Month: September 2013

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The Last Day of Summer

Although camp looks and sounds like a GHOST town on this last full day of summer; the air smells like apples, the chickens are now delivering eggs and the fields are being limed! We are able to reflect on another BEST SUMMER EVER as we begin preparation for The Summer of 2014; which unofficially starts next weekend, September 28th, when we kick it off with our annual Fall Foliage BBQ!

We have a big crowd coming, the forecast looks good and the Dorm Girls of 2014 are hosting!  In the meantime, I’ll be waving on the Live Camp Cam (check it out on our APP)… and don’t forget your sunscreen!!!!

Mitch

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Camp Towanda Athletic Accomplishments 2013

soccerteamThe Camp Towanda Athletic Department enjoyed another successful season this year, with our campers participating in over 145 athletic events throughout this camp season. Summer 2013 kicked off with our 33 boys’ teams and 23 girls’ teams competing in multiple Wayne County Tournament games, and ended with 15 teams contending for a championship in the finals. Throughout the summer, campers are offered a wide variety of sports to take part in. Levels of competition range from inter-camp play dates and Fun Fridays, where everyone can play, to Invitational Tournaments, both here and at many of the other 30 Wayne County Athletic Association member camps, to the select try-out teams of the Wayne County Tournament. Many of our teams met with great success this year, with 52 of 56 teams playing in the quarterfinal round.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WAYNE COUNTY CHAMPIONS

  • Junior Girls (6th Grade) Soccer Team
  • Inter Girls (7th Grade) Softball Team
  • National Boys (8th Grade) Soccer Team Dorm/LIT Girls (10th/11th Grade) Soccer Team
  • Club Boys (10th Grade) Tennis Team
  • Club/LIT Boys (10th/11th Grade) Lacrosse Team

AND TO OUR WAYNE COUNTY RUNNERS-UP:

  • Tween Girls (5th Grade) Soccer Team
  • Middie Boys (5th Grade) Baseball Team
  • Junior Girls (6th Grade) Softball Team
  • National Girls (8th Grade) Lacrosse Team National Boys (8th Grade) Baseball Team
  • Senior Girls (9th Grade) Volleyball Team
  • Senior Girls (9th Grade) Soccer Team
  • Senior Boys (9th Grade) Soccer Team
  • Club/LIT Boys (10th/11th Grade) Basketball Team

Our abilities were on display in many other Invitational Tournaments, highlighted by success in other sports such as; Flag Football, Hockey, Swimming, Gymnastics, and Dance.

Along with Individual Tennis Tournament winners, three of our teams were Towanda Tournament Champions:

  • Junior Girls (6th Grade) Softball
  • Inter Boys (7th Grade) Lacrosse
  • National/Senior Girls (8th/9th Grade) Basketball

Although we are extremely proud of our victories, we are really most proud of the excellent sportsmanship, team support and camaraderie, which is paramount to our coaching philosophy and our Towanda values.

For athletes looking for an even more intensive athletic experience, we offer the Master Camp program, where our professional coaches and college athletes work with interested campers on a
more individualized basis to hone specific skills.

See you on the fields in 2014!

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Camp Towanda Culinary Favorites: Sushi Night!

CULINARYLOGO1This summer at camp, our Towanda Chefs were on a roll in the kitchen, making their very own sushi!  Making sushi is a really fun, creative and cooking project for the whole family! Make it Sushi Night in your family and send us your pictures!!!

 

 

 

SPRING ROLLS

  1. 1 package of spring roll wrappers
  2. 1 package of rice noodles
  3. I head napa cabbage chopped
  4. 1 bunch of scallions chopped
  5. 2 carrots shredded
  6. 3/4ths of a cup Teriyaki sauce…store bought
  7. Grape seed oil to fry
  • Cook rice noodles ( boil)
  • Sautéed napa cabbage, carrots and scallions together and at the last 3 minutes add the Teryaki sauce….let cool and drain excess liquid
  • Lay out spring roll wrappers and roll like burrito the kids know how.
  • Fry in 1/2 inch oil oil and eat..yum

BUCKWHEAT PASTA WITH BOK CHOY & VEGGIES

  1. 1 package of buckwheat noodles
  2. 1 head of boy Choy chopped
  3. 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
  4. 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil
  5. 3 teaspoons of sesame seeds
  6. 2 carrots shredded
  7. 1 bunch scallions chopped
  8. 1 bag of frozen edamame shelled
  9. 3/4 th cup of Teryaki sauce
  • Boil buckwheat noodles
  • In a frying pan heat oils add veggies and sautéed till still crispy…add noodles and Teryaki sauce stature more till all favors incorporated
  • Finish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve

SUSHI

This is a list of items needed…a trip to an Asian market is always fun!!!

  1. Rice cooker you can get at kohls they are great to have and will cook any rice perfect any time
  2. Nori paper…Asian market or health food store
  3. Bamboo rollers
  4. Sushi rice….can be found at Asian market
  5. Wasabi powder can be purchased at any Asian market
  6. Carrots cut in to long matchsticks
  7. Asparagus
  8. Sweet potato roasted in match stick strips
  9. Red, green or yellow peppers cut into strips
  10. Sealegs or fake crabmeat can be found at any Asian market
  11. Cucumber cut in matchstick strips
  12. Or anything you would like…fish, chicken and beef can be rolled it to a sushi roll
  13. Soy sauce
  14. Sesame seeds
  • Cook rice…rice cooker
  • Lay bamboo roller out and place one sheet of nori paper
  • Remember to wet your hand before you grab the rice…it’s very sticky and only on half of the nori paper
  • Lay items in you would like in middle remember…do put too many items or it will be hard to roll
  • Kids know how to roll
  • Slice into 8 pieces

Want s’more recipes? Check out our the Culinary Cooking Class section of our blog.

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Where are they now? Alumni Spotlight- 4th Edition

wherearetheynow

Our Alumni Spotlight CAMPaign is back with 5 new alum sharing their fond memories and insights about the camp we love! Please keep your entries coming and send to [email protected].  We have so many more great ones to share with you! 

rossprussin
Ross Prussin, Camp Towanda Club 1993

Ross Prussin

  1. Dorm / Club Year: Club 1993
  2. College Attended? University of Colorado at Boulder
  3. Current Career: Equity Derivative Sales
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Yes, it taught me to better adjust to having my own independence. And the networking skills I learned are unequivocal. I can play a mean game of Jewish geography.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? My favorite camp activity would be either intracamp sports or rope burning
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? 1986 Breakout at the waterfront (Red Explorers vs. Blue Emperors).
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song.    ….I learned what love and friendship really meanTTT…..
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers?  Enjoy each and every moment at camp and savor each day because one day when you are old like me, you will still only want to be in one place when each summer rolls around.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of Bill Alexander, Jerry Maze, Byron and Bill or Al Foley, hear Billy Joel or eat Corn Pops, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? Or if you are from the Pre-GHOST era: if you could add an event to The Great Apache Relay, what would it be? I would add a hot dog eating contest to the Apache Relay. There should definitely be some sort of eating contest in there.

Maxx Rapaport

  1. Dorm / Club Year: 2003
  2. College Attended? Indiana University
  3. Current Career: Sales Planner at the National Football League
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? It’s all about communicating with people, finding a common ground, and building relationships. That is also the way I view sales.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Rope Burning. The best times at camp where down time, shooting the breeze on the porch with your bunk mates, or going for a walk during UTL.
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Winning Rope Burning was a big one, watching my sister get CC was huge.
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. C-L-U-B, you know who you want to be…
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Say “yes” to everything. You aren’t better than anyone else in the bunk. Strive for relationships, especially with with BOB, Pelton and Z.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of the happiest times in my childhood, see my camp friends or girlfriend, watch Ferris Buller’s day off or any of the BYOC movies, hear American pie or eat peanut butter and jelly, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? GHOST is perfect as it is.

Brooke Gomberg (now Brooke Weissman)

  1. Dorm / Club Year: Dorm 1997 ( I am pretty sure, oye)
  2. College Attended? University of Wisconsin- Madison
  3. Current Career: Luxury Director, Hearst Digital Media ( a division of Hearst corp). Oversee Beauty for the digital women’s division covering brands such as: ELLE.com, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Redbook & Good Housekeeping and cover all beauty advertisers for the brands
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Camp Towanda helped me learn how to adapt to others. For example, in the real world you are faced with challenges everyday; such as personality differences and disagreements. Learning how to live, and work together with others allowed me to learn how to adapt to changing circumstances and be the best person I can be.  I also used to be very homesick when i was younger, thinking that it would never go away–but never giving up and sticking something out always has the most amazing results!
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Without a doubt, Tennis. I used to be good!! And Olympics of course
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Being named a camper captain of Olympics and then a few years later, General!
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. “Kings and Queens and Bishops too”
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Cherish the friends and the memories you make–some of my best memories were at camp!
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of ___Hershey Park____, see___my old towanda tees_____, watch___wet hot american summer_____, hear _revelee________ or eat __chocolate chip cookies________, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? I was in the ghost era, but I need a brush up on the rules. Are you allowed to go back in once you are out?
jessicahartman
Jessica Hartmann, Camp Towanda Counselor 2007

Jessica Hartmann

  1. Counselor 2007
  2. College Attended?: Skidmore College
  3. Current Career: Surgical Coordinator, Plastic Surgery Department at Boston Children’s Hospital
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way?  At camp, you learn to live with a bunch of people from different backgrounds and home rules, but while at camp everyone learns to live together and abide by the rules of camp.  You may not agree with everything, but you make it work.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Gymnastics!
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp?  I went with the girl’s gymnastics team to a meet at Camp Wayne, and we were recognized for our sportsmanship.  I was so proud of our girls and how well they represented Towanda!
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name – Camp Towanda!”  And “Love will pervade us though miles separate us”
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers?  Enjoy every moment of camp and appreciate being surrounding by people who genuinely want to be your friend and want the best for you.  Your camp years will be over before you know it.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of hot summer days, see the Scranton PA sign , watch the Baseball All Star game, hear American Pie or eat chocolate chip cookies that are never as good as Jonesie’s, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? Ahh!  I don’t know – I always had trouble keeping them all straight to begin with!

Risa Rabinowitz

  1. Dorm 2005
  2. College Attended: University of Michigan
  3. Current Career: Graduate School
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? YES. I learned that it is impossible to be successful in everything when you are trying it for the first time; new experiences are a good thing and should be embraced; folding socks is both important AND practical.
  5.  What was your favorite camp activity? My favorite camp activity was soccer!
  6. What was your most memorable moment at camp? My most memorable moment at camp was during the last few weeks of Dorm summer. I accidentally threw out an envelope filled with cash that my mom and dad had sent me to put in the bank for the last few camp trips. I got out of the shower and was about to get dressed for dinner when I saw an envelope filled with the same amount of money on my bed–my dorm sisters each chipped in and replaced every dollar for me. That was when I realized that I was part of a group of girls that would do absolutely anything for one another without being asked.
  7.  Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. YOU BOTH KICKED OFF YOUR SHOES, MAN I DIG THOSE RYTHM AND BLUES!!!
  8.  What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Don’t be scared to keep going back to camp for as long as you can. People who say that “it is time to become a part of the real world,” don’t understand that Camp Towanda is as real as it gets.
  9. Fill in the blank. When I think of Dip n’ Dots, see fireworks, watch kids playing knockout, hear taps, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10.  If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? If it is after lunch, and sloppy joes were served AT lunch, you are not allowed to aim at someone’s stomach.

Missed an edition of Camp Towanda Alumni: “Where are they now?”? You can check them all out here on the blog

https://camptowanda.com/blog/category/alumni-spotlight/

And don’t forget to join The Camp Towanda Network on LinkedIn!

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Camp Towanda Culinary Favorites: Brownies a la Farm

CULINARYLOGO1This past summer, our campers whipped up some delicious delicacies in our Culinary Cooking Classes at “The Farm”.  Chef Paulette was back, bringing us a diverse menu of meals and desserts that campers enjoyed making as much as they enjoyed eating!

Last summer pretzel chicken was the crowd favorite! This year we had a Mexican Fiesta, Sushi Night and enough desserts to make everyone happy!

Remember these Brownies a la Farm? Well you can make them for back to school lunches, post-soccer snacks or bring to your Jewish Holiday celebration. And you’ll think fondly of Camp Towanda while you are enjoying them! Check back for more Camp Towanda Culinary Recipes, coming soon!!!

Brownies a la Farm

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
  3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
  • 3 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
  1. Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk;
  2. beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting

Want s’more recipes? Check out our the Culinary Cooking Class section of our blog.