Volume LI, Number 2, October, 2010

Dear Campers, Parents, Staff, Alums & Friends,

Our newspaper recently ran a very interesting article it picked up from the AP. Given all the national attention lately about adding days to the school year, I thought this article was illustrative of the need for more kids to experience camp, rather than the need for more days in traditional schools. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that Leslie and I are, in fact, camp directors, so we may have a bias. Still…

The article relates to a book written by Mark Bauerline entitled “The Dumbest Generation.” It is a provocative title, and we do not – at all – believe that all members of this current generation of kids is less capable than their predecessors. What did catch my attention is the connection it establishes between all the technology at our kids’ finger tips and their utter inability to handle simple mechanical tasks….such as using a can opener, a clothes hanger, an ice cube tray, etc. As I read the article and thought about kids I know (kids from camp, kids who live in my house), I could see his point to an extent. My own kids and their friends sometimes approach a mechanical challenge with trepidation. And yet, by the same token, this picture of complete ineptitude in the typical teenager seemed to miss the mark when compared to these kids we personally know so well. And why is that, you might ask? Well, not surprisingly, I think its because our camp kids have camp! Camp is a place they learn to rise to challenges, be they social, physical, or mechanical (think trips….tents, stoves, canoes, rivers, etc). Camp is where they learn to think on their feet. Camp is a place where technology cannot do everything for them because THEY DON’T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AT CAMP!!! There may be “an app for that,” but it ain’t at camp!

The article paraphrases the book’s author; “He says that growing up with cell phones and Google means kids don't have to figure things out or solve problems anymore. They can look up what they need online or call mom or dad for step-by-step instructions.” Again, may I point to the camp experience? No cell phones, no Google, and in place of parents, there are counselors trained to help kids find their way, not by holding their hands, but via guided discovery. So, while the challenges certainly arise in the camp setting, the approach to resolution seems much different, more productive and much healthier, for our camp kids than the article portrays.

The CEO of the American Camp Association, Peg Smith, wrote a very concise and smart article about how all of this applies to the issue of extending the school calendar. She contends that a quality camp experience actually helps kids become more prepared to learn when they’re back in school. If you’re interested in having a look, you can find it here.

Meanwhile, it is hot still in Tucson, and cooling off at camp. September was a wet month up there, and that has helped the lake continue its positive trend of filling up. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a very wet “off-season” up there. Come on snow! There’s been a ton of activity going on up there, and we’ll catch you up on those details in future issues.

Our enrollment is off to a great start, already ahead of the pace we had last year. We have emailed all of you our re-enrollment information as well as a link to the Camper Application page on our website. We have also mailed you all paper information and a paper application so you can choose your preferred method. Either way, we encourage you to send us your application at your first convenience. Thanks!

Welcome aboard to the following “old-timers” who re-enrolled this past month: ZACH OLRLOWSKY and JONAH RAWITZ from Buffalo Grove, IL; ROSS KRULISKY, after a summer’s absence, from Scottsdale, AZ; from Chicago, IL; JACK BARLOW from Redwing, MN; MAX GLICKMAN, ETHAN LETWAT, and JEREMY SUS from Deerfield, IL; SAM KAHN and CHARLIE TIPTON from St. Louis, MO; EVAN and KYLE GROSS, DAVID HEIMAN, and BEN KITE from Glencoe, IL; JONATHAN and MICHAEL BLOOM, JOSEPH FIELDS, and BEN and SAM SPIER from Bellaire, TX; DREW and ELI MITCHELL of Glenview, IL; and ZACH COPLAN, ADAM HOFFMAN, EDDIE and JONO ROSENBLUM, and ALEXANDER ZLOTNIK of Highland Park, IL.

And welcome aboard to the following new campers who joined us last month: DILLON BERLIN of Glencoe, IL; and JACK EICHNER and JOEY ROSENBLUM of Highland Park, IL. Glad to have you all with us!

Our schedule of reunions is still being developed, so we appreciate your patience. The St. Louis reunion is this month (October 16th), and the Chicago reunion is early next month (November 6th). Once the rest of the schedule is done, we’ll do the following things to make sure you know about the reunion coming to a home town near you:

1. We’ll post the entire reunion schedule online.
2. We’ll send you an invitation!
3. We’ll send you an email reminder about a week before the reunion.

Here’s what we can assure you: YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THE REUNION VIDEO THIS YEAR! It is nothing short of amazing. As you may know, our videographer, RYAN COHEN decided to portray a day in the life at camp. To say he succeeded would be a complete understatement. It is so entertaining, and so completely captures the essence of camp from sun-up to sun-down, that you truly will want to turn off the TV and DVD player, and head straight to camp!

If you are unable to attend the reunion near you, we will mail you a copy of the DVD as soon as the reunion is over. But please….there is something truly special about watching this for the first time with your camp friends around you, so we hope you’ll make every effort to attend the reunion near you.

YO PARENTS: We know camp is a long way off, but we strongly suggest you book your campers' doctor appointment now! While we only need a physical for the kids every 24 months, some docs like to see them every year. No problem. However, since our medical forms are due May 15th, AND our pharmacy service needs prescriptions to be submitted to them 30 days prior to the start of your son's session, getting kids into the doc early is important. We suggest trying to book the appointment for March or April. Thanks!

In Los Angeles, HENRY LOVETT is playing tennis. Bar Mitzvah congrats go to AARON GLAZER in Milwaukee who celebrated on September 25th. As a part of his mitzvah project, Aaron hosted a basketball tournament that raised money for Camp for All Kids. Thank you, Aaron! Congrats also to JAKE FEIGER in Chicago, who celebrated his Bar Mitzvah last month. And still more Bar Mitzvah congrats go out BEN FELDMAN who celebrated last month, and in attendance – all the way from Houston, TX – were JOEY BURSTEN, JONAH ROSENBERG, HOLDEN ROSENTHAL, BEN SPIER, and JAKE STEIN. The boys spent a night at DAVID PAWLAN’S house while they were there. For Ben’s mitzvah project he raised money for Global Camps Africa, the program started by a friend and colleague of ours that enables kids in very poor villages in Africa attend camps where they learn about keeping good hygiene and other important life skills, while they eat well, play, and have fun. Thanks, Ben! EDDIE ROSENBLUM is in his high school’s marching band playing bass drum. Brother JONO is playing soccer and running cross country.

KAYLA WANDSNIDER is in her junior year at UW-La Crosse, studying biology. She is also teaching swim lessons at the YMCA and working with the university to find more ways for it to operate in an environmentally sustainable way. From England, JUSTIN LOWRY writes, “I have been very busy working at school and visiting Chris Barron and Kathy in Scotland! Kathy Leverton has now been at my house for a couple of days and were travelling to see James Wood tomorrow. Were then jetting off to Barcelona for her birthday and then travelling through Switzerland to Germany to visit Desiree! Were just about managing to extend camp into October!” Not a bad way to go! Justin is continuing his work to become a fully qualified teacher. KATHY LEVERTON has, indeed, completed her US travels and is now in Europe. That is after a whirlwind US tour, culminating in some time spent in the Magic Kingdom – which is the house of JEFF MELROSE, and that happens to be near Disney World outside of Orlando. She also spent a little time with GREG COOPER and “old-timer” JEREMY SLAWIN while in New York, and with “old-timer” SCOTT BREEN while in DC. DEBBIE PURCELL is working hard in Denver as the director of a child-care center while also serving as a program manager for an organization called Corporate Kids Events. This group cares for kids while their parents attend conferences in Denver and other cities. HUGE congratulations to NICK DARLEY and RACHELLE ROSSA who had their baby on September 27th. It’s a boy (future camper!) named Hayden Nicholas LaFond Darley. Everybody is back home and doing well!! NICK MORLEY has applied to be a tour guide at UW-Madison where he is in school.

BRAVO TO OUR OCTOBER BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Daniel Moltz - 10/4/1995, Jono Rosenblum - 10/5/1998, Jonah Hoffman - 10/6/1998, Kathy Leverton - 10/7/1984, Joseph Trujillo - 10/9/1997, Michael Breen - 10/11/1985, Ari Lackner - 10/11/1996, Jack Thompson - 10/11/1996, Jake Burstyn - 10/13/1994, Evan Mihalakakos - 10/14/1999, Chris Barron - 10/15/1989, Joey Pawlan - 10/16/1992, Montrell Watson - 10/17/1995, Cokey Platanias - 10/19/1994, Jack Barlow - 10/20/1998, Nick Pappas - 10/20/1998, Ethan Teich - 10/21/1999, Daniel Newman - 10/23/1995, Michael Strawbridge - 10/23/1996, Alanna Dillon - 10/24/1988, Dan Kick - 10/24/1989, Sam Spier - 10/24/1995, Ryan Eisenman - 10/27/1992, Ryan Wagner - 10/27/1994, Ross Krulisky - 10/28/1995, Joe Shaver - 10/28/1979, Garrett Glover - 10/29/1998, Jonah Rawitz - 10/29/1997, Ari Mazza - 10/30/1998, Jake Schlossberg - 10/30/1995, Joseph Kuperman - 10/31/1995.

That’s it for this month. It’s REUNION SEASON! We hope to see all of you in the coming months. We’ll write you again in early November.

Benches up,