Sarah Bradley and Edith Bradley Memorial Endowment (SBEBME)
A Legacy of Strong Women and Bold Vision: Green Mountain Camp Launches the Sarah Bradley and Edith Bradley Memorial Endowment.
In 1917, two young women, Sarah Bradley and her friend Grace Holbrook, founded a summer camp in the green hills of Vermont. Inspired by public health data showing rural children were underserved and under-resourced, Sarah and Grace launched Green Mountain Camp for Girls to offer girls in the area something revolutionary: fresh air, physical movement, creative learning, and the freedom to simply be themselves.
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Current board member and grandson of Sarah Bradley, Richard Epstein, adds, “The founders felt it important to offer a setting where girls could interact without the pressure of boys. At the time there was a boys camp in the area so having an all girls camp was both part of their vision and logical.”
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Sarah’s younger sister, Edith Bradley, later stepped in to lead the camp after Sarah married. Edith never married or had children of her own, but poured her energy into the camp’s leadership for years, shaping its direction and spirit.
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Over a century later, Sarah and Edith’s vision still lives and thrives—now supported by a powerful new gift: the Sarah Bradley and Edith Bradley Memorial Endowment (SBEBME), a fund made possible by a transformative legacy donation from Judy Kahrl, GMC camper and staff alumna and Sarah’s daughter and Edith’s niece.
Just before her passing in January of 2025, Judy made the lead gift to establish the fund and set in motion a $250,000 matching gift challenge—if the camp raises $125,000 by December 2026, Judy’s estate will match it two-to-one, unlocking a powerful financial engine to support staff recruitment, compensation, and retention for generations to come.
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As a parent, I’ve watched the staff at GMC help my daughter grow into a braver, more confident version of herself. They lead with heart, humor, and intention—and it’s those relationships that make camp transformative. This endowment ensures that future campers will have the same chance to be seen, supported, and inspired.”
—Melanie Brubaker, GMC parent
Honoring the Past, Building the Future
The SBEBME is the first named endowment in Green Mountain Camp’s history—and it reflects not just nostalgia, but strategy.
In recent years, camps across the country have struggled to hire seasonal staff. The endowment is about supporting our hard-working staff; creating a stability and continuity so the girls who come here each summer have the strong mentors they deserve.
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Endowment funds will be professionally managed while being overseen by a GMC board-appointed committee. Annual distributions will support:
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Competitive, market-based staff salaries
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Retention and return bonuses for key counselors
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Recruitment strategies to attract diverse and inspiring role models
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Donors can contribute online, by check, or via stock gift.
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From Sarah and Edith’s bold beginnings to Judy Kahrl’s transformative legacy gift, the SBEBME is a story of women supporting women—across generations, across centuries. With support from the camp community and beyond, Green Mountain Camp for Girls will continue to thrive as a place where girls grow strong, laugh freely, and lead boldly.
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Click here to join this legacy and help unlock the match.