Behold the Turtle

Kenneth A. Walsh

Barbara Jolovitz

Illustrated by Michael Boardman

This is a tale told by me, Chelydra serpentina serpentina – Turtle, about how three men entered my sanctuary on McGrath Pond in Oakland, Maine, where I dreamed about fairies, Indians, pirates and happy things and where Lester Jolovitz, George Keller and Richard Hawkes dreamed about a YMCA summer camp to be known as Camp Tracy, a place where children would be safe doing happy things in a summer camp setting.

Their dreams grew to include a 2/3rds replica of Fenway Park with baseball legends and coaches helping campers play better baseball, a climbing wall where campers were having so much fun that I stuck my neck out and found the courage to try it and succeeded, and an outdoor theater where campers could perform and entertain their parents and me.

Lester, George and Dick are no longer with us. My friend Peter Pan said: Never say goodbye, because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting. They did not say goodbye as their legacy of having a safe and happy place for children remains and has not been forgotten. I hope you have not said goodbye to your dreams of fairies, Indians, pirates and happy things. 

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Barbara Jolovitz

Michael Boardman

Ken Walsh