On The Bench With Campmates

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The Towanda Times
The Official Newsletter of Camp Towanda, Honesdale PA
For Boys & Girls - Established 1923
Nestled in Northeastern Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains
Owners & Directors: Mitch and Stephanie Reiter
C .A. M .P
TOWANDA
R
TOWANDA
Winter Address: 4 York Court, New City, NY 10956-1148
Tel: 845-639-4582 Fax: 845-638-2194
Summer Address: 700 Niles Pond Rd, Honesdale, PA 18431-6537
Tel: 570-253-3266 Fax: 570-253-6334
Web Site: www.camptowanda.com E-Mail: info@camptowanda.com
Spring Issue, 2007 Vol. 85 Number 4
“Campalapooooooza!”
GET ME TO CAMP!
It is springtime and you can feel that camp is just around the
corner! More mail, email and phone calls from the camp office!
Duffle bag contents sprawled out in dining rooms. Sunscreen
tubes filled. Logo fever!
At camp in Honesdale, staff have begun to arrive to help spruce
up and prep camp for the arrival of the campers! The new
Infirmary, the new bunk roofs, the ga-ga padding, resurfaced
tennis courts, the live web cam and so much more will be ready
for you!!
As I write this article, I myself am getting ready to move to camp;
in fact by the time you read this I will be at camp……look for flyby
waves on the live white rock cam!
Are you ready? Are you psyched? Are you finished with your
homework? Rest up, because when you arrive the plan is to keep
you active, happy, safe and involved while trying new things,
meeting new friends and just loving your summer home! Our staff
is looking mighty nice (see related article in this issue)!!
Anything to do this summer? Let’s see: Staff Show, Opening
Campfire, Unique Entertainment, Towanda Open, Magician
Night, Talent Show, Five Year Club to the NEW SCRANTON
YANKEES, Banana Splits, Krispy Kreme’s, The first Play, The
Dorm, Club, LIT Canoe Trips, Towanda Deal or No Deal,
Horseracing,
Fireworks, Guiness Record, Water Carnival,
Campapalooza, Scavenger Hunt, and Brad The Hypnotist !!!
This is just the first 10 days’ special events……..
©2007 TACKZ
85
F
P
S
Don’t forget we will also be having daily activities, team practices,
inter-camp games, free play, breakfast with The Beatles,
American Pie, overnights, Nature with Nathaniel, The T-slide, the
very best in classic rock, Sunday night BBQs, show rehearsals,
sing practice, Wayne County Camp Association Tournaments,
Towanda Tournaments, Master Tennis, The Towanda Times,
WCTR-1600 AM, Culinary Classes and Friday Nite Flix!
As the summer progresses, you can expect Dippin Dots, Trip
Days (no doubt that we are very excited about the 5 Year Club trip
to the Scranton Yankees and the Lower Camp Trip to the
Binghamton Mets), Girls Sing, maybe no rainy day mess hall
dance parties, Electionality, DJ Todd, the return of Square
Dancing, Casino Night, Backwards Day (Yad Sdrawkcab), Dutch
Auction, Airbands, possibly Olympics (Oh, I forget, Taxi’s last wish
was “No more Olympics”… I’m just kidding, Taxi loved Olympic
line-up and those silent dinners).
The clock is ticking, the 85th summer of Camp Towanda is getting
closer. Before you know it, we will all be together as one giant
family…at line up on Saturday Night June 23rd!
So my Towanda-ers, get ready, get psyched, get packing and just
get to CAMP TOWANDA 2007, whence we will BOND in 007
because Camp will be HEAVEN in 2007 and all that ! Hey, Did I
say “whence”? …ahhhh, and so much, much more……see you
soon….. and don’t forget your sunscreen!!!
See you here!
GOOD EXCUSE FOR ANOTHER REUNION
Our LITs last year became more involved in several charitable organizations. As many of you know, we sponsor the Swim-A-Thon
For Morry’s Camp which has raised several thousands of dollars each year to help send under privileged children to camp. We are
also involved with SCOPE, which helps promote inner-city kids to do well in school and attend the summer camp experience.
Last October, our LITs participated in the Foundation Fighting Blindness’ (FFB) VisionWalk in Central Park. Their team contributed a
portion of the over $400,000.00 raised at the event. It was a great fun day for the many that attended. Music, food and free t-shirts
in Central Park! The suggestion grew from that day to turn this into another reunion event for campers, staff and their parents who
can attend. Mark your calendars; The Date is Sunday October 7 at 9AM in Central Park in NYC. We’ll send more information at a later
date. You can also check it out at:
www.fightblindness.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=1430&team_id=8760
We look forward to another great year as our LITs get involved!
Please note that the summer
issues of The Towanda Times
ON THE BUS TO CAMP
are available online.
NEXT ISSUE:
Lindsay Fairlamb says hi to her 2001-02
girls…Dorothy Greenwald(97-03) works in NYC
and says hi…Mark & Joanne Proudfoot (Ski 2001)
have 2 kids…Tara Harned Gleason (99-02) is
married and a teacher in Colorado and expects to
return to camp in 2008…Brecken Donecker (03-4)
of Brecken Z & Deutsch fame is getting married in
08…Lauren Klein(00-01) is in graduate
school…Lindsey Anthone (94-03) is taking her bar
exam this summer but says she will be
back…PollyBeth Baber is working on her Master’s
degree this summer and getting married…her
new name: PollyBeth Baber- Vader!!!...Bari
Rosenberg has organized a Dorm 2006
reunion…George Pollock (last summer 1945) looks forward to the big reunion in 2009…Henry Herazo & Derreck Cuba
(00-01) are still in Florida and miss camp…How cool is it that our new FSD (Food Service Director), Chef Gale Cole, was
Derek Jeter’s personal chef….. Biggums is going to be a Daddy-ums… Janique aka Cheeks (06-07) says she had a KIT-KAT
blizzard at Dairy Queen… Carol Wildenberg from Hawaii was at camp from age 5 until her college years started in
1967….Cory Randell (05-07) has been travelling New Zealand & Australia but will make it back in time for camp… David
Goldblum suggests: Since " camp's heaven " was already used as a slogan in 1997, you could use:Let's get em in '07 or the
sun's setting in '07 as possible replacements. Just a thought!!!...The Reiter’s hosted an ISRAELI REUNION IN TEL AVIV IN
EARLY APRIL (a big thanks to Gil IZZY Doron for helping organizing it); we had Staff from a 14 year span from Lital
Goldberg right up to Rony Shaked (2007) and including: Hagit Raz, Yael Ben-Israel, Kobe Shwartz, Hilla Antar, Ido Aylon,
Yarra Katan, Omri Alpron, Roy Delgani, & Erez Fadel---see the picture! ...GG Erica Stott (99)is married and hopes to return
in the future, still hears from her boys…Matthew Reilkoff from Saskatoon, SK, Canada sends his regards…Jill Kramer
(1979- 1983)& Ian Charie(80-82)got married in 94 and now live in Boston would love to hear from their camp
friends…Larry Schwartz (Club 1982) says hi…JAKE WIESENECK had a live interview may 9 on channel 9 in nyc regarding
his scholastic magazine reporter duties…Léon van den Thillart from The Netherlands shouts out to his old boys, Andy
Wong and the boys of Club 2002 and says he stil gets hungry when he hears AMERICAN PIE... Emily Niesenbaum heard
from UPenn alum Matt Levy...Michael Thompson (06-07) has become Florida’s youngest ever Head Wrestling Coach at his
old high school…The Fabrizio’s hosted a bbq in March at their Australian home, including the FAB (Lee Evans), Mrs. Fab
(Jodi Hodge), Bob, Phyllis & Andy Miller, Kraz, Kunkel, Gerri O, Kathy Backholer, & Brad Nyquist. (sorry photo not up to
camp standards!). So much more great news from alumni and active Towanda-ers; we’ll have a larger column in the Fall
After the summer…Don’t forget that the summer issues of The Towanda Times are available online!
On the bench with campmates
ALUMNI HUMOR ALERT
Please note that only some of this article is accurate!
New York, November 21, 2006 <UPI> Court officials say it seems unprecedented, and a search of records dating
back nearly 80 years shows that no such situation has ever arisen. Yet, it has now.
In what surely must be a first, the judge's bench of Part B of the Manhattan Criminal Court was occupied today by not
one, but by two judges who had both at one time in their lives been Olympic generals at Camp Towanda, a small, bucolic,
and reasonably priced, summer camp nestled in the hills of northeast Pennsylvania.
At 10 am this morning, Judge Neil E. Ross (who is married to camp alum, Wendy Turrett and parents of first year and
2nd generation x2 camper, Samantha), who has been on the bench since 1998 (and who first found practice as a judge
while serving as a "judgie" at said Camp Towanda Olympics over 25 years ago), was joined on the bench by his newest
colleague, and long time friend, Judge Robert Mandelbaum. The two, both of whom attended Camp Towanda in the
1970's and 80's (and Robert into the 90’s), exchanged a warm handshake as Mandelbaum presided for the first cases of
his judicial career under the watchful eye of Ross, who first met Mandelbaum more than 30 years earlier, and who at one
time had actually been Mandelbaum's camp counselor. For his part, Mandelbaum quickly assumed control of one of the
nation's busiest courtrooms, and smoothly and with great prowess, worked through a calendar of well over 100 cases.
Following Mandelbaum's maiden appearance, court onlookers were heard to express a great deal of excitement at his
obvious prowess. "I've seen them come and I've seen them go," said one veteran clerk, "and rarely does a judge make
as smooth and accomplished a first appearance on the bench as Judge Mandlebaum did today." "I remember he was my
office mate many years ago," said defense attorney Ernie "Woof" Munich, "and wow, is it ever a pleasure to see him on
the bench. Surely he's going to take the judicial world by storm."
Judge Ross, too, was obviously thrilled, and proud, to have the chance to hand the reins to his new colleague. Ross
could be seen introducing Mandelbaum to the court staff, all of whom were delighted to meet the new (and young) judge.
Said Ross afterwards: "To have Judge Mandelbaum begin his judicial career in this courtroom makes this not only a
proud day for his family, but also for the entire populace of the State of New York, as well as for all of us who daily feel the
wonderful memories of our time at Camp Towanda running through our veins."
Judge Mandelbaum, who would not comment for this article, will remain assigned to the Manhattan Criminal Court for
the foreseeable future. It should be noted that Judge Mandelbaum went on to preside over the “Naomi Campbell hurling
a phone at her maid” case. Not since modern day Mansion Mary was AWOL (sleeping in the Infirmary) has there been
such sensationalism!
2
CelebratingTaxi
The Camp Towanda Family was saddened to learn of the passing
of Taxi, the camp dog, earlier this year. He touched many lives.
Kids who were afraid of dogs, kids who didn’t have a dog at
home and those that just liked to pet him. We received an
overwhelming combination of over 200 emails, condolence
cards, donations and gifts in Taxi’s memory. We want to thank all
of you who took the time to write a Taxi anecdote or have a quiet
moment reflecting on Taxi. It was very comforting, as we all felt
the rift in the Camp Towanda world. Certainly, camp won’t be
the same!
Taxi’s memory continues on the home page (you can wag his
tag) and we have heard that there is a Taxi website!
The following is an article that was being prepared by Brandon
Reiter for this issue prior to Taxi’s passing.
TAXI
In his memory….
He loves being at camp…The camp dog, Taxi, completed his Bark-Mitzvah year at camp last summer and is gearing
up for his 14th summer at camp. He just turned 13 in January,That’s 91 in Rabbit Years! (Camp Joke).
In this “ruff” interview, Taxi told The Towanda Times some of his great camp memories:
“..Remember the time I did the Taxi Cam for Friday Nite Flix and you only saw ankles?, or when I used to walk around with
about 12 pair of sox in my mouth, or that time I ate a whole pizza, including the box…… or I was sleeping on my back
under the UPS truck (Okay, I do that a lot)…..or I had a 5 lb Hershey bar that some camper left by the bus at the end of trip
day and dissed that myth that dogs can’t eat chocolate……or that time (actually several) I smelled really bad after that
black and white thing tried to tell me a secret, I used to love chasing the goats, Rabbi and Fido (and Cordon Bleu and Nanny
before them), Ahh, I remember discovering that great smorgasbord at the dump (I know, I gained 20 pounds that
summer)….I am a bit disappointed that I have never been on a 5 Year Club Trip (even though by my count I was a member
when I was 9 in human months and there was a Taxi “Venzie” T-shirt in 1998.); I always enjoy waterskiing and when I get
to do a cameo in a Talent Show!...”
Really, we have a bone to pick with him!
Although he has always been quite mellow and slow (except for the times Dara Reid and Samantha Shelly took his
lunch), if he moved any slower, one could think he was stuffed! That speed, now coupled with limited eyesight,
weakened muscles, and a light appetite (must be all those years of camp food) doesn’t stop Taxi from still loving and
looking forward to all the campers patting his belly as they walk by.
Casper, his “knuckle-head” brother (and heir apparent to the buried trove of rawhide all around camp) keeps a
protective eye on the old man (as well as any food droppings). The two K-9’s chaperoned the winter senior
sleepovers and love a good game of GHOST.
Article Update: Since Taxi’s passing, Casper has risen to his role and is
successfully preparing to be an integral part of camp this summer
(albeit, perhaps with his own stash of ghost and volleyballs and crazy
creek chairs to chew)! Believe it or not, Casper is a bit mellower now that
his puppy status is becoming “old news”. Of course, “bit” is a relative
term!
The plans for a “Taxi Stand” memorial are in the works; featuring a Taxi
sculpture by Stephanie and a mosaic to be created by Leigh Merinoff
and her Fine Art campers.
At this years’ Senior Sleepover
Please note that all campers will have to now clean up after themselves
at the campfire, as Taxi was the one who took care of all the dropped
s’mores!
DRA M A C A M
We are planning, barring technical difficulties, to broadcast live our
Drama Presentations via the Live Web Cam… details will follow!!
WELCOME BACK TO OUR SEASONED STAFF...
The Summer of 2007 is indeed shaping up; even as you read this there are staff arriving at camp, helping prepare for the campers’
arrival and an absolutely incredible, best-ever summer!
RETURNING FOR 2nd YEAR: Lindsay Calcaterra,MaryBeth Clark, Andrea Filkaszova,Lenka Frolova,Shauna Hall-Coates,Jiri Kapitan, Jonathan
Brawn, David King,Tanner Kirby,Lukasz Klonica,Beth Lee,Lauren MacFarlane,Alberto Martinez Pastor,Cory McCarty,Siobhan McCormack,Janique
Melanson, IraMeltzer, MarcosMendez,Tomasz Miluch,Kayla Moersen,DanMoney,JeremyPatten,Beata Pichniarczyk,Pawel Piotrowskl,Martin
Prochazka,Anna Rogacka,Christine Roy,Emily Russell,Shawn Sampson,Dimity Sams,Cory Seaman,Kobe Shwartz,Monika Sieklikova,Claire
Spence,Ellen Stein,Jeremy Steppe,Jennifer Stern
RETURNING FOR 3rd YEAR : Anca Andone,Andy Apicella,Heidi Bedrossian,Joanna Bielec,Pawel Bodzioch,Malgorzata Bogucka,Marc Cormier,
Damien Deefholts, Jiri Eischmann,Shelly Field,Dusty Fox,Pawel Furmanek,Monika Krawczynska,Erika Kremin,Dorota Luszczak,Mark
“Old"MacDonald,Christy Mellen,John Nichols,Martina Novotna,MaureenO'Neill,Cory Randell,Michal Rozniakowski,Ewelina Slusarczyk,
Aimee Smith,MikeThompson,SeanTrindall,
Magdalena Urbanska,Tomas Vlk,Kristi
Williams,Pavlina Zbrojova
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AND EVEN MORE: 11:Corey “NJ” Singer,
PaulWard, The Z-Man;
12 :Rachael Cohen, JoshuaSussman;
15: MichaelPelton (varsity jacket!);
18: Jared Reiter, Stephanie Reiter
(and Mitch!); 19 AndyMiller,
22: Ernie Simmons; 37 Bob “Wow”Miller
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JOINING THE 10-YEAR CLUB (Chair &
Sweatshirt):Jessica Batt,David
Goldblum,Jacob Neff, and MichaelTesser
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE
VETERANS:
6 RachelBrenner ;7
HallieFishman,ChelseaRoth, Louise Dally;
8 JodyAlbom, AlexaBirnbaum,
RobertEdwards, AdamKrause,
EmilyLevine,LisaPelton;
9 BrianKlasner, Matthew List, Samantha
Orringer, J Sak, TracyShapiro, Rebecca
Solomon.
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JOINING THE FIVE YEAR CLUB:
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AdamWainwright
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RETURNING FOR 4th YEAR: Jana
Bohmova,Jennifer Chisholm,Jan
Drahorad,TiffanyJewer,ChildsKoon,
LindaLowell,Jake Moersen
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST TIME STAFF
You are only new until the next guy shows up and then after that…it’s just five minutes (count ;em—FIVE!) until you are feeling settled in, warm,
safe, at home, welcomed and ready to have a great time with your campers. Our staff is certainly an impressive bunch! One of the great side
benefits of being at camp is that we get to know people from all over the world. Check out this worldly representation and WELCOME TO YOUR
NEW SUMMER HOME!
USA: Rachel Agzigian, Cathy Anderson, Candice Bradley, Justine Brechue, William Brown, Coach Ralph Brown, Megan Canfield, Dan Claeys, Cayla
Clayton, Gale Cole, Douglas Cooper, Adam Copus, Hannah Costa, Jen Steiner, Julia Doubleday, Toby Eichas, Patrick Fessenbecker, Roberta Flannery,
Rona Frey, Dianna Gallagher, Laura Goldwasser, Katie Gunter, Laura Hallstrom, Jessica Hartmann, Liz Hauswirth, Susan Hecht, Kathryn Henry, Ashley
Hirschboeck, Stacie Hoch, Jamee Horgan, Heather Horn, Matt Horner, Kyler Hosler, Kristy Kennedy, Steve Landsberg, Matt Layou, Tony Lyman, Erin
Maddex, Jenifer Marrosu, Megan Mautz, Joann McConnell, Mary Jo McDaniel, Antony Murphy, Sarah Nichols, John Norton, Rachelle Pauly, Melissa
Perron, Danae Pieczara, Robert Reish, Christina “No Relation” Reiter, Jacqueline Richards, Maggie Robinson, Michel Rodriguez, William Rodriguez,
Ron Schaeffer, Ben Shabot, Samantha Sheeley, Sammy Simon, Carl Spilly, Carrie Stack, Victoria Stoyanova, Kate Boelkner, Kyle Wade, Kira Werner,
Kristin Whitcomb, Dan Williams, Ella Williamson, Lauren Wilson, Robin Woodhosue, Matt Zafrin.
FROM AROUND THE WORLD:
AUSTRALIA: Jarrod Andrews, Kylie Cheetham, Nick Fisher; CANADA: Christine Allain, Emma Ruth Anderson, Billy Ashford, Annie Belliveau, Jasmin
Beresford, Logan Berkvens, Drew Boudreau, Ed Bowes, Karen Campbell, Kim Clarke, Edith Couturier, Alicia Dunphy, Sara Dyer, Don Everson, Stephanie Gould, Mark Graham, Erica Gulliver, Stephanie Haslam, Zachary Henderson, Kate Hopper, Kathlee Kilfoil, Jessica LeMoine, Morgan Lockyer,
Kathleen MacDonald, Mark “New” McDonald, Brendan Mittlehotlz, Ryan Mundy, Adam Overgaard, Lauren Renteln, Angela Roy, Brian Shackelton,
Matt Keffington, Katelyn Strang, Chris Tilley, UI Ukpong, Sarah Watson, Jen Wattie; COSTA RICA: Susu Gray, CZECH REPUBLIC: Lenka Barinova,
Radka Jindrova, Michala Kisslerova, Marie Miskovska, Pavel Mrazek, Tomas Pesek, Vit Senk, Tomas Rehacek, Jana Zhoraova; ENGLAND: Thomas
Brown, Jamie Moffat, Marc Philpott, Tom Neaverson; HUNGARY: Mark Bence Dunal, Zsolt Gavilik, Nora Leskowsky, Adrienn Polyak, Milan Takacs;
ISRAEL: Shahar Aizik, Shiri Berkovitz, Lital Bernshtein, Roy Degani, Avishai Karat, Rony Shaked, Nimrod Willner; MEXICO: Adan Rodriguez, Dan
Rodriguez; POLAND: Lukasz Adamczyk, Karolina Bolno, Marek Chacinski, Marek Kasprzyk, Slawomir Kolodziejcz, Justyna Kotlarczyk, Michal Krzpczyk, Marlena Kubica, Sylwia Makowska; SLOVAKIA: Matus Mericko, Ivana Skalaska; SOUTH AFRICA: Jason Green, Kyle Lee, Joyce Sebola, Mario
Zietsman; SPAIN: Sergio Andres, David Cervana, Marta Frasquier, Antonio Garcia, Carlos Martin, Angel Vilchez; THE NETHERLANDS (That’s
Dutch!): Annechien Boon, Jouri Langarek, Melvin Warkor; TURKEY: Ozlem Cetin, Nida Kokez, Yaprak Ornek.
5
4 York Court
New City, NY 10956-4418
Why are there no longer any Wal-Marts in Iraq?
They have been replaced by Targets!
- Jamie Warner
What happens when the fog clears in California?
U.C.L.A.
-Courtney Ferszt
E
V
A
S
&
CLIP2007
DATES TO REMEMBER
Former Camper Orientation
O&A Staff Training
Waterfront, Media & Office Staff
Group Leaders, Medical & Art/Crafts Staff
Support Staff Arrival
All Staff Orientation Starts
Flying Camper Arrival
First Day Of Camp
Visiting Day & Sibling Sleepover
Last Day of Camp
Labor Day Family Weekend
VisionWalk In Central Park
New Camper BBQ
NJ Reunion
Florida Reunion
New Camper Group Scoop
June 2, 2007
June 5, 2007
June 9, 2007
June 11, 2007
June 13, 2007
June 16, 2007
June 22, 2007
June 23, 2007
July 21, 2007
August 10, 2007
August 31-Sept. 3, 2007
October 7, 2007
October 13, 2007
November, 17, 2007
December 26, 2007
January 7, 2008
Winter Address
e:
s issu
i
e thi
Insid e To Tax
t
Tribu
Camper’s Jokes: