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Where are they now? Alumni Spotlight- 3rd Edition

wherearetheynow

In this edition of “Where are they now?”, we have not one, but TWO couples who met their future spouse at Camp Towanda! Spanning the 80s, 90s and 00s…here is this week’s Alumni Spotlight! Please keep your entries coming and send to [email protected].  We have so many more great ones to share with you! Until next week….enjoy this trip down memory lane as some of our Alumni share their fond memories and insights about the camp we love!

goldstone

Jayson Goldstone (married to Stacy Glass Goldstone)

  1. Dorm / Club Year: Club 1985
  2. College Attended? Northeastern University
  3. Current Career:  Owner of a Tool and Equipment Company
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way?  I learned about trust, teamwork, and independence (and some small mischief).
  5. What was your favorite camp activity?  Riflery (this was a long time ago…we obviously do not have this anymore!)
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Being a camper captain
  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?  Enjoy your summer freedom while you can.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of __glass soda bottles_____, see____brown and gold____, watch____someone skiing off of a motorboat___, hear ____Taps_____ or eat ___pizza with corn meal crusted to the bottom______, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add an event to The Great Apache Relay, what would it be?  Making a human pyramid

Stacy Glass Goldstone (married to Jayson Goldstone-Club 1985)

  1. Dorm / Club Year: Dorm 1986 (started camp in 1979)
  2. College Attended? Duke University
  3. Current Career: Mother to two current Camp Towanda campers (third generation campers-grandmother is Dale Sokoloff Glass)
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Camp allowed me to learn how to make choices  (and mistakes) for myself in a safe environment.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Girls Sing, Dutch Auction, Apache Relay
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Going to the roller skating rink (I think it was in a church)
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. D-O-R-M G-I-R-L-S…the Dorm Girls always on the go;  Zum Golly Golly Golly: Kings and Queens:
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers?  Embrace each moment…and savor the sights, sounds, and smells of camp…they will stay with you for a lifetime.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of ___(too many to mention but…)_the lake, Shangri-La, the dirt road, the fly tape, milk call, Visiting Day lunch of fried chicken, brownie, and a plum___, see__a fanta soda bottle______, watch________, hear reveille, taps. or____”is anybody out there?”____ or eat _cereal from a small box _________, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add an event to The Great Apache Relay, what would it be?  List in order, all of the owners of Camp Towanda!

Tina Kunkin Schweid

  1. Dorm / Club Year:1991
  2. College Attended? Lehigh
  3. Current Career: Mom
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Yes, made me a better friend, and more confident.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Under the lights
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp?  Winning the camp triathlon when I was 11.
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song.  D….O….R….M…..GIRLS SONG..(you know the rest)
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Enjoy, try everything and have FUN!!! Be as nice as you can— which is hard at times.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of  my happiest summers as a kid__, see_____a campfire ___, watch_fried green tomatoes _______, hear ____pink Floyd is there anybody out there.____or eat _Charleston Chews _________, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add an event to The Great Apache Relay, what would it be? Reciting the history of camp– when it opened(year, etc)

Ali Sussman

  1. Dorm / Club Year: Dorm 2006
  2. College Attended? Boston University
  3. Current Career: Marketing/Communications
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way?  Definitely. Towanda taught me how to be responsible, innovative and developed all my leadership skills. In addition, for the communications field, I learned great Public Relations when dealing with parents of my campers. Camp taught me to be independent, to be a member of a group and how to form long lasting relationships.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? The old school evening activity of Panic! on girls camp.
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp?  My most memorable moment at camp was when I was an assistant Group Leader for the Debs in 2010. Their sing was “Towanda runs on Debs & Dils.” Seeing them work so hard at an activity that I used to love as a camper was super special, especially because we won! It was so great seeing all their hard work pay off since debs and dillies usually never even place!
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song.  I don’t practice Santeria, I ain’t got no crystal ball, Well I had a million dollars but I, I’d spend it all. (Santeria)
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Put away all the extra gadgets that we have today! Enjoy this time and always include one another. There is no time for drama during the summer. These friends you make here will be with you for a long time! Always be spirited and always have fun! Your making life time memories.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of summer, see anything red or blue, watch Wet Hot American Summer, hear American Pie or eat a Chicken Patty, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be?  You could step on the lines when there is only one person left!!

Michael Novick

  1. Dorm / Club Year: 1994
  2. College Attended? University of Michigan
  3. Current Career: Film/TV Producer
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? The real world is all about relationships.  The best ones I ever had were at Towanda.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? The Burning of the Olympic Rings
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? The first time I kissed my wife.
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. We Welcome You to Camp Towanda We’re mighty glad you’re here…
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Cherish this time, now and forever.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of Slim Sterling, see a campfire, watch a Hank Azaria movie, hear taps or eat a Chef Rigby Cookie, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add an event to The Great Apache Relay, what would it be? An all girls ropeburning right before the Water Brigade of Apache.
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Teams, Trips and Tumbling at Towanda!

Camp has been speeding full speed ahead since Visiting Day!

IMG_0951On Sunday , we had about 100 alumni return “home” for a great day of reminiscing, To-Wandering around and opening up their Dorm/Club Time Capsules from the 1990s and early 21st century; what a trip…to look at the memorabilia and laughs!

allstar

The counselor All-Star Basketball game was very entertaining as the spirit of camp continues to grow.  And we had a great gymnastics half-time show from our campers!

Our Inter-Camp games continue with great sportsmanship, pride and teamwork. Our kids and coaches are making us proud.  Not only with how they are playing (which is a joy to watch), but with how they are representing Camp Towanda all-around.

soccerteamThe Visiting Day VisionWalk fundraising T-shirt sales were impressive; the LITs took orders for over 100 shirts ($25 each); if you would still like to get one, we are placing the order on Friday, so just email [email protected] what size shirt and then mail in a check for $25, payable to Camp Towanda. (ATT: VisionWalk).

The accolades received from many parents since Visiting Day has been overwhelming and we thank you. We sincerely love and value what we do and feel lucky to be in this position and this career…we do not take anything for granted; as the owners, directors and parenting partners of your kids, we try our very best, learn from mistakes; improve and enhance each year; and no doubt, it certainly seemed like the best visiting day yet!

gymnastics

What a boost for everyone here; the staff are into doing the right thing and making the very best of the dwindling time we have this summer.

At our senior staff meeting last night, everyone remarked on how great a day VD was, how wonderful it was to meet many parents and this is the best part, how they get what we are about; how we put at least 3 days into 1; how impossible is to explain to someone outside of camp, what the magic is here and how proud they are as well to be part of our CAMP FAMILY.

It is trip week for Upper Camp.  The Seniors left for Montreal, while the Club & Dorm enjoyed a great day on Martha’s Vineyard, now resting in Boston.  The Inters also had a great tubing trip on the Delaware and delicious extravagant BBQ riverside. The National girls endured and enjoyed their Canoe Trip Today (no rain for them!).

towandaOur Culinary classes have winded down with some delicious pretzel chicken and other entrees! Check out the recipe here.

Wednesday is Backwards Day, GoldRush and the Counselor Hunt, while the LITs head off to Niagara Falls for a few days.

In case you are interested, here are my Backwards Day Annoucements:

GNINEVE DOOG      PMAC   ADNAWOT.   Ti    Si     YAD    SDRAWKCAB!      ENIHS  DNA  ESIR  OT  EMIT
SAMAJAP      SAW  YADOT  ROF  SSERD EHT…….       ENERCSNUS   RUOY    TEGROF  TNOD DNA

TRANSLATED:

GOOD EVENING CAMP Towanda  IT IS BACKWARDS DAY   TIME TO LOWER  AND DULL
THE DRESS FOR TODAY WAS PAJAMAS…   AND DON’T FORGET YOUR MOON DOOR!!

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Rookie Day Rewind

RYANWritten by Guest Blogger: Lauren Eckstein Forman, Social Media Director at Camp Towanda and Dorm ’92.

Last weekend was not my typical work weekend at Camp Towanda.  It was extra special.  Because not only was I “Lauren Eckstein-Forman: Social Media Director”, but I was “Lauren Forman: Mom of a Rookie”.  Wearing two name tags, I looked as if I was having an identity crisis.  Because last Saturday, I wasn’t working…I was just a CAMP PARENT…and my son was a ROOKIE!

 

uphill

After he raced up the hill to meet me at the white rock, he got his FIRST TOWANDA TEE! I’m not sure there is anything better than seeing your own child in a Towanda tee!  Close behind him were many new “Rookies” and families who were soon familiar faces.  But possibly the second coolest experience (next to the Towanda Tee) was that my son was going to be a ROOKIE with three of my camp friends’ kids! My three friends ran up that hill just like they were getting off the bus at camp over 25 years ago! With the same excitement, anticipation and sisterly love!

amymillerAnd now our kids were experiencing camp together.  Bobby and Amy would be their head counselors!  Mitch and Stephanie would be their summer parents!  And Casper would be their summer dog!  AMAZING.

swingingrookieAfter playing with Casper, checking out the new SUPER-COOL Lego Room (a Rookie favorite) and eating a delicious Towanda bagel, my son was whisked away to hang with the Jets! Each ROOKIE was given an LIT “Big Brother or Sister” to spend the day with.  They helped carry their backpack, give a piggy back ride, answer any questions, help them at the salad bar, and make them feel at home.  My son was off and now it was my turn to be just a parent.

fieldMitch, Stephanie, Bobby, Amy and Jared gave an amazing walking tour of camp!  Even though it was a cool, cloudy day, you could still feel the warm spirit and energy that is Camp Towanda! I loved hearing new parents walking and talking about how they could feel this is such a special place (and the alumni and staff supporting them with reassurance that this really IS Camp Towanda…it feels like this EVERY DAY).  All the campers and staff could not have been more welcoming and wonderful.

ghodyIt was also fun introducing Camp Towanda to the spouses of the returning Alumni.  It didn’t take long until they understood why their wives were so obsessed with Camp Towanda!  From the cheering in the dining hall to the participation and excellent instruction on the ball fields and courts, you could sense all the smoresparents wanting to jump in! The Camp Towanda spirit is just contagious.

aandcOur kids had an action-packed day with the campers of their age group.  O&A (outdoor and adventure), Gaga, Gymnastics, Arts & Crafts, Ghost, Waterfront, beach volleyball AND S’MORES around the campfire! It introduced them to camp in a very fun and safe way, and showed them what they can look forward to next year (i.e. swimming in the lake!).

The kids and parents were reunited at 3pm.  The parents may have been more tired than the kids! The kids could have stayed all day!!! Overall it was the perfect introduction to camp. Everyone got quality time with Mitch, Stephanie, Amy and Bobby, which was a real treat (for the parents, this may have been even better than a Jonesy Cookie!).  So many families have already made the decision that Towanda is their new summer home! I think these girls really said it best: https://vimeo.com/70825668.  How cute are they?!

MEANDRYAN2Now I can go back to the job I love and just one name tag…but I cannot wait to be known as “Ryan’s mom at Camp Towanda”! And I know he feels the same way too!  He was made for this camp! CLUB 2021!!!

For more Rookie Day highlights, check out last week’s edition of Friday Nite Flix: https://vimeo.com/70725033.

 

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Where are they now? Alumni Spotlight- 2nd Edition

wherearetheynow

As we gear up for Visiting Day weekend and our Annual Alumni BBQ (Sunday, July 21st from 11am-3pm–21 years and older)…it seems like the perfect time for our 2nd Edition of “Where are They Now!?”  The entries have been a terrific trip down memory lane! Keep them coming!!! Send to [email protected].  And don’t forget to join our LinkedIn Group: The Camp Towanda Network. So without further ado, here are 5 new Alumni spotlights starting with Wendy Levine Slater.  Wendy is a former camper, counselor and camp-parent!

Wendy Levine Slater:

wendy

 

  1. Dorm Year:  Dorm 1982
  2. College Attended: University of Vermont
  3. Current Career: Registered dietitian
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Towanda prepares you for parenthood, especially if you were a counselor. As a camper, it teaches you coping skills, independence, and how to get along with a variety of people with very different personalities and skills.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity?  Dutch auction, sing-down and Apache Relay
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Winning Olympiad my Senior year, oh and first meeting my now husband nick at the port authority bus station on our way to camp in 1985 (I was asked my the owners to check in all the foreign counselors)
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song.  “I go to camp towanda pity me, there’s not a boy in the vicinity…”
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers?     Camp is an invaluable experience. You are so lucky to have this opportunity. The things you learn, the friendships you make-You may even meet your future husband or wife! The memories last forever and every year during the last week of June my spirit is on those coach buses as they leave for Honesdale.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of summer, hear “Rock and Roll high school by the Ramones (dorm winning airband song) watch any play we did ( grease, bye bye birdie, guys and dolls, the boyfriend) eat a turkey club, mud pie, late night pizza or fried chicken (visiting day lunches were the best- bills chicken was legendary with chips, plum and brownie. Still the best lunch ever)
  10. If you could add an event for the Great Apache Relay, what would it be? You could have to say the alphabet backwards.

Craig Cooper

  1. Dorm / Club Year: 1991
  2. College Attended?: University of Maryland
  3. Current Career: Manufacture stainless steel kitchen equipment
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? YES, it taught me life skill, such as getting along with others, working in groups, respect for others and independence
  5. What was your favorite camp activity?: basketball/ Hockey
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Other than meeting my wife, breaking Olympics by arriving in a helicopter (Blue Jetsons 1995)
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. Zoom Golly Golly, Zoom Golly Golly
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Enjoy every minute that you are at camp, it goes by very quickly and then it is over
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of ___good times____, see__Timberland boots______, watch___summer olympics_____, hear _____American Pie____ or eat ____chocolate chip Cookies______, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? Hot Dog Eating

*Craig and Marnie Cooper met at camp and are now first-time camp parents!!!

Peter Walsh

  1. Dorm / Club Year: AGL of the Club of 2005
  2. College Attended? Saint Mary’s University
  3. Current Career: Teacher
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Yes it sure did, it helped me become more independent and have more confidence in myself.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Olympics by far
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? In 2004 the Senior Boys during Olympics played one of the most entertaining softball games I have ever seen. It went back and forth and Blue won in the 15 inning.
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. Friends is such a great song as it sums up what Towanda is all about.
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Be yourself, don’t change yourself, have fun and don’t sweat the small things.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of ____summer___, see_____Olympics___, watch____certain movies____, hear ____American Pie_____ or eat ____Soup______, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be? At the time of my last year if you caught the ball after trying to be hit one of your teammates was not brought back in so I would make that a rule.

Samantha Orringer

  1. Dorm / Club Year: 2003
  2. College Attended? University of Wisconsin
  3. Current Career: advertising sales
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Absolutely. I had no homesickness going into college or moving to Chicago (where I currently live). I’m also very independent and can take care of myself.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? Duh. Arts and crafts!
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? Way too many! But one I think of off the top of my head is practicing dorm sing (at an undisclosed location) while no one in camp knew where we were.
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song.  We welcome you to Camp Towanda….
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? You are so fortunate to have the sleep away camp experience because at 25 years old, my camp friends are still my best friends and no one knows me like they do.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of ____any childhood memory___, see____soffee shorts____, watch____the Olympics____, hear _____taps____ or eat _____grilled cheese_____, I think of Camp Towanda!
  10. If you could add a rule for GHOST, what would it be?  My ghost memory is foggy. But perhaps if something happens, a second ball is triggered into the game?

Beth Manspeizer Schwartz

  1. Dorm / Club Year: 1990
  2. College Attended?  Skidmore College BS in theater. MFA from Actors Studio Drama School in Acting.
  3. Current Career: Actor, Director of Education of a film institute called The Picture House in Westchester, and a Mommy!
  4. Did Towanda help prepare you for the “real world”? In what way? Yes, in so many countless ways. But one that stands out: I learned to be a leader at Towanda, but I also learned how to allow others to be leaders. It was this awareness and respect for everyone’s contribution to the group, that I learned from Towanda and I have taken with me throughout life.
  5. What was your favorite camp activity? So many…girls sing, cricket, porch lunch, trading stickers, jacks, being with my friends.
  6. What is your most memorable moment at camp? When my boyfriend held a big box radio, over his head, outside my dorm window and played “In your eyes”. Now that’s old school! I don’t think kids these days know what a box radio is!!
  7. Give us a line or two of your favorite camp song. “Here nestled in the hills the camp I love.” But I can remember mostly every camp song I ever learned and I love them all.
  8. What words of wisdom would you share with today’s campers? Learn from your counselors. When you look back on your childhood, you will realize they were like little mommies to you. They taught me the importance of traditions, of taking care of myself, how to solve problems, how to push myself to achieve (one time my counselor allowed me stay at the water front for a whole day to learn how to dive…and I learned). You will remember the things they teach you and you will cherish them. From the simplest: how to sing your guts out, to learning how to make a bed with hospital corners, to putting on a pillow case…to the most meaningful: being a dear friend.
  9. Fill in the blank: When I think of __singing __, see__a lake___, watch__olympic rings burn____, hear ____”is there anybody out there” or eat ___chocolate pudding with peanut butter_, I think of Camp Towanda!
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The Heat is On!

sunTHE HEAT IS ON  (Glen Frey)
flyingI really think it is getting hotter everyday!!!  Most activities we are doing are just mellow..like volleyball, culinary, indoor basketball, rollerblading indoors, gymnastics indoors, general swims…plus Fusion Water (our alternative to Gatorade…staying hydrated, the healthy way.  Check out these recipes and make some at home!)

scubaWAITING FOR THE SUN (The Doors)
The LITS and CITS went to The Binghamton Mets game on Wednesday;  they left at the 5th inning and detoured into a movie theater…I don’t think they cared what they saw; it had a/c!

photo 1

SUNNY AFTERNOON (The Kinks)
Wednesday night dinner dress code was “college shirt night”.  So in an effort to help further keep the crowd cool…FROZEN Kit-Kats went to those in SYRACUSE ORANGE!

YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE (Stevie Wonder)
The Lower Camp show of Dear Edwina was HOT in the amphitheater; they were very cute!
we gave out ice pops as the sun set in the Western Sky.

photoSOAK UP THE SUN (Sheryl Crow)
The entire camp went to Dorney Park Thursday; timing could NOT have been better; it is a water park and thats what we needed!  Our supervision is tops and our staff was ready with sunscreen. We arranged for the park to provide easy to get glasses of water at the concessions and gave the kids extra cash to buy drinks.  It was hot, but why not be hot in a water park!  Good times, everyone home safe!

girls poolWALKIN ON SUNSHINE (Katrina & The Waves)
Late reveille today; looks like one more scorcher; I think we will mellow down a bit and just sit in the lake and pool (the lake is warm!!!) for the better part of the day!

GOOD DAY SUNSHINE (Beatles)
Tomorrow is Visiting Day! We are excited to welcome over 2000 people to camp and hope the weather cooperates! Sibling Sleepover is Saturday night (which includes a fun, funny and spirited all-camp evening activity–COUNSELOR TALENT SHOW!)

waterplumSUMMER OF ’69 (Bryan Adams)
On Sunday, we look forward to welcoming our Alumni for the annual BBQ! We have over 90 people (over 21 years old) registered for this special day!

A little rain, or a lot of shine, we know this weekend will be great! Safe travels to all our visitors and we’ll see you at the white rock!

BONUS TRACKS TO MITCH’S “CHART-TOPPING” TUNES

NEW RISING SUN (Jimi Hendrix)

SUMMER BREEZE (Seals & Crofts)

SUNSET GRILL (Don Henley)

SUMMER LOVIN  (Grease)

BEHIND THE SUN (Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER (Alice Cooper)

LETTHE SUN SHINE (5th Dimension)

SUMMER LOVE SENSATION (Bay City Rollers)

AINT NO SUNSHINE (Bill Withers)

DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME (Elton John)

I WANNA GO TO THE SUN (Peter Frampton)

IN THE SUMMERTIME (Mungo Jerry)

The HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN (Animals),

TOO HOT (Kool & The Gang)

SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE (Cream)

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Girls’ Sing- Dorm ’13 Alma Mater

future  dormappetit

Our camp (and alumni) always look forward to our oldest campers (THE DORM) appearance at Girls’ Sing.  They brainstorm their sing theme from the time they are Debs! They talk in the off-season, planning ideas.  They write their own songs and practice them in a secret location.  They make “fake scenery” to keep everyone guessing.  The anticipation for Dorm sing is a tradition that dates way back in our camp’s history and is awesome.  It is especially an emotional tradition to listen to our Dorm Girls sing from the heart in their Alma Mater.  Seeing how far they have come.  They were once 8 year old Debs, sitting in a circle, playing duck duck goose.  Today they are 15 year old sisters, sitting in a circle, arm in arm, bonded for life.  Here are their lyrics, sung to the Gavin Rossdale song “Love Remains the Same “.  Grab some tissues and enjoy.

circledormLove Remains The Same

A thousand memories that we’ve shared

It’s hard to picture you not there

Fate has brought me here to be with you

Twenty-four girls came together

To form a bond that lasts forever

Without you I don’t know who I would be

All the summers we’ve been spending

How is it our journey’s ending

CHORUS:

I never thought that I

Would have to say goodbye

Sitting hand in hand

I can’t live without you

Here united we are one

Friendships we have gained

Dorm thirteen won’t change

Our love remains the same

Camp’s the place we call our own

We’ll always find our way back home

Let us freeze this moment here in time

No matter if you’re near or far

You’ll always be inside my heart

Although the days are coming to a close

All the summers we’ve been spending

How is it our journey’s ending

CHORUS:

I never thought that I

Would have to say goodbye

Sitting hand in hand

I can’t live without you

Here united we are one

Friendships we have gained

Dorm thirteen won’t change

Our love remains the same

So much more to say

Please don’t go away

You are my best friends

I’ll be here ‘til the end

Never let me go

We wish we could rewind

Stay right by my side

How’d we end up here

Even though we’ll soon be parting

I promise a new chapter’s starting

All the summers we’ve been spending

How is it our journey’s ending

CHORUS:

I never thought that I

Would have to say goodbye

Sitting hand in hand

I can’t live without you

Here united we are one

Friendships we have gained

Dorm thirteen won’t change

Sisters we will stay

Our love will never fade

yeahdorm

 

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Swimming, Snow Cones and Singing!

poolLate reveilles, extra General Swims and Snow Cones! Just 3 ways we are beating the heat here at camp. I was splishing and splashing on the water slide with your kids! The lake feels warm (chilly when you dangle your toes).

underboardwalkThe Morry’s Camp Swim A Thon, organized by the LITS started this week (kids are swimming to raise money to send underpriveged children to camp…going rate has been a dollar a lap and the Steph and I match the total…last year we raised $13,000 and helped send 1500 kids to camp)…. A great lesson the kids learn here.

icecreamFudgicles, snow cones and ice cream sandwich treats are keeping us COOL; we run on fusion water; and lots of sunscreen. We changed the names of our chickens to Broiled, Fried, Baked, Roasted, BBQ’d and Tender!

A very entertaining HYPNOTIST show on Monday night in the amphitheater; some good belly laughs from the crowd as counselors went under the spell! After the show, the crowd read my mind and we surprised everyone with a McDonald’s treat. The best part is when Stephanie drives up to the window at McDonalds’ and says, “….can I have 300 hamburgers, 189 cheeseburgers, 2 burgers with no ketchup and 3 with extra cheese, 7 with onion and a happy meal toy!”

dormsingMonday night was GIRLS’ SING.  One of those nights we wish you could be a fly on the wall. The girls were magical and terrific; the sense of pride, preparation, content, scenery, choreography, costume, scenery, sisterhood and love was intense…Every group presented impressively.   Steph and I (and The HCs, Group Leaders and bunk counselors) cried at the presentations. Beyond cute, beyond cohesive bonding…….it was a great show.

dormrocksAnd the boys were attentive respectful and appreciative… In fact, each corresponding boys group made signs and posters in support of “their” girls group.

The judges declared The Inter-Nats the winner in a very close score!  And in the end, they Club hugged the Dorm Girls, who wrote and performed an amazing alma mater to share with the entire camp (lyrics will be posted on the blog shortly). You just can’t get this experience anywhere else!

winners
Miss InterNational: 2013 Girls’ Sing Winners!

Afterwards, Stephanie and I walked around the girls bunks and we are proud to say that everyone was holding their head high, realizing that winning wasn’t the goal, but working together, doing one’s best and being happy for others WAS THE GOAL!

A great teachable and GROWING moment of the summer!

 

Just in case you missed our “LIVE TWEETING” on Twitter of the themes…here they are:
The DEBS & DILLS ON DECK (beyond cute)
THE TWEENS & JUNIORS KICKIN IT OLD SCHOOL (energetic)
MISS INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY PAGENT  (innovative)
SENIORS’ SUMMER LOVIN’ (together)
DORM APPETIT ‘   (in sync)

ddmdeck tandjoldskool miss international seniors

 

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Truth is…our Staff are the Best!

goodsportcounselorsAs Visiting Day approaches, and we begin to reflect on the first half of the summer….I have to take a moment and thank our incredible staff!  This weekend was filled with activities that really reflect their contribution to our camp and why they help make it so special.  On Saturday, we had many new families at camp for our S’more Tour Rookie Day. Several families were alumni; in fact, they were our campers back when Stephanie and I first started…what a treat to have them show up as future camp parents!  The feedback we recived was that they were impressed with our staff (from LITs to CITs to General Counselors, Specialists and Department Heads); they saw counselors involved, spirited, attentive and really caring about the kids!

I often say that I think parents choose Camp Towanda because they trust Stephanie and I to be THEIR parenting partners; to positively impact, influence their kids as well as set the tone for everyone and everything here at camp. BUT, I think one of the many reasons  the kids want to come back for years and years, is because of their counselors.

klasnerWe are very proud of our staff; they get it, they care and while they are definitely learning a lot about themselves (after all being a camp counselor is like taking a Parenting 101 course), they are impacting and caring for your children.

Saturday night’s evening activity was “ultimate camp in action”. The event was TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES which pitted the campers against the staff; the kids lobbed whipped cream pies and buckets and pitchers of BUG JUICE on their counselors. If I told the staff when I interviewed them that on a Saturday night you would voluntarily stand in a kiddie pool while an 7 year old through a pie in your face in front of 750 people, all cheering, dancing, screaming and laughing…I don’t think they would get it…… BUT that is what happened and as youngest and oldest laughed together; the synergy and electricity of our camp relationships boomed into the night.

thumbs upAfterwards we had a pumped up staff meeting as they are eagerly awaiting the upcoming week with your kids.  As the Owners and Directors of camp, we are excited, pleased and proud of how this summer’s camp family is learning from each other, growing together and coming together.
After the staff meeting, we had a comedian from NYC come up and do an hour of college stand-up humor to give our staff a light break….. funny guy, good night and thanks to our Senior Staff who covered the bunks into the wee hours!  Because when the staff are happy campers…our campers are happy campers.

I gotta tell you, we really do pinch ourselves everyday……this place is amazing!

group pic

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Visiting Day is this week!

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Stephanie blueberry picking with the Jets!

Visiting Day is this week! The campers are now quite settled and into the FLOW of things.  They are in a groove, and adjusting beautifully to camp life with their camp family.  The homesickness hump seems to be behind us and we are so proud of our campers for working through those feelings and for our staff for helping them grow.

Camp offers such an amazing opportunity for kids to actually experience and work through homesick feelings…where else would they learn to work through them in such a safe, nurturing environment?

We are halfway through the summer, and our campers are excited to be reunited with you for the day!  As you can imagine, some of those feelings of homesickness may re-emerge.  We can assure you that they will now be able to cope more easily with these feelings as they now have the skills.

What’s actually cool about homesickness is that once they are able to cope with those feelings, they emerge into what’s called a FLOW STATE (Summer Camp Handbook tells us more about this…it’s a great read; check my Reading List!).

For basically 3 straight weeks from Visiting Day through the end of the summer (including Camp Trips, Olympics and Bunk Feast) our campers get to experience 3 weeks of FLOW, which is amazing f`or their mental health.  In the off-season, we are all so busy and scheduled that this FLOW STATE is unfamiliar.

Be prepared…when your campers come home they will actually be coming off a camp-high! They may even seem addicted to camp! In addition to so many other wonderful things, camp is actually good for their mental health (another gift you are giving your child).

So homesickness is totally normal…your child by now knows how to cope and is surrounded by his Camp Family (who won’t let him/her fall).  The only thing you may want to also prepare for…when your child comes home in just a few weeks, they will actually be Campsick…and there’s only one cure for that!

We look forward to seeing our Camp Families on Visiting Day and getting into a FLOW STATE starting July 22nd!

~Stephanie

Posted on by camptowanda

Friday Night Sermon- Kyle Maynes

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Good evening everyone, my name is Kyle Maynes (that’s me on left with the sunglasses). Most of you may know me as Waterfront Kyle. You know back in 2011 I remember sitting in the back of the field house listening to Michael Pelton give his sermon at the first Friday Night Service of the summer. I was taken aback by what he had to say, I was nearly brought to tears. I knew one week into my first summer that this is where I wanted to spend all of my summers. The campers, counselors, senior staff, daytime activities and evening activities all contributed to what makes this camp so special. I only hope I have had and will have the same impact on all of you.

For the last three summer I’ve been fortunate enough to work pre camp. People always ask me why I do it or what do I do for a month before all the campers show up? The only appropriate response I could think of is something my fellow Group Leader JayFray said to me, “I love seeing camp be built”. It’s so amazing seeing an empty campus come to life and blossom into our summer home.

I know being a first year staff member here at Camp Towanda isn’t always the easiest to adjust to. Whether it be general counselors, specialists, group leaders or senior staff. Most of you come from different countries or states and don’t have camps quite like this to work at and call your summer home. In 2011, I took a chance on a place that was 3000 miles out of my comfort zone and didn’t know what to expect. I was lucky enough to have Mike Thompson and Matt Miller who had 30 years of combined Towanda experience to take me under their wing and show me the ropes. Every possible chance I try to do the same and make the adjustment for new staff members the same that I had. One thing I can say is that regardless of what your job title is, we all wear many hats here at camp. Your days are always full and you’re always expected to go above and beyond the expectations, just like in life.

This summer I’ve transitioned into a new role at camp. Going from Waterfront Director to leading that amazing group of Cadets around has been a great experience. During pre camp this summer I sat down with another fellow Group Leader, Marbles, and discussed the counselors he had as a camper. We talked about which counselors made the biggest impact on his growth as a man and which counselors he would remember for the rest of his life. My boys who are up near the front, Calling all Cadets… (“Lets get airborne!”) yup those are mine. I just hope I can have the same impact on these kids. I hope that when they reflect back on these summers 10 to 15 years down the road they will remember the significance I played in their lives. My goal is to grow and learn from them as much as they will from me.

My first summer I had the opportunity to be accepted by the senior boys of 1110. Although I was senior staff they made me feel like one of their own and allowed me to sit in on there reflections that summer. I was able to see those young boys grow into young men beneath my eyes. Now seeing them as waiters half way through high school and ready to embark on this world in a few years is great. Seeing the club boys of 2011 tackle the roll of now being Counselors-in-training has also been amazing. If I showed up yesterday I wouldn’t be able to tell they weren’t counselors. I would say that the maturity these boys have shown has been brought out by camp. Every summer you’re learning new things, having new experiences, meeting new people and they all contribute to who you are as a person.

I know throughout this sermon I’ve referenced many people or used things that other people said as my own. Mitch always tells the staff that, “No matter where you are in the world you will always have a little piece of Towanda with you”. These people I’ve referenced and the things they’ve said are a part of me now. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about camp. This is more than a summer job, it is an experience you will remember the rest if your lives. When I look around this room all I see is my family. No matter where life takes you I will hold you all dear to my heart. I sincerely thank Mitch, Stephanie, and all of you for letting me be a part of it. Thank you.