June 2024
As Camp Gorton celebrates a monumental milestone of 100 years, it’s celebrating the legacies, traditions, and the enduring spirit of Scouting in the Finger Lakes. Camp Gorton has been a home away from home for countless Scouts, including four generations of the Sherburne and Gray families.
The Sherburne-Gray Legacy
John Sherburne was 12 years old in the camp’s inaugural summer in 1924. He was a patrol leader in his second summer, and a camp assistant groundskeeper in 1928. His son John David “Dave” Sherburne attended in the 1950s, and his grandson John Sherburne attended later. A century later, his great-grandson, Nick Gray of Troop 16 (Arkport, NY) stands on the same Waneta Lake beach of his forefathers each summer. Nick’s father, David Gray, was an adult leader at Camp Gorton before he died in 2021.
Nature Lodge, circa 1930
John David “Dave” Sherburne, early 1950’s
Campsite, early 1950’s
Friendship & Mentorship
Nick Gray’s experience at Camp Gorton is shaped by family, friendship, and mentorship. He attended camp in 2022 and 2023 with John Andrews, Scout Executive for Northern Star Scouting in Minnesota, and his late father’s best friend. Nick finds solace and guidance in the supportive community of friends and mentors fostered by Camp Gorton, forging bonds that transcend generations and geographical boundaries.
Nick says, “Camp Gorton is a place where you make memories that last a lifetime, meet new people, and learn things that you can’t anywhere else. These things were true 100 years ago and they are still true today. It’s amazing knowing that my great-grandfather was here enjoying the same camp activities in 1924 that I do today.”
Nick Gray (third from left) and other
Scout campers on the Camp Gorton dock in summer 2023
Preserving Memories, Embracing the Future
John Andrews and Nick’s mother, Penny Gray, are dedicated to preserving family history and provided pictures and articles for this story. Through them and others, we ensure that the legacy of Camp Gorton lives on for generations to come. As Nick and his family prepare for another summer of exploration and growth, they carry with them the collective memories of four generations, a testament to the enduring power of Scouting and the timeless magic of Camp Gorton.
As John says, “What a thing – to be under the same stars in the same place as four generations and 100 years of a Scouting family.”