Andy Kremer's son jumps rope

Andy Kremer's son Garrett is here this session. At Challenge Night, kids "step up" (as they say a lot at FV) and are brave, willing to push their talents hard in support of the group. Garrett responded to the call for jump ropers and look what he did, and listen to the support he received from his peers.

Tom Cometa's son

Tom Cometa, whose glory Frost Valley years where in the 1980s, has a son Andrew here this session, in Lenape. Andrew introduced himself to me today at lunch. He looks so much like Tom did back in the day!

Glenn Kreismer

I've mentioned Glenn Kreismer here before. A long-time camper from years ago (1970s), he re-connected a few years ago and is now (for session 3 this summer) sending three of his children to camp. I saw him yesterday as he dropped them off. This morning he wrote me a note:

Attached is the photo of your "68" - "75" alumnus [Glenn himself, that is] pointing to his signed oar and wood log in your administration building, with his three kids that are going to session number three. My daughters Ava and Sophia are on their third year and this is my sons first year of many to come.

Yes, a few years ago and he came with memorabilia, which we now display in the "historical room" of the main office.

....and another Eufemia (well, Italiano)

Lauren Eufemia was a camper and staff here through at least the mid-1980s. (Her sister Nancy Eufemia rose to the rank of VC of Sacky.) Lauren is now Lauren Italiano and her and her husband Joe have a daughter Ali, who is in camp now this session for the first time. Welcome another generation of Eufemias! The photo above (shot into the sunlight of the dining hall) is of Lauren and me at the end of check-in, after Ali was safely set up in her cabin. Don't worry, mom - we will take good, good care of your beloved daughter just as we took care of you once upon a time.

alumni children abound

Session 3 checked in today. Went so smoothly. I'm going to guess that there are FIFTY children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren of former camp staff in camp today. It was like a reunion today. Bennett Brooks (long-time-ago camper) was here dropping off daughter Rory for an Adirondack "rambler" adventure trip. Glenn Kreismer (mentioned in this blog before) brought three of his kids, including his youngest son who is in Totem and is ready to go. The son of Jacqueline Dundorf Kremer and John Kremer - Ben - is here in Pac. And Andy Kremer's son Garrett is in Outpost. Steve and Amy Neubert Ketcham came with three kids for camp - a son for the farm, a son for Forest, and a niece also for farm. Stuart Duff's son Jamie is here to be a CIT. (Rumor is that Stuart will come for a week of session 2.) Lillian Rountree Lippincott drove daughter Jane for her CIT month, all the way from Pittsburgh. They stayed with Eileen Bradley last night, and I had the pleasure of seeing them together again, and took this happy photo (above). The Ketchams are below and, below them, are the Kremers.

Natasha's daugther Natasha

Natasha Brown, who was a camper in the mid-80s (I hope I'm recalling this correctly), found her way to the Frost Valley alumni reunion a few years ago. It was fabulous seeing her. She reconnected with the camp and swore that she would send her daughter some day. Well, a camper also named Natasha came up to me and said hello and said her mom wanted her to pass along her greetings. And then I realized: this is Natasha Brown's daughter, coming to camp from Newark, just as Natasha had promised she would. What a delightful kid! This generation-after-generation stuff has really got me going.

Del Giannotti

He's a CIT (as mentioned in previous posts this summer) and today is from Wales but for the current week his "in cabin" assignment is Forest, and he's loving that. Last night he gave a devotion! Let's face it - everyone associated with FV who loves the Giannottis (there are many of us) is just plain proud that another Giannotti talent is let loose on this valley.

new Brady bunch

Session 1. A boy named Christian Brady was in Lenape. Common enough name, so I didn't think twice about it. But then at the end of the session, I wandered into the Blue Hill Cafe (restaurant in Claryville that succeeded the old Blue Hill Lodge and then FV's own community center) and saw Christian with his family. His dad looked a lot like Wendy and Nancy Brady, and so it was! He is their brother!

So we have another Brady bunch with us now!

Jon MIttelman

Jon Mittelman came of age here - and became a counselor - in the late 70s and early 80s. We had been in touch on and off over the years but I hadn't seen him until he sent his son and daughter to Frost Valley for session 1. The two photos below: Jon, Sandy Shapiro Bohn, and I in the dining hall on check-out day; Jon and his wife and two children, at the end of their two weeks in camp. Welcome home, Jon!

another Ernst

That's Katie Ernst on the left, a two-week camper here for fourth session this summer. Next to her is her aunt, Lisa Ernst - our very own Lisa Ernst. Katie is the daughter of Lisa's brother Scott, also himself, once upon a time, a Frost Valley guy. In any given session, if we gathered together all the campers and staff who are connected somehow (sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, etc.), it could be as many as 20%-25% of them all.

Eric Wechter's son

Eric Wechter, who was himself in Hemlock 26 years ago, brought his son Benjamin back to camp--to be in Hemlock!--along with his mother, whom I hadn't seen in the same 26 years (or so).

another McFarland joins us

Pokey girls at lunch...from the youngest cabin (21). At far right is Sarah Dickson, daughter of Cathy Dickson who as Cathy McFarland was (with her sister) a camper and counselor years ago. Cathy's mom, and Sarah's grandma, is (also) Cathy McFarland, a fabulously effective and helpful member of FV's Board of Trustees and former executive director of the Victoria Foundation. Sarah's brother Andrew is also here for his third summer. All in the family, for sure.

alumna comes cross-country to give her own young children a chance to be Frost Valley people

Jen Antinoro and her brother Matthew were campers during my years as camp director, and I remember them both well: they were lifers. Jen (now Jen Antinoro Storey, residing with her family on the west coast) stayed on and became a prominent staff member (did Matt do so, too? I'm not sure). Then, like so many of us, she kept her connection to Frost Valley, visiting reunions and staying in touch with FV friends, but mostly setting up her life apart, or mostly apart, from her great FV upbringing. And when her kids came along she hoped they would grow up soon so that she could send them for two weeks to summer camp back here. Well, such waiting - until they're 7 or 8 or 9 - was not for Jen. She brought her two children across the country, rented a cabin in Claryville, and has been sending them to our day camp for the past two weeks, and getting a view of camp life herself here and there as she dropped them off and picked them up. One day she stayed the day, and I saw her in the dining hall, and snapped this photo of her witnessing the mealtime chaos and remembering her own hooplas past.

son of the Amazing Dave

All Frost Valley people from the mid-1970s through the mid-80s will remember David ("The Amazing Dave!") Allen. He was a counselor, then a Totem VC, and later our Wawayanda Director. Now David's son Jon (in the middle, above) is here - a counselor in "Pac" (Quinnepiac) Village, living in Hird Lodge. The Allen legacy, intact. We'll be sure that Jon is deemed "Amazing!" too.

Jere Schwait's daughter Maya is here too

Jere Schwait Sirkis has brought her daughter Maya to several alumni reunions. When Maya was quite young, I remember how much she loved playing Geronimo. This must have been in 2006. Now she's 7 years ago and of course it's time for camp. The morning of the first full camp day, after presumably a lively night of late chatting in the cabin, Maya seems none the worse for wear. That's Maya in the middle. And as you see Helen Cornman's daughter is at left. Two alumni kids in the same cabin, by chance.

camper 1979-85 now brings his two sons here

Also arriving for the one-week camp - which we sometimes think of as a "starter" session for new campers who've not been away from home - are the two sons of Charles Colajiuri and his wife Liz.

Charles was a camper here from 1979 through 1985 and remembered me as his camp director all through those years, first in Wawayanda ('79 was my first summer as director) and then in Hird (when we split anew into older and younger camps).

Charles saw me in the dining hall and couldn't believe his eyes. Was I still here? We took the boys to their cabin and settled them in, talking all the way about Charles' great feats as a camper, including his achievement as Honor Camper at least one summer.

Then he and Liz set off on a long nostalgic walk around the camp. Charles had last been here in 1986.

another Filreis joins the staff

My daughter Hannah is a junior counselor in Lakota village this month (sessions 3 and 4). This session her "co-" (as they say) is Shelle from Wales. For some reason at the first dinner of the session last night they decided to wear braids and party hats.

place aswarm with long-timers

Fourth session, opening day. Perfect weather and nearly flawless check-in. A hundred alumni connections to tell. Don't know if I can keep them all in my head. Bob Whirty was here to drop off his daughter, now in Windsong. Jacqueline and John Kremer were here to drop of their son. Andy Weiner brought his daughter for Lakota. Stuart Duff showed up from across the Atlantic with his two kids, Lenape and Sacky. Mette Osterby, late 80s Denmark counselor, is back as a volunteer for two weeks. Liz Furman brought a child here; she was on the staff here in '87 and most oldtimers will remember that the local Furman Dairy supplied all our milk for many years (Grahamsville, I think). One couple came up to me and proudly told me that their neighbor is Dari Litchman and a teacher at their kids' school is Mikia Eatman. Then Zach Carey showed up, a former staffer from 1986, and introduced me to his daughter Quin who is coming here for her first-ever session at camp: Quin. The photo here is of Zach and Quin. Zach said it's a dream come true--that his daughter will fall in love with this place 24 years after he did. Below is a photo of Mette talking with Andy Wiener.


Dari Litchman wrote the following: "Just wanted to let you know that last night I met up with Mette Osterby from Denmark (who is arriving at camp today with her daughter Katrine). Last time we saw each other was late 80s. Mette and I worked together my first summer on staff in Susky Village circa 1985. Would love it if you could share this photo on the blog. We met in NYC's Chinatown and ate at Joe's Ginger on Pell St. Fun time! Mette is going to be volunteering at camp for 2 weeks while her daughter Katrine is a camper this session." Below is a photo taken during the Dari/Mette meet-up.

another generation of Golds

Aidyn Gold is here this session again - son of Adam Gold, long-time camper (late 70s/80s), brother of Steven and Michael. Ah, the Golds of West Orange. I remember (as director) these three "lifers" (always here 8 weeks) and mom Linda, with whom I was on the phone weekly it seemed.

Cometa

Tom Cometa was a mainstay staffer here in the early and mid-80s (late 80s too?). Tom and his family have made a regular practice of coming to Family Camp at the end of each summer. Now Tom's son Andrew is here in Outpost cabin 35. Yesterday I stopped by my table to introduce himself. Mark Gottdenker was there and it turns out that Mark was a camper of Andrew's dad Tom--in Tom's cabin--some 25 years ago.