Introducing the…

 
 
 

Planting Seeds for the Future

The Magic of Miles of Music
An open letter from camper Douglas Lovell

Before I attended Miles of Music Island Camp, I was someone who simply played guitar for fun. I had just started jamming with a Monday night ensemble in Plymouth, MA—but Singing? Performing? That felt like another world.

Then came the Island.

While at camp, something shifted. I was gently pushed—and deeply inspired—to step up to the microphone and rediscover my voice. Singing again wasn’t just a challenge; it became a gateway to a new version of myself. A month later, my wife, Elizabeth and I, gave a talk in church titled "To Try New Things." I stood up in front of the congregation and made a promise: I would sing and play a song within the year.

That moment was terrifying—and transformative. With the support of my music teacher, I met that goal in just six months. I performed the spiritual “Wade in the Water,” a song rich with history and resilience, once sung by enslaved people traveling north toward freedom.

In April of that same year, I performed live at The Spire in Plymouth with my Monday night group. We played Space Oddity (I was on rhythm guitar), Back in the USSR (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), and Comfortably Numb. That night changed everything. And when I returned to camp for a second year, my appreciation only deepened—for the music, the community, and the power of lifelong learning.

One day while driving to work, I found myself reflecting on instruments—the woods they’re made from, their roots in nature. Rosewood, mahogany, spruce… and then I thought of the mighty maple. Every towering tree begins with just one seed.

That’s when the idea came to me.

I would like to propose the creation of the Miles of Music Samara Society. (A “samara” is the tiny winged seed of a maple tree!). This society would be a group of donors who include the camp in their estate or plans, planting seeds for future generations of musicians and community members.

As part of updating my own estate plans, I have pledged a $30,000 bequest to Miles of Music Island Camp, to establish the Samara Society Scholarship. This fund will allow one camper to attend each year, free of charge.

$30,000 x 5% annual return = $1,500/year = one life changed.

And, over time, I hope that gift will grow, expanding into multiple scholarships—because that’s what the Island is about: planting, growing, and giving back.

That’s the “Magic” I found at Miles of Music:

  • The Magic of Music

  • The Magic of Community

  • The Magic of Becoming a Lifelong Learner

We are the lucky ones. And now, we can help others find that magic, too.

With gratitude,
Douglas Lovell (April 2025)