dialysis memory (2)

And here's Harry McCormack:

I always thought that dialysis campers were some of the happiest campers in general and their attitude towards camp, life and their illness was always amazing.

The first memory I thought of was of a dialysis camper called Justin (18 years old) who turned up two days late due to him being ill. He was clearly very fragile but so excited to be at Frost Valley. He joined up with the rest of Pac during our evening activity, Iron Chef, and you could tell he was nervous and shy. I asked him where he was from and he said Verona, New Jersey. On my last holdover weekend I had gone to an amazing restaurant called Original House of Pancakes - OHOP (not IHOP!!) so I asked him about it and his face lit up and he started telling me all about it. Two other Pac campers had overheard this and joined in all singing OHOP's praises. Before I even had a chance to put Justin in one of the groups, these two Pac campers asked him to join up with their group. It wasn't much but suddenly Justin's whole demeanour changed and he just went and started chopping some carrots and chatting to the guys in his group. It was great that something so simple as mutual love for pancakes could make someone feel at home so easily.

I also always loved doing the night meds run. Windsong were always lazy and took the golf cart so we would hide on the side of the road and jump out at the opportune moment generating some very loud screams which was always hilarious. Don't think I'll ever get old enough where I don't find that funny.

dialysis/renal disease program - stories (1)

I'm gathering stories from the years of experiences we've had since the advent of our dialysis unit/renal disease program back in 1975. Dave Bieler was the first to respond and here's what he wants to say:

As gosh knows how many FVers know, Eric is a model of fortitude and determination. I was always kind of stunned by how much energy and enthusiasm he was able generate, seemingly at will, despite being tethered to a machine for four hours every other day having his blood cleaned out for him...however, it was one night, in 1986, on an absolute nightmare of an overnight with Forest/Susky kids, that he completely and totally outdid himself. We were caught in a storm, the kids were miserable, and we had to make a call on what to do -- spend the night out in the storm, struggling to keep both ourselves and the kids dry and safe, or attempt to hike through the rain (and over a rope bridge) back to camp. The storm just kept getting worse, the kids were scared, cold, and tired -- so we made the call to go back.

Myself, I was feeling extremely miserable at this point -- which was only compounded by the driving rain. And well, after he and I and our Susky counselor compatriots guided all the kids over the rope bridge through the dark by flashlight, I basically collapsed. Eric saw me, leapfrogged across the river, and essentially hauled me/propped me up for the walk back to camp. After a few nights in the nurse's office, I was back in business, but were it not for Eric -- who knows how things would've turned out? He was absolutely, positively, indubitably - awesome.

Bill Hawkins, 1959

Bill Hawkins was a counselor at Frost Valley in 1959, just one summer. But he's a Y lifer and later did 30-plus years after his Wawayanda summer. I've been in touch with him for years, but recently we had this exchange:

Al: Have you made plans to come to the big Frost Valley reunion over Labor Day?

Bill: No, unfortunately. Give my best wishes to anyone who attends from the summer of 1959!

Al: By the way, Dave & Shirley King will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in July.

Bill: We celebrated our 50th last December 26th ... being married kept me from returning to FV in 1960 - so went to YMCA Camp Bernie with Merrill Oleson.

Al: Wawayanda didn't permit married couples on the staff in that era?

Bill: Yes, they did permit it .. but had limited accommodations for married staff ... all the available positions were filled by others ... I didn't have any seniority！

Al: What was the position you would have been going for in '60?

Bill: In 1959 I was the cabin counselor in #25 ... since I got married the following December I really never thought about a position except I was interested in the trip program for older boys ... I went to Camp Bernie as the Program Director ... it was, of course, a much smaller camp ... but I needed a job for a pregnant wife as well ... so she became the secretary for the director of Camp Bernie ... we returned to Bernie in '61 at the end of the summer I joined the Ridewood Y staff and the rest is history ... 34 years as a Y Professional before my retirement in 1995.

Al: I find this all so interesting. Do you remember what the accommodations for you would have been at Frost Valley if you and your wife had worked there? Castle? Pigeon Lodge? So you went from cabin counselor at Wawayanda in '59 to Program Director at Bernie in '60!

Bill: I have no idea about accommodations as the possibility didn't exist. My early YMCA "career" was from cabin counselor at YMCA Camp Abe Lincoln (Davenport, Iowa) in 1958, to cabin counselor at YMCA Camp Wawayanda in 1959, to program director at YMCA Camp Bernie in 1960 and 1961 ... then into a full-time Y job ... I returned to Camp Bernie in 1965 to become the first resident director ... left in 1969 to join the staff of the Westfield YMCA ... where I led the purchase of property and the development of the YMCA Four Seasons Outdoor Center in Hunterdon County ... but it was later sold by the YMCA and it became the Hunterdon Learning Center.

three of the grumpy old men

Bill, Mark, and Eric - nicely dressed.

2006 CITs just before their out-trip

flies in the dining hall

Bill Madden found us recently because he's been urging his nieces to attend summer camp at FV. A nice phone conversation with folks at camp led him to this blog and then to reminisce about his years there. He was a camper in the late 60s and early 70s. In the photo above: Counselor on porch - Sam Pack; campers left to right: Robert Kishpaugh, Bill Madden (the fly smasher), Mark, Eddie, Gordon Trinkler, Stephen, Leroy, David, Robert Roux; Junior Counselor at foot of the stairs - Gil.

(Later: David Magid writes to suggest that the JC on the stairs was indeed Gil...Gil Short. David writes: "I'm pretty sure Gil was a CIT with me in '69. I also believe Gil was related to Digger Shortt - a nephew?")

Bill saw the photo of the old dining hall in a recent entry here, and remembered a story that seems in part to involve me. Here's Bill:

The dining facility had a large main area where campers and counselors ate and a much smaller dining room in the back where staff ate. Sometimes campers who skipped their assigned activity periods could be found playing board games kept in a small cabinet in the staff dining room.

One afternoon, I skipped an activity period and went there to play, and found it empty. Well almost empty. You see, someone must have left a window or door open and I found myself in the room with many, many, many flies. Strangely, on this particular afternoon, the tables had already been set. Fortuitously, for no reason I can think of, someone had left behind a cake spatula. It is one of those utensils with a wooden handle and a flexible rubber head. Most importantly, this item makes a fantastic fly swatter. I decided I certainly wouldn’t enjoy eating with all of those flies in there, so with all good intentions, I set myself upon the task of smashing the flies. And a BIG task it was, I’m not talkin’ just a few flies here. Well, the best I can describe the activity is as follows: flies landing on table tops and large flat dinner plates were easy kills. Almost as easy as plates, were the flies landing on napkin holders and sugar jars. Much trickier were salt and pepper shakers and utensil handles. Those locations required a special flick of the wrist. Cup rims were impossible, and after a few failed attempts those flies were ignored until they landed in a better location. I stayed at the job until I had smashed them all. I remember my great sense of accomplishment and, hoping for a few accolades, I went searching for someone in the dining facility to tell them what I had done.

Well, I found no one, and camp being the busy place it is, I soon forgot all about the flies.

The evening meal for campers always began with someone coming to the microphone and announcing the food was ready. The announcement would trigger a rush of campers (one server per table) heading to pick up the food. The rules required them to walk, and I have often thought the sport of speed walking may have started there.

On the evening of my good deed this routine varied just slightly. The person, not sure who (maybe Al Filreis), coming to the mike did not immediately announce the food was ready. Instead he started off saying “whoever smashed the flies”. I don’t recall the remainder of what was said, but vividly remember feeling tremendously surprised by the immense disapproval in his tone, followed by a great sense of relief that I had told no one as of yet, and firmly resolving not too. In fact, I have not said a word about it these thirty-some odd years. But now, finally, I confess it is I who smashed the flies.

80s friends together in San Fran

At left is Alison Perry. To Alison's right: Kate Westerbeck Lewis. In the middle is Marijke Smit (another Tacoma camper, cabin 34, summer '85). At far right: Molly Rauch. These 1980s FV pals gathered outside Kate's house in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

FV'ers converge on Big Red

old dining hall

The old dining hall in winter. Build Strong!

FV alum leads Newark's only public school lacrosse team

I was pleased to see a former Frost Valley counselor - John Dudley - featured in an article in the New York Times: here.

The article says that John picked up lacrosse in Montclair, but actually he learned it (or at least significantly refined it) at Frost Valley. It was time when lacrosse was all the rage at camp, led by (among others) then-Montclair High School star player (and now active FV alumnus) Rick Cobb. John Dudley was one of many young African American kids at Frost Valley at summer camp in those days who learned what was then deemed a suburban and "all-white" sport. (Even today: "Some had never heard of lacrosse, much less seen the game played.")

John later became an FV summer staffer and is now, at 42, teaching in Newark and inspiring young boys to take up the discipline of athletics. John's team is Newark's only public school lacrosse team. "In his fourth season coaching at East Side, second on the varsity level, Dudley lists 36 players on his roster, 23 of them cradling a stick for the first time. There is plenty of room in this urban planter’s lacrosse universe for those willing to learn and to lose, often lopsidedly, at what has mostly been a suburban sport."

-

Something else is interesting here. The New York Times article was written by a Frost Valley-affiliated guy. Here's Lisa Colton to explain: "another FV connection is that [the article] is written by Harvey Araton, who is the father of Charlie and Alex Araton. Charlie was my CIT last year and is a staff member now and Alex worked as a staff member a few years ago!"

yours for $75M

From Forbes.com's "America's Most Expensive Homes"

$75 million - Former Julius Forstmann House - New York, N.Y.

Historic, spacious and well-located Upper East Side townhouses don't come on the market very often. When they do, they typically command attention with a jaw-dropping price tag, and this 21,000-square-foot limestone mansion on 71st Street, off Fifth Avenue is no exception. It has been on the market since 2008. Built in 1922 for Forstmann, a wealthy German merchant, the landmarked building offers five stories packed with original details like a sweeping marble staircase, marble fireplace and hand-carved moldings.

Thanks to David Lockwood.

Connor

Earlier we memorialized Connor Donohue, and since that post--as you can well imagine--his friends on Facebook have put together a beautiful memorial Facebook page. If you're a Facebook user, search for it as "In Loving Memory of Connor Donohue." Many folks have posted photos of Connor, and many of these of course were taken at Frost Valley. Above is one of these, posted by Lexi Cariello with this caption: "My favorite summer at camp: Connor and Zach worked in Lenape, Chris and Cara in Sycamore (and i was so happy to be there with them). The boys were excited because the camera had a remote control (Chris is holding it). So much love here! How about those smiles? And that Frost Valley milk carton?"

thank goodness Julius pulled out of the market

I've been in touch lately with the son of a man who worked as a Vice President for Curt Forstmann (and also Julius Jr., I think). This man - the son, my correspondent - when asked if he heard stories about the elder Julius, told me that "he had apparently pulled out of the stock market before the crash after making a trip (around the world?) that convinced him that the economic situation was precarious." I suppose we should be grateful for this. If Forstmann's estate had crashed in the Crash, they might not have had the Catskills home to sell to us later.

1956 staff list

Yes, you read that right--1956. A rare item. This was of course before Wawayanda moved to Frost Valley. If anyone knows there whereabouts of any of these people, please let me know.

Dave King and Bud Cox both remember that Art Lockett stayed with Wawayanda and became a staff member at Frost Valley. Dave remembers that Art worked in Outpost in '58. Dave also wonder if Larry B. Gatlin of Oklahoma City could be the Larry Gatlin of country music fame. Ah, but the famed Larry Gatlin was born in 1948 (in Texas) and would have been just 8 years old at the time of this Wawayanda staff.

Mac was back

Mike McNamee - an Englishman living in Wales - was recruited to the FV staff in 1982 through the "BunaCamp" system. We think he was a counselor in Hemlock that summer - along with Dave Gold (his JC), Dargie Mombo and others. He came back in '83, '84 and '85. He was a great VC of Forest and then of Lenape. Now he's a professor of bioethics. His wife - Cheryl - worked at Frost Valley (waterfront, I think) during the summer of '89. Their two daughters - Megan and Fionne - can't wait to come to camp in the summer of 2011 as campers. Dad's visit back to camp this past weekend should solidify that decision. "Are you going to sleep in the Castle?" asked Fionne, full of hope.

Yes, McNamee was back after 25 years. I picked him up in Garrison, NY, where he was a Fellow at the Hastings Center for bioethics. He wandered around - found his first cabin (see above) - and had breakfast and a good walk-around with Glenn Horton (who lives nearby and came to see Mac).

I drove Mike back to Manhattan, where he was to stay with Kim Diamond overnight and would meet Stu Kaufer for lunch the next day, before returning to Wales. Just as we arrived, I put on an mp3 version of an old recording of Mike and me singing harmonies to Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," at a 1985 closing campfire, with Ken Abbott singing a third part and strumming a blowsy-sad electric guitar. There was a bit of nostalgia reverberating around my Toyota as we crossed the Hudson over the GW.

1999/2000 video

The Ruth Carole Gottscho Kidney Foundation made a video about Frost Valley and our dialysis program - back in around 1999 or 2000. Here is your link to the video. Enjoy.

marketing position open

Position is open at Frost Valley: marketing. Click on the image above for a larger view.

fish-eye gazebo

Above is a photograph (with a fish-eye lens) taken from inside the Forstmann gazebo atop the Castle lawn. The photographer is our own Ken Nathanson (long-time camper, staff, active alum and now proud father of a summer 2010 CIT).

Connor Donohue

Connor Donohue, a longtime camper and staffer whose most recent summer on the staff was 2006 (VC of Pac Village), died in an accident early Sunday morning. All of Connor's Frost Valley friends - and fans (he was a very talented counselor and loyal FV'er - mourn him, and are reaching out to his sister Caroline (she also a long-time FV'er) and their family.

The wake in memory of Connor will be at Moriarty Funeral Home (76 Park Street) in Montclair from 4 pm to 8 pm this Thursday, March 18th, 2010. The funeral service is the next day, March 19th at Saint Cassian Church (187 Bellevue Avenue) in Upper Montclair at 10:30 am. All are welcome at the wake and the funeral. If you have any questions, please email me at andrew.stephen.hammond@gmail.com or call (201) 444-2548.

Here is the text of an obituary: DONOHUE Connor, 24, loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend, Antipoverty Advocate, of New York City, formerly of Ridgewood and Montclair, NJ died in a fall from his New York City apartment when the apartment's terraces railing broke away.A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, March 19th at 10:30 AM at St. Cassian's Church, 187 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair, NJ. Visitation will be at the Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home, 76 Park Street, Montclair, NJ on Thursday from 4-8 PM. Connor was born June 6, 1985. This is the same birthday as his Aunt and Grandfather. He was first and foremost the finest son of his parents Jane and Pat could have ever dreamed of. His relationship with his sister Caroline was the best a brother and sister could ever have. He viewed himself as an Irish Catholic who loved his family above all things. He looked forward to Alexi Mantsios becoming his brother. It was his knowledge of how privileged and loved he was that formed the basis for his career choices. Connor was pursuing a career of service. He loved his work as Dean of Students at "Prep for Prep," a respected non-profit organization committed to improving educational opportunities for talented but under-served youth in New York. Connor recently started a new job as Program Officer for Strategy at "SingleStop USA" an innovative non-profit organization assisting thousands around the country emerge from poverty.In 2009, Connor was selected as a Fellow by the NYU Wagner School for Public Services for a Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Services (FELPS). He currently served as Vice Chair for External Affairs on the board of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, NYC.While at Connecticut College in New London, where Connor graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in music and English, he conceived and was the founder of "New London Music Tutoring" a tutoring program for underprivileged students in many local Schools.For 13 summers Connor attended Frost Valley YMCA camp in the Catskills as a camper and later as staff. Throughout those years he developed his passion for working and changing the lives of children. He is survived by his mother and father, Jane Lyons Donohue and Patrick, his sister Caroline, his future brother-in-law Alexi, his grandfather James Lyons, 19 aunts and uncles, and 35 first cousins. He loved his "other family," the Kaplans, with whom he shared endless hours of vacations and fun. Additionally, his many friends from all walks of life provided him endless love and support.Connor loved spending time with his large Irish Catholic family and the many friends who lovingly called him "Conman." He also loved music and the New York Yankees.Donations in Connor's remembrance and in lieu of flowers can be sent to Frost Valley YMCA, 2000 Frost Valley Road, Claryville, NY 12725 where a scholarship fund is being established. Please indicate "In Honor of Connor Donohue" on the donation.

Caroline asks that in lieu of flowers friends of Frost Valley make a donation to Frost Valley camperships in memory of Connor. Go here and click on "donate" and please note that your gift is being made in Connor's memory.

Connor's family will receive a letter from Frost Valley acknowledging your gift in his honor, and in this way they will feel the affection and concern of the entire FV community, and, in addition, some kids this summer will run crazily across the valley's fields, shouting in complete delight, and we'll know that in them Connor's voice can never be stilled.

50 years

Campers and staff gather on the Castle lawn during the summer of 2008 to celebrate 50 years of camping at Frost Valley, 1958-2008.

the girls' camp staffer who led songs "on the girls' side"

Above is a portion of the photo of the 1962 boys' camp staff. The handsome young guy in the middle on the bottom row is a Junior Counselor by the name of Henry A. Cox, Jr., known as "Bud."

If you click here you'll see photos of the entire 1962 summer staff, along with the names of just about everyone in the pictures.

The other night a member of the girls' camp staff that summer--Kathy Schonmeyer--found this stuff on the web, and then wrote to me. Here's part of what Kathy (who now goes by "Kate") wrote:

I just logged into your Frost Valley blog, went to the "alumni photos" page and scrolled down, and what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a link to the 1962 Wawayanda staff. I clicked on the link to the picture and there I was, as I knew I would be. I'm sitting next to Penny Hanna, and the name should be Kathy Schonmeyer. Jumping up one row, Jane Doncey should be Jane Donley.

I have some pictures from that year and the next few. I worked at Wawayanda for four summers, '62 - '65. I was one of the Ohio group. I was a counselor for two years, then waterfront director, then program director, and then I had to get a serious job that paid real money. The fact is, I'd still be happily coming back every summer if I could....

1965 was my final year. Carol DeVita was Girls' Camp Director that year. I just read about Gerry Lester's passing. She was good people.

I also read about Dave King. I usually led the songs on the girls' camp side during my tenure, all the raucous songs from Broadway Y in Cleveland, some of which I'm sure were retired many years ago, like "Titanic." "Hey Look Us Over" was one of the songs that came from Broadway Y, my incubator.

Kate will be happy to know that the campers and staff of girls' camp (Camp Hird) sang "Hey Look Us Over" at least until the early 1980s and that "Titanic" was sung through the late 80s and maybe even into the early 90s.

Hey, look us over, lend us an ear
We are from Y camp, you have heard us cheer
Never a letdown, never a frown,
Whenever we get together life is just a merry-go-round,

For there are two weeks of swimming, two weeks of fun,
We're all in clover and always on the run,
So whenever you're feeling down and out
Remember us and shout
Wawayanda is for you.

The Wawayanda version of the song was imported through the staff women who came to Frost Valley from the Cleveland Y. Dorothy Stenger, Girls' Director of the Broadway Y in Cleveland, wrote the words to the Cleveland version of the song.

register for the Labor Day 2010 reunion now

Click on the image above, then print out the form and mail it to Frost Valley to reserve spaces now for the Labor Day Frost Valley alumni reunion! Do it soon and you'll get the lodging you want.

wintry pics of the past

Having posted today's wintry picture, I've been receiving snowy images all day from former staff who have been digging into their personal archives. Here's one of several photos Ken Nathanson sent me.

Big Tree Field this morning

Melissa Pauls took this photo of the Big Tree Field this morning - after a lovely snowfall.

wintry scenes

Tom Cometa, who was visiting Frost Valley this past weekend with his family, took these photographs.

kill the cat and other lost games

Above (click on image for larger view) is the first page of a 15-page manual of games compiled by the Village Chiefs during staff training, 1977.

new job at Frost Valley

This an internal posting of a new job at Frost Valley that will soon be advertised widely. If you are interested in applying, or have questions, contact Linda Campbell at lcampbell@frostvalley.org or (845) 985-2291 ext. 254. Click on the image above for a larger, readable view.

Jeff Daly to coordinate alumni events & projects

Dear Frost Valley alumni friends, one and all:

I'm pleased to pass along the news that Jeff Daly (jdaly@frostvalley.org) will be coordinating alumni activities, events and projects from Frost Valley. We are all grateful to Kathleen Thayne for her hard and successful work in this and related roles from the development office in Montclair. When the development office shifts up to camp, the alumni part of the development/external affairs portfolio will come to Jeff as our seasoned Director of Camping Services.

Many of you know Jeff. Others will meet him at the Labor Day reunion coming up (September 3-6, 2010). Jeff was a camper beginning at 1989 and rose quickly up the ranks, took several years away from dear ol' FV to work as a Y professional at other YMCAs, and came back to our summer camp program a few years ago. He has strong connections to many 1990s-era FV'ers and of course to those who work and have worked in the current decade. Dari Litchman, I myself, Dave King, Sue Ettelman Eisenhauer and many others on the Alumni Committee--and Lisa Ernst, a 1970s-era alumna who is our director of Major Gifts in development--will help Jeff establish relationships with 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s folks. Through his coordination of summertime alumni volunteering, Jeff has already come to know a number of dedicated 60s/70s/80s FV'ers through their visits during and between camp sessions.

I personally couldn't be more pleased. I know that, with Jeff's able coordination, former Frost Valley staff and campers and participants will find that coming back home to the Valley is a deeply satisfying experience. And I want to thank Kathleen for her wonderful work these past few years, and Dari, and other volunteer leaders, for their continuing efforts.

See you all in September!

- Al Filreis

Vice-President, Frost Valley YMCA Board of Trustees
Chair, Development Committee, FV
former camper, CIT, counselor, director, co-founder of the FV Alumni Association

org chart, 1977

Here's a page (click on the image above for a larger view) from the staff manual handed out at the beginning of the summer of 1977. Many of its pages had been written years earlier and were reproduced each year and inserted into the large (200-page?) manual--handed out to everyone on the first day of staff training in large 3-ring loose-leaf binders. This page I know was typed in 1977 (I remember the change to the new typewriter that summer--our first electric IBM). It shows very roughly the summertime FV org chart. A few notable things. First, whereas now the Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Trustees, in those days there was a "Camp Committee," or "Wawayanda Committee," which was a subgroup of the Board (though it included a few non-Board members). It was this group that set dates and rates each summer. It was chaired for many years by Floyd Hird. This reporting line would only have been relevant during the summer. Note also that the Program Director reports to the Camp Director. In those days there was one camp director for each of the two camps (boys and girls) and usually a program director for each also. The Program Director was in effect the Assistant Camp Director and had camp-directorish responsibilities as well as running the program. (The summer this org chart was composed I was myself that Program Director. Whew!) Finally, note "CIT" and "FCC." This was a two-year training project: at 16 you were a CIT (a low-level program assistant and table setter) and at 17 you were an FCC (Future Camp Counselor). FCCs went on the rigorous 11-day hike out of camp. At 18 you were a JC, so I suppose you could say there were in those days three summers of training positions.

your reflections and memories needed

Here is a letter to all FV alumni from Eva Gottscho's daughter Judy:

- - -

Dear Frost Valley Alumni:

This coming summer the Ruth Gottscho Dialysis Center at Frost Valley will celebrate a special anniversary. It was 35 years ago that the program for kidney campers was established. To date, more than 1,600 children with kidney disorders have attended camp.

To mark this special occasion, the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation is collecting reflections and memories about the program from current and former Frost Valley campers and staff. We would appreciate you sending us any personal experiences you or your campers may have had. Please email them to email@gottschokidney.org or judy.eichinger@gmail.com. Our regular mailing address is:

The Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation
515 Warwick Avenue
Teaneck, NJ 07666.

Please include your name, email (or regular) address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,

Judy Gottscho Eichinger
(Eva's daughter, Ruth’s sister, and Foundation Chair)

- - -

For much, much more about our kidney program and the Gottscho Dialysis Center at Frost Valley, click here.

Castle in winter

My daughter and I xc-skiied by this lovely scene on Saturday, along "the Castle loop" trail.

early days of XC skiing

When cross-country skiing was new at Frost Valley, around 1973. Those skis are clip-ons (you wore your own shoes and clipped them onto the ski by means of a contraption that fell apart often for the novice). The scene of course is the Big Tree Field (ski trail through the Big Tree Field?!) and at right you can see a tobaggan that had just come a long ways down the tobaggan run that started up near cabins 21-25 and emptied out across the field. If conditions were icy and slick enough, you could get all the way to the county road. The building to the center-right is the Lake House (where in those days the Food Service Director, Everett Lake, lived) and to the left is the old horsebarn. Yes in the summers we actually ran our horseback riding program out of that barn. An old, old, old barn, barely standing. It was affectionately known as the Lazy Nag Corral.

Cobbman

Rick Cobb during staff training, late 70s.

Mike Marder raises funds for campership

An article appearing on myCentralJersey.com:

South River man raises money for scholarship to YMCA summer camp

SOUTH RIVER — For Michael Marder, the summers spent at Frost Valley YMCA camp were priceless. Now, he is hoping that at least one middle school student in the borough will get that same opportunity.

Marder, a resident of the borough and a member of the camp's Alumni Association, is raising scholarship money to send at least one student to the camp for two weeks during the summer of 2010.

"I think it's a remarkable summer camp," said Marder, who spent several summers as a camper and counselor at the facility. "It's an outdoor environmental education center on over 6,000 acres in the Catskills. Children can go and live the life of a farmer or attend Adventure or equestrian camp. It's quite an organization. I think it's a great place for a child to spend a few weeks during the summer."

Frost Valley YMCA, established in 1901, is a nonprofit organization located in Claryville, N.Y. The camp, open to children ages 7 to 16, serves about 2,000 campers each summer and provides camp scholarships for children from low-income families throughout New Jersey and New York.

"One of the special features of the camp is that through a partnership with Montefiore Children's Center in New York and the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation, it also provides a camping experience to children with chronic kidney disease, who otherwise may not have had this opportunity," Marder said.

As a member of the camp's Alumni Association, Marder has spent several years raising scholarship money to send children in Newark and other inner cities to the camp.

Last year, after attending an annual meeting, in which former scholarship recipients spoke about their experiences, Marder decided to focus his attention on sending a borough student to the camp.

Marder said the cost to send one child to the camp for two weeks is about $1,500.

"Depending how much we raise will determine how many children will get the opportunity to go," he said.

Marder said he has received support from borough officials and was invited by the mayor to address the Borough Council.

He also has been working with South River school officials.

The camper, he said, will be selected by members of the South River Middle School staff.

"We're looking for a good student, who would not otherwise have this opportunity," Marder said.

Tax deductable donations may be sent to to Frost Valley YMCA, 26 Park St., Suite 2023, Montclair NJ 07042. Checks, made payable to Frost Valley YMCA, should include the name and address of the donor and be marked "South River Campership."

Donations also may be made on line at www.frostvalley.org/donate.

Additional information about the Frost Valley YMCA may be obtained by calling Frost Valley YMCA at 973-744-3488 or at www.FrostValley.org.

gymnastics circa 1980

Here is Fran Grayson**, doing some gymnastics on the Olympic Circle. I'm going to guess that the photo was taken in 1980. Yes, we had this trampoline-like jump-off thingie. We taught the kids to run up on it and fling themselves in the air. What to land on? Well, mostly the grass of the Olympic Circle and sometimes some old foam mattresses. Don't know how many sprained ankles were the result of this activity, but I do know that the Health Center (in Smith Lodge) was just 60 feet away.

** I'm about 95% certain it's Fran. (Later note: Now I'm 100% certain. Fran herself just confirmed it!)