#27573 Leila Stevens was introduced to Camp Dudley by her late husband #11373 Michael Stevens. They were looking for a wedding venue in 1995 and Mike asked her how she would feel about getting married at a boy’s camp. He had spent his childhood summers at CD along with two of his older sisters (#13293 Kristin Stevens and #13303 Stephanie Stevens) who were some of the first young women to get camp numbers working on the staff at Dudley. Leila was quick to recognize that Mike’s connections to his Dudley camper friends were some of the most meaningful of his life. Leila had spent the previous four years across the lake in her OB/GYN residency program at UVM so she knew the beauty of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack mountains and didn’t hesitate to say yes to Mike’s query. A lovely and eventful (ask Leila for details when you see her) Camp Dudley wedding weekend ensued in May of 1996. Two years later #21373 Will Stevens was born, quickly followed by #22073 Owen Stevens. Both Stevens boys knew from their earliest days that they would spend at least one summer in Westport, NY, on the shores of Lake Champlain. 

Leila and Mike settled in Fairfield County, CT, where Leila joined a busy OB/GYN practice. There were frequent trips to Camp Dudley for camp drop-off, pick-up, alumni weekends, and visits off-season. Hymn sings and Sunday chapels were a part of the package, and over the years Leila grew to love this special place and community that welcomed her so warmly. Mike served on the Camp Dudley and Kiniya Board from 2011 to 2015 and Leila witnessed, through his involvement, the dedication and diligence that the board members demonstrated in their advisory position on nearly every aspect of the inner workings of Camp Dudley/Kiniya. What a special honor it was for him to be a part of that group. 

Leila is so excited and humbled to be a member of the board at this point in her life. Sadly, Mike passed away suddenly in 2023, and this position keeps her close to an entity that was so very important to him. She now practices part-time office gynecology and both her boys have “grown and flown” so she feels it is the perfect chance to take some time to give back to a place which has given the Stevens family so much. There is a sense of peace and calm that she feels each and everytime she drives the Northway, enters the Adirondack Park, and ultimately the stunning CD campus. She can’t wait to help in whatever way she is needed to assist in the mission of “the other fellow first.”