In Memory of Jim Tresner

In Memory of Jim Tresner

Jim Tresner, father of our Executive Director James B. Tresner, passed away on Tuesday December 15, 2020 at age 65. Jim was an avid supporter of Wanakee, and loved spending time at camp in all seasons. He participated in the Rec Hall roofing weekend, attended at least one (if not two or three) of our Work Days each year, and traditionally spent at least a week at camp volunteering during the summer as well as helping with the WW5K. He also served on the Finance Committee and as Wanakee’s internal bookkeeper, spending countless hours each month reconciling Wanakee’s books with records kept at the New England Conference.

Jim embodied the connectional nature of the United Methodist movement. He grew up attending Community UMC in Massapequa, NY, where his father still attends. Jim’s parents and grandparents were United Methodists, and his beloved grandmother lived out her final years in the Brooks-Howell Home, a UMC retirement community in Asheville, NC. Soon after marrying, Jim and his wife Edith worked at the Lydia Patterson Institute, a UMC school serving primarily students from Ciudad Juarez, located in El Paso, TX. Jim was the Business Director for 3 years. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Hartford (CT) for over two decades, and Wanakee has been an important part of his family’s life since 1998. You may read Jim’s full obituary here.

To celebrate and honor Jim’s commitment to his faith, his dedication to the UMC and to Wanakee in particular, and in light of current needs, the Tresner family, with the support of Wanakee’s Board of Directors, is asking that gifts in Jim’s memory be given to Wanakee to support improvements to our Health Center.

Wanakee's current health center, located in the southern side of our iconic Farmhouse, contains a health office and one room for campers to rest and recover. In addition, there is one bedroom allocated as the sleeping quarters for the health officer.

As Wanakee plans for future summer camping seasons, upgrading or replacing the health center has increasingly become a priority. Beyond having a health center that will meet our needs during a pandemic, we also seek to create a space where campers can experience an increased level of privacy and comfort.

Presently, the rest and recovery room has only three beds, divided by hanging curtains, and offers limited privacy because it connects to Wanakee's living room and lies underneath staff sleeping quarters. Additionally, the bathroom accessible to campers under the health officer's care is shared by staff and visitors. The health office also adjoins the Farmhouse living room, a communal kitchen, and a stairwell used frequently by staff. With passersby and shared bathroom facilities, as well as increased focus on this area in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the current health center layout is less than ideal for our summer camp operations.

While the details of this project are not yet finalized, an upgraded or new health center will provide an increased level of privacy and comfort for our campers, both during a routine visit with the health officer and, in the case of a longer stay, in one of the rest and recovery rooms. It will also provide more comfortable space for our health officers, who have traditionally been volunteers. It is likely that a complete, long-term improvement to this area of our infrastructure will cost $100,000-$250,000.

This project is being funded, in part, by the family of Jim Tresner, and has received initial pledges of $20,000. You can make a donation in honor of Jim here or by sending a check to Wanakee and writing 'Jim Tresner Memorial' in the memo line.

Donate by check

• Mail your check to Wanakee, 75 Upper New Hampton Road, Meredith, NH 03253-9516.

• Designate “In Memory of Jim Tresner” on the memo line.

Donating from outside the United States

Use the information below and email Wanakee to let us know to expect your gift.

Bank: Bank of America N A

Address: 222 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

ABA #: 026009593

Acct #: 004640479097

Swift Code: BOFAUS3N

Account Name: New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church ACH/Wire Deposit Account

Account Address: 411 Merrimack St #200, Methuen, MA 01844

Reference: Wanakee Donation

Wires sent in US dollars will use Swift Code: BOFAUS3N