And Yet…We Persevere

A Message from Maria Coutant Skinner, LCSW, President & CEO

February 28, 2025

Dear friends;

Growing up, February brought about one of my favorite traditions; our annual family vacation to YMCA Camp Hi-Rock in South Egremont, Massachusetts. Nestled among 1,000 wooded acres in the Berkshire Mountains, surrounded by conservation forest, and centered around a 90-acre lake, this was paradise for our group that included extended family and friends. We’d pack cross country skis, sleds, games and a heart full of excitement for the adventures we’d find. Accommodations were rustic, a cabin heated by a single wood stove, bunk beds, a tiny kitchen and some long folding tables. The outdoors had everything we needed to stay delightfully occupied for days on end. We’d ski and explore, toboggan down long steep hills, make up games and contests, and often, take some massive risks as we chased thrills. We’d jump off cliffs landing in feet of snow, ski off cabin roofs, and pour water on the sledding hills to create icy runs increasing the speed of descent. It was a victory to land in the riverbed on the far end of the sports field.

A favorite memory is when we fashioned sails out of brooms and sleeping bags and affixed them to flexible flyer sleds as we sped across the frozen lake. A similar constitution was required to play the evening games of charades and cards with a level of competitiveness that bordered on professional. The grit that was expected of attendees came to be known as Hi-Rock material. This became embedded in our family lexicon.

When I was twelve, I’d assess the level of Hi-Rock material designation on a person’s ability to enjoy these sorts of adventures. Today, I have evolved my criteria – but the core remains. Grit, courage, resilience – not measured by hurdling down an icy hill but by one’s capacity to stay in the arena when things get tough.

If your news feed is causing you some anxiety these days, you are not alone. There is a great deal of chaos, uncertainty, and cruelty unfolding around us. Much has been said about the ways we can respond, and I imagine you’re employing many. A combination of engagement, rest, education, connection, and advocacy are all important and useful.

I think this moment calls for us to access our courage, our grit, and our resilience. Examples abound: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Governor Janet Mills, and the US Army Chorus choir. There was testimony offered to the CT legislature for Overdose Prevention Centers where brave people shared their experiences of surviving overdoses to advance legislation. There are trans and nonbinary people sharing their stories and advocating to protect access to healthcare. There are businesses publicly committing to their values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Americans celebrating Black History Month and appreciating the lifesaving work of USAID. There are the people of Ukraine standing firm in their independence.

Every day there are people sharing with their dentist that they may have an eating disorder, their therapist that they may have a gambling issue, their doctor that they may be suicidal, their teacher that they are worried their mom is struggling with alcohol. There are children making sure that kid in the cafeteria has someone to sit with, there are police officers assuring that the people in the car accident have a safe place to return to because they are homeless. Every single story is an act of courage. There is risk involved in each – and yet we persevere because we decide that the benefits of those brave acts outweigh the risks. I often find myself truly in awe of the people we serve at McCall – the act of asking for help and sharing your story is peak Hi-Rock material.

I noticed that the conditions at Hi-Rock led to our willingness to take those calculated risks. We were among others whom we trusted, we would cheer one another on, believing in the strength of each other -and- we knew if things went awry, we’d find a safe place to land and heal – and then try again.

In the arena of life, when the moment calls us to act, we decide, knees shaking, voice wavering, heart racing – that we will do what is right by humanity.

Here’s what I believe with every fiber of my being – we ALL have the capacity to be Hi-Rock material. It’s so hard sometimes and we won’t always get it right. But together we can create the conditions to support one another in finding the courage to build a world that values respect and kindness.

Yours in solidarity,

Maria Coutant Skinner, LCSW

President and CEO

Return to our Blog for more inspiring stories and insights.