Board Leader Helps Hundreds of Kids Experience Summer Camp

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ben Kern. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Growing up, Ben Kern spent his summers on a lake in Maine with his cousins—swimming, exploring the woods and soaking up long days outside as they created their own little summer camp. Those carefree summers were formative, and the memories stayed with him well into adulthood.

Today, Ben is working to give that same sense of freedom and possibility to kids who might never otherwise get to experience camp. As board president of Agassiz Village, a 90-year-old overnight summer camp in Maine serving primarily low-income youth, he’s poured his time, talent and financial expertise into expanding access. Over the past five years, he’s become one of the camp’s biggest champions—personally contributing more than $30,000 and helping secure $150,000 in additional support from PwC and L.L. Bean.

Through roles as president, former governance chair and finance committee member, Ben has helped Agassiz Village deepen its mission of preparing youth for life’s journey—giving kids a chance to enjoy the outdoors, discover hidden talents and build skills that last long after summer ends.

What inspired you to get involved with Agassiz Village?

I actually became aware of Agassiz coincidentally through my employer. But I grew up spending all of my summers on a nearby lake about 20 minutes away with a number of extended cousins. We had our own little mini-Agassiz summer camp with no less than eight to 10 of us, sometimes 12, running around at any given time.

I know how formative that was for me as a child. So I wanted to get involved with something that does the same for other children, and arguably children who frankly need that support and those opportunities even more than I did.

As board president, what does your role involve?

Day-to-day, I really serve from an overall governance perspective. But we have an incredible team led by our executive director, Lisa Carter—plus our development director Mike Smith, our facilities personnel Ryan and our camp director Chris. They make everything easier.

I often serve as a sounding board for Lisa on strategic initiatives she wants to undertake and help bring a governance lens to decision-making. But candidly, the team makes it easy.

Why is Agassiz Village’s mission so meaningful to you?

The mission is to prepare youth for life’s journey, and that says it all. The world can be a cruel and unfair place. Having a safe haven for kids to come back to every summer—and to strive toward each year—matters.

When I think back to my own childhood, I spent every year returning to Maine and updating my cousins and friends on what I had done over the past year. That created motivation to do something meaningful in between summers. Being involved with something that provides that same kind of grounding and inspiration for other kids felt very worthwhile.

What sort of background or situations are some of your campers coming from?

I don’t have the exact income levels, but many are below the poverty line. Almost 40% report some level of homelessness. Others may have a parent who is incarcerated or face other extremely difficult circumstances at home—beyond just financial hardship.

What does camp look like for the kids you serve? What kinds of activities help build life skills?

A lot of our programming is rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL). But a huge part of it is simply getting kids outdoors, into nature.

Many of our campers come from dense urban areas where there aren’t lakes to swim in or woods to explore. Being in the forest, seeing wildlife, swimming in the lake, being in a remote setting—it’s all very different for them. It lets kids just be kids.

Is there a particular moment with a camper that you always remember?

I don’t know if there’s one single moment. There are so many. The kids are extremely polite, thoughtful and articulate. It’s clear they love camp.

I’m always impressed by their answers when we ask questions, especially when they talk about the waterfront and swimming. Many come to camp having never swum before, so they’re proud of the badges they earn as they progress. It’s fun to see that growth.

Another thing that has struck me is meeting former campers—people who went to Agassiz decades ago. The impact the camp had on their lives is unmistakable. They’re deeply committed to the cause because the camp made such a difference for them.

You helped secure $150,000 in corporate support from PwC and L.L. Bean. How did those partnerships form?

My company is very supportive of individual community outreach. If I can demonstrate significant personal commitment, the firm and our charitable foundation are willing to consider additional grant dollars. And they’ve clearly deemed Agassiz worthy.

As for L.L. Bean, that was really their own decision. I helped open the door and introduce them to Agassiz based on relationships I had with the company—they’re a PwC client I served for a time—but it was no more than an introduction. I told them, “If you’re interested, we’d love to show you the camp.” And they saw the alignment and came on board. It’s been great.

Are there upcoming initiatives or partnerships you’re excited about?

All of the above. We were recently awarded a project through Harvard’s Community Activity Partners, where a group of alumni volunteers are helping us refresh our strategic plan. It’s a six-month project digging into our financials and operating programs.

What are your long-term goals for Agassiz Village?

We just finished our 90th anniversary, and I hope to see Agassiz thriving at year 100—completely in its stride. We’re in the early stages of the quiet phase of our Capital Campaign, which will help us shore up our older facilities. And then we’re looking toward creating an endowment to ensure long-term stability and affordability.

We’re also always looking for additional youth-based organizations to partner with so we can reach more deserving children.

Why should people get involved with causes they care about?

Our day jobs can be a grind, so selfishly, volunteering gives me enjoyment. But beyond that, we have a responsibility to look out for one another. Some people have easier lives than others. Any way we can be kinder and make a difference in someone’s life is worth our time.

Do you have advice for people who want to start volunteering?

Find a cause that resonates with you—and just get involved. Nobody’s going to tell you “no” if you want to help. It doesn’t have to start with a board role. There are volunteer opportunities everywhere.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Ben? Find local volunteer opportunities.