thoughts at the end of session 1 (or: Bud Cox at the top of the ladder)

Rainy session, but terrific. Fewer-than-you'd-expect homesick kids, given all that rain. Lots of scampering inside as it thundered, but also: lots of playing games in the rain, with spirit. Overnights somehow (mostly) got out and back. Chuck Masters, the perfectly named out-trip outfitter, kept up with the rush. Adventure Village (its VC really does like to call it "Sequoia") was fabulously anarchic as usual, and actually did some Adirondack trips for canoeing and backpacking. Hemlock was boisterous and active; Windsong was a good-intense, positively emotional sisterhood; Forest was huge and happily swarmed the fields and hills; Pokey-Totem was adorable; Lakota consisted of phenomenal women; and so on. The villages: unique, trademark distinct, respecting the (really) tens of thousands of "ancestors" who have passed through them in the many decades prior to 2013. One ancestor I kept missing, at the turn of every corner along every path, was Eric Blum. But that's to be expected, as the loss of him is so recent. At the closing campfire, Bud Cox somewhat surprised us by showing up (at both camps' fires - Wawayanda first and Hird next), dragging his big ladder, atop which he belted out a great version of the old standby, "Going on a Lion Hunt." I was impressed, really, by the way the older kids completely abandoned themselves in this silly ritual. Bud was, shall we say, at the top of the game. He is also at the top of the ladder of FV society, according at least to one Hemlock boy. (I'm myself hilariously near the top, so you can consider my making this list available here a bit of silly self-promotion.) Yes, the aforementioned Hemlock camper made a Frost Valley "hierarchy chart" and gave it to his counselor, Del Giannotti, who gave it to his father John Giannotti, who passed it along to me. Here it is, word for word:

Poky/Totem
Susky/Forest
Lakota/Outpost
Sacky/Hemlock
Tacoma/Lenape
PAC/Windsong
CITs
JCs
Counselors
Village Chiefs
Camp Director
Time Lord (Al)
Guy on a ladder singing a song about lions

Finally, the "guy on a ladder" is a mythologized figure, as he himself says all the time, and so is the whole idea of the hierarchy, and the Hemlock guys were having some good fun with it.  Bud would tell you he's just a guy who associated with FV,  like so many others, but in his case never wanted to leave - now in his 61st summer at Wawayanda. His preferred spot on the ladder: counselor. And, in his time, he was a superbly focused and caring counselor. I personally remember it.

In the end the cabin counselor is either at the top or at the center of the "hierarchy"- or, actually, in every position. Every good director is a counselor in essence. And every counselor makes a temporary but, in a child's mind, a lasting new family.

One parent, of a Lakota girl, sent me the following note through Facebook messaging:

C. had the best time at camp, I think she talked for a hour straight without taking a breath when she got home. I asked her if she got homesick this year and she said "I didn't get homesick at Frost Valley, I will get Frost Valley sick at home." She added it really felt like family there... She had a wonderful time!

I didn't get homesick at Frost Valley. I will get Frost Valley sick at home. There you go.

another Tilles steps forward

Danny and Peter Tilles grew up at Frost Valley and spent many years thriving here. (Danny was a CIT with me in '71.) Peter's daughter Amanda is now a counselor in Pokey-Totem. What's amazing to me is that Peter's younger daughter, Olivia is already herself a CIT. Our kids are growing up. Below you can see Olivia in the midst of Susky girls during one of the very loud Susky cheers at lunch yesterday. She's in the green shirt, with glasses.

friends of the Ketcham Chapel at Reflection Pond

I happened by the Ketcham Chapel yesterday and spent a few minutes reading the plaques on the wall in the foyer - remembering the names of most of those who contributed to the chapel project during the time of its construction. Readers of this blog will perhaps recognize some of the names. Whether or not you do recognize them, you'll no doubt feel appreciation for their generosity in the effort to honor the Ketcham Family and their collective years and tremendous efforts in support of Frost Valley. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

Gottscho Foundation Board visit

We were very pleased today to greet members of the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation Board for their annual summertime visit. The dialysis unit was running at full tilt, and board members and several guests had a chance to meet and talk with a number of the children who are here this session, doing all the activities, in spite of their renal disease. Next year we come upon the 40th anniversary of this program, which is was founded as a partnership among the Gottscho Foundation, Frost Valley, and (at the time) Einstein Hospital in the Bronx (now Montefiore). Near the middle of the photo, in blue shirt and sunglasses, is Judy Eichinger, daughter of Eva Gottscho, founder of the foundation and chief creative instigator of the project back in 1975.

grilling for Windsong and PAC

Nothing but high-level staff types to doing the grilling for the campers and staff of PAC and Windsong as they near the end of the session. It happens outdoors - with grilling taking place under the Halbe & Jane Brown Pavilion - and the campers (Windsong in particular) get "dressed up" insofar as that's possible at camp. From right to left: Kam (Hird Director), Lesley (Windsong VC), Nick (PAC VC), Alan Moss (activities coordinator), and behind Alan you can (barely) see David S. (our Activities Director). With all that talent, the burgers should be tasty.

video on Frost Valley's core values

Please click here and watch a new video about Frost Valley's values.

improvised rainy-night evening program

The two Hannahs in Lakota improvise a rainy-night evening program. They winged it. They utterly made it up as they went along. And yet, somehow, their instructions were almost delivered entirely in sync. How do they know what the other is going to say before she says it? It was quite a performance and the campers were mesmerized. They took a wash-out evening and made it tons of fun for everyone. This photo shows them in action; click on the image for a larger view.

Aaron Wallman is back!

Aaron will be getting married here at Frost Valley in early September. And when he gets set up as a doctor, after his CHOP residency, we are all hoping he will figure out a way to do at least a two-week stint as camp doctor in future years!

there's a blacksmith at Farm Camp

today, July 9, is Oran Giannotti's birthday

The other day I saw John's son Del walking by with his campers. I called out to say hello to him from maybe a distance of 40 feet. The way he was with them - they way he walked - his head-bent-slightly-down focus on them - reminded me of Oran, whom I of course remember well and fondly as one of my counselors when I was director in the early to mid 80s. Seeing Del now, I almost called out, "Oran Giannotti!" instead of "Del Giannotti!" Oran's spirit and sensibility are still with us here.

Lakota and Outpost - hoopla (cheers)

program staff keep learning, every day

Every morning after breakfast and before the first activity period, the program staff (now called "activity counselors") meets in front of Margetts Lodge. One of them leads the others in a game or activity. It's great for comraderie - not that that's lacking in the least. It's also great to prevent silos - each program staffer doing, again and again, their own thing, their specialty. It creates among them a sense of the Frost Valley anyone-can-do-anything spirit.

fireworks tonight over Lake Cole

Jess

Jess Gonzalez was here visiting this week. Here she is (in back) with Sandra Shapiro Bohn (left) and Katy Bowen (right). Jess is teaching at a school in Newark. She played Geronimo with me the other day, and noted that several of the kids playing were students in her school. She has created the connection between the school and FV. Thanks, Jess!

July 4th carnival celebrates international counselors

always smiling

One of my very favorite campers this session. He's in Forest, and always - I mean always - has a smile on his face. He spent the entire hour playing Geronimo the other day...smiling. I saw him at dinner earlier this evening. He was inexplicably dissecting his baked potato, carefully removing the skin bit by bit. Eventually he ate the skinned potato and hot dog without the bun, dipping the latter in a paper cup of ketchup. He had it all figured out. I'm not sure how the pipe cleaner headdress fits in, but in our conversation he made no mention of it. It's just part of the day's get-up, I guess. What a guy.

superhero farmers

Over at Farm Camp yesterday, it was Superhero Day. We arrived for a quick visit as they were finishing their costumes. We gathered some of the guys together for a group shot of the diverse supers. The guy with the mustache (which is made, by the way, of sheep's wool)? He was Monsieur Poison Baguette. I don't know if you can quite see his baguette, but it was long - and real. I know where he got the sheep's wool. But the baguette? The cooking over the farm is very good, but do they really supply baguettes?

Kaskel reunion

The Kaskels were all here for the weekend. Rick, when he leaves tomorrow, will have spent the better part of a week here serving as our pediatric nephrologist in residence, to support the dialysis/kidney program this session. Phyllis joined him a few days ago. Then daughters Jessica and Erica - both long-time campers and staff - also arrived. Jessica and Erica's niece Lauren made the trip too, although she was going to go back home, pack for camp, and then come back next weekend to start her four weeks as a camper in Sacky. Well, no. Once she was here, she couldn't imagine leaving. So the okay came from the directors, and then there was the shopping trip to Walmart, and now - as of today - Lauren in in Sacky, doing the unusual five-week stint at camp. I took advantage of the rare moment when these four Kaskels were together at FV, and got this nice shot of them just before Jessica and Erica left.

morning reflection

Middle Sunday of the session. Sleep late (yay!), dine over brunch (not breakfast and lunch) and sit quietly during Morning Reflection, one for each camp, coordinated by the CITs. Here's this morning's Wawayanda Morning Reflection, at Reflection (appropriately) Pond. The Hird M.R. took place at the old Wawayanda Chapel. Here some staff sang the Beatles' "Blackbird."

vintage FV patriotism

Adriene Rosenberg (left) reunites with her former camper (from last summer) Hannah W., who is a lifer here. Hannah, now in Sacky, won a vintage FV t-shirt at a recent Challenge Night. It's a red, white & blue "Frost Valley / Y / USA" half-sleeve T, dating from the 1970s (I'm guessing). This was the day to sport that shirt, since we celebrating Independence Day on the 7th.

Benjamin Brown continues his family's legacy here

There's a Brown in camp - Benjamin (at left in the pic), son of David who is the son of Jane Brown and the late great Halbe Brown. Ben is thriving here, I'm glad to say. I took this picture during the all-camp carnival this afternoon. He was taking a break and had some wonderful things to say about his FV experience so far - a long way from his home in Alaska, but still - home for sure.

Ben's older brother Sam is also here - in Adventure Village (Sequoia).

Halbe Brown's grandsons are here. Yes.

your 2013 Wawayanda Directors

Megan Lawrence and Alex Draper. (Alex is sporting Australian pink eyeblack, which I acquired at this afternoon's July-4th-on-the-10th "It's a Small World" carnival, featuring booths sponsored by international counselors, among them two Aussies who persuaded us that eyeblock Down Under is pink. My own face was applied to by these characters.)

Giannotti

Ceci Giannotti - just loves it here. (As has been mentioned in this blog before, Ceci is the daughter of the late Oran Giannotti, and mom Dara who loves coming up here to drop off Ceci at the start of the session, along with Ceci's grandfather, the great John Giannotti. Continuity!)

how can you read a book with all this noise?

I mean, the dining hall is noisy. Noisy! C'mon. I can't often think, let alone chat with someone. But Joyce in Tacoma? Well, Joyce comes to camp with a pile of big novels. This is Wednesday of the first week of the session and she's on her second 450-page book.

bearded Hird directors

Kam and Mike at lunch today. Go bearded directors!

stopping in at the wellness center, you never know what you'll find

At this very moment, the sun is shining. First time since the kids arrived for session 1, which is now 3 1/2 days old. Tons of clouds and hard rain on and off. Amazing there aren't more homesick kids at the moment. I know of three, maybe - no more. A miracle. A testament to good counseling and good administrative back-up. Anyway, yes: rain, rain and more rain. Another effect of rain, usually: kids flocking into the Wellness Center with one ache or another. I checked in there today after lunch, and there too it's quiet and relatively easy. A CIT had spilled something on another CIT (what it was I didn't find out) and the latter was being checked out. The grand-daughter of one of the nurses had stopped in to get a hug from grandma. A twisted ankle was being examined. Nothing much else.  Aaron Wallman, long-time Frost Valley guy (VC of Pac, CIT Coordinator, etc.) who is also a pediatric resident at CHOP in Philadelphia, is here as a volunteer, and in this photo, below, you see him relaxing in the Joy White Nurse's Station, in the (momentary?) quiet.

Over at the dialysis unit, a camper named Malaysia is hanging out with her "team"; they call themselves Team Malaysia. She's in Tacoma, and doing well. I told her group some stories at the Castle this morning, and she loved it (as she told me just now). Maya Doyle, newly minted NYU PhD and long-time director of the social work side of our kidney program, is here volunteering for a week (amazingly), and there's Aaron again (having come over from the other side of the Center to find a little action), and Alex J., Malaysia's counselor-buddy. They were working out which activities she can and wants to do this afternoon, and what options she has from the dinner menu tonight.

staff photo '13

Just prior to check-in, the staff gathered one last pre-campers time and we took the 2013 staff photo. This is not it (I'll post it later when I get a copy) but you get the sense of the sense, and maybe, too, of the excitement.

check-in day, first session 2013

Session 1 of 2013 has begun. We've had hard rain, on and off, some thunder and lightning, and lots of damp conditions generally. Everything's going very well as we head into evening programs on the second full day of the session. But back to check-in for now. Below are some photos I took during a very busy opening day. A number of alumni volunteers joined us, and helped families find villages and cabins (a huge help). Below, in order: Halbe and Jane's son David Brown brought son Ben to camp (David and his family live in Alaska!); Lillian Rountree Lippincott, with Jane (a JC), and Cooper (PAC camper); Bill Baker, Jeff Daly, and Eileen Barnes Hahn; Bud Cox with the Honmas, Emiko and Tatsuo (whose grandchildren are both here this session); Dan Weir and Jeff; John Giannotti (Oran's daughter Ceci is a Lakota camper; her counselor is my own daughter Hannah) with Greg Heinzmann; Greg with Jim Neilson.

practicing the art of the overnight

Yes, during staff training there's a night when all the villages go out on an overnight. They do precisely what they are going to do when taking their campers on overnights each session, four times at least, this summer. I went to visit the Lakota/Outpost overnight (at Sawmill). They'd seen three bears and were a little anxious, but had a fire going, and were eating fajitas. I spent an hour with them, helped them gather wood, watched them get started on s'mores, and begin to settle in for the night. It was cooling down fast, the stars were out, and if you turned all the flashlights off and looked toward the Neversink River, you'd see an entire near horizon of fireflies. Thousands of them, blinking near and far in the dark. Spectacular.

Above: three happy Lakota staffers after a round of s'mores; some of the Lakota counselors and JCs as they packed for the trip.

Helen Cornman is back

Many of us were glad to see Helen Cornman enter the dining hall at lunch yesterday. She is working with Jerry Huncosky and others to help us assess as specifically as is possible what children learn and gain from camp. I don't know the details but I'll try to learn more as the summer goes on. Meantime, it was just good to see her - here, standing with Jerry as they watch dining hall antics get resurrected after the usual September-to-May dormancy.

Staff training - prepping for hoopla

Staff training week for the summer 2013 Frost Valley staff is heading toward its conclusion. Today is a day off, much deserved for these several hundred young people who've been through an intense morning-'til-night series of training sessions - talks, seminars, lessons in hard and soft skills, practice overnight camping, etc. They even practiced for hoopla. You can tell by the enthusiasm of the guys here that they waited all year to do this again.

Lourdes Montoro's tribute to Eric Blum

Bravo, bravo, Bravissimo for our Frost Valley Diamond!

Felicitations, blessings and Peace for our, once more, Volunteer of the Year!: our Eric Blum! And for the delegation that made it possible and lent him the most meaningful hand to his heaven!
3 hoorays for our Scout and Ranger at heart and Dr. in Life, my true companion and friend since our counseling days in the 80s, my most devoted and faithful visitor at the summer camp office, who has so generously patrolled and cared for us all every every summer, who I have been very fortunate to reunite with year after year, who I have gone on adventures, matured with, enjoyed, laughed with, and who I have loved so much.

Nevada man (as I called him) simply wrote to Barcelona woman (as he called me) on 11.1.07 what follows:

“Camp will be fast approaching; we have Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Year´s, then I will start to countdown to camp.”

As in one of Jeff Daly´s facebook status, I subscribe to Camp Friends. Love them. Always. And with the licence that this cold summer of 2013 (being also my 30th since I first went to Frost Valley), I humbly beg to give me, I would like to add: And with infinite gratitude, lots of lessons to learn and, once more, tons of Barcelonian hugs and kisses. Last week, I decided to formally enroll in the Course of Life, with my favorite most brilliant professor ever: Blum. I am in the first row, with a new pencil case, paying attention, being as obedient as usual, attentive to his unique Nevadian ways, honoring his love, genius, wisdom, sense of humor and life.

I also look forward to the playground. I wonder what was first: Him? The playground? ☺ As he always reminded me to, and lectures me on now, I will keep the magic, now his endless life-time magic, smile that Wawayanda smile, that he liked so much, and BUILD STRONG! I can´t fail him. I´ll apply myself and go for it all!!

My sincere love and support to his family, his buddy Mark Gottdenker, who Eric so wisely chose, and who so impeccably and sweetly, has taken me under his wing, and who I want to take my hat off for, publicly, the grumpy old men, and to all of you, for being there, and here with me, just an ocean apart.

Thank you. Love you all.

Lourdes Montoro
(aka Barcelona woman)

Blum obit

Here is the obiturary that appeared in Charlottesville newspapers:

* * 

Eric Paul Blum, RN, BSN, CNOR
Resident of Charlottesville, VA

1964 - 2013

Eric passed away June 9, 2013 at the University of Virginia Medical Center. He was 48. Eric was a proud native of Walnut Creek, California. He graduated from Northgate High School class of 1982. He received an AA degree in Agriculture and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Orvis School at the University of Nevada in Reno.

He spent his entire professional life as a Registered Nurse at the University of Virginia Medical Center, most of the time as an operating room nurse. He lost a brief battle with cancer, but won a 32 year long war with kidney disease.

He was an Eagle Scout and a long time staffer, director and volunteer at Frost Valley YMCA camp in the Catskill Mountains in New York State. He was presented with the Frost Valley Volunteer of 2012 award on June 8 by a delegation from Frost Valley.

His father Geoffrey predeceased him. His mother June, brother Stephen, sister Gayle, his Aunt Stephanie & Uncle David Jones, many cousins, and friends survive him.

There will be a memorial service on June 19, from 8-9am at McLeod Hall Auditorium in the School of Nursing building to honor Eric’s life and contributions.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to Frost Valley YMCA, 2000 Frost Valley Road, Claryville, N.Y. 12725 or the University of Virginia School of Nursing Alumni & Development Office, P.O. Box 801015, Charlottesville, VA 22908. Checks can be made out to the UVA, School of Nursing. Gifts to The School of Nursing will be used to set up a scholarship fund in Eric’s memory

500 reasons (to help kids before the summer begins)

Watch the video, please, and see 500 reasons to help kids before our summer begins. Here is link for making a donation. And here is a letter that was sent out today by Jerry Huncosky:

** 

The Summer season is a magical time for everyone, but for the 3,900 children who will experience Frost Valley YMCA this summer it can be life-changing. Over an eight-week period these campers will have a myriad of experiences that will play a role in shaping the rest of their lives. They will make new friends, find confidence, explore nature, gain independence, build self-esteem, and so much more. For 500 campers, the experiences you saw in the video above are made possible through support to our Annual Giving Campaign and Project 332. From now through June 30th, two Frost Valley YMCA trustees, Bill Baker (Alumnus '82-'94) and John O'Brien (Camper/CiT Parent), have each offered to match up to $10,000 in contributions made to our Annual Giving Campaign. Matching this $20,000 challenge with another $20,000 in pledges will go a long way in bringing these 500 children to camp this summer and providing them with these life-altering experiences.

Sincerely,
Jerry Huncosky CEO

P.S. Help us give these same experiences to 500 more campers this summer. And, remember, you can double the impact if you give by June 30th.

we've lost Eric Blum

The following terribly sad announcement has been sent to Frost Valley's friends from FV's CEO Jerry Huncosky:

***

This morning our long time friend, alum, donor and volunteer, Eric Blum, passed away. Eric had been ill for several months and although this was expected, it came earlier than anyone would have guessed.

If you recall, we had recently agreed to select Eric as our Volunteer of the Year for 2012. A beautiful crystal engraved piece along with a photo of Frost Valley, signed with congratulations by dozens of staff. was presented to Eric by Bob Eddings yesterday. I am told, Eric, swelled with pride and carefully read each of the comments of congratulations.

It was our hope, along with Eric's and his families hope, that Eric could visit Frost Valley one more time. While that is no longer possible, it will be impossible to walk by Margetts and not imagine him sitting on the log waiting to be placed into action.

He was our friend and will be missed by thousands. May he rest in peace.

There are no arrangements at this time.

Jerry

Jerry Huncosky
CEO
Frost Valley YMCA
2000 Frost Valley Rd.
Claryville, NY 12725

***

I urge all readers of this blog to look back at Eric's diary of his month-long volunteering at camp in the summer of 2009:

http://frostvalleyalumni.blogspot.com/2009/09/erics-four-weeks-at-camp-in-his-words.html

Update: Here is a note Jerry Huncosky posted to Facebook - "For my friends who are also friends of Eric's. I have worked with the family to resolve some details regarding Eric's passing. We will hold a memorial service here at Frost Valley on Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 a.m. Eric's ashes will be buried at Frost Valley on Memorial Island. Please feel free to share this post. More details will come later on the Frost Valley page."