Volume L, No. 4, December, 2009

Dear Campers, Parents, Staff, Alums, & Friends,

As I’m writing this newsletter, it is officially “cold” outside.  Most of you reading this will roll your eyes, ‘cause for us here in Tucson, cold means it won’t get much above 60 degrees.  But you should see how the sweatshirts and even winter coats come flying out of the closets when it’s like this.  If you grew up where there was actually winter, you always get a laugh out of that.  And we even had a little rain and hail recently here in the valley, while up on Mt. Lemmon, which is about 45 minutes to our north, they’ve got measurable snow.  Y’see….you come to Tucson and you can get all the different weather you might want.  Up at camp the ground is white, and it is plenty cold.  Fortunately, the guys working on  the Manor have framed up the walls and put on the roof on the new addition, so they can continue on regardless of the weather outside. 

November was a busy and really fun month for us.  We began our Reunion Tour, which started in Chicago and Milwaukee.  It continues this month with stops in Houston, Nashville and Memphis.  So far, we think if you surveyed the kids who have joined us at our reunions, they’d tell you that they had SO MUCH FUN, and it is way worth penciling us in on your busy calendars.  We travel a long way to come and see you, so we hope you can free up the time to join us when we’re in a city near you.  You’ll be glad you did.  At the Chicago reunion, we had some long-distance travelers joining us, including BRIAN STRAIN from Denver, JEFF MELROSE from Celebration, FL, JOVAN MC GEE from Minneapolis, and JACK & BRIAN BARLOW from Red Wing, MN.  And sources tell us that we’ll have at least one long distance traveler coming to our Houston reunion this month.  That’s so great!

We also had the pleasure of celebrating our daughter, Sammy’s, Bat Mitzvah this past month, and we were so pleased to have RICK, EMILY, and HANNAH JONES fly in to join us.  Other camp folks who joined in the festivities included JOHNNY & RACHEL WASZCZAK, BEN SKRILL, and “old-timers” like BILL & DEBBIE BERK, MICHAEL & TOM “DUTCH” COHEN, DANIEL & BENJI BENITA, MARIO & DIEGO GADEA, and KIMMY HOLLAR.  Sammy did a spectacular job, and there was much rejoicing. 

A few weeks ago, Dusty and I were able to go water skiing up on Roosevelt Lake, about 4 hours from Tucson.  We went with some friends who had a nice boat, and in addition to  several other water toys, they had some wake skates.  We both tried it and fell in love with it!  A wake skate is shaped similarly to a wake board, but it is smaller, and has no bindings on it…..just a sticky, rubbery surface.  Once you’re up on it, there’s all sorts of fun tricks you can do, plus you can just surf up and down on the wake.  It was such a blast that we decided it was a must for camp this summer.  So, we’re gonna pick up a few new wake skates for the summer and let you get into it.  We think you’re going to love it too.  Just one more addition to our already mind-blowing water ski program at camp!

YO EVERYONE: If we are going to have a reunion in your home town, we will give you your Reunion DVD there.  That way you have the excitement of seeing it for the first time when everyone else does.  If, sadly, we’re not coming to your home town, we have just recently sent you your DVD copy.  If you don’t receive it by December 7th or so, please let us know.  If you ordered a Memory Book from last summer, that should have been sent to you also very recently.  If you are certain you ordered a Memory Book, and it has not arrived by now, please let us know and we’ll look into it.  If you’re not sure if you ordered a Memory Book, send us a quick email and we can check that out and get back to you.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to add an order for a Memory Book from last summer at this point.  Thanks.

YO STAFF:  Very soon you will find some mail coming your way.  It’s contract seasons, and your invitations to return as well as a copy of the awesome Reunion DVD are on the way to you.  We know we speak for all of the campers and other staff reading this newsletter when we implore you to send your contract back to us ASAP!  2010, our 50th summer, is only going to happen this one time….you know you wanna be there!

We also want to let you know that we have launched a new section on our website for our 50th Anniversary Reunion, which will take place immediately after 2nd session ends this summer.  The reunion is for anyone 21 years old or older who was a camper or counselor at camp in the past.  If you are going to be a staff member this summer, and you would like to stay on and help us run things for the reunion, we will be asking for about 12 volunteers (it will be a paid position).  We’ll need staff to pull skiers, lifeguard at swimming, and run the climbing wall as well as other things.  If you wish to attend the reunion and not work during that time, so long as you are at least 21 years old, that’s great.  You can register online from the Alumni Reunion page.  Thanks.

Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who re-enrolled last month: JAY FELDMAN and ZACH ORLOWSKY of Buffalo Grove, IL; JUSTIN & RYAN GALOWICH of Chicago, IL;

Scenes from the Chicago Reunion

STEVE WEZELMAN of Tucson, AZ; JON KIBEL and MONTRELL WATSON of St. Louis, MO; JAMES & WILL BOSHES and JORDAN FINE of Deerfield, IL; JOSH KOHN of Highland Park, IL; RYAN BRONSTON of Houston, TX; RICKY ROMERSI of Bayside, WI; MICHAEL WHITMAN of Rockford, IL; and JOHNNY & MICHAEL WILLIAMS of Wilmette, IL.

Welcome aboard to the following new campers who will join us this summer: ADAM CORTES-FERRIE, JEREMY SUS, and CHRIS TOMPKINS of Deerfield, IL; GRANT KIBEL of St. Louis, MO; AARON DEMBSKY and EVAN & KYLE GROSS of Glencoe, IL; ZACH COPLAN of Highland Park, IL; and DEREK GOLDSTEIN and MASON ROSENBERG of Northbrook, IL.  Glad to have you all with us!

As you just read, contracts have just gone out, but we’re already to pass along some great news:  Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who will return to our staff in 2010: RICK & HOLLY JONES are back for their 25th summer at camp!  Folks, that was not a typo!  The Jones’ have been a part of Camp Timberlane for a quarter of a century, and we are so fortunate to have them with us again.  Rick is an Assistant Director at camp who oversees much of the programming and staff assignments.  In the winter he is a high school art teacher in Indianapolis, IN.  Holly has been our Head Secretary for longer than many of our staff have been alive (sorry, Holly.)  In the winter months she is a high school math teacher in Indianapolis.  All of their kids have grown up with us at camp in the summers, and we’ll likely have one or two of them back with us this summer too.  We’ll keep you posted.  JOHNNY & RACHEL WASZCZAK are also back again this summer.  This will be Johnny’s 11th summer at camp where he is also an Assistant Director, overseeing programming, evening programs, and much more.  Johnny works with us year ‘round in Tucson, also doing some traveling to recruit campers and staff.  Rachel is back for her 8th summer at camp.  Over her years with us, Rachel has been a baby sitter for our kids, she has been the Waterfront Director, and she most recently was one of our Camp Nurses.  Well, something new is in store for her again this summer.  Rachel will fill the role of new Mommy at camp this summer, as she and Johnny are expecting their first (of many, we hope) baby this coming May!!  Can you imagine growing up as a child in the Waszczak House?  Fun, fun, fun!  We’re really happy for Johnny and Rachel, and we’re thrilled that we’ll have another baby to play with this summer.  It will be summer number 18 for JEFF MELROSE who is back again.  “Mel” is a 5th grade teacher, working with gifted students, in Kissimmee, FL.  At camp he is an Assistant Director who oversees regular programming as well as special events, and he also directs our CIT program.  And now onto the other baby.  CARTER HITCHENS is back for her 2nd summer, and she’s only 1 year old!  She’s coming back because her daddy, “HITCH” HITCHENS is back for his 7th summer.  Hitch is a high school history teacher in Denver, CO.  At camp he is our Trips Director, coordinating more than 40 trips and 11 trip leaders.  Carter’s mommy, CORRIE HITCHENS  will be with us for about half the summer again too.  Corrie keeps track of Carter most of the time, but pitches in all around camp when she can.  So, in this paragraph alone, we see about 100 years of Timberlane experience coming back to do it again!  We are so proud of this group of great people, and already we cannot wait to get started!

Chicago finds SPENCER LAVIN playing soccer and football.  NICK PAPPAS is busy with hockey.  GARRETT SHUMAN got the part of Willy Wonka in a play he’s performing in.  NICK HAMBURGER is traveling to Wisconsin to play in a tennis tournament. DAVID DONER is wrestling for his high school.  BEAU FORESTER is doing well and school and can’t wait for camp!  ARI LACKNER celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in October.  Congrats, Ari!! SAM JAFFE had an awesome first season with the Little Giants football team.  MICHAEL NATINSKY finished a season of muddy football.  CASEY EPTON is playing on a club volleyball team.  In Milwaukee, DANIEL SHOVERS is playing volleyball at his high school, and is involved in AZA Youth Group.  Through AZA he has been working with kids with special needs.  Very cool.  AARON GLAZER recently moved to a new house.  He’s been busy with that, with school, and with preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.  BEN LEVEY’s freshman volleyball team took 2nd in conference this year.  RICKY ROMSERSI has been swimming for a YMCA team and playing tennis and saxophone.  JOEY WERNER is playing high school volleyball and club volleyball.  In Red Wing, MN, BRIAN BARLOW is looking forward to going skiing, and JACK BARLOW is playing soccer. 

MICHAEL BREEN continues his trek around Asia, most recently landing in Nepal and then Cambodia.  His amazing journey comes to an end this month.  He writes, “Strange, when I was a kid, I never felt the bittersweet feelings of camp ending (I could have stayed year-round), but I definitely understand how a camper can feel that way. I am both upset to be putting this incredible adventure behind me and incredibly excited to return to the comforts and familiarity of family/friends at home.”  Brother SCOTTY BREEN is continuing his studies and travels in the Edinburgh, Scotland.  A few weekends ago, Scotty went on a bike ride from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, presumably to advise the heads of state gathered there for the G20 meeting.   Scotty also got together again with SAM KAHN in London to have a few laughs.  Sam is spending the semester studying in London.  JAKE “BIRD MAN” POURCHOT, one of our amazing maintenance guys, lives in Wausau and has been helping to coach his brother’s hockey team.  Jake recently attended a coaching clinic in Minocqua, and while there paid a visit to camp and our caretaker, GREG FUS.  Jake has also been running a lot, competing in a half-marathon and a full marathon since camp ended.  JEREMY SUTTON is busy with school in Houston, and was recently nominated for a leadership scholarship award at Washington University.  Congrats, Jeremy!  In Chicago, LUCAS BESLOW has been working out a lot.  SAM KAPLAN recently participated in a debate tournament in Michigan.  BEN PERCIFIELD has his driver’s license, and is on a bowling team, scoring a personal best of 264!  We can certainly picture Ben in his bowling shirt and bowling shoes!  SAM BLINDERMAN is playing club volleyball.  MATT RODIN sang a duet with JOEY PAWLAN at his school’s talent show.  RICH MCGOWAN is about to embark on an adventure to the island of St. Marten where he will take a course to become a PADI Dive Master.   After that, the world is his oyster…..except that he’s a vegetarian.  AARON ZEMACH tells us that he has written a musical starring SCOTT WOLF and directed by NOAH RAWITZ about the life of Matt Rodin (who knows nothing about it).  JOE WARREN is living in Telluride and working, we presume, in a restaurant there.  MATT SLOAN is enjoying college life at Cornell, and is involved in Model UN and was also elected to his dorm’s hall board.  He says it’s a lot like Camp Council, without the occasional free soda.  BLAIR COOPER will be taking a break from his home in New Zealand to travel to Brazil for six weeks beginning around the New Year.  GREG COOPER is in Turkey on his travels, and he writes, “Turkey has been treating me more than well.  The culture is amazing.  Like nothing I have even seen.  You get all smiles when walking down the street... kind of like camp.”  He’s soon on his way to Syria, and then who knows where else?

BRAVO TO THE DECEMBER BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Ross Leviton - 12/1/1995 , Jake Flom - 12/4/1998 , Seth Brock - 12/6/1993 , Joseph Fields - 12/7/1998 , Ryan Galowich - 12/7/1997 , Jeffrey Gold - 12/9/1996 , Kyle Gross - 12/9/1999 , Jake Kleckner - 12/9/1983 , Jonah Rosenberg - 12/9/1996 , Dillon Forester - 12/10/1997 , Holly Jones - 12/10/1957 , Derek Goldstein - 12/12/1996 , Jordan Henry - 12/12/1992 , Bill Miller - 12/12/1956 , Dalton Roth - 12/12/1996 , Jesse Sobotka - 12/12/1996 , Grace Mc Gowan - 12/14/1987 , Anton Sanders - 12/14/1997 , Andrew Bubis - 12/16/1991 , Ryder Desenberg - 12/16/1997 , Mathieu Rey - 12/16/1987 , Ben Bloom - 12/17/1998 , Jared Margolis - 12/17/1998 , Leslie Cohen - 12/18/19?? , Bálint Deák - 12/18/1987 , Scott Stone - 12/19/1995 , Michael Whitman - 12/19/1996 , Gavin Fleishman - 12/20/1997 , Craig Gamble - 12/21/1987 , Jay Feldman - 12/22/1994 , Nathan Reiff - 12/24/1996 , Matt Sloan - 12/24/1990 , Joey Marks - 12/26/1994 , Jake Mazow - 12/26/1998 , David Pawlan - 12/26/1996 , Sam Sherman - 12/26/1990 , Sam Kusin - 12/27/1993 , Danny Zaga - 12/27/1993 , Andrew Karmin - 12/28/2000 , Jeff Melrose - 12/29/1971 , Jacob Rosenstein - 12/29/1997 , Marcelo Garza - 12/30/1998 , Ben Skrill - 12/31/1996

We know times aren’t easy out there, but we hope as the holidays (and the end of the year) approach, if you’re thinking about making some charitable donations, you’ll remember Camp For All Kids.  As we’ve written many times, we believe strongly in the power of this scholarship program to change the lives of the kids who are fortunate enough to participate.  Remember, the scholarships they are awarded are earned with good grades and good citizenship, and they are perpetual, so they can return to their camp summer after summer.  If you wish to give, please click on this link and go to the Camp For All Kids website.  Thanks very much.

 

 

We wish all of you a very happy and healthy holiday season and New Year.  We’ll write you again in 2010!!

Benches up,