Camp Pasquaney Tree Talks and Chapel Talks

“We’re not at Pasquaney to escape from life. We’re at Pasquaney to prepare for it.” In the final Chapel Talk of 2026, Director Michael Hanrahan reflects on the seven-week season as a mountain climbed together. He challenges campers to remember the view from the summit, remain loyal to their values, and carry their gratitude into the world through friendship, service, and the choices they make at h...

In the final Tree Talk of Pasquaney's 132nd season, counsellor Crash Ackerly shares a personal reflection on how smartphones and social media quietly consume our lives, and what it looks like to fight back by ‘binding ourselves to the mast’ like Odysseus.

In this chapel talk, Mr. Michael traces Pasquaney's history through each of its directors, detailing times of crisis they faced, from the Great Depression, the hurricane of 1938, and World War II to economic recessions and the camp’s closure in 2020. Their stories reveal an enduring inheritance of leadership, resilience, and devotion to Pasquaney. Drawing on that legacy, Mr. Michael challenges us...

In his seventh-week Tree Talk, Chase Carmody speaks to the boys and counsellors about what it means to buy in and how that commitment can make all the difference in a person’s life. “Buy-in,” Chase says, “is what remains when the excitement wears off. It is the decision to keep showing up, keep trying, and keep caring, even when nobody is watching.”

Long Walk Song 2026 by Pasquaney

In his inspiring Tree Talk, Waterfront Director Porter Barnes reflects on a family mantra born during the three years they lived aboard a sailboat: “Be crew, not passengers.” The saying encourages taking responsibility rather than passively letting life unfold. He connects this lesson to life at Pasquaney, urging campers to contribute actively and showing how doing so builds respect and influence.

Townley Chisholm reflects on how the limited time we have at camp, and in life, creates joy, meaning, and responsibility to be kind to one another.

Third-year counsellor Elliott Randolph IV speaks campers and counsellors about turning personal struggles into strength through self-acceptance, continuous improvement, and serving others.

Second-year counsellor Wyatt Winstead stresses the need for individuals to stand up for what is right, even if it is unpopular, and encourages the boys to be bold, question everything, and take action.

Mr. Michael shares a story about his experience as a kitchen porter in Ireland to illustrate honesty and integrity, and encourages the boys and counsellors to keep adding “bricks” to their foundation of integrity by choosing honesty even in a world where many people are dishonest.

Third-year counsellor Teddy Marquet reflects on “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers—Liverpool FC’s anthem—and how its message echoes his experiences of support and community at Pasquaney.

In this Chapel Talk, Mr. Michael calls on campers and counsellors to leave their masks behind and embrace the opportunity to make lifelong friends.

On the first Sunday of the 2026 season, Mr. Michael talks with the camp community about the opportunities before us this season and our responsibility to seize them.

"It becomes easy to confuse comfort with happiness, but when we're too comfortable, we stop growing, and we start stagnating." In this Chapel Talk, Mr. Michael emphasizes the importance of facing adversity with resilience and fellowship, urging campers to support each other and build a collaborative community while out in the wilderness.

"None of us can see what’s ahead—not next week, not next year, not five years from now. But what we can do is take the next day, the next moment, and the next step. We can embrace the uncertainty and trust that the trail, and the people walking beside us, will guide us toward where we’re meant to go. Sometimes these steps are giant leaps, but more often than not they are small steps that don’t see...

In his Week 6 Chapel Talk, Mr. Michael shares that happiness is not derived from possessions, pleasure, popularity, or power, but rather from living a virtuous life.

In the final Tree Talk of the 2025 Pasquaney season, Jack Turnage shares three suggestions for living well: learn by doing, figure out who and what you love, and use technology in moderation. He emphasizes the importance of practical experience, citing Leonardo da Vinci's approach. He shares lessons from his own experience transitioning from law to teaching, and stresses the significance of buildi...

In 1895, a 14-year-old boy named Nat embarked on a sap-collecting journey, facing challenges and eventually finding his way home. Listen to this story written by Peyton Williams as well his own reflections on the experience of retracing familiar steps but seeing them through older, clearer eyes.

In his Chapel Talk, Townely Chisholm engages campers and counselors in dialogue about learning to live together in ways that maximize happiness for everyone, and how living our lives "in earnest" can help us achieve that goal.

Clay Meredith speaks with the camper body on Tree Talk Ridge about managing anxiety and the importance of having a friend or family member to go to when times are difficult.

JET Easterly deliveres a Tree Talk on the timeless topic of being present. It is a conversation our community has been having more and more each season. In today’s fast-paced world, quiet moments are often filled with noise so quickly and effortlessly, and the importance of taking time to "stop and think" has become more valuable than ever. It is meaningful for campers to hear this message from th...

Rich DeSalvo talks about the meaning of stewardship, and encourages the camper body to take responsibility for their community and one another through small acts of service.

Pasquaney was founded in 1895, and many of its core traditions have remained the same since those early years. However, Camp is always evolving, as are all of us. In his July 11 Tree Talk, Bob Zhang speaks about accepting and embracing change throughout our lives.

Matto Horvat delivers a Tree Talk on what it means to be a good friend.

"A faithful friend is the medicine of life." In Sunday's Chapel Talk, Mr. Michael discuss the importance of authenticity and true friendship, highlighting how masks hinder genuine connections.