Presented by #20001 Marnie McDonagh

When I came away from my interview with Mollie Farnham-Stratton camper #22406 at a tiny little coffee shop in NH, I knew I had just met someone special! Recruiting for the ideal person to become the Director of Kiniya’s Outdoors Program at the time, it took only 2 hours for me to know that I had found the perfect match! 

Having been introduced to Camp Dudley by her now-husband Bill Stratton camper #15069, Mollie joined the staff at Dudley’s hike-hut in 2011, while simultaneously working towards her Masters in Social Work & Outdoor Education from the University of New Hampshire. 

During her time at Dudley, Mollie was tasked with redesigning and reengineering the outdoor Curriculum for the Aides.  As with anything Mollie takes on, the resulting experience had appropriate challenges, innovative activities, and lots of room for self-reflection and learning for the young leaders. Mollie loved her time at Dudley and was intrigued by the possibility of joining us at Kiniya to continue her career in outdoor education.

With the combination of her Outdoors experience, her institutional Dudley knowledge, and her Masters in Clinical Social Work, Mollie accepted the position to join our small yet mighty Kiniya year-round Team in 2014 and has been a valued and loved team member ever since. 

Upon arrival, she dove right into all aspects of planning and execution to create the best possible Outdoor Program that we could deliver. She was instrumental in the design of our Challenge Course Curriculum and the training that went in annually to ensure we were prepared to offer the highest quality program possible. A skilled facilitator and teacher, her commitment to experiential learning can be seen anytime she is with a group. She models all aspects of the Challenge course contract: Be Safe, Be Committed, Be responsible, Be respectful, and Have Fun.

Through the years, Mollie has balanced her role as Outdoor Education Director and Camp Social Worker masterfully, supporting all of us emotionally and continuing to share her deep love for the outdoors.

She has worked tirelessly in these past 7 years to enhance the overall mission by providing services that strengthen camp/family/community & support. She has worked in direct support of me and our Boys Camp Director, Matt Storey, as a sounding board and confidante, as we navigate the complex challenges in supporting the overall camp community.

Above all, Mollie has helped nurture the positive, authentic and supportive community we love today. She is a loving and supportive presence in all of our daily lives at Kiniya and a constant role model and mentor to all.

For these reasons and so many more, we are extremely proud to dedicate the 2021 Spirit to #22406 Mollie Farnham-Stratton.