Well, folks, September was certainly an eventful month around here. We’re kinda used to a laid-back time most years where we get to hang out around the office, sweat a lot ‘cause the air conditioner just can’t cool the place when it is 100 degrees outside, and move pretty slowly. NOT THIS YEAR! We’ve been busy as all get out. As you probably know, our Associate Director, Michael Breen re-relocated to Chicago, so we’ve spent some time getting our technology and other assets all figured out so we can still work closely together even when we’re nearly 2000 miles apart. It’s actually pretty cool….we Skype, we have all of our documents and database files in a cloud somewhere…we’re totally teched out. For some folks, that’s no big deal, but for a tech-resistant camp director, it’s epic! You may not know this, but Michael is a published author and excellent writer. So, he is going to add a little bit each month to these newsletters. Please check it out down the page a bit.And then there is the matter of our campers-gone-crazy enrollment!! Wow!!! As you’re going to see in just a moment, we have more kids enrolled this time of year than we have had in a long, long time. In fact, camp is already half-filled up in both sessions, which is just awesome. And we’ve been in touch with lots of new families as well from different cities, which is really great news. We’re on our way to a spectacular summer of 2012, and it’s only October!
Our 2011-2012 Reunion Schedule is taking shape. Most of our camp cities’ reunion dates are all set. Please take a look at the schedule below. We thank everyone who offered to host us in their hometowns. We still have dates to set up for Los Angeles, Tucson, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and one or two others. REMEMBER, EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT TIMBERLANE REUNIONS, including campers and staff (duh!), parents, siblings, friends and relatives. About a month before the reunion in your home town, we’ll send you an invitation via US Mail (if it is still functioning then!). And just ‘cause we know what busy people you are, we’ll send you an email reminder a few days before the reunion. Starting times may change once in a while, so we’ll make sure you have the right info before the reunion day arrives. Y’know, some of us travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to visit with our camp buddies at these reunions. So please, mark your calendar now, and be sure to join us.We have had an advanced viewing of the 2011 Reunion Video, and it is downright fantabulous! You won’t want to miss this, and at the reunion near you, we’ll give you your very own copy of the reunion video to take home and watch time after time after time after time after…
| City | Date | Time |
| Chicago | Sat. Nov. 5 | 12:00 pm |
| Milwaukee | Sun. Nov. 6 | 12:30 pm |
| Nashville | Sat. Nov. 19 | 3:00 pm |
| St. Louis | Sat. Dec. 3 | 3:00 pm |
| Dallas | Sat. Dec. 10 | 2:00 pm |
| Houston | Sat. Jan. 7 | 2:00 pm |
| Denver | Sat. Jan. 28 | 2:00 pm |
Last month, we had the great pleasure of attending the Camp For All Kids “Around the Campfire” event. It was held at a day camp in the Chicago area on a perfect Saturday afternoon and evening. It was sunny and warm, and nearly 500 people from the 5 CFAK camps were there. We were so proud of our guys who joined us and made it fun for us and everyone else around. We did a little hanging out, played a little basketball and ga-ga, roasted some marshmallows and made s’mores, and played in a huge game of continuous dodgeball. It was a seriously good time. After the activities concluded, we had a delicious barbecue dinner, and then enjoyed a short concert with Paul Noel Stookey, of Peter, Paul & Mary. The man is more than 70 years old, and he can still sing and play an incredible guitar! He hit some of the highlight songs including “Puff, the Magic Dragon” and “Right Field.” Admittedly, most of the kids did not have his stuff on their iPods, but they were respectful, and on a gorgeous night like that, you couldn’t help but enjoy yourself.
And, of course, the whole goal of the event was to raise funds for Camp for All Kids, the scholarship program we cooperate with to send deserving and underserved kids to our camp and the other 4 camps involved. When it was all said and done, the event raised nearly $250,000! That’s pretty incredible! We know many of our camp community supported the event even though they did not attend. We just want to extend our thanks to all of you. It really means a lot to us, and we know the program is a benefit to the scholarship recipients as well as our other campers and staff.
THE TIMBERLANE CHALLENGE: We now have 2 alumni from Camp Timberlane who have offered to match, dollar for dollar, any additional contributions made to CFAK between now and Thanksgiving. We know we have asked you often already, but this is a fantastic opportunity that we hope you will help us with. Parents, if you are contemplating making an end-of-year, tax-deductible donation to a worthy cause, we think this is perfect, and remember, each dollar you donate becomes $2! So please forgive us for asking this time, and consider making your donation on the following website: http://cfak.donorpages.com/2011TimberlaneAlumniChallenge/donateonline/. It is easy, secure, and we appreciate it very much.
Whoah! Get a load of this!! Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who re-enrolled this past month: ARI LACKNER of Bannocburn, IL; DANIEL ENGEL and MYER GALIS and SAM & TAYLOR FRISHMAN of Buffalo Grove, IL; JOSH SIEGEL of Tucson, AZ; HENRY LOVETT of Los Angeles, CA; ADAM CORTES-FERRIE, MAX GLICKMAN, ROSS SINAR, JEREMY SUS, and EZRA & GABRIEL WALLON of Chicago, IL; AIDEN LEVYNE of Crystal Lake, IL; CHRIS TOMPKINS and ETHAN LETWAT of Deerfield, IL; JACK KNUETTEL of Denver, CO; JACKSON & SAM PAWLAN of Woodstock, GA; DANNY & SIMON LEVY of Evanston, IL; EVAN & KYLE GROSS, DAVID HEIMAN, DAVID RINGEL, ADAM RUBIN, and ZACK SCHREIER of Glencoe, IL; ZEV BURTON of Carmel, IN; ASA & AVI HIKEN and CHAD KAMEN of Prospect, KY; COREY LENDWAY of Vadnais Heights, MN; DREW & ELI MITCHELL of Glenview, IL; JOE BERNS, ZACH COPLAN, JACK EICHNER, ADAM HOFFMAN, SAM JAFFE, ALEX & ANDREW KARMIN, JOEY & JONO ROSENBLUM, LUKE SCLAMBERG, ETHAN TEICH, and ALEXANDER ZLOTNIK of Highland Park, IL; JASON GARLAND, MAX GOLDENBERG, SAM KAHN, JERRIS KIRKWOOD, BEN REMIS, CHARLIE SMOLLER, and ZAC WARR of St. Louis, MO; JORDAN FISHEL, ALEX FREEDMAN, JONAH HOFFMAN, IAN JACOBS, and MATTHEW & TYLER JACOBS of Nashville, TN; JULES BLUM of Brooklyn, NY; AARON GLAZER and RICKY ROMERSI of Milwaukee, WI; JACOB ELIAS, JAKE FEIGER, SCOTTIE MUTCHNIK, DAVID PAWLAN, ADAM SHERMAN, GARRETT SHUMAN, BRANDON TUCKER, ZACH WALDEN, and SAM WETZEL of Northbrook, IL; and JOEY BURSTEN, JOSEPH FIELDS, JEFFREY GOLD, JARED MARGOLIS, JONAH ROSENBERG, GRAYSON SHEENA, and BEN SPIER of Houston, TX.And we’re not done yet! Welcome aboard to the following new campers who enrolled this past month: JARED LETWAT of Deerfield, IL; JOE LEVY of Evanston, IL; CHARLIE LOVETT of Los Angeles, CA; GRANT GARLAND, JUSTIN GOLDENBERG, and JACK KAHN of St. Louis, MO; SPENCER COPLAN of Highland Park, IL; NOAH FOSTER of Northbrook, IL, and JOSH GLAZER of Milwaukee, WI.
Does that seem like a whole lot of cool kids to you? It sure does to us! Thanks for the enthusiasm, y’all. Let’s keep it up!!
Way to go, parents! You got our little request for news, and some of you responded with great stuff! GRANT KIBEL is loving life in Boston, where he gets to walk everywhere and is making new friends. “Old-timer” brother JON KIBEL is at a new school that has a pretty strict dress code. And of course, both Kibels are St. Louis natives, and remain loyal Cardinal fans! Speaking of St. Louis, SAM KAHN is playing tennis, has joined BBYO, and recently spent some time with counselor AARON ZEMACH down near Washington University. Bar Mitzvah congrats coming up in November for JACK ROSENTHAL who will actually have a B’nai Mitzvah with his twin sister. COREY LENDWAY is back in the Minneapolis area, and will attend the World Archery Tournament in Orlando, FL this month! Good luck, Corey! In the Chicago area, JONAH RAWITZ is playing the role of Tobias in Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre. He is in 8 shows a week and it runs through Oct. 9th. ROSS SINAR is playing soccer on the freshman team at Walter Payton High School, and loving it! Bar Mitzvah congrats to JACK ROSS who celebrated on October 1st! Congrats also to SAM WETZEL who celebrated his Bar Mitzvah last month and had a foodie-themed party called SAM v FOOD. Can we assume there was some beanie-weanie served? And more Bar Mitzvah congrats to JEREMY SUS who will celebrate early next month. Way to go, boys!! BEN KITE is staying busy studying, playing XBox, and honing his poker skills that he picked up at camp on Casino Night. Could be one more honorable career developed through the camping experience! (Ben..quick tip…real loan sharks aren’t as nice as the ones at camp. Keep it in mind.) ALEX ZLOTNIK is playing in two basketball leagues at the moment. And now, news from local hospitals and doctors’ offices in the Chicago area: DANIEL ECHT recovered from his Pow Wow Day injury only to break his leg and sprain his ankle while playing football. JOSH SPAETH broke his collarbone from a wipe out on his bicycle. He’s recovering well and is taking a teen chefs cooking class and preparing dinner from the recipes weekly for his family. He’s also looking forward to playing tennis. And MIKE WHITMAN was off to a great start playing football as a freshman until he broke his collarbone. He’s also recovering well and looking forward to playing tennis.
SCOTT BREEN has settled into his International Studies/Law School graduate program at Indiana University. He spent some time recently with IU students JACOB LURIE and EMILY JONES. Also in Indiana, RICK & HOLLY 
JONES played host to JAKOB SCHARNAGL for a week after camp ended. Rick recently rode in a bike ride event to raise money to buy bikes for villages in the Congo. HANNAH JONES has been accepted into the West Point Military Academy. Congratulations, Hannah!! In Milwaukee, GABE SENNET and BEN LEVEY are both playing volleyball at Nicolet High School. Ben’s team had a game recently against “old-timer” JOEY WERNER’S team. MORGAN REYNOLDS is back in school in Virginia after experiencing some delays from little things like a hurricane and earthquake. BETHYN MERRICK-NGUYEN is back in North Carolina doing some climbing and some cooking, and preparing to move to Chattanooga, TN. RYAN EISENMAN is off to a great start as a freshman at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. In Delray Beach, FL, MARYLYNNE ALLEN just finished work with her ballet company until the winter holidays begin. She has also started doing research at her school on using wave power to generate energy. And one of her two submarine projects was ready for testing in salt water. JEFF “MEL” MELROSE is teaching 5th grade in Celebration, FL and has a nice crop of kiddies in his class. Some very fun, very high energy students. Hmmmmm….sounds familiar….We heard in a round about way that SAM HEWITT is working in a program with Outward Bound leading trips with at-risk kids. KAYLA WANDSNIDER is back at school in Lacrosse, WI and working at the campus rec center’s Outdoor Connection renting camping gear and leading a few trips. She’s also taking a very full load of tough classes. CHAD BYLER has started his own company called Grand River Guides, and led his first trip with about 20 participants on a day paddle. Soon he will join JOSH BOLING, GREG COOPER, and “old-timer” WES HIEB in Park City, UT working at a ski resort. Chad and Greg will be ski instructors, and Josh and Wes will be snow makers. JEREMY SUTTON is in his 2nd year at McGill University, and he decided to try out for the baseball team. Well….HE MADE IT! Jeremy is a red-shirt on the team, catching a lot of bullpens, and getting to work out and practice with the team. That’s awesome!! Around the rest of the world, LUTH NOLASCO-RUIZ (Luuuuuuuth) is back in Mexico going to school and feeling bored. KATHY LEVERTON trotted around the States for a while after camp, visiting with JOEY PAWLAN, JAY FELDMAN, and BETHYN MERRICK-NGUYEN in Chicago, and randomly bumping into OLA ALEKSANDROWICZ and NATALIA BERECHULKA in the city. She then visited with “old-timers” JAKE & SIOBHAN KLECKNER in New Hampshire, then to New Jersey, and then for a little jaunt to Egypt. Not to get too sedentary, Kathy went on some dives in the Red Sea near Sharm el Sheikh, and hiked up Mt. Sinai under a full moon. And finally, she returned home to South Africa. Anyone else think they should have Kathy as their travel agent? JUSTIN LOWRY is back in school in the UK, trying to arrange things so he can be back at camp next summer. LAWRENCE TOYE is also back in the UK, and has given a few informal presentations about his time in the US. He is looking for seasonal work to keep him busy so he can return to camp next summer. RAFA RODRIGUEZ is back in Bogota, Columbia continuing his work for CCUSA, and looking forward to hosting some traveling Timberlane guys this winter, including MICHAEL BREEN, SCOTTY BREEN, and JORDY SHARLIN.
JONES played host to JAKOB SCHARNAGL for a week after camp ended. Rick recently rode in a bike ride event to raise money to buy bikes for villages in the Congo. HANNAH JONES has been accepted into the West Point Military Academy. Congratulations, Hannah!! In Milwaukee, GABE SENNET and BEN LEVEY are both playing volleyball at Nicolet High School. Ben’s team had a game recently against “old-timer” JOEY WERNER’S team. MORGAN REYNOLDS is back in school in Virginia after experiencing some delays from little things like a hurricane and earthquake. BETHYN MERRICK-NGUYEN is back in North Carolina doing some climbing and some cooking, and preparing to move to Chattanooga, TN. RYAN EISENMAN is off to a great start as a freshman at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. In Delray Beach, FL, MARYLYNNE ALLEN just finished work with her ballet company until the winter holidays begin. She has also started doing research at her school on using wave power to generate energy. And one of her two submarine projects was ready for testing in salt water. JEFF “MEL” MELROSE is teaching 5th grade in Celebration, FL and has a nice crop of kiddies in his class. Some very fun, very high energy students. Hmmmmm….sounds familiar….We heard in a round about way that SAM HEWITT is working in a program with Outward Bound leading trips with at-risk kids. KAYLA WANDSNIDER is back at school in Lacrosse, WI and working at the campus rec center’s Outdoor Connection renting camping gear and leading a few trips. She’s also taking a very full load of tough classes. CHAD BYLER has started his own company called Grand River Guides, and led his first trip with about 20 participants on a day paddle. Soon he will join JOSH BOLING, GREG COOPER, and “old-timer” WES HIEB in Park City, UT working at a ski resort. Chad and Greg will be ski instructors, and Josh and Wes will be snow makers. JEREMY SUTTON is in his 2nd year at McGill University, and he decided to try out for the baseball team. Well….HE MADE IT! Jeremy is a red-shirt on the team, catching a lot of bullpens, and getting to work out and practice with the team. That’s awesome!! Around the rest of the world, LUTH NOLASCO-RUIZ (Luuuuuuuth) is back in Mexico going to school and feeling bored. KATHY LEVERTON trotted around the States for a while after camp, visiting with JOEY PAWLAN, JAY FELDMAN, and BETHYN MERRICK-NGUYEN in Chicago, and randomly bumping into OLA ALEKSANDROWICZ and NATALIA BERECHULKA in the city. She then visited with “old-timers” JAKE & SIOBHAN KLECKNER in New Hampshire, then to New Jersey, and then for a little jaunt to Egypt. Not to get too sedentary, Kathy went on some dives in the Red Sea near Sharm el Sheikh, and hiked up Mt. Sinai under a full moon. And finally, she returned home to South Africa. Anyone else think they should have Kathy as their travel agent? JUSTIN LOWRY is back in school in the UK, trying to arrange things so he can be back at camp next summer. LAWRENCE TOYE is also back in the UK, and has given a few informal presentations about his time in the US. He is looking for seasonal work to keep him busy so he can return to camp next summer. RAFA RODRIGUEZ is back in Bogota, Columbia continuing his work for CCUSA, and looking forward to hosting some traveling Timberlane guys this winter, including MICHAEL BREEN, SCOTTY BREEN, and JORDY SHARLIN. The Juice
A special section from Michael Breen
Much like dial-up internet and VHS tapes (junior village, ask your parents), wheezing the juice has become a morsel of nostalgia condemned to ridicule. For those unaware, wheezing the juice was the glorious process of picking up a nearly empty bug juice container, placing the faucet under your mouth, and sucking out those last few drops of succulent deliciousness. Sadly, this art-form has been banned by certain camp directors and relegated to no more than a silly pastime of our Timberlane ancestors. However, with my new power as Associate Director, I now have the ability to resurrect wheezing the juice—through print, at least. Mike has asked me write a little piece in the “Timberlife!” every month; while camp may be over, I will try and bring back some memories from summer 2011 in each issue that you can wheeze on during those long school days and cold winter months:
1. You are at the first session Agawak social deciding between a game of tetherball or standing awkwardly when suddenly Scott Wolf jumps in front of the rec hall and a rendition of “Double Dream Hands” blares across the speakers. Suddenly, 50 campers begin a choreographed dance that lasts several minutes and the girls are not sure whether to laugh or cry.
2. You are stretching for the start of the Timberloop between Shawnee and Arapaho cabin when you look to your left and see….Ryan Cohen’s abs! Wow, when did that happen? Seriously, you could grate Wisconsin cheddar on those things.
3. It is second session and the third day in a row of crazy hot temperatures (thanks a lot global warming!), when you find out Evening Program has been cancelled and the entire camp is being turned into a water park!!! You spend the rest of the night throwing water balloons, gliding through the slip ‘n’ slide, getting tossed around in the human washing machine, and making GIANT bubbles with Jeff “Bubble Czar” Melrose.
Hey cool guys, if you have some suggestions of juice we can wheeze, feel free to send some memories to mike@camptimberlane.com. Thanks! Wheeze on my good friends, wheeze on.
-Michael Breen
BRAVO TO OUR OCTOBER BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Jack Reed - 10/3/1997, William Tu - 10/3/1997, 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, Joey Pawlan - 10/16/1992, Montrell Watson - 10/17/1995, Alex Pobereskin - 10/18/1997, Scott Breen - 10/19/1988, 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, Sam Spier - 10/24/1995, Jack Kahn - 10/25/2001, Ryan Eisenman - 10/27/1992, Rafael Rodriguez Diaz - 10/27/1986, Ryan Wagner - 10/27/1994, Ross Krulisky - 10/28/1995, Garrett Glover - 10/29/1998, Jonah Rawitz - 10/29/1997, Ari Mazza - 10/30/1998, Clay Castronovo - 10/31/2001, Joseph Kuperman - 10/31/1995.We can’t remember a newsier newsletter than this one. Sure has been fun to write, and we hope you enjoy reading it. Have a great October, everyone. Please keep in touch!
Benches up,
