VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

WINTER 2007

ORYMCA OBSERVER
Summer Camping since 1915

WHATS HAPPENING AT CAMP?

By Marc Koch mkoch@metroymcas.org

The summer camp Winter Reunion took place at Fairview Lake from December 27th through the 29th, which hosted more than 200 campers and sta. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed being back at camp, catching up with friends. Activities included football and basketball (thanks to the warm weather), an all-camp hike to the ridge (or ledge), a Campre Extravaganza in Kittatinny Lodge, an ice cream social in the dining hall, and so much more! Camp continues to enhance the lives of the children and families we serve. Our summer programs are action packed and include Traditional Camp, Environmental Trips for Challenge (backpacking, rockclimbing, river canoeing and caving), Ranch Camp and the CIT Program. Many campers return year after year and become counselors. They develop friendships, build self-condence and have fun, while the old traditions, such as Unit Pride Day and Color War, continue to be handed down. Fairview Lake continues to be a second home for thousands of children and adults. Each summer we have more campers join us whose parents and grandparents are camp alumni. Perhaps its time for your children and grandchildren to attend camp? Let them experience a quality camp experience in a safe and nurturing environment. For more information contact Marc at mkoch@metroymcas.org.

Summer campers and staff successfully hiked up to the ridge, overlooking Fairview Lake.

Outdoor campre enjoyed by all.

CAMP MEMORIES by Stephanie Wilson lclacrosse@aol.com

In July of 1986 my brother and I arrived at the front gates of Fairview Lake. I was six years old, crying hysterically and I did not want to go to summer camp. While I dont recall much from that summer, I do remember crying the entire way home because camp was over and I wanted to stay. I was hooked on camp! I spent three summers in Minisink and remember playing jump rope during siesta, soccer on the sports eld, freezing cold swim lessons in the morning, and the joy of free swim late in the afternoon. I loved Minisink, but I nally got to be in Laurel Ridge during my fourth summer. In my eyes Laurel Ridge was the ultimate accomplishment; I was mature and could make my own Laurel Ridge campers in 1996. schedule and stay up later. I was a grown-up, or so I thought. My rst year in Camp Laurel Ridge was 1989 and Karen Wright King was my counselor. It was amazing how within minutes the whole cabin became instant friends; many have become lifelong friends. This includes Dana Yankowitz, me, Sarahlyn Schultheis Kashou, Eboni Booth, Jasmine Willoughby and Erin Drinkwater. I was at Sarahlyns wedding in June of 2006, I had lunch with Dana a few weeks ago, I keep in close contact with Erin, and I recently had dinner with Eboni. For more than 15 years we have remained friends through tough times, relocating, and growing up. These women are people I turn to when I need a friend. When I was twelve I had the most amazing CIT; I admired Sarah Friedman Cruz and planned to be just like her. It turned out, as I grew up, we had a lot in common and we have been friends ever since. I met Carolyn Cook Koch in the summer of 2000, when I was the Laurel Ridge Unit Leader and she was the Waterfront Director. We immediately became friends and shared a crazy summer living in Oak (cabin behind Minisink Lodge). These are two amazing women that have been there for me through some tough times and through some great laughs. Without Fairview I would not have met these women who have become a part of my family. Fairview has given me lifelong friends and helped shape the person I have become today. After being a camper, I became a CIT, JC, Counselor, Unit Leader, Program Director and Assistant Camp Director. I went to college and graduate school and avoided getting a real job in the summers by returning year after year to camp. I have been able to give back to camp a little of what was given to me. Share your memories and connect with old friends. Send an e-mail to FairviewLakeAlumni-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

ORYMCA CAMPS FOUNDING FATHER COLONEL AUSTEN COLGATE

By Matt Block, David Goldblatt & Frank Kelly mjblock14@aol.com, dvdg481@cs.com, fkelly@metroymcas.org

Dear Camp Alum,

Thanks for all your positive feedback. I am glad you are continuing to enjoy the ORYMCA Observer. This is your newsletter, so let me know what you would like to see in future issues. Our goal is to bring together camp friends and wonderful memories. Looking forward to hearing from you. Best Wishes,

The creation of YMCA Camp Kittatinny was due to the vision of Colonel Austen Colgate. In 1915 he purchased a group of small properties which, when pooled together, made 163 acres of a great campsite. Colgate then took fteen In the beginning, canvas platform tents housed campers and counselors. boys, who were members of the West Orange Chapel of the Central Presbyterian Church, and conducted a trial camp; it was a great success! The YMCA of the Oranges published the Orange Leaves, an association newsletter, from 1889 to 1892, and from 1915 through 1961. These periodicals provide much insight into the Director of Alumni Relations rst 46 years of Fairview Lake. The headline of the March 26, 1916 issue of the Orange Leaves read, The Oranges Needs a Boys Camp. fkelly@metroymcas.org The following is an excerpt from a letter to Colonel Colgate from the YMCA of the Oranges dated July 10, 1916: In the face of your extreme generosity in providing this property, it is dicult for me to set forth what seems to be the requirements of the Young Mens Christian Association without appearing to be grasping or unappreciative of your spirit. For the best use of this property the Young Mens Christian Association should erect some permanent structures, in the nature of a mess hall or general assembly room, which would give to the boys protection in inclement weather; a big replace to gather around on wet nights a general centre of indoor activities. The water from a spring on the mountainside should be brought down to camp, cesspools built and considerable intelligent attention paid to sanitary matters in general. A rough dock, perhaps only of poles could be constructed, a baseball ground smoothed o by the removal of rock, roads or means of access improved, all of which means money and eort, unwarranted for a brief period of occupancy. You have in mind, I think, as we have, a permanent camp, of at least ten or fteen years. The description above was outlining a facilities plan for what became Camp Kittatinny. Little did they realize that their permanent camp would still be serving children and adults some ninety-one years later! Our thanks to Colonel Austen Colgate who made it all possible.

Frank Kelly

ROD & CLARA COLLINS FAMILY TRUSTS

In the early 1930s Rod Collins began his long-term relationship with YMCA Camp Minisink. He was hired as a counselor by Ben Timmermann, Minisinks rst Camp Director. It was during this time Rod met Clara at an all-day picnic in East Orange. By the mid-1930s Rod was the Minisink Waterfront Director. He served in the Navy during World War II. Rod & Clara were married in August of 1940; their son Jack was born in 1943. After the war Rod served as the Minisink Camp Director from 1946 to 1966. Camp Minisink was a second home for the Collins Family. Upon receiving the Fall 2003 issue of our Traditions newsletter, Rod wrote: Congratulations for the good job of reporting. It is an exceptional piece of work . . . I am very proud to have been a YMCA staer for 67 summers. Twenty-nine of those were at Camp Minisink, where I spent the rst nine (9) under the tutelage of founding director Ben Timmermann, before becoming Minisink Director for twenty summers.
L. RODMAN ROD COLLINS

In addition to the leadership that Rod and Clara provided for camp, they created the L. Rodman and Clara H. Collins Trusts. Their legacy to Fairview Lake YMCA Camps will annually The Collins Family in 1953; provide support to our Campership Fund. The Collins Family Trusts will enable us to plan today for Clara, Rod, Paul and Jack. tomorrows possibilities and challenges, preserving camp for future generations. Jack Collins, Rod and Claras son, can be contacted at mtvcollins@sbcglobal.net . For information about making a bequest to Fairview Lake, contact Homer Shirley, Vice President of Financial Development, at (973) 758-9622 or hshirley@metroymcas.org.

ALUMNI UPDATE
(send updates/announcements to fkelly@metroymcas.org)
On November 4th, 2006 Chris(tine) Cullinane was married to Michael Haber in New York City. In attendance were fellow alums Stephanie Padakis, Matt Femaini, and Heather Boerner. Chriss sister Karen and brother John, both camp alums, also joined Chris and Michael for their special day. Congratulations! Thanks to the generosity of David Reisberg (camper from 1958 thru 1967; counselor 1969) we have added two holly bronze plaques to the White Oak Chapel. The inscription on the rst plaque reads To Bill Stanley, The music goes on.; the second reads Little did we know we were learning lifes lessons. Visit the renovated White Oak Chapel on your next camp visit. Camp alums Rich Muller and Michael Rawitz joined in on the festivities of the camp sta holiday party on December 15th, 2006. Rich was at camp for the summers of 1961 through 1966, and now lives in Texas. Michael is a member of the Fairview Lake Board of Managers, was at camp from 1953 until 1961, and lives in New Jersey with his wife Eleanor. Mindy Aratow, a Laurel Ridge camper from 1976 to 1980 (CIT in 1981), recently joined the FairviewLakeAlumni@yahoogroups.com site. She would love to hear from anyone who attended Fairview Lake in those years. There are many messages on this board but (I cant believe I have to say this) they are from younger camp alums. Happy New Year to everybody and I look forward to hearing from old camp friends!. To join the site, send an e-mail to FairviewLakeAlumni-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Thanks Mindy! Brian Faith, former environmental education instructor, (1993 to 1998), now lives in Colorado. He and his wife Shannon have a seven year old son (Will), and are expecting a baby boy in early April. Brian continues to rock climb and enjoy the great outdoors. You can contact him at faithman69@hotmail.com . Congratulations to Jim Scherer, former Fairview Lake Executive Director (1989 thru 1994), who is now the Senior Vice-President, Chief Operating Ocer for the YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford. Jim continued his career as a YMCA professional after leaving Fairview Lake. He worked for many years with the YMCA of Lew Berman, Donna Shapiro Henderson, Laura Metropolitan Chicago (Executive Shapiro Berkin, Nan Rogovin Fine, Dana Marantz, Susan Fierstein Spindel, Robyne Wexler, Debbie Wexler, Director, Hastings Lake YMCA), and most recently was the CEO Juli Rinsky Driesse, Hillary Greenberg, Bob Israel, of the Wallingford Family YMCA in Paul Ostrinsky and Amy Rogovin are looking for these Connecticut. We wish him continued fellow alums: success! Craig Arman Mike Arman Adam Berkow Here is a nostalgia question for Rick Blatt Edward Bonds Steve Bondy you from alumnus Tracy Corris, Matthew Bonus Michael Carr Jim Carr camper and sta member from 1949 Andy Dankworth Beth Davidson Jackie Davidson until 1959. In the 1950s what were Mindy Davis Niky Detaranto Juli Driesse the names of the Kittatinny cabin David Elefant Louis Feldman Steven Fierstein groups? (Younger, Middle and Older). Sue Fierstein Rich Fink Mark Friedman How about the two cabin groups in John Gannon Darryl George Harry Gerideau Minisink? (Cabins 1 to 7, and Cabins 8 Arthur Gordon Heavy Peter Hertzlinger to 14). Share your answers with Tracy Ricky Hirsch Steve Hirsch Greg Miller at wtracy@cintrac.net; the answers Derick Muller James Muller Robert Muller will appear in the next issue. Brian Mulvihill Fred Piccini Tom (Boog) Powell

Thanks to the following alumni for making our 2006 Strong Kids Campaign a success!
Mindy Aratow Karl & Mary Jane Becker Lew Berman Matt & Miriam Block Bruce & Kathleen Brodkin Marty & Adriane Collett David & Shelah Combs Jason & Jill Daingereld Greg & Joan Damell Margie Fallon Ken & Drucie Fallon Brian & Shannon Faith Don Ferry Ilise Garvin & Eric Gaylord David Goldblatt John & Suzanne Golden Paul & Jan Gomperz Michael & Laurie Hauser Paul & Susan Herer Jan & Russ Hudson (Weinberg) Bob & Anne Israel Larry Kaplan Frank Kelly Michael Kelly Je & Laurie King Bob & Susan Liegner Lois & Bill Lindeman Mike & Lisa McCabe Woody Monica Harold & Suzanne Muller Bob & Jean O Melia Eric Olsen Ted & Marci Paige Michael & Eleanor Rawitz Roland & Janice Richmond Ruth & Robert Sandow Roy & Beverly Stewart Amy & John Stickley (Israel) Sandra Timmermann Bonham Margaret & Elton Touhig Dan & Ann Wilkins Stephanie Wilson Hank Yurow

AT T E N T I O N
1970S ALUMNI!

Funds raised provide nancial assistance and program support. Thank you!

John Russo Edward Salzano Je Satz Shari Schulman Robert Schulze Shari Skolnik Matt Wilson Jon Wolkstein Contact Lew Berman at lewb@comcast.net , or Frank Kelly at fkelly@metroymcas.org if you can help us locate any of these alums.

Fairview Lake YMCA Camps

2007 STRONG KIDS CAMPAIGN KICKOFF

JOIN US FOR AN ENJOYABLE EVENING!
When: Wednesday, February 28th Where: Maplewood Womans Club Time: 6:30 to 8:30pm RSVP to Barbara at 1-800-686-1166, or bscozzafava@metroymcas.org

Thanks!

Non-Prot Org. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID
Newton, N.J. Permit No. 190

1035 Fairview Lake Road Newton, New Jersey 07860 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Phone: (973) 383-9282 Fax: (973) 383-6386 E-mail: fkelly@metroymcas.org Website: www.fairviewlake.org

OUR MISSION

The Metro YMCAs of the Oranges enriches the lives of the children, families and communities we serve, through programs that build spirit, mind and body, welcoming all people, in an environment nurturing positive values.

Join us for the Fall 2008 Alumni Reunion and the 40th Anniversary of Laurel Ridge! More info to come.

Sign your family up for our new One-Week Family Camp.

August 13-17 one week of traditional camp with your whole family! Call 1-800-686-1166 for additional information.