after dinner with Lakota

After dinner last night, the sun came out and "dried up all the rain." So it goes here in the Valley these days. On their way from the dining hall back to the cabins to prep for evening program, Lakota's cabin 43 decided to stop and play on this new-fangled postmodern multi-form see-saw that we've got set up there. Easy joy. I stopped by and couldn't - ahem - be the unintrusive guy behind the camera. Oh well.

mid-1970s

Jere Schwait (now Jere Sirkis) and Cindy Drucker in the mid-70s

"the order of the oar" in the old dining hall

In the old dining hall, circa 1976. Remember the fabulous steel fireplace hood that descended from the high ceiling and covered the round stone fireplace in the middle of the main dining room? All announcements and songs and skits were positioned in front of the hood, facing the two main wings of the large room. This is where we also did our "Order of the Oar" birthday toss-ups. This photo, belonging to Sandra Shapiro Bohn, captures a moment of birthday celebration. Classic.

our former campers are now sending us their own kids

third from left: Katie

I have no precise figures for this, but I'm going to guess that 20% of the campers here this session - perennially the largest session - are children of former campers and staff or nephews and nieces or even grandkids. I get a sense of this as my own former campers & counselors come into the dining hall at check-in with huge smiles on their faces and even nostalgic tears: weeks of telling their own Frost Valley stories now give way, for the children, to the kids' own experiences, first hand. And typically these kids quickly get the FV magic, and can explain it for themselves - no longer needing mom or dad's version. It's a subtle thing to see, but palpable. Yesterday, Melissa Rubin, who had been a counselor in Pokey for three summers back in the 90s, dropped off Anya, who is - you guessed it - in Pokey-Totem. Circle game. Melissa was thrilled and also a little jealous as she left and contemplated the drive home alone. Parents wait years for this and then - pow! - it hits them. They've passed it on.

Anya, at right

Jeff Hamilton was a camper here and remembered me quite well. Had he a flood of memories as we chatted. He and his wife dropped of THREE children: Emma, Katie and James. Katie is in cabin 43 where the counselor (and VC of Lakota) is my daughter Hannah. Jeff was thrilled about this coincidence and Hannah reported that when he brought Katie to the cabin yesterday he couldn't stop telling the stories. The generations!

campers hanging around Pigeon Lodge

Here's a great photo of campers hanging around Pigeon Lodge during a holdover weekend in the late 1960s.

here's what a dad told us as he got ready to leave with his daughter after session 1

shining staff at check-out

After one two-week session the staff looks wonderful at check-out, no?

Jeff Daly visits and hangs with some old friends

With Chris & Danny.

Shawn happened to visiting that day too!

With Dan Weir & Emily Gorman.

Geronimo rhymes

Just one of the many reasons why I like leading games of Geronimo with Pokey-Totem....is that this summer (and last) we have counselors in that village whose names rhyme: Carly & Marlee. I could call those two name all afternoon long. And here they were, the Carly-Marlee pose.

Camp Schlep is a real position

After the late Eric Blum declared his job as volunteer for real - and called it "Camp Schlep" - it has become, believe it or not, an actual job, a real position. This summer that Blum-ish honor goes to Chris Lemmey.

6-mile hike along Frost Valley's trails on a perfect weekend

A view of the boathouse on Lake Cole from the trail running along the south side of the lake.

This past weekend ("holdover weekend" between sessions 1 and 2) brought gorgeous weather to the Catskills. Blue skies, dry air, warm days with breezes, cold nights. Perfect. Jane and I took a 6-mile hike. We walked to Sequoia, followed the "Perimeter" trail up along the west side of Pigeon Brook, then took the "Rocky Road" trail steeply up, joined the "Line Shack" trail, came down "Sunrise" trail to near the observatory, then joined "Perimeter" again and finally a long walk along one of the Doubletop ridges on "Spring Ridge" trail, then down to High Falls and back along Deer Run which runs above Lake Cole. Click on the map below for a larger view.

The fern fields were amazing.

CITs attend both opening campfires

They're everywhere. One of the CIT groups joined the Wawayanda opening campfire at CIT Point to perform a skit, and then, a little later, as I myself led a song at the Hird campfire at the Castle lawn, there they were again. I took this photo as I walked up from CIT Point and saw the same bunch meeting on the Hirdstock stage.

The CIT coordinators of this group happen both to be children of former staffers - Sam Nathanson, son of Kenny Nathanson; and Amanda Tilles, daughter of Peter Tilles.

Hunter Corbin's lane

Hunter Corbin, a long-time member of the FV board of trustees, co-led our big and important capital campaign in the mid-'00s - a campaign that enabled us to build Lakeview Lodge, renovate the old dining hall above the lake into Geyer Hall, and build the new Guenther Family Wellness Center and dialysis unit. Soon after the campaign was done, we named a road for Hunter. This is the road that leads up to the then-new A-frame houses that some year-round staff families live in. Here is a photo of the sign and the scene taken during my early morning run today.

more Bradys

The Brady bunch. Campers and counselors for many many decades. The first Bradys all lived in Westfield, NJ, but by now they are spread all around. Christian Brady is a junior counselor here already. Today Wendy and Nancy's brother Dan came with his family, including Liam and Kaitlyn who will be campers here this session. Here we are in today at check-in.

Ian Glasgow returns

Ian Glasgow has a child who arrived today and is going on an Adventure Trip this session. It gave Ian a chance to come to the dining hall and talk about old times. Here we are after reminiscing a bit.

son of Tucker & Gordon has a FV birthday

Josh Tucker & Ellie Gordon's son Mattie was here last session (as was sister Sasha). On the last full day of game it was Mattie's birthday. Here's a video of Mattie's response to our singing happy birthday to him. Click here.

Tacoma's dance performance

Jeff Daly visits and has a message for Wawayanda in the dining hall

It's "wild cats day" in Tacoma

Theme day today in Tacoma. It's "Wild Cats Day." You can hear them all over camp doing bits from High School Musical. At lunch today they performed and you can watch a portion of that here. Here too you see counselor Meredith Gray painted up for the occasion.

what the VC does on a rainy day

The VC of Lakota village demonstrates how much wilder and crazier the VC must get on a rainy dreary day.

alumni update

Dear Frost Valley alumni, friends, staff:

Photograph I took of the Big Tree in Big Tree Field in 1978.

We are in the second week of the first camping session for summer '15. For those receiving this who haven't seen a Frost Valley summertime close up in a long while, I'll just ask you to remember/imagine what it was like when you were in the valley—and that's what you'd see if you were here still. The programs you remember continue; the sheer hour-by-hour joy of the kids (and their counselors) is as great as ever; the CITs are being creatively trained & oriented to caring for children; the Big Tree stands tall, an icon and beacon; the international staff come from all over; we are all, still, "dismissed to chiefs" after every dining hall meal; and, most of all, the Wawayanda/Hird/Frost Valley values are always front & center, among them respect, responsibility, diversity, and inclusiveness.*

A few items/reminders:

1) The big Frost Valley alumni reunion weekend is happening over Labor Day weekend! Reserve your place here: http://frostvalley.org/event/alumni-reunion-weekend/ .

2) Almost daily during the summer, I add at least one entry to my Frost Valley alumni blog. Check out recent entries: dancin' in the dining hall (video); our Dawn Helfand Huebner on anxiety (Ted talk video); doctors judge at Challenge Night; chilly mountain morning. Here's the link: http://frostvalleyalumni.blogspot.com/ .

3) Longtime Frost Valley trustee Cathy McFarland Harvey (camper parent, staff parent, camper grandparent, trustee, former president of the Victoria Foundation which has supported camperships for decades, etc.) lost her beloved, wonderful, witty husband Dick Harvey on July 3. Our thoughts are with Cathy. You can read Dick's obituary and leave a condolence here: http://www.codeymackeyfh.com/tribute/details/354/Richard_Dudley_Harvey/obituary.html#tribute-start

4) Inductees into Frost Valley's Hall of Fame this year are: Carl & Marie Hess, Henry Hird, and Bob Ohaus. The induction happens at camp during our summer luncheon/gathering on Saturday, August 15. Contact me for more information.

5) See below for a message from Director of Camping Services Dan Weir about two openings in an upcoming teen summer wilderness survival program. Do you know a young person (12-17 y.o.) who might like to be challenged at FV?

Yours in the Wawayanda spirit,

- Al

Al Filreis
http://writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis

* The eight core values are: Caring, Community, Diversity, Honesty, Inclusiveness, Respect, Responsibility, and Stewardship.


* * *

Hello all,

With being half way through our first session, camp is running incredibly well.

We wanted to share that we are in need of two participants for our Bear Grylls Survival Academy Teen Summer Program for July 12th to July 17th. The participants must be aged 12-17. The program normally costs $1600 but we are definitely flexible to work out a price point that is affordable for families. Price shouldn't be an issue if a family wants to take one of these spots. We sincerely want this session to run.  We are really excited with the start of this program. It's combining our Bear Grylls Survival Weekend programs and our long history with summer camps. Here is a link to more information:

http://frostvalley.org/camp/bgsa-teen-summer-programs/

Please let me know ASAP if you think you have anyone that is interested.

In addition to this, I've attached our availability for the rest of the summer. Please remember that for Frost Valley employee families, if we have a spot open with less than week to the start date, it is no charge. Please see me directly if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Dan
------------------
Dan Weir

Director of Camping Services
Frost Valley YMCA
2000 Frost Valley Road
Claryville NY 12725
p) 845-985-2291 x270
www.FrostValley.org

dancin'

For some reason people dance at Frost Valley on any pretext. Happens many times each day. Here's a glimpse of one such moment.

dining hall happiness

CITs minding the waste stations

leaders of MAC 2015

our Dawn Huebner on anxiety

Dawn Helfand Huebner (a long-time FV camper, counselor, VC, CIT Director and Camp Director) recently gave a Ted talk - about coping with anxiety. Watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jryCoo0BrRk

just your average swinging to the music at breakfast before 8 AM

well-staffed Challenge Night

Well, at last night's rousing Sacky-Hemlock-Mac Boys-CITs Challenge Night, standing in the back - enjoying the campers' feats - were five of the dialysis unit's medical staff, including Dr. Rick Kaskel (whose first summer here was 1978). Kaskel was summoned to observe the "weirdest body contortion" and the "smelliest shoe." He is a connoisseur of the latter, but I must admit he was stunned by the former!

Juding the smelliest shoe (photo by Sandy Bohn).

Simon Says. These kids were tough!

46 degrees in the morning

One of the many reasons I spend my summers at Frost Valley after all these years - and indeed there are many - is the morning chill. After days of rain, the weather shifted yesterday. Overnight the skies cleared completely and the temps dropped. This morning I was up around camp at 6:30 AM. It felt like a fresh start. The temperature was 46 degrees. The cold cold water of Biscuit flows loudly, 80 feet from where I type this. The streams are full and moving fast. I can hear the horses neighing in the field. Sunrise shadows cast on the old calf barn we've been using as an office for almost 60 years make the relic stone building seem liminal, forgotten. An hour or two from now the whole valley will be full of delighted screams and young and younger people criss-crossing paths and fields. But for now: chilly quiet. Amazing place.

Two beautiful responses:

first Challenge Night of the season

We kicked off the summer season of Challenge Nights with a rousing Susky-Forest confabulation. It was raucous and fun and lots and lots of kids got to participate. And I was joined by a distinguished panel of judges. Sandy Bohn took lots of photos so perhaps I'll add a few of those later to this mere collection of three. Below you see two pairs of entrants in the look-alike contest.

dancin' in the dining hall

 

the farm

I visited the farm the other day - just before the campers arrived. Met a baby calf and made friends with friendly goats.

here's Wawayanda 2015

 
Last night's opening campfires were held indoors because of the rain. Despite that, they were both terrific. Here's a quick glimpses of the campers of Camp Wawayanda - filling the bottom floor of Geyer Hall - in anticipation of the start of the event.

cabin photos

Today, during the first lunch of the session, villages went outside the dining hall in turn to have cabin photos taken. Here was a Lakota cabin, looking pretty happy despite the chilly temperatures and cloudy skies.

another Turer

 

During Geronimo with Forest village (plus CITs) just now, I called out as follows: "If your father helped to invent USB." By "USB" of course I meant "Ultimate Sicko Ball," which is still played as an all-camp evening activity in the Big Tree Field. Jon Turer's son Henry is in Forest this session and he instantly knew he had to get up out of his chair, for dad Jon (whom we saw at check-in day yesterday) did indeed help invent the game still used so many years later. Henry enjoyed this moment of fame, but told me this after the game was over: "Now many of the guys think my dad invented the USB port on camputers! I have to explain that USB is a game!"