Hancock’s annual summer camp could be at risk of cancellation unless the town can find a new director to head the program.

Previous directors Deb Coyne and Jen Booth ran the program for five years before deciding to step down for the summer of 2024, and the town’s Recreation Department now hopes a community member or members will step up to take the reins.

Recreation Committee members Jessica Quinn and Meghan Gould met with the Select Board on Monday to discuss the issue. Noting that parents have already started reaching out to them about the possibility of a 2024 program, Gould and Quinn expressed their desire for it to continue.

“We’re happy to help because we don’t want to see it go away,” said Gould, but she added that they could not commit themselves to the director position due to their regular duties as Recreation Committee members and inexperience with running a summer camp. They noted that candidates should ideally have a background in teaching, particularly young children, and should be first aid- and CPR-trained. 

Acknowledging that their job posting in the local Hancock Happenings newsletter hadn’t resulted in any applicants, the Select Board and Recreation Committee agreed that they would reach out to former participants, including counselors, to see if they were interested in the position, or knew anyone who would be. They also discussed reaching out to nearby schools like Keene State College and Franklin Pierce University for any students who may be interested in the position. Should they not receive any qualified applicants by mid-March, they would have to consider canceling the program for the summer of 2024. 

Despite the lack of applicants for the director position, the town has received several counselor and lifeguard applications. If the town decides not to run the summer camp program this year, it would still consider lifeguard applicants to monitor the town beach over the summer.

If the town ends up hiring a camp director, the program is tentatively scheduled for weekdays between July 8 and Aug. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The town also discussed moving to a half-day program, depending on the availability of the applicant. 

Hancock’s summer camp program has grown over the years, with 89 campers attending in 2023. Past activities have included trips to Norway Pond for swimming, fishing and frog-catching; visits to the town library; the chance to meet an emotional support animal; and attending a Touch-A-Truck event. The camp is open to children ages 5 to 12. 

Hancock Select Board and Recreation Committee members urged anyone interested in the camp director position to reach out to the town office for information.