Did anyone have winter this year? We’re hearing from all of our camp friends and families around the Midwest and even in the mountain states that winter hardly showed up at all. Here in Tucson, we really just don’t do winter, so we have nothin
g to talk about on the subject, but we know the rest of the country just sorta dodged it almost entirely. The same is true up at camp. There was one good snowfall, and that was a monster. Other than that, some rain, and some pretty warm days. In fact, Lake Towanda (our friendly lake) usually doesn’t thaw out until late April or early May. There have been plenty of years when I’ve arrived at camp in early May, and the ice was still on the lake. (BTW: Did you know that Towanda freezes up so solidly that people drive their trucks out onto the lake to go ice fishing?) Well, not this year. Lake Towanda has been open, completely free of ice, since the middle of March. That means we’re bound for some very warm water in that lake of ours right from the get-go. As a little disclaimer, if things suddenly change and we have a cold April and/or May up there, the water may not be as warm as I just promised. Keep that in mind….In fact, there was a 3 day stretch last month when the weather at camp was 20 degrees warmer than the weather here in Tucson. What gives?! It is really odd to get a call from our caretaker, GREG FUS, and hear him brag about being outside in a t-shirt and shorts while we’re all bundled up back here in the desert. Something truly went awry, but it’s all good. This early spring has got us all just going crazy around here getting ready for the trek north. WE CAN’T WAIT!!
As you may recall, we’re doing some work on the outside of the Lodge this year. The nice weather has enabled our builder to get an early jump on it, and as you can see, it looks pretty spectacular. We’re also doing some cool stuff inside the Lodge, replacing the big Formica counters at the kitchen window with stainless steel. Not only will it look great, but it will help the crew in there keep the kitchen that much more clean and sanitary.
One of the things we do this time of year is pour ourselves into preparing our staff for the arrival of the campers! It’s really fun, but also a challenge to make the training pertinent, applicable, and educational to a very experienced group of people. This year is especially so since, are you ready for this…..of our 53 cabin counselors, ONLY 2 ARE NEW TO TIMBERLANE THIS YEAR! That’s just incredible! We are so lucky to have this wonderfully loyal group of counselors, trip leaders, and support staff. At the same time, that makes the planning of staff training that much more challenging, but we’re up to the task!
So, while we’re planning that out, we come across some very interesting material about child development, parenting, and even specifics about kids going away to camp. Last month we told you about a book called Homesick and Happy, by Michael Thompson. It’s a great and important read, so we do highly recommend it for our parents. In it, Michael takes the “risk” of sharing a list of things that parents CANNOT do for their kids. This list includes:
1. We cannot make our children happy.
2. We cannot give our children high self-esteem.
3. We cannot make friends for them or micromanage their friendships.
4. We cannot successfully double as our children’s parent AND their agent, manager, and coach.
5. We cannot keep our children perfectly safe, (but we can drive them crazy trying).
6. We cannot make our children independent.
See where this is going? Since we all (desperately) want these things for our kids, but we must accept that we – as parents – just cannot make it all happen for them, then what do we do? Well, we hope to guide them into their own discoveries. And we hope to help them surround themselves with quality people who can be the influences we wish we could be, but by virtue of being their parents, we cannot be. Once again, enter camp! This is the main philosophy that directs all we do to prepare our staff, every one of them, to be that person for your kids. And since we can acknowledge that some of our staff are pretty young themselves, the other cool part of this is that they actually can fill that role for each other while doing so for their campers. It’s a pretty darn remarkable and successful model, and there is no question as to why we take it so seriously.
Michael Thompson goes on to make the following recommendations about letting your kids go to camp:
1. Give your child the gift of letting him go.
2. Prepare your child for homesickness.
3. Help your children practice the skills they need before they leave.
4. Take a vacation from parenting, have some fun and don’t feel guilty about it!
When it comes to homesickness, although it is not exclusively a potential issue with new campers, typically our relatively few cases of homesick campers tend to be our first-year guys. The April Information packet that is now on your Parent Keylog page has some more coaching material to help you prepare your kids (and yourselves) a bit. We utilize a lot of Michael Thompson’s wisdom and research, as well as that of Chris Thurber, who is a nationally recognized authority on homesickness, and who has joined us for part of our staff training for the past 4 summers and will be with us again this year. We hope this information helps you feel great about letting your kids join us at camp! This month we will also mail our first-year campers a special publication about being new at camp. It’s a fun read!
We are so excited about the strength of our enrollment! 1st session is just about filled up, and 2nd session is not far behind. We will definitely have a full boat all summer this year, and we just appreciate it so much. Welcome back to the following “old-timers” who re-enrolled this past month: JAKE HOFFMAN of Dallas, TX; ALEX WISE of Denver, CO; and RYAN GARLAND of St. Louis, MO.
Welcome aboard to the following first-year campers who will join us this summer: ZACHARY RUDNER and AARON HOFFMAN of Dallas, TX; JORDY MAZZA of Highland Park, IL; KE’MARI RATTLIFF of Chicago, IL; SAM ALBERTS, JULIAN BALIANI, and SPENCE LEWIS of Tucson, AZ; CONNOR FEHRENBACH of West Chicago, IL; and NOAH FREEMAN of St. Louis, MO.
YO PARENTS: Lots of stuff for you again this month. First of all, in a few weeks we will send you an email with notice that your balance payment is due on May 15th. You can always check your current account balance via your Parent Keylog page on our website.
We have posted a few new things for you on your Parent Keylog Page. New this month are the “April Information,” the “Unplugged Policy,” and the “Packages Policy” links. Please click on them and read all of that important information.
We have also updated the information about GroupRx’s Pharmacy under the “Required Pharmacy Info” link. Remember, if your camper will take any kind of pill-form medication on a regularly scheduled basis, that medication MUST be filled by the GroupRx Pharmacy. There is no charge from the pharmacy to fill your order, beyond the cost of the medication! This applies to prescription or OTC medication (such as Zyrtek). This policy helps us continue our error-free dispensing of camper medications. We will make no exceptions to this policy, and a charge of $50 per camper will be applied for non-compliance. A more detailed explanation is available via the “General Health Care Info” link on your Parent Keylog page.
And finally, please note that you can order logo'd items as well as many other camp essentials through our approved vendor, The Cloz Company. YOU MUST PLACE YOUR ORDER NO LATER THAN 4 WEEKS PRIOR TO WHEN YOU NEED YOUR STUFF! So for a first session camper, packing around, say, June 15th, you should place your order no later than May 15th for Cloz to be sure to get you your order in time. Thanks.
YO OLD GUYS: We have mailed Little Brother information to most of our returning campers who are finishing 8th and 9th grade this year. Most of our returning kids that age will have a little brother, though not everyone. We have more new campers on the way, and if you do not have a little bro yet, you may still in the coming weeks. It is really important that you CALL (which is different from texting, emailing, Facebooking, etc) your little brother in the next week or so. Please reach out and make a new friend. It may feel a little awkward at first, but you have the bond of camp with each other, you're just getting it started a little early. Parents, if your son is a Big Brother, please help him remember to make that call. If your son is a new camper, please let us know if you don't hear from his big brother by the end of this month.
We also want to remind you returning older campers that you can pre-register for some of our longer, more challenging trips, including the Quetico Canoe Trip, the 10 or 6 Day Isle Royale Backpack trips, the Sand River Canoe trip, and the Apostle Islands Sea Kayak trips. Early this month you will receive an email from us detailing what trips you have completed (if you’re a returning camper) and which trips you’re eligible for. Have a look, talk it over, and sign up soon!
YO STAFF: You know how we LOVE paper work! If you have any certifications that are relative to camp, please be sure we have copies of those. If you are a returning staff member, and the copies we have from last year are still valid, you're set. If there are any changes, we
need a copy of the new card or certificate. If you have certifications that will expire before the end of the summer, please be sure to contact us and either sign up for one of the courses we are offering at camp (Lifeguard Training, Lifeguard Challenge, CPR Challenge, etc), or tell us what course you will take before you arrive at camp. If you have already taken care of this and informed us, you don't have to do so again. REMEMBER, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BECOME A CERTIFIED LIFEGUARD! The more, the merrier, and this certification, which lasts 3 years, is FREE!. Beat that deal! To see who we have signed up for certification courses at camp as of the publication of this issue, please click here. Thanks very much.And finally, we have to tell you that our fantastic head cook for many of the past 20 summers, BILL MILLER, is not returning to camp this summer. Bill is going to be a grandfather…again…and has decided to remain here in Tucson for this summer to help his daughter with the new bundle of joy. We’re excited for the Bill and his family, and as you will read a few paragraphs below, we have already been able to hire some great folks to make sure we continue to be well-fed this summer. We cannot express enough how much we value Bill as a friend and as the man who has made our kitchen operation so successful. We’re well poised to continue that trend.
ANDREW GOLDARB: Having spent the past few summers experiencing a 36-day nature trip in Alaska and volunteering in Latin America, Andrew is thrilled to return to camp. Andrew is a Junior at the Emery/Weiner School where he is the president of the National Honors Society. Although he spent five summers with us at camp, this will be Andrew’s first summer on staff; he will be joining us as one of our wilderness trip leaders. Andrew is 17 years old.ELIOT GOLDFARB: After five years as a camper and a few summers away, we’re very excited to welcome Eliot back to camp for his first year on staff. Originally from Nashville, TN, Eliot is currently a freshman at the University of Michigan where he is a HUGE fan of the Michigan Wolverine football team. He is 19 years old, and will be a cabin counselor and direct our Soccer program.
GRACE MCGOWAN: After a summer’s absence, Grace is very excited to return to Camp Timberlane. Living in Charlottesville, VA, but planning a move to Chicago, IL after camp, 24 year old Grace works for Relay Foods. In her third summer at camp, Grace will be spending half her summer hanging out with Liam and Carter Hitchens and half the summer working as part of our office staff.
RICH MCGOWAN: Spending his 16th summer at camp (all of them on staff—what an accomplishment!), Rich lives in Highland Park, IL and works for a video production company. Rich has been working diligently to get all of his certifications to prepare for his new role as our Waterfront Director!
Say hello to the following first-year staff members who have joined us this past month: SEBASTIAN ACUNA: 24 year old Sebastian joins us all the way from Bogota, Colombia. He spends his winters leading adventure rafting, hiking, and climbing trips for student and adult groups throughout the beautiful landscape of Colombia. We are excited to welcome Sebastian and his expertise as part of our stellar trip leading staff this summer.
MHAIRI BALD: In her third year at Teesside University in the UK, 24 year old Mhairi is looking forward to being part of our kitchen staff this summer. She is currently studying Criminology and Psychology and is, “Looking forward to having an amazing summer, meeting new people and experiencing new things at Camp Timberlane.”
DOUG CLODFELTER: Wow, we are so fortunate to have Doug as our new Head Cook. A proud father of five, Doug has catered dozens of
large scale events as well as worked at several restaurants as a head cook, including one which he owned and operated. Doug is looking forward to escaping the heat of Palm Beach, FL and joining us at camp for his first summer. JIM DREW: Man, our kitchen is just shaping into something really special. We’re excited to announce that Jim will be joining us from Indianapolis, IN to work as our Kitchen Manager. Jim is currently a chef for a sorority at Butler University and has spent years managing kitchens at hotels and country clubs throughout the country.
BEN FOWLER: Hailing from Atlanta, GA, 22 year old Ben graduated last year from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, majoring in Spanish Language and Culture with a minor in Biology. In college, Ben worked for the outdoor recreation club—there, he planned, organized, and led 20+ trips from the Everglades in Florida, to the New River Gorge in West Virginia. We’re excited to have Ben join us as part of our trip leader staff.
KYLE FOX: Kyle is a 19 year old student spending his first year at Hocking College in Nelsonville, OH studying Natural Resources Law Enforcement. Kyle will be working with Greg Fus and Jon Williams to round out our amazing Maintenance team.
EMMA SMITH: Emma, an 18 year old student at the University of Dundee, is studying Interior Environmental Design. Emma is incredibly friendly and, “Game for anything that is put in front of me.” This summer, she will be joining us as part of our kitchen staff.
AARON YOUNG: 18 year old Aaron is a freshman at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. While he is currently studying Computer Science, he is contemplating a switch to Mathematics. Aaron will be having a blast as part of our hard-working kitchen staff this summer.
In Chicago, JOSH SPAETH will play Benny Southstreet in his school’s rendition of “West Side Story.” Over his spring break, Josh got to hang out with JEFF MELROSE at the Disney parks in Orlando. ADAM RUBIN spent his spring break in Scottsdale and Sedona, AZ and had a great time doing some hiking and telling some funny camp hiking stories. ZACH WALDEN spent his spring break in Tucson, and got together with us camp director types for a little afternoon gelato. Congrats to BEN REMIS in St. Louis on his acceptance to two great schools for next year. In Orlando, FL, IAN SETZER is his lacrosse team’s goalie, and they are undefeated. Ian is also busy with his scout patrol. In Dallas, JAKE MAZOW is playing catcher for his school and club baseball teams. AARON GLAZER is in Milwaukee where he made his school’s freshman golf team and has been playing basketball and floor hockey. JOSH GLAZER has been playing tennis and volleyball, and their family will spend spring break in Vail. Let’s hope there’s snow! In Nashville, JONAH HOFFMAN is recovering very well from a pretty serious snow boarding wreck he had while skiing in Colorado. Jonah had to have surgery, but he’s a tough guy, and he’s got all sorts of friends and family helping him b
ounce back. The JONES FAMILY in Mooresville, IN played host to “old-timer” JAKOB SCHARNAGL for a stretch last month as he was in visiting from Germany. KATHY LEVERTON is busy in South Africa getting her certifications updated and going to see some great concerts including Sting and The Eagles. EDDIE ROSENBLUM is going to Slovenia, Vienna, and Prague with his high school band over spring break. Wow! JOEY RODIN was in Arizona for his spring break and fit in a quick visit to Tucson to have a look at the U of A. And “old-timer” AARON ROSEN also paid a visit to Tucson to check out the university.
THE JUICE
A special section from Michael Breen
A wise man named Rick Jones once told me that every summer is like a different flavor of ice cream. However, one summer my ice cream was starting to reek of a big ol’ double scoop of garbage. See, the powers that be decided to replace my beloved floating raft with a water-trampoline and something called a blob.
I had a very special connection that that raft. Let me try and describe this floating square of joy. It was made of old wood, which caused more splinters in one summer than most small nations experienced in a whole year. It was covered in a green-felt material (green, we supposed, to mask the mold that was growing on it). It was structurally iffy—all the campers at free swim standing on the Southeast corner could almost sink the entire raft. But the best part was the high dive. A wooden deck ten feet from the surface of the water we, if allowed, could have jumped off of from sunrise to sunset. For all these reasons and more, I, along with every camper during that time loved our raft. That raft was our childhood—and then, one summer as a counselor, I came to camp only to witness my childhood be dragged onto shore and chopped to pieces. I could have sworn I heard the creaking wood scream, “You let me down Breen,” as a chainsaw ripped through the diving platform.
I refused to set foot on that blob: that plastic, soulless monstrosity that replaced my beloved raft. And then, one day my campers at the time
dragged me down to free swim and forced a PFD onto me. I tried to regale them with romantic tales of the raft as they pushed and prodded me onto the water trampoline. My lightest camper scooted his way out to the end of the blob; he cared little about my fragile emotional state—he just wanted to get airborne. Campers were screaming from behind, urging me to send him flying so they could get a turn. Disappointed in myself for already being up there, I figured I might as well commit the full betrayal to my raft. I gave my most powerful butt-drop onto the blob and the camper, as Mike Cohen would like to say, was probably in the air long enough to scream twice. And—I was elated! Seeing that camper fly through the air was like every splinter, and patch of moldy felt combined. By the end of the free swim I was convincing kids to keep heading out on the blob so I could send them flying. I should have known better. This is a lesson I have learned time and time again. Things change at camp. There is no stopping this. Great programs, counselors, and campers move on and while it is always important to appreciate what we gleaned from them, it is equally important to value what we currently have. It’s always fun to remember the old, but just as sweet to embrace the new. It’s the change that keeps the ice cream so fresh. And ultimately, regardless of flavor, as summer approaches, I think we should all just be thankful to still be eating ice cream.
And now, some juice to wheeze:
You are a first session camper, enjoying a fantastic Karaoke Night when Sioux cabin steps onto stage all wearing costumes. You’re not sure what to make of this until Jonah Rawitz steps behind a keyboard and you know this is going to be good. Suddenly, the campers take turns rapping about the superhero they are dressed as, interspersing the verses with a beautiful chorus written by Jonah. And then, just when you think it can’t get any better, Ben Cheskis takes the mic. He is rapping like a professional, hitting every syllable and beat with clear rhythm and style. The whole Rec Hall goes silent as you realize he is undoubtedly the greatest rapper to ever come out of Riverwoods, IL.
-Michael Breen
BRAVO TO OUR APRIL BIRTHDAY BOYS & GIRLS: Mari Rattliff - 4/1/2002, Ben Goelz - 4/2/1999, Michael Gordon - 4/4/2003, Sam Pawlan - 4/5/1999, Carson Anderson - 4/7/2000, Owen Monieson - 4/8/2003, Brian Baruck - 4/9/1999, Ethan Letwat - 4/10/2001, Jeremy Tubbs - 4/10/1993, Bridget Masur - 4/11/1993, Aaron Young - 4/11/1993, Matt Mossler - 4/12/2000, James Wood - 4/12/1990, Corey Lendway - 4/13/1997, Jake Stein - 4/13/1997, Ryan Bronston - 4/14/1999, Nathan Friedman - 4/14/1999, Joey Bursten - 4/15/1997, Henry Lovett - 4/16/2001, Matt Kearney - 4/17/1988, Josh Meyer - 4/18/2002, Mhairi Bald - 4/19/1990, Brandon Gomel - 4/21/1999, Zach Kallmeyer - 4/21/2001, Alexander Weitzman - 4/21/2000, Sam Kagan - 4/26/1998, Levi Raskin - 4/26/2002, Hitch Hitchens - 4/27/1957, Bryan Berkowitz - 4/29/2001, David Gaidamak - 4/29/1996, Sebastian Kuri - 4/30/1998, Joey Rodin - 4/30/1995.
Have an outstanding month, y’all! We’ll write you again soon!
Benches up,
