In the photo, Past President Clint Dalton, President Ray Morley, and Y Executive Director Chris BevilacquaLast week, Ipswich-Rowley Rotarians took their weekly meeting to Camp Cedar Mill, an Ipswich Family Y youth camp in Rowley. Rotary President Ray Morley marked the occasion by presenting our host, Rotarian and Y Executive Director Chris Bevilacqua, with this year’s ‘Gerry Beauchamp Scholarship’ donation. Our scholarship, which is named for a beloved long-time Executive Director and Rotarian, will enable 100 area youth to attend camp this summer.
Camp Cedar Mill sits on 207 wooded acres, featuring an outdoor swimming pool, lots of summer activities, and on-site cabins and lodges. Rotarians had a unique opportunity to savor the beautiful surroundings while learning how to use a Dutch Oven cooker from Rotarian Cindy Quinn. President Ray dubbed her our official ‘Dutch Oven Queen”.
Retired teacher and current 'Dutch Oven Queen', Cindy Quinn demonstrated the proper use of a classic Dutch Oven. Gerry Beauchamp really left his mark on our communities as Executive Director. During his long tenure, the Y expanded significantly, highlighted by the Rotary supported indoor pool wing in 2015 and the creation of camp facilities in Rowley. Acting on behalf of the Y, Gerry negotiated the initial lease terms with the Town of Rowley. For many years, Gerry also organized and led the annual Rotary Road Race initiatives. The proceeds from that event funds our scholarships to local High School graduates and the Y campers, as well as funding other club projects. Prior to his untimely death in 2017, one of Gerry’s last contributions to Rotary was to upgrade our ‘Appleton 10K’ fundraiser to the ‘Ipswich Ale Half Marathon’, which is run each Spring from Castle Hill and has proven to be very successful.
Sadly, Gerry is gone, but his legacy lives on in Rotary and at the Ipswich Family YMCA.