Spanning 1,200-plus acres in the northeastern Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, perennial group favorite Woodloch Resort is at heart an immortalizing love story.
In 1938, Long Island, New York, native Mary Mould, then 12, first vacationed in the locale, adventurously roughing in a no-frills cabin on the shores of Lake Teedyuskung with her family. Named for a Susquehanna Delaware tribal chief, the lake—misty in the morning, sparkling at night—enchanted her to no end.
In high school, she coaxed her sweetheart Harry Kiesendahl to her place of dreams and memories. He loved it, and Mould even more; they got engaged in 1944 before Kiesendahl joined the U.S. Navy and left for war.
When Kiesendahl returned on leave after surviving a torpedo attack, they were eager to wed, but Mould’s parents wanted to postpone. After he persuaded his new in-laws at a family meeting at Teedyuskung, they got married back home before he returned to action. Before leaving the lake, the couple pounded two stakes into the ground, signifying their vow to return.
In 1958, settled on Long Island with three children, they saw a New York Times ad for a lakeside resort in Pennsylvania. The property, Woodloch Pines, was a historic 12-acre estate operating as a boarding house—on Teedyuskung’s shores.
Answering fate, the couple purchased the property that year. Expanded through the decades, Woodloch became a love affair for generations of guests. Today, the Kiesendahl family is redefining dedicated care by building the nation’s first-ever cancer respite center at the resort. As I learned over 24 hours at Woodloch in February, time is among the many gifts at this wonderland escape.
Amplifying the Mission With Higher Purpose
After checking into The Lodge at Woodloch, the resort’s award-winning 58-room destination spa, I had a profound conversation with third-generation co-owner Bob Kiesendahl.
Like his father John, Harry and Mary’s first-born, Bob Kiesendahl graduated from the Cornell University Hotel School. After working at Four Seasons hotels in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., he rejoined Woodloch, where his roles include food and beverage director. At 26, he was “blindsided” with advanced chronic myelogenous leukemia, a type of blood cancer.
His only hope was a bone marrow transplant. From initial care at the Penn State Cancer Institute, he went to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, where Nobel Prize-winner E. Donnall Thomas had pioneered the procedure in the 1970s.
“They found a match and I won my battle,” Kiesendahl said. “Deciding that I had pulled through for a reason—to give back—I founded the BK Hope Cures Foundation.”
To date, the foundation has raised more than $2 million for cancer research at Penn State and Fred Hutch through golf tournaments, 5K and 10K races, and other events. Further inspiration followed a decade later when a guest introduced Marci Schankweiler, whose husband Pete had succumbed to testicular cancer.
“Before Pete passed, friends sent him and Marci to the Bahamas,” Kiesendahl said. “Away from doctors and stress, their time together was a gift that Pete wanted Marci to give to others.”
She responded by creating the For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, or FPS, which has provided cost-free respite travel for qualified patients, their family and caregivers since 2000. After meeting Kiesendahl, they agreed to add Woodloch as an FPS destination.
Research over the past two decades shows significant improvement in pre- and post-respite coping abilities among all FPS participants. Welcoming up to 300 respite families each year, Woodloch produces the strongest results of all FPS destinations, which include Maine and the Jersey Shore.
“That prompted Marci to ask to exclusively send families to Woodloch, which was fine, but our capacity was limited,” Kiesendahl said. “She responded by proposing a partnership to build the nation’s first cancer respite center.
[Related: How Major Events Come Alive in Philadelphia]
With site work underway and fundraising continuing, the FPS Cancer Respite Center at Woodloch will create a serene boutique-style facility for 4,000-plus respite families annually. Slated for late 2027 or early 2028, the center borders The Springs at Woodloch, the resort’s 18-hole championship golf course. Supported by state officials, including Senator Lisa Baker, the $25 million capital project includes a $4 million endowment.
“Our mission has always centered on treating guests like they are in our home and making the world a better place any way we can,” Kiesendahl said. “Our partnership with Marci will amplify the impact of that mission tenfold by giving even more patients and their inner circle the gift of time.”
Four-Season Bounty for Groups
From global Fortune 500 companies to associations to families, Woodloch, offering three distinct properties, has welcomed repeat groups for generations.
Nestled in a pine forest, the luxurious Lodge is designed for relaxation, rejuvenation and personal awakening. Scaled for intimate meetings, flexible spaces include the 88-capacity Fireside Room. Exceptional features include solidly comfortable guest rooms, first-rate spa services and extensive daily classes, workshops, events, guest speakers and outdoor adventures.
I took a watercolor class in the art studio, stretched out in the yoga studio and learned how to make nutritious smoothies in the Chef’s Demonstration Kitchen.
Surrounding trails lead to nearby Blackmore Farm, an organic, regenerative farm that supplies the Lodge’s TREE Restaurant and demonstration kitchen with herbs and vegetables. Garden dinners, meditative labyrinth walks and other programs enhance the enveloping mind-body experience.
Facing Lake Teedyuskung, the rustic year-round Woodloch Pines family resort accommodates 1,000-plus guests, including hotel rooms and vacation rental homes, popular with corporate groups. Flexible spaces include the massive Lakeside Dining Room and 600-capacity Nightclub, with recreational activities galore.
The Springs at Woodloch offers flexible meeting venues and dining in the golf course’s Clubhouse, along with more rental homes.
Serenaded by a songbird as I departed the lodge, the vow to return felt like my own stake in the ground.
Planner's Perspective
Woodloch Resort * Woodloch.com
Kelley Louth is experience manager for Diversified, a Wilmington, Delaware-based financial planning firm with other offices in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Alabama and Georgia. Focused on team culture and client and employee experiences, Louth shared highlights of the company’s ongoing team retreat program at Woodloch Resort.
How did you find the property?
One of our owners raved about Woodloch following his family visit there in the summer of 2021. He highlighted the extensive teambuilding activities, which made the resort the natural choice for our first team retreat in October 2022.
Describe your program.
We brought 20 employees to Woodloch for three days. Day one began with a cocktail reception and dinner at the beautiful Lakeview Dining Room, followed by a welcome presentation and team debrief, and campfire and s’mores.
The next morning, after breakfast, we embarked on day-long teambuilding activities, including a scavenger hunt, boat building and the Woodloch Olympics. That evening, we celebrated with a group dinner, award ceremony and Woodloch’s House Party package, which included lawn games, poker sets and karaoke.
Departure day included breakfast and free time to enjoy the resort and other activities.
What did your group like most about Woodloch?
The beautiful and calming environment, spacious sleeping accommodations, friendly and accommodating staff, and vast number of activities. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Have you since returned?
Every year, including our fourth booking this October. Woodloch is spectacular—we plan on booking for a while!
