Aunt Marion & Uncle Max

“If I EVER get out of this alive, let’s start a school or a camp.”

Max Caldwell wrote to his wife, Marion, from an ammunition ship in the Pacific during World War II.  From these simple words grew Kennolyn Camps, a 450-acre paradise with a residential camp, day camp, and conference center nestled in the redwood mountains of Santa Cruz, California.

Before the war, Max and Marion had both been teachers, and loved working with children. Welcoming their very first campers in 1946 was a dream come true!  They named the camp after their children, Ken and Carolyn, and began with a 60-acre site and 26 campers. That first year, 11 of the campers were nieces and nephews, who called them Aunt Marion and Uncle Max.  The names stuck, and staff, campers and parents lovingly called them Aunt Marion and Uncle Max for the rest of their lives.

Today, Kennolyn welcomes more than 2,000 campers and 200 staff each year. What an achievement!  Kennolyn has touched 100,000+ children’s lives, and continues to influence the Camp industry with pioneering leadership.

Before founding Kennolyn, Aunt Marion was a Drama and Speech teacher for high school students.  Later, she became a founding member of WAIC (Western Association of Independent Camps), which has shaped the camp industry.  A past President on the WAIC Board, she also held Board positions with the ACA (American Camp Association), the regulatory body that sets professional standards for the Camp industry.

Uncle Max was both an elementary school teacher and a school principal. Alongside Marion, he was a founding member as well as past President of WAIC.  He was also President of the ACA’s Northern California chapter.