smiling staff, camp was alive with laughter and fun. Families enjoyed horseback riding, a lively Nature class featuring Toadally Awesome, the toad, Charlie the snake, and baby raccoons, plus camp songs, arts & crafts, and—of course—s’mores! The highlight was a spirited mother–daughter game of Double Trouble that had everyone cheering. New friendships were made, memories were shared, and the camp spirit shone brightly all weekend. Best of all, the weekend sparked 15 registrations for the 2026 camp season!
A big thank-you goes to Blair Mayfield Rissing, Ashley Thomas Smith, and Samantha Lunn for their wonderful planning and leadership. Special thanks to the campers and counselors who gave their time and energy to lead activities and groups—you made the weekend truly unforgettable! And a heartfelt thank-you to Chris and Nicole Deluzain Dezendorf TR ‘89 for cooking such delicious meals that kept everyone fueled and happy.
All attendees reported that they enjoyed MDW, and 100% would recommend MDW to others. Mothers’ comments included enjoying “spending time with my daughter and making new friends. Her favorite was the nature lessons.” Other highlights were “Canoeing and swimming, evening entertainment, time at the Crow’s Nest.” Our staff were just as positive: “This MDW went so smoothly, well paced and with genuine hospitality all around. Keep it just like this one!”
Mother Daughter Weekend 2025 was a great success! Every Senior cabin was in use, and the sunset cookout was picture-perfect. First-timers did not want to go home. Stay tuned next spring for registration details! Mother-Daughter Weekend returns September 18-20, 2026, inviting new and returning families to experience our special camp community.
I think this MDW went so smoothly, well paced and with genuine hospitality all around. Keep it just like this one!
Before you go, we want you to know, it’s been such fun the things we’ve done!
Alongside her warm, personal magic with the campers, unflagging sense of humor, countless cook-outs and splashy back-flip dives, Executive Director Karen Rathgeber Hale has led Nakanwa through a once-in-a-hundred-years period of organizational change, growth and community building.
During her time at the helm, Camp Nakanawa has seen:
– five summers of consecutively rising camper enrollment and retention;
– the resurfacing of the tennis courts and building of dazzling new docks in Junior and Senior Camps;
– the addition of year-round professionals in counselor recruitment, counselor training, media production and equine management;
– consultation with arborists and environmental scientists on healthy maintenance of our forests in an era of destructive storms;
– initial staging of enhanced security including installed emergency radio systems and ongoing security gate design;
– national networking with the American Camping Association and among kindred private camp directors;
– fostering Nakanawa goodwill to strengthen local community relationships.
Thank you, Karen, for your energy, hard work and dedication to all things Nakanawa. Gifts made in your honor are already enriching our campers and programs.
All of us have at least one Nakanawa touchstone. For Elizabeth Lewis Sankovitch (TR 77), Camp provided her the opportunity to commune with and appreciate the nature around her. The lake, the woods, the sound of the frogs at night. “Connecting with nature has always provided me with a deep sense of peace.” Elizabeth “loved being at camp for 8 weeks each summer with my camp friends”. She enjoyed challenging herself in all activities and during her 6 years as a camper earned club in Soccer, Tennis, Posture, Archery, Glee Club, Fencing, Sailing (Skipper), Horseback Riding (Tally-Ho) and Canoeing (War Canoe). To say Elizabeth was a busy and committed camper is an understatement. Both of Elizabeth’s daughters, Laura Sankovitch King (TR 05) and Sarah Sankovitch (TR 10) were campers. Laura for 10 summers and Sarah for 11 summers. Elizabeth said, “Knowing my daughters were able to have the same wholesome opportunity I had to enjoy all that camp has to offer, and gain the Nakanawa spirit, made me so overjoyed.” After graduating from Smith College with a B.A. in Economics and Government and a minor in American Studies, Elizabeth continued her education and earned her MBA in Marketing from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. She lives in Evansville, IN with her husband Jeff and 2 cats recused by Laura. But Camp Nakanawa was never far from her mind. “During COVID, our TR group started zoom visits. It was awesome to strike up our friendships again and revisit stories that made us laugh so hard the years melted away and we were silly 14-year-olds again”, said Elizabeth. She and several of her TR 77 friends attended Service Weekend in May of this year. “We all discussed how wonderful the Nature Hut programs have been for campers. We met with Margaret Hawkins Matens and asked how we could support this beloved activity to keep it alive for future campers.” One of the gifts we all receive from Nakanawa is reflection – of our times there as young girls; as mothers, aunts, grandmothers of current campers; and as alumnae with hearts open to continue to give back to this place we all hold dear. On her trip home in May, Elizabeth thought of ways to contribute to nature programs at camp. “Appreciating the natural world around us is critical to girls’ character development, mental health, and lifelong curiosity. To this day, I see Margaret’s influence in the lives of my daughters as they fearlessly pick up a snake, stop to watch an insect, rescue a critter or advocate for environmental preservation.” Elizabeth and her daughters joined together to make a generous donation to camp designating their gift for the purchase of an incubator for baby animals, as well as other Nature Hut supplies, programs, and building projects for both Junior and Senior camps. They believe the awe of flora and fauna fostered at Nakanawa helps campers grow in their love of nature and become champions of saving our precious planet. They gave the gift in honor of Margaret Hawkins Matens who left a positive imprint on each of their lives as a Senior riding counselor for Elizabeth and the Junior Nature Hut counselor for Laura and Sarah. We thank all three of you for your continued support of Nakanawa and wish Elizabeth well in her retirement as she and her husband Jeff fulfill their quest to visit every United States National Park. As she so passionately shared, “Nature = peace, peace, peace!”
1976 second year senior last day. Top Row: Elizabeth Lewis, Mary Fischer, Cynthia Yeager, Jane Beth Parker, Allison Horon; Bottom Row: Kathy Glover, Frances Robinson, Lisa Wolfe
Dressed up to go to The Cumberland Playhouse 1976 (Second Year Senior). Top Row: Mary Fischer, Elizabeth Lewis, Frances Robinson, Cynthia Yeager, Kathy Glover; Bottom Row: Jane Beth Parker, Allison Horan.
Service Weekend 2025. TR ’77. Top Row: Allison Horan, Pride Forney, Charlotte Cunningham, Frances Robinson; Bottom Row: Danna English, Elizabeth Lewis, Kathy Glover, Charlotte RobinsonElizabeth’s daughter, Laura, TR ’05.Elizabeth’s daughter, Laura, TR ’05.
May Musings: As we look forward to the Service Weekend 2025, many thoughts and plans begin to take shape.
They say April showers bring May flowers… but around here, May brings rakes, paintbrushes, pruners — and an enthusiastic band of volunteers. Service Weekend was a big success! A huge thanks to everyone who came out to help get camp looking sharp. We were especially thrilled to be joined by the reunion crew from TR ’77. Let’s just say: they still know their way around a broom and a good camp story.
Camp is getting itself in tip-top form for the arrival of our campers — and we’ve got more of them than last year! Enrollment is up 6%, which tells us one thing loud and clear: the great outdoors still beats great Wi-Fi. Time spent in nature, screen-free, is something families are truly valuing — and we’re thrilled to be part of that unplugged magic.
We’ve also begun welcoming our international staff, bringing a whole world of energy and new perspectives. Each day, more of our summer team arrives, and every new face makes it feel more real: camp is happening.
I can’t wait until it all comes together with the laughter of campers and counselors! Until then, here’s a chuckle for you:
What did the graham cracker say to the marshmallow at the campfire?
“You make me feel all warm and gooey inside!”
Until next month — keep your sunscreen handy and your bug spray closer.
Campfully yours,
Karen
Paige, Alden, and Emily on Crow’s Nest during sunset.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
