Mitch's Column Archives - Page 4 of 6

Posted on June 24, 2013 by camptowanda

Let the Summer of Lucky ’13 Begin!!

June 22, 2013. The longest day of the year as summer officially began and it ended with a fabulous staff show, bonfire, moon rising and milk & cookies. Welcome back to your summer home.

bearfish

Our campers were greeted by our excited staff, their bunkmates and hugs from Mitch, Stephanie, Bobby, Amy, Michael and Lisa. Lots of smiles, singing, hugging and cheering in full bloom ALREADY! The summer of Lucky 2013 is officially here!

We didn’t waste any time on Day 1. Icebreaker games, like “Bear, Fish, Mosquito” (see picture on the left) helped make new campers feel like old friends within the first 5 minutes! General swim, spaghetti dinner and free play, followed by evening activity fun!

Sunday morning’s reveille song (after the bugle) was Alan Sherman’s “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah”; breakfast with The Beatles featured “Come Together” and Lunch with the Beach Boys busted out with “Fun, Fun, Fun”; only to be drowned out by the Sunday Grateful Dead BBQ (This Week was Built To Last)! Nothing like Camp Towanda music!

90 degrees of sunshine, activity and excitement was what the day was about! It seemed as if we have all been here awhile already!

From gymnastics to waterfront to soccer and basketball to crafts and zumba to baseball and tennis!

The evening activities included THE Towanda OPEN for Lower Camp; running around attempting different crazy challenges that included the jello toss, pudding eating, dizzy bats and garlic fries! Suffice it to say that we have created the first real batch of dirty laundry….but boy, did they have fun!

Upper Camp cheered and screamed during their Game Show-like night of what we call UNIQUE ENTERTAINMENT! Bringing together the older campers for social fun, spirit, singing and laughter!

We all put in a full day. Friendships have begun and/or are rekindled; Today we deserved a late reveille since it was another hot one…and we have all been going, going since arrival! Stay tuned for more updates on the CT Blog!

Posted on February 11, 2013 by camptowanda

Senior Sleepovers and Towanda Ski-Hats!

What an amazing couple of weekends up at camp for our annual Senior Girls and Senior Boys sleepovers. Beyond the chilly temperatures and snow flurries, fun on the lake, frozen Ghost, basketball by the fireplace, sledding, ice fishing and delicious home-cooked dinner and breakfast (including Hibachi Eggs and Spaghetti and Meatballs), we had the chance to sit and talk with them in front of the fireplace. We spoke about our expectations, proper behavior and respect, how to make a positive impact on others, what is a friend and so on. We expressed our anticipation of them becoming the future leaders of camp and what it takes to get there. The good news is that not only were they listening and digesting it, we actually do get there with each group, each year; no matter the challenges … and that is what the next 2 summers are about.

Girls Head Counselor Amy Miller came all the way from Florida to join the Senior Girls’ Sleepover this year. Here is a beautiful recap of her experience.

“I have so much to share I don’t even know where to start …. Do I write as a Mother of a 10 and 14 year old girs , The Girls Head Counselor , or an alumni who started as a young camper in 1979 !!? It’s funny to have so many titles 🙂 I think I will just share my thoughts, with all my different camp hats on …

First, I just want to say thank you to Mitch and Stephanie for a beautiful weekend filled with love, hugs, laughter, excitement, tradition, yummy food, fresh country air, lots of layers and of course … snow!!!

The Senior Girls Sleepover weekend was better than I ever anticipated it to be … and we were very excited. I have been at camp for a long time, in many capacities. That being said … I have never been at Senior Sleepover !!! I have heard about it though and have seen amazing pictures, but never experienced it for myself !!!

I am overwhelmed with so many different emotions. I think the most important feeling I have is feeling very grateful. Grateful for the beautiful friendships the girls have made, grateful for the life lessons and coping skills they are learning, for the independence they are developing and especially grateful for the emotionally safe environment they have to do all this “growing up” in.

Being a Mom of two girls on girls camp and the Girls Head Counselor I think I experience all the different things at camp in very different ways. At the Senior Girls winter sleepover I felt so thankful as a Mother and also so proud as Girls Head Counselor and felt especially privileged to be part of the Camp Towanda family & team.

I have seen the Senior Girls grow and mature over past summers. As we all know there has been times that were a bit trying to say the least !!! That being said I have come full circle with them as I have with many of the groups on girls camp. Watching ALL of the girls come together through the weekend was amazing. All the lessons we have been trying to teach them just clicked. They were kind, loving, inclusive, happy, respectful and thankful. Most of all they were plain, old … HAPPY. That is an amazing way to describe 30 teenage girls !!!

I think parents are thrilled to send their children to sleep away camp …. they know it is a good experience and that their children are happy. Though, I don’t always think they are aware of all the magical things that happen at camp. I felt like a fly on the wall this weekend. Enjoying, helping, but also so impressed and proud. The planning and organization of the weekend was incredible. Everything ran like a well oiled machine. The hot chocolate that Stephanie & Jared made hit the spot. The cooking by chef Mitch was delish … homemade sauce !!! I was REALLY impressed !!!

Of course the sledding, ice fishing and frozen s’mores were all fabulous too but the “mansion talks” with both of you and now Jared (who grew up at camp) about being a good person and friend, about taking care of each other, about being a mensch were priceless. You could hear a pin drop in the room as they were all snuggled on the couch sitting in front of a awesome fire and just listening. Absorbing every word. If I didn’t see it for myself I wouldn’t believe it. I feel very lucky to have been a part such a special time.

On the drive home … one of the girls in my car said … “Hey guys, Do you realize that Mitch and Stephanie choose to be with us, at their home, in the middle of winter. I guess they could be on vacation, but they are here with us!” The girls got it !!” When parents ask me what makes Towanda different … I always have so much to tell them …. I speak to them from my heart. What I truly believe. Senior Sleepover just validated everything that I already knew and more.

Posted on October 15, 2012 by camptowanda

Fall Foliage BBQ Recap

What a great weekend to be back at camp we just had! Stephanie, Jared, Casper and I were thrilled to see 275 smiling faces pull up to camp for our annual Fall Foliage New Camper BBQ. Z was on the grill making burgers and hot dogs, Slick was on the mound ref’ing a kickball game and Jared, Silvs and Lee were out on the golf carts giving tours. Erica Media was snapping pictures and O&A Lynn Dula was working the toboggan slide. It almost felt like we never left! Many of Dorm Girls of 2013 were on hand as greeters and helped make it a very successful, fun day for all. They had a sleepover on Friday that included lasagna, pizza and salad from Two Guys, birthday cake celebrations and a lot of fun. As many of you know, I send out a nightly email during camp season to our parents, filling them in on the day’s events and reassuring them that all is great at camp. Well this weekend was no exception…thought you may all enjoy this email below that I sent out to the parents of the Dorm Girls ’13 after lights out.

Thanks again to all the staff, alumni, parents, campers and future campers for coming; it was B-E-A-YOU-T-FULL!!! ! Next up, our seasoned camper reunion at Lucky Strike in November!

Hi Dorm Girl 2013 Parents,

32 degrees at the white rock; and the dorm girls are now toasty and cozy in the heated infirmary.
after the screams at arrival, a run to their bunks, mansion dinner (salad, pizza, lasagna, birthday cakes(s) and other snacks; activities included: a review of tomorrow’s agenda by the mansion fireplace, PA announcements by the girls, a tour of the dorm and great conversations; jared then brought out the telescope (it is very crisp and clear)….

we get ready to welcome the new campers (the girls were telling stephanie and I how they remember their 1st year bbq and how they have loved everything in between).

Steph and I just said good nite to them and are so proud of how lovely, polite, respectful. sweet and in love with each other they have become; a treat to have watched and helped them grow over the years.

by the way, i think it will be hard for them to leave tomorrow afternoon….just saying!

-Autumnal Mitch & Pumpkin Stephanie

Posted on August 10, 2012 by camptowanda

So bye bye Miss American Pie

Mitch shares his reflections on the last day of camp and the summer that was, in his emotional last blog of the summer.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to……

One hot day; packing; emotional; items without names; nailing the bunk plaque onto the wall forever; one last american pie; one last flag lowering; final banquet; emotional words; reflections; moments; long lasting thunderstorm; a super Friday Nite Flix inside the field house; rolling thunder; tear jerking songs (Long & Winding Road, You’ve Got a Friend, Time of Your Life, Friends theme, Elton John’s Friends, Our House, Imagine, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Lean on Me, Homeward Bound, In My Life, Circle Game, So Far Away and Landslide—to name a few); burning of the numbers in a surreal setting as the Dorm & Club led camp in a final “Friends, Alma Mater and Taps” as everyone stood arms around shoulders looking through the open amphitheater doors as 2012 burned on the hillside while the rain poured down; followed by one last milk & cookies—and then boys camp bunk time before bedtime while the girls sang some more songs- all to make for a bittersweet end to an incredible summer for our children.

Reveille sounded at 6:15am today. We all have smiles and tears for all so many reasons we accomplished as one big family.

I will share with you some of what I said at last night’s evening line-up:

“I’ve always said that the trouble with camp is that it ends. It ends for the summer and then for some, it ends forever. Although perhaps it means saying goodbye to friends you won’t see for 10 months, if ever again …that might mean that decades later, the memories, the smell, the sounds of camp remain the BEST of what you have known.

From singing American Pie, to last night’s show, to all the activities, fun and friends…….

So, as we prepare to leave our summer home, summer family, Stephanie and I wish you all only the best of health, happiness, prosperity and goodness…..

It has been a great summer…..it has been a pleasure watching each and everyone of you personally, grow, learn and discover things about yourself you did not realize you could do, become an important person in our camp family….

And as we all go our separate ways, don’t forget that everyone here at lineup right now takes a bit of Towanda with them, even if you will never be back here….. thank you, we appreciate all that we have done together this summer of 2012; we will miss you all… call me, maybe!!”

And then during the banquet, towards the end of the evening, I added something like this:

“I consider myself one lucky guy to be in the position that I am in as your Camp Director, I never take it for granted; I try my best and always want everyone to do the same.

I hope that you find something you love and then with some luck, be able to make it your career and then you’ll never feel as if you are working;

Camp Towanda is my home, my life, my family, my business, my passion while at the same time is all of our summer home.

I could not do it without the support of Stephanie and all that she contributes, especially behind the scenes. Keeping me and the senior staff balanced, healthy and clear.

I could not run camp without her and without my 2 winter sons, Brandon and Jared, who realize and also contribute to all that goes into planning and running camp before and after everyone gets here.

To our amazing senior staff, counselors, KMP, office, laundry, drivers…and everyone…we are ALL Towanda!

Thanks again.”

To our camper’s parents, I say thank you for entrusting your chidren to us; we will miss them tremendously; enjoy them for 10 months; after a brief rest, we’ll be ready to get geared up in just 315 days when “I BET camp will be great in LUCKY 2013”!!

Signing off,

Mitch & Stephanie

PS: Did anybody my blog posts this summer?

P.P.S. Towanda Times is hot off the press…get our final summer issue here: https://camptowanda.com/times/Vol90No8.pdf

Posted on August 9, 2012 by camptowanda

Towanda has talent…and a lot of HEART

What another great day… we ALL went to the Wayne County Fair. Hot, blazing, 90 degree fun! Everyone with a smile, cotton candy, chicken wing pretzel sandwiches or member of our ever-growing non-exclusive root beer mug club!

We had a dance party in the amphitheater as warm-up to the talent show. Of course, the dance party is only to classic rock; I get chills when the whole camp is singing the words to COME TOGETHER, BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP and SWEET CAROLINE!

The Talent show was hysterical, warm and entertaining; so many great acts, but I have to tell you; rather, WE have to tell you about one very special moment. Picture this…

Two of our 9 year old girls from G-2, cheered on not only by their bunk and groupmates, but the entire camp, on stage, with the spotlights beaming. They single handedly brought down the house while at the same time created a new camp song, one for the ages…. Titled “Fall”….

Oh my, we were all mesmerized…… they wrote this on behalf of all the campers:

Olympics is clashin’
I’m surrounded by magic
Mitch and Casper have passed
You guys have to face it
Something is special to us
Camp Towanda
Big dreams are finally here
Why don’t you come and start to play
Soccer and basketball cover the Towanda Times
That’s what we want
But if you could go inside this camp
Then, you will see…
Camp Towanda won’t let you
Fall, fall, fall
Camp Towanda won’t let you
Fall, fall, fall
Camp Towanda won’t let you fall.
If you could look inside this camp
You will see Camp Towanda won’t let you
Fall, fall, fall
Camp Towanda won’t let you
Fall, fall, fall
Camp Towanda won’t let you fall
If you are new here, what do you do?
You make new friends; then, you come to Bunk 2
Friday Night Flix
It’s the best out of this
We don’t have a favorite pick
I know you’re a light sleeper
I’m kind of getting weaker
For getting you to sleep here
Upper camp: Hershey
Lower camp: Dorney
Everybody…
We can do it for the dreams of…
Music in Olympics
Rope Burning
You’ll have the best time of your life
I’m seeing some Ghost & Gaga
In the All-Star race, gonna run real far
Just for a reminder…
This camp won’t let you fall!!

Nothing else to say, but it has been a great summer.

Standing Ovation MITCH and A Shining Moment STEPHANIE

Posted on August 8, 2012 by camptowanda

Occupy Mess Hall, Bunk Feast and Fort Night!

After taking 5 days off from my daily Blog and judging 5 days of Ghost games, I’m back! (thank you to my Olympic news correspondents for their excellent coverage).

Now, where was I? Oh yes, Olympics ended a near tie and the we had a real honest to goodness Lazy Day….almost!

Monday started off with NO reveille and then an on campus porch breakfast; very relaxing…the kids got to catch up, mellow out and hang out after 5 incredible Olympic days… then we had lunch and planned a fun co-eding afternoon.

But the campers kind of OCCUPIED THE MESS HALL and had their presidents attempt to enforce a full morning and afternoon LAZY DAY. Well, after a sit in on the floor of the dining hall (no 5 second rule applied) and an impeachment of the Camp Presidents and 5 year club presidents; the lame duck former Presidents of 2011 rose from their retirement to negotiate a peaceful compromise for a great afternoon of more lazy day, canteen for everyone and a general swim!!!! The people of Towanda reunited and all was well. Monday evening was a nice, casual dance party.

Tuesday morning started with an HC hosted special early morning thank you breakfast for the Group Leaders; followed by an 8:45 AM reveille. Co-ed acxtivities in the morning along with bunk plaque signings (can you believe we are already signing the bunk plaques? where did the summer go?). The afternoon was the jubilant 90^th annual logo awards (everyone gets something). Last night was one of the favorites: Bunk Feast and Fort Night!

In the late hours of the evening, some secret late night campfires for the older groups as reflections, traditions and thoughts of next summer rested against the sounds of crickets during a relatively cool late summer night.

We wake up this morning and go to the Wayne County Fair….. deep fried Oreos, sheep shaving, dizzy rides, pig races and bbq chicken stuffed pretzels highlight the day! The whole camp is at the fair and it is fun to watch the older campers with the younger campers! We love this day, too! Pssst, the first time I will be off camp property since orientation!

As Stephanie and I continue to reflect on this summer, I wanted to share this wonderful letter we received today:

As you know, we have travelled the world and watched our children experience growth, love, hardship, beauty, amazement, devastation, enlightenment, struggle, challenge, adversity, uniqueness, diversity, perspective, and so much more. I would like to think that our travels have helped mold the kids they are today, and how they show up at camp.

But what I have witnessed from afar this summer outshines anything I have seen in both of them before and after our journeys around the world. Their attitudes and perseverance has surpassed anything I have seen at home. As sometimes reserved and/or private (shy) they both tend to be at school, it seems to have no existence in camp. From trying out for plays and sports teams, running for president, leading girls’ sing, letting ‘drama’ and fearful bunk placement roll off, excelling as leaders, and giving their all- both my son and daughter have soared above my expectations, which honestly tend to be quite high .

Camp is truly their happy place. Thank you for bringing out the best in both of them.

With so much gratitude,

We get many letters from parents on a daily basis and we appreciate it; thank you so much, we are truly honored, proud, humbled and take the responsibility seriously.

From the home office in Honesdale, PA…we’re off to the fair!!!!

Mitch

Posted on August 1, 2012 by camptowanda

Red Jesters vs. Blue Royalty!!!!

Okay check this out; all summer long we are working on this AMERICAN PIE video dub/synch. We are shooting scenes all around camp with everyone. We have kids kicking shoes off; we are driving chevys to levees; we are digging rhythm & blues; we sang dirges in the dark; even the parents sang along on Visiting Day!

We wore red, white & blue or dressed in costume; everyone was into helping bring alive our traditional lunch time bugle call, Don McLean’s American Pie; celebrating 40 years since its debut and 20 years as a Camp Towanda lunchtime tradition!

Throughout the summer, scenes, retakes and planning…of singing American Pie!

In recent days, the tension, intensity, excitement and heart pounding edge-of-the seat wonder that included fakeouts, psych-outs, hints, drama and predictions flowed through every Towanda camper and counselor.

Who are the Generals, what are the teams, what and when is Breakout????

Then last night’s AIRBANDS (our lip-synch extravaganza) was on! And it was awesome…over 14 acts of entertaining and humorous songs and skits!

For the last act, we had to video one more time everyone in the amphitheater, wearing red, white and blue! Giant inflatable Uncle Sams, life size Statue of Liberty cutouts, dozens of Star Spangled beach balls, American Flags of all sizes filled the crowd! Off to the side was the Chevy, filled with even more patriotic paraphernalia.

As I led the singing, the video crew was taping; the entire camp singing and waving the flags, swaying their Uncle Sams and throwing their patriotic beach balls…

The words resounded against a beautiful sunset sky…

When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown

At which time a thunderous explosion of 10 minutes worth of red and blue firewooks rammed up into the sky from beyond the other side of the field house in just 10 seconds; while red and blue confetti exploded above everyone’s heads from the new lighting tower at the top of the amphitheater.

The air horns sounded, the crowd went wild, screaming, huddling in support as the chevy drove in and the banners were unfurled on stage…..

The RED JESTERS and THE BLUE ROYALTY was presented as the fluttering continued of the confetti.

The Head JUDGIES announced the Generals, Camper Captains, Lieutenants and Sergeants.

The crowd went wild. Cheers, applause and highly spirited support; Breakout of the 2012 Towanda Olympiad had begun.

A quick team meeting, the opening ceremony with the lighting of the Olympic rings, staff meetings, Judgies meetings and taps.

The early reports say it was a great breakout, emotional on many levels: the campers huddled and hugging each other, the adrenaline of pride and support and the overwhelming psyche for 5 days of fun, sportsmanship and competition; on all levels.

Camp Towanda was at its best and it just seems to get better every day,

I can’t wait for today’s activities to begin! I will be reffing GHOST matches for the next 5 days!!!

If our technology works, rope burning will be on the campcam, currently scheduled for Friday night…

Good luck red, good luck blue….

Posted on July 31, 2012 by camptowanda

1,3,5,6 We Want Olympics!

Is it the Red Hollywood vs. Blue Broadway? Nope…another FAKE OUT! Mitch’s shirt changes color often; boys are doing zumba; girls are screaming; MISSter Towanda; 5 year club reflections; intense silence at flagpole; and in the mess hall. Stephanie is working on another tree branch sculpture; Serious Nature Live is covering the fundamentals and procedures of outdoor survival.

We win the lacrosse championship! We move to the semi-finals in tennis!

But every movement, sound, color, thought is focused on the start of Towanda’s Olympics…when is breakout?

In the mess hall, at line-up, at activities, you can hear the chant:
“1-3-5-6, we want Olympics…2,4,6,8, tough luck you have to wait….Not much longer”

Stay tuned. Perhaps. 100% maybe!!!

-“High Intensity” Mitch and “Aren’t the Olympics on TV?” Stephanie

Posted on July 30, 2012 by camptowanda

Fake Outs, Psych Outs…Is there Anybody Out There?

So much going on here; rain, sunshine, cool temps, hot temps, thunderstorms, activities, all camp singing American Pie at different venues, flags waving, kids swaying, mud ghost, indoor Outdoor Adventure as an activity, culinary class at the Farm with Chef Paulette, Club and Dorm Fake Outs, Pink Floyd Psych-Outs, BBQ indoors, BBQ outdoors, Horseracing in the drizzle sponsored by the Dorm, the Debs raid the Club of all their visiting day candy, bumper cars, campfires, did someone say Fake Out??

Things are moving fast; people are racing in all directions, late reveille, early to bed, milk and cookies, rain on the roof, Casper barking, did someone say Psych-Out?? And that was just Sunday……who knows what will happen today??? Tonight is Miss-ter Towanda!

Needless to say, camp has Olympic Fever! Is there anybody out there?

Mitch

P.S. Are you watching the Campcam live? If you were tuned in last night at about 7PM, you saw the Club’s Fake out and at 7:15 you saw the Psych-Out!!! Red Olympus vs. Blue Atlantis…or not! Oh what will the real teams be?!

Posted on July 26, 2012 by camptowanda

!yaD sdrawkcaB

BACKWARDS DAY was a hoot!

Dinner in the morning, breakfast at night. Taps in the morning, Reveille at night.

We enjoyed a beautiful, sunny, mild, breezy day filled with great Inter-Camp games!

COUNSELOR HUNT was the evening activity (like hide and go seek….counselors hide, campers find them, each counselor is worth a certain number of points, but we don’t learn their value until the end!). Can you believe I was worth negative 100 points!?

Then at Under The Lights I challenged Lower Camp to a backwards shot from half court on the main basketball court. I thought I was being cute and said if you give me 5 chances and I sink it, then we will have a late reveille, a breakfast on the lawn and you can come to breakfast in your PJs. Well, I made the shot!

The Senior, Club and Dorm trips to Montreal, Niagara Falls and Boston trips have all checked in. Inters are back from a great trip to Cooperstown; as are the National Girls from their Canoe Trip.

Today we have trip day to cool down and relax at the movies (there is lots of excitement coming in the next two weeks!). And then Goldrush in the evening!

I had to share this wonderful letter we received from a first time parent, who actually suggested we share this with all of you!

Dear Mitch and Stephanie,

Wow! Wow! Wow! Being a sleep away camp “First Year ” Mom, I really didn’t know what to expect this summer in general and especially on VISITING DAY!.

Well, when I saw my daughter on visiting day I broke down like a baby! Crying and shaking I had missed her soooo much! We had such a fabulous day and I was dreading the end of the day because so many of my friends who send their kids to other camps told me what a nightmare the departure could be.

I actually found the departure to be a PIECE OF CAKE because I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES HOW HAPPY SHE WAS, THE LOOK ON HER FACE, THE HUGS SHE EXCHANGED WITH PASSING COUNSELORS AND CAMPERS!

I left feeling confident and thrilled for my child that she was having a once in a lifetime experience. Her “first” (of many) years at Towanda! Did I mention she never looked better!?! Thanks for truly caring about these kids and running a tight ship!