Dear Campers, Parents, Staff, Alums & Friends,
We hope you all have had a nice January and start to the New Year. As you no doubt have read, we had some eventful days here in Tucson last month. The tragedy struck fairly close to home for most of our camp friends here in town, though thankfully none were at the scene when it happened. In the aftermath, it has been easy to be proud of our city and the people here. Hopefully, in other parts of the country, it has been apparent that the people here have tried hard to pull together, be supportive, and to come back strong. Leslie and I visited the very large vigil that was being held outside the hospital where the most critically wounded victims were being treated, and it just took our breath away. It was very sad, and yet it felt very strong all at the same time. This sense of pulling together is not unusual after a good community suffers a bad loss. And yet, it seems unfortunate that a loss is required for that to happen on a large scale. There are certainly more positive experiences that can bring a community together, of course. At camp, we experience that nearly every week at our campfires. Those fun and upbeat gatherings often serve to remind us very explicitly that we are, above all else, a camp family, a community that cares for all its members. The campfires serve to mark the passing of another week of camp, and a chance to reflect, and take stock of our good fortune for being in that beautiful place with so many great people whom we all care about. Maybe the city council ought to consider implementing city-wide campfires every once in a while to pull us all together. It could work!
It has also been a busy travel month for we camp folks. January included trips to Dallas, Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. Anytime you travel in January, the weather can be iffy, and this time around was no exception. While in Dallas, we had a beautiful Saturday that was sunny and warm. And then on Sunday it snowed…..a lot. I think it would have been really fun to watch those Dallas boys play around in the snow since they don’t see it too often. Then it was on to Chicago and Milwaukee. I landed at O’Hare late on a Friday morning, and the temperature was 0 degrees. No matter how you look at it, that’s not a lot of degrees. Walking out of the airport terminal to the rental car shuttle was like taking an upper cut to the chin. It was crazy cold! And of course, driving up to Milwaukee, it didn’t get any warmer. On the up side, though, it was sunny the entire time, and I can take just about any amount of cold if there’s a little sunshine to soak up. So it wasn’t really that bad. It was also a really nice reunion, but I got so caught up in the great company, that I forgot to take a photo of our Milwaukee guys. Fortunately, they sent me some recent photos of themselves so we could include them in the newsletter. Phew! Thanks for having my back!!
This past weekend was a trip to St. Louis, for Dusty and I, and while there was snow on the ground, it was just beautiful outside. Again, we had a weekend full of sunshine! Our time there included a visit to Washington University and an afternoon spent with AARON ZEMACH, who is a freshman there. We also attended the St. Louis Camp Fair, and we had all sorts of great visitors to our table, including CHARLIE TIPTON, JAKE FLOM, BEN REMIS, WILL COEN, JERRIS KIRKWOOD, MARSHALL STRAWBRIDGE, CHARLIE JONAS, and IZZY MCKENZIE. Thanks to all of you for making the fair much more fun!!
We are on a big roll now with our enrollment, and very soon we will have filled age groups in both sessions, though particularly in the first session. Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who have re-enrolled in the past month: JOHNNY & MICHAEL GROSS, CHRISTIAN NORFLEET, ELI SELZ, and ERIC & JACK THOMPSON of Chicago, IL; DAVID GLAZER and JACK KNUETTEL of Denver, CO; ADAM WASSERMAN of Deerfield, IL; after a summer’s absence, NICK HAMBURGER of Glencoe, IL; JAKE FLOM and RYAN HEARST of St. Louis, MO; BEN BLOOM, ALEXANDER & DANIEL ECHT, and JACK ROSS of Highland Park, IL; BRANDON GOMEL, SAM KAGAN, and GRANT ZUCKER of Bellaire, TX; SAMMY DRAZNER and GARRETT SHUMAN of Northbrook, IL; ADAM SUSMAN of Oak Park, IL; BEN SCHACHTER of Dallas, TX; BEN CHESKIS of Riverwoods, IL; and AARON GLAZER of Mequon, WI.
Welcome aboard to the following new campers who have recently joined us: SAHSA SALK of Chicago, IL; ALEX POBERESKIN of Deerfield, IL; ALEXANDER 
WEITZMAN of Franklin, TN; SAM & JACKSON PAWLAN of Woodstock, GA; ETHAN VICTOR of Glencoe, IL; JARED BLOOM and HENRY ECHT of Highland Park, IL; JAKE GREENBERG of Bellaire, TX; CASEY MUTCHNIK of Northbrook, IL; and ZACH KALLMEYER of Highland Heights, OH. We’re really happy to have you all with us! Hope you’re excited for an amazing summer!!!
YO PARENTS! It’s that fun time of year when we ask for the 2nd deposit for your son(s). We have sent you all emails with a 2nd Deposit Invoice attached, and you can 
Whenever we post new information to your Parent Keylog Page, there will be a small icon next to that link that looks like this: 
. So as you periodically login to your Parent Keylog Page, have a look for that little logo, and you’ll know what new forms or information have been posted.
YO CAMPERS: Our 2011 Trips Calendar is now online! It is still early, so there could be a few small changes here and there, but it is up and it is awesome! A few notes:
1. Our grand-daddy trips are just a bit shorter this year. In recent summers, we’ve found that more kids are reluctant to be out of camp for those long, long stretches. So, we’ve listened, and tried to make the trips fit better with your other needs for your summer at camp. For example, the 1st session Isle Royale Backpacking trip has been shortened from 10 days to 9. That’s still plenty of time to see this extraordinary island in Lake Superior. The 2nd session Quetico Canoe Trip in Canada has gone from 12 days to 10. Again, plenty of time to explore that big, beautiful wilderness up there. And parents, the fees for these trips have been reduced accordingly, which is more good news.
2. Remember, the only trips for which there is a charge include the trips to Isle Royale, Quetico Provincial Park, the Sand River, and the Apostle Islands Sea Kayaking. Those are also the only trips that you can pre-register for if you wish. Pre-registration is not required, but is a good idea to secure your spot on the trip, provided that you are, or will be, eligible for the trip based on the trips you have completed ahead of time. If you wish to pre-register for a trip, click here, then click on “Trips Info”, and then on “Advanced Registration.” If you have any questions, please call or email us.
YO OLD GUYS: If you are in 8th or 9th grade this school year, we are planning to have you serve as a camp “Big Brother” to a new camper this summer. We’ll try to pair everyone up if we can, and we’ll also try to pair as many from the same city as we can. We ask Big Brothers to call (not text or email, please!) their Little Brothers, introduce themselves, and offer to answer any questions that your Little Bro might have about camp. Some guys are even able to get together before camp and talk for a bit, which is awesome! If you would prefer NOT to be a Big Brother, we need to know that as soon as possible. You can email or call us, and that’s perfectly fine. There is no obligation whatsoever, but we think it is a fun thing to be a part of, and we know it really helps our new guys out. Thanks very much.
We continue to see an unusually large return of staff this summer. It is just amazing, and we know this means our 51st summer (What? It’s the 51st?!) is going to be the best. Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who will return to camp.
| JOSH BOLING | Josh is 22 years old, and is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia. He makes his home in Cadwell, GA, and is currently working hard as an “adventurer.” This will be Josh’s 2nd summer at camp, and he will be a Trip Leader. |
| SCOTT BREEN | After a summer’s absence, Scotty is back for his 12th summer at camp. He is 22 years old, and will graduate this spring from Georgetown University with a degree in Political Economy, and an eye toward law school. While finishing up school, Scotty is also working at the Environmental Protection Agency, for a student-run grocery store, and he’s training for the DC National Marathon next month. Scotty will be a cabin counselor, will be our Senior Village Director, and will help out with Volleyball, Timberman-Cardio, and Waterskiing. |
| IAN BROWN | It is summer number 4 coming up for Ian! He is 24 years old, and is currently living in San Francisco whipping up hot dogs for a vendor called “Let’s Be Frank.” Ian will again join our Trip Leading Staff this summer. |
| STEVEN COOKE | It is Steven’s 2nd summer coming up at camp. He will be 20 years old this summer, and he is a sophomore at Arizona State University, studying Applied Computer Science and playing soccer. He is also actively involved in building houses with Habitat for Humanity. This summer Steven will join our Maintenance Staff. |
| EMILY JONES | Emily is 19 years old, and is currently a freshman at Indiana University in Bloomington, studying Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Studies. Emily knows camp, having literally grown up with us since she was born. This will “officially” be her 19th summer at Timberlane where she will head up our Sailing program. In Bloomington, she has been working at the Scholar’s Inn, which is a restaurant owned by a camp alumnus. This spring, Emily will canoe the Rio Grande with her school’s outdoor group. |
| SAM KAHN | Sam will be 22 years old this summer, and this will be his 13th year at camp! Sam will graduate this spring from Syracuse University with a degree in Finance Real Estate. His plan is to work for City Year Chicago, as a teacher and tutor at inner city schools. Sam will again be a cabin counselor, will co-head our PA Program, and help out with Swimming and Waterskiing. |
| MATT KEARNEY | Matt will be 23 years old this summer, and he returns for his 3rd year at camp. He graduated recently from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a degree in English Education. He’s currently working as a substitute teacher and looking for teaching jobs for the next school year. Matt will again be a cabin counselor, will head up our Ropes Course program, and help out with Waterskiing, Climbing, and Basketball. |
| JUSTIN LOWRY | Justin is back for his 3rd summer at camp. He is 21 years old, and will again travel all the way from England to join us. Back home, Justin teaches swimming, PE, math and sciences in high school. He is also currently playing for 3 soccer teams, 2 of which are 6 per side, and 1 is 11 per side. Justin will again be a cabin counselor, will now split the leadership of our Tennis program with Jovan McGee, and this year Justin will head up our Soccer program. |
| JACOB LURIE | Summer number 10 coming up for Jacob! He will be 20 years old this summer, and is currently a sophomore at Indiana University studying Legal Studies. This summer, Jacob will be a cabin counselor, will head up Weight Training, and he will also be our Intermediate Village Director. |
| JOVAN MC GEE | Jovan is 28 years old, and is returning for his 8th summer at camp. He recently moved from Minneapolis to Pompano Beach, FL, which was a very smart thing to do. He’s loving Florida, where he is coaching gymnastics and working as a teacher’s assistant. Jovan will be a cabin counselor, will continue to head up our Gymnastics program, and will also co-head Tennis with Justin Lowry. |
| MATT RODIN | It is summer number 10 coming up for Matt! He will be 19 years old this summer, and is currently a freshman at the Boston Conservatory studying Musical Theatre. He is currently working as a technical assistant in his school’s mainstage theatre and will be a part of two shows this semester. At camp, Matt will again be a cabin counselor, will head up our Comedy Sportz improv program, and help out with Waterskiing, Guitar, Yoga, and Arts & Crafts. |
| MAX WEINTRAUB | Max is 19 years old, is from St. Louis, and is currently a freshman at the University of Arizona studying business. This will be Max’s 5th summer at camp, and he will be a cabin counselor, will head up our Basketball program, and help out with Baseball, Athletics, and more. |
In St. Louis, JON KIBEL had a great lacrosse season with his team, even making it all the way to the state finals. Do not mess with the STRAWBRIDGE brothers—MARSHALL became Grand Champion during a Karate tournament and MICHAEL managed to get a concussion while wrestling. Down in Dallas, JAKE MAZOW has had a busy fall, making high honor roll at school and raising money for First Tee and North Texas PGA as part of his Bar Mitzvah project—all on a broken ankle! JAKE HOFFMAN has been playing indoor soccer and will be starting lacrosse in the spring. Also playing some indoor soccer, as well as tennis and basketball, is BEN SCHACHTER. In Milwaukee, AARON GLAZER is playing basketball at the JCC and for his school; he’s looking forward to a trip to Israel with his class in just a few weeks. GABE SENNETT has been enjoying his time playing floor hockey at the JCC.
Out in Colorado, ADAM ELIAS is excited to attend several hockey officiating camps in effort to move to the NHL level. In St. Louis, CHARLIE JONAS has been busy with his hockey season. NICK MORLEY has been training hard for the Madison and Chicago marathons in hopes to qualify for his ultimate goal—the Boston marathon. Truly incredible, JAKE “BIRDMAN” POURCHOT will be participating in a cross-country bike tour with his brother and father to raise money for a disease known as Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T). BEN LEVEY has been enjoying his temporary driver’s license, as well as his time at tennis, school, and working out. Blondes do have more fun—JOEY PAWLAN can be spotted with electric yellow hair these days, having dyed it for the swim team. Tripper RYAN EISENMAN participated in a program called No Impact Week and blogged about his experience (here is the link to his blog: http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/ryan-blogs-on-no-impact-week). Down in South Africa, KATHY LEVERTON will be camping over the next few weekends with friends. Tripper DAN NEWMAN is extremely excited to begin his year-long experience with the Ameri Corp. volunteer program.
BRAVO TO THE FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Garrett Shuman - 2/2/1999, Jackson Pawlan - 2/6/2001, Kevin Daily - 2/8/1999, Max Glickman - 2/8/1997, Chad Byler - 2/9/1987, Cameron Cavalier - 2/9/1996, William Henley - 2/9/1998, Sammy Drazner - 2/10/1997, Jonah Landy - 2/12/1996, Megan Hager - 2/14/1984, Jack Lynch - 2/15/1999, Sarah Olson - 2/15/1991, David Ringel - 2/15/1997, Ben Remis - 2/16/2000, Daniel Feldman - 2/17/2000, Dillon Gross - 2/17/1998, Eric Thompson - 2/17/1999, Zach Walden - 2/17/2000, Dési Heinen - 2/19/1986, Daniel Engel - 2/20/1998, Jared Liebman - 2/20/1996, Ethan Glasberg - 2/23/1999, Jack Gomberg - 2/23/1996, Sam M Kahn - 2/23/1989, Santi Silva - 2/23/2000, Adam Kaz - 2/24/1997, Casey Mutchnik - 2/25/2001, Nick Hamburger - 2/26/1998, Grayson Sheena - 2/26/1998, Charlie Deer - 2/28/1999, Jack Polston - 2/28/1996, Seth Gross - 2/29/1992.
That’s it for now, kiddies. We know many of you are having a chilling cold snap come through, but hang in there….once we get through this, summer is right around the corner!! We’ll write you again next month.
Benches up,
