Dear Campers, Parents, Staff, Alums & Friends,
Have we mentioned lately that this is our 50th summer coming up? We have? It really is the sort of thing we should make a big deal of, so we’re mentioning it again. 50 summers is a pretty major milestone. We’re making sure that camp is looking its very best for the big occasion, and we have been working particularly hard lining up our staff for the summer too. And as it turns out, we have filled just about all of our staff spots already. We have a huge return of staff, including some folks who have taken a summer or two off, and are returning this year. No doubt, for camp directors like us, watching our campers grow up and become counselors and then move out into the world as adults is far and away the most rewarding aspect of our profession. So we love it when we have so many former campers now filling the ranks of our staff.
Most people who interact with kids think about what kind of adult this or that particular child might become. As I just noted, we have the great honor and pleasure of seeing that play out all the time. What’s just as interesting and exciting is seeing adults whom you knew well when they were children, and remembering what that adult was like when he/she was a kid. At the end of this summer, we’re hosting a reunion for our alumni at camp. The place will be filled with grown-ups, many or most of whom we will have known as children. And for us, it is impossible to look at one of those guys and not still see their 8 or 9 or 10 year old face. We’ll talk with them, learn about their adult lives, their accomplishments, their ambitions, and we’ll remember seeing them climbing out of a van completely caked in dirt and smiling ear to ear as they recount the tales from their canoe trip, or seeing them climb out of the lake after an awesome ski run. So we’re very excited about this coming summer, and also very excited for the reunion that will follow camp.
We have also updated our information for campers who will be flying en route to camp under the “Info for Campers Flying to Camp” link. This information arrived a bit late this year due to the merger of Northwest and Delta airlines, but it is all set now. If your camper is flying to camp this summer, be sure to read that information, and then call our travel agent as soon as possible. Our agent again is Marie Gunwall at Travel One; (800) 245-1111.
What else? Well, you should already have received an email from our Wilderness Trips Department detailing what trips are available to your son this summer. Of course, there’s all sorts of information online about the trips including the complete Trips Calendar for this summer, as well as a description of our Trips Progressions for paddling trips and for backpacking and rock climbing trips, so you know what trips are within your son’s reach for the upcoming summer. If your camper is new to us this summer, that’s great! All sorts of great trips are open to him, and those are all listed in the email we sent you. Please review this information with your son.
As a reminder, if your son is a returning camper and he has completed 6th grade or higher this winter, he may be eligible for one of our “BIG” trips this summer including:
| 1st Session: | | 2nd Session: |
| 10-Day Isle Royale Backpacking | | 12 Day Quetico Canoeing |
| 7 Day Sand River Canoeing | | 6 Day Isle Royale Backpacking |
| 4 Day Apostle Island Sea Kayaking | | 4 Day Apostle Island Sea Kayaking |
There are lots of other big trips too (including BWCA, Pictured Rocks, and more), but the trips above are available for pre-registration. So give it some thought, and if you’d like to pre-register, you can do that from the website by clicking here.
And finally, please remember that your final payment for this summer is due on or before May 15th. We’ve sent you an email about that, and we’ll send you reminder on May 1st. Your son’s billing statement is on your Parent Keylog Page under the “View Your Statement” link. You can pay with your credit card on Google Checkout, or you can mail a check to the appropriate address below:
| Before May 5th: | | After May 5th: |
| Camp Timberlane | | Camp Timberlane |
| 6202 N. Camino Almonte | | PO Box 1188 |
| Tucson, AZ. 85718 | | Woodruff, WI. 54568 |
Thank you very much.
YO OLD GUYS: If you are going to be a camp Big Brother this summer, we have mailed you some information (in the US Mail) about that, along with the contact information for your very lucky Little Brother. Please be sure to CALL (not email or text) your little brother in the next few weeks. If you have any questions, feel free to call us anytime. You guys are making a big difference for our new campers, and we really appreciate it. Thanks.
YO STAFF: We’re not leaving anyone out this month! You, too, have lots of new information posted to your Staff Keylog Page, including:
*Spring Information – Important stuff to read and think about as we prepare for the summer.
*Health History Form – Please download and fill this form out and return it to us by May 15th. If you are not from the US, you can use the form provided to you by your placement agency.
*Tax Forms – US Citizens only. Please download and fill these out and return them to us by May 15th.
*Packing List – Good guidelines for you to use when you pack for camp. 
*Activity Expertise Survey – Counselors and Activity Specialists only. Please submit this survey to us at your very first opportunity.
*Extra Training – Sign up for Lifeguard Training, re-certification for Lifeguard Training and/or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, or if you are part of our Ski Staff, sign up for Boat Driver Certification.
*Travel Plans – Fill us in on your plans for getting to camp. If you need a ride, let us know on this form, and we’ll try to help you find one.
CITs: We have mailed via US Mail your travel-to-camp form. We will also need you to complete the Activity Expertise Survey, and we’ll email you a link for that.
YO EVERYONE: This is just a friendly reminder that you can join our Timberlane Fan Page on Facebook! We’ll post some fun stuff up there, so we hope you’ll join us there. We’re also tweeting away on Twitter, so you can follow that too. Thanks.
Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who re-enrolled last month: JAKE SCHLOSSBERG of Chicago, IL: after a summer’s absence, AUSTIN FELDMAN of Deerfield, IL; RYAN HEARST, DREW HYMAN, and, after a summer’s absence, CHARLIE JONAS of St. Louis, MO; ETHAN GLASBERG and COKEY PLATANIAS of Glencoe, IL; GRANT ZUCKER of Bellaire, TX; JOSEPH TRUJILLO of Houston, TX; BEN BLOOM of Highland Park, IL; JAKE HOFFMAN and JAKE MAZOW of Dallas, TX; DANIEL NEWMAN of Northbrook, IL; JAY CHESKIS of Riverwoods, IL; and DANIEL SHOVERS of River Hills, WI.
Welcome aboard to the following new campers who will join us this summer: JACK KNUETTEL of Denver, CO, and RYAN GARLAND of St. Louis, MO. We’re so happy to have you guys with us! Only a coupla months left to go!!
We are so pleased with how well our staff has come together for this summer. We have a huge return of folks from prior summers, and we’ve enjoyed the luxury of being very choosy in hiring our new staff. Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who are returning this summer:
GREG COOPER: It is summer number 3 for Tripper Greg. He is 22 years old, and he has just recently returned to the US. This winter, Greg has been been working on an olive farm in Turkey, traveling through Syria and Jordan, and scuba diving between days of rock climbing on the Sinai Peninsula. Sounds like a fun life! Not nearly as fun as leading campers on trips, so Greg is very excited about his return to camp. So are we!
ALANNA DILLON: It is also summer number 3 coming up for Alanna. She is 21 years old, and she is a Junior at Vanderbilt University, and has been studying abroad in Edinburgh this past semester. She is majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies. Alanna tells us she has been writing papers in cafes where J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series. This summer Alanna will again head up our Sailing program.
PETER GOLDBERG: That’s right, folks, after a 2 year absence, Peter is back for his 11th summer at camp. For the past two years, Peter has been serving in the US Peace Corps in South America. He is currently working for the US Census, and is preparing to go to business school. Peter will be a cabin counselor, will head up our Rocketry program, and help out with Gymnastics and Sailing.
MEGAN HAGER: Megan is back for her 3rd summer, and this year she’ll spend more time out of the kitchen and out on trail. Megan is going to be a Trip Leader this summer! She is 26 years old, and she lives in Flagstaff, AZ working for the Coconino Rural Environmental Corps. Part of her job is supervising younger folks in trail building and maintenance in the White Mountain range. Meghan will take her WFR course this summer and be ready to go!
JOVAN MCGEE: Summer number 7 coming up for Jovan. He will turn 28 years old this summer, and he lives in St. Paul, MN where he is a gymnastics coach. Life is pretty busy for Jovan these days as he eats, sleeps, and lives gymnastics all day, every day. This summer Jovan will be a cabin counselor, will again head up our Gymnastics program, and help out at Tennis. You may find him from time to time in the Rec Hall playing a little table tennis too.
Let us introduce you to the fine folks who have signed on with us this past month:
ZSOLT ABRAHAM: Zsolt is 19 years old and is from Helvicia, Hungary, where he is a university student majoring in Business Administration and Management. Zsolt has visited the US before as an exchange student, and he has worked with children as a volunteer PE instructor. Zsolt is a cook and baker, and has worked in some catering situations with his church. He joins our Kitchen Staff this summer.
MORGAN ANDERSON: Morgan is 18 years old and she comes from Savoy, IL. She attends Parkland Community College and is studying Sports Management. Morgan has worked at a day camp as a Junior Counselor, and she has also worked with a child-care service. In addition to that, Morgan has worked in various restaurants and bakeries, and this summer she will also join our Kitchen Staff.
DÉSI HEINEN: Dési is 24 years old and she joins us all the way from Munster, Germany. We actually were able to meet with Dési right here in Tucson this winter. She is friends with Rachel Waszczak’s brother, so Rachel and Johnny have known her for years. Among her many valuable experiences, Dési was a student-director of a camp in Germany. She helped organize and run the program, communicate with parents, the whole deal! She has a degree in Social Sciences from the University of Osnabrük, and will start graduate school after the summer. She played volleyball through high school, still plays now, and has coached youth volleyball teams. This summer, Dési will head up our Volleyball program
and help out with Arts & Crafts, Horseback Riding, and Swimming.
DAN KICK: Dan is 20 years old and joins us from Dublin, OH. He is a Sophomore at Miami of Ohio studying Political Science. Dan’s family owns a bakery where he has worked during this time away from school. He has also worked at a country club poolside grill. Dan has been a big brother and worked as a junior counselor at a small overnight camp. This summer Dan will join our Kitchen Staff.
SARAH OLSON: Sarah is 19 years old, and she is from Woodbury, MN. She is a Sophomore at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, studying Food Science. Sarah has been involved in 4H for many years, assuming leadership positions as she got older. Cooking and baking have been hobbies of hers as well for many years, and she has cooked for literally thousands of people at a time. She aspires to become a commercial chef, and she joins our Kitchen Staff this summer.
JILL VIERGUTZ, RN: Jill is 47 years old and she comes to us from Wausau, WI. Jill is a Registered Nurse and an EMT. She has worked in summer camps for 4 seasons, starting as a cabin counselor and ultimately working as a camp director. Prior to becoming a nurse, Jill acquired a degree in Social Work and was a social worker. She’s very familiar with our little part of the North Woods, and has a house on a lake nearby. Jill rounds out our health care staff as one of our Camp Nurses.
HARRIET WALSH: Harriet is 19 years old and joins us from Gloucestershire, in England. She works in a child care center and is studying childcare learning and development. Harriet is very athletic, playing field hockey and rounders in school, and she currently involved in aerobics and yoga classes daily. This summer she will head up our Yoga program, and help out with Tennis and Photography.
BRITTANY WELCH: Brittany is 23 years old and lives in Tucson, AZ. She is originally from Overland Park, KS. and has a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Kansas. She is now at the University of Arizona studying Nursing. Brittany went to summer camp herself, and is into several camp activities including horseback riding and yoga. This summer Brittany will spend part of her day as a Nurses’ Assistant working in the Infirmary, and part of her day taking and posting photographs on our website.
JAMES WOOD: James will be 20 years old this summer, and he comes from Northamptonshire, England. He is currently working as a gymnastics and soccer coach at sports college, and he has also coached gymnastics at a gymnastics club. James is also into tennis and mountain biking. This summer he’ll be a cabin counselor, and will assist in Gymnastics, Tennis, and Mountain Biking.
BRAVO TO THE APRIL BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Ben Lurie - 4/2/1993, Jay Cheskis - 4/4/1996, Rachelle Rossa - 4/4/1990, Logan Seiden - 4/5/2000, Ethan Letwat - 4/10/2001, Jeremy Tubbs - 4/10/1993, Brian Barlow - 4/11/1995, Brian Gordon - 4/11/1995, Matt Mossler - 4/12/2000, James Wood - 4/12/1990, Jake Stein - 4/13/1997, Ryan Bronston - 4/14/1999, Joey Bursten - 4/15/1997, Henry Lovett - 4/16/2001, Matt Kearney - 4/17/1988, Dylan Silver - 4/19/1998, Brandon Gomel - 4/21/1999, Jack O'Malley - 4/21/1999, Amy Eidson - 4/22/1989,Siobhan Connelly - 4/25/1987, Sam Kagan - 4/26/1998, Hitch Hitchens - 4/27/1957, David Gaidamak - 4/29/1996, Joey Rodin - 4/30/1995.
Our May edition of “Timberlife!” will be the last one we write in Tucson. May is moving month for us, and we can’t wait!! Try to stay focused on your school work, y’all! Before you know it, summer will be here!!!
Benches up,
