Wingate Kirkland is a tightly knit community. Each camper's bunk serves as his or her core group, and it is easy for children to make new friends here. With 175 campers, everybody knows each other. Through choosing their own activities, boys mix with girls, and younger campers mix with older campers. The Brother/Big Sister program facilitates this connection in a more formal manner. In the spring, older campers are paired with younger ones and write a letter to them prior to camp. This relationship continues throughout the summer, as Big Brothers and Sisters help their younger counterparts choose periods, eat meals with them, and partner with them in some evening activities. Campers plays an important role in running the community. Not only do bunks take turns serving meals and planning evening activities, campers and staff can submit positive ideas to make Wingate Kirkland better. Everyone is encouraged to offer suggestions about anything to do with camp. All of the suggestions are read by Sandy and Will at Evening Forum, when the whole community gathers to review the highlights of that day. In addition to reading and discussing ideas from the Suggestion Box, campers and counselors make announcements to recognize each other's achievements. Wingate Kirkland also offers campers the chance to discover the fun and benefits of helping the community at large and preserving our natural environment. Homeless shelter initiatives, fundraisers for battered women's shelters, trail preservations, and nursing home programs are just a few of the things that campers can do each year for community service. Campers come away from their summer here knowing they made a difference.