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The Timber Lake Impact: Perspective from a TLC Family

2023-03-01T16:02:47Z

Dear Mindy & Jay,

As we prepare to send Justin to Timber Lake for his last summer and Sammy for his first, I felt compelled to take a moment to let you know what TLC means to us and share with you the ways that camp has shaped our children.

Having grown up in the Catskills and not attended sleep away camp, I can vividly remember preparing for Justin’s first departure in 2010. I would say to Jon, “Who sends their child away for SEVEN weeks??! I love my kid, why would I do such a thing?”

Jon, having experienced some of his best memories in life at sleep away camp, would just look at me and say, “Jen, trust me. This is all good.” I wasn’t entirely convinced. Fast forward to summer, 2017…

That sweet 9 year old boy is now a (still mostly!) sweet 16 year old young man anxiously awaiting June 24th. After two summers as a freshman, Jack is psyched to have graduated to Cadet status and excited to show Sammy the TLC ropes! Sam CAN NOT believe that after SEVEN years of TLC departures, Visiting Days, STARFISH awards, photos from camp, and watching from the sidelines, it is FINALLY his time to shine.

Although it may sound cliché, the fact is that the friendships made at camp and the life lessons learned carry them far beyond the gates of Timber Lake.

The confidence and independence gained during their seven weeks remains with them for the additional 45 weeks of the year. They are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone in a loving and supportive environment and be their best selves at camp. The pressures of school, sports, and social media seem to slip away with that first breathtaking glance at Saddle Mountain. Not to mention, they are never better to each other than they are when they are at camp. Timber Lake (and hockey!) is something that Justin, Jack and now Sam share, independent of me and Jon, and love equally.

Timber Lake is undeniably the Sherman boys “home away from home.”

With much love and many thanks,

Jen & Jon Sherman

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Beyond the Buildings: The Spirit of Timber Lake

2016-11-09T21:13:52Z

Ask a Timber Lake camper what their favorite part of the summer was, and it likely won’t be the water slide, or the new Elective Center, with its state-of-the-art 3D printing lab and t-shirt design studio, or even Reggie’s cookies, which make my mouth water just thinking about them. Instead, it will be a reflection on a moment or memory that happened on the water slide, or in the elective center and dining hall.

In other words, Timber Lake Camp is WAY more than just its amazing facilities. The noise of the crowd in the Timber Dome, not the sound system, are what can be heard throughout the camp as the Tiger’s compete to win another Gordon Cup championship . The unique setting of the Tiger’s Den, although serene, is not responsible for the beautiful silence that comes over the camp as it holds its breath in anticipation of two game altering free throws. These moments would happen regardless of the facility OR setting – because they are driven by the spirit of Timber Lake.

It’s that spirit that keeps campers coming back, summer after summer, and then as counselors, ready to bring the same sense of belonging to new generations of campers. Spirit can be felt everywhere on Saddle Mountain, from those unforgettable championship games, to the quieter afternoons in the cabins. On Saturday evenings, when the whole camp comes together in the Rec Hall and the opening chords of the Alma Mater play, you know you’re home!

The spirit of Timber Lake is not something anyone takes for granted; its been carefully and tirelessly cultivated, summer after summer, generation after generation. The STARFISH Ceremonies, which take place every Saturday evening, rain or shine, have become integral to both the spirit of Timber Lake and the character of its campers and staff. When Jay walks to the front of the assembled camp, a murmur of excitement runs through the crowd. The question is always the same: What story will Jay tell tonight? Will the new campers finally get to learn about the dense fog that rolled over Saddle Mountain and carried with it TLC’s most famous counselor, Fergie, or will he share with the camp the importance of tolerance and kindness with his classic story that always ends with the same important lesson: “you can remove the nails, but the holes remain.” These stories that we hear and values that are imparted on us stay with us long after we leave Timber Lake’s majestic grounds, because as we all know, TLC isn’t simply a place we go … its who we are.

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JayRo – A Broadcasting Legend

2016-04-07T19:40:46Z

JayRo has been a legendary figure at Timber lake for decades.

An article in the Miami Herald profiles JayRo’s incredible impact on the University of Miami where he has been the voice of their Baseball team for 48 years.

Check out the article below and read about one of the greatest announcers the sports world – and camp world – has ever seen!

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/baseball/article70328297.html#emlnl=5-Minute_Herald

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“Ogres have layers, and Grease is the word”

2016-02-24T19:46:05Z

William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage”, and Timber Lake Camp is no exception. The summer of 2016 is going to showcase two incredible shows.

Our lower camp will be performing Shrek the Musical. This beloved movie was turned into a full Broadway musical extravaganza in 2008 and was a monster hit! Our campers will enjoy the incredible music and of course the silly humor that captured our attention when we first saw the film.

Upper camp will be performing the spirited classic of Grease. I bet the Timber Lake production will be even better than what we will see on FOX when they air Grease Live this Sunday with Julianne Hough and Aaron Tveit! Let’s all get excited with a wop ba-ba lu-bop and wop bam boom!

See you in the Rec Hall this summer!

Meredith

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New Camper Open House!

2015-06-04T16:11:37Z

This past Saturday, we held our “New Camper Open House” up at Timber Lake.

Open House is the perfect opportunity for our new campers to further familiarize themselves with each other and the facilities we have at camp in order to prepare them for the upcoming summer.

The day began with a campus tour where our new families were lucky enough to be among the first to see the new projects that have been completed around camp!

The tours ended up in the Dining Hall where everyone enjoyed some of our delicious camp pizza – and OF COURSE – 3 different types of Reggie’s Cookies!!!

The day ran smoothly and everyone had a blast. We just wish we could have all stayed up at TLC for the rest of the summer!

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A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GOING AWAY? SO AM I.

2015-05-28T19:20:00Z

By Jay Jacobs

Working with campers for over thirty years, I often hear from parents whose children begin getting “cold feet” as summer approaches. For some it is the length of time that they will be away, for others it is the distance or both. Transitions are difficult for lots of people – at all ages – and I will admit to being one of them. Ironically, after speaking with one mother just a few weeks ago and giving her what I hoped were some helpful tips on how to help her son through his reticence about going to camp, I received an email inviting Mindy and I on a 12-day trip to Africa – departing in just over two weeks. That familiar pang of anxiousness hit my stomach.

The trip would start at the end of April and go through to early May. The flight to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania would be 18 hours with two refueling stops. We would be taking twelve additional flights, on all sorts of small aircraft, to a multitude of site visits in northern Tanzania, Kenya and ending up in Marrakesh, Morocco. Mainly “business,” the trip would include two safaris – something Mindy and I have been longing to do. The final stop in Marrakesh was a particular attraction as we had heard so many great things about it.

Nonetheless, my first reaction –and Mindy’s – was that we could not go. It was at the wrong time – camp was virtually upon us and there was so much work to be done. It was too far – 18 hours by plane! It was too long – being away from our kids, work, the dogs, our home – for 12 days? The shots didn’t bother me and the lack of preparation time to pack and get ready didn’t phase me either. But 18 hours away, for 12 days at this time of year – I wasn’t feeling it.

The good news is that I have lived quite a few years now and have experienced a lot. I know myself. And I am wise enough to know how to weigh the negatives causing my apprehension against the positives of an experience. I hated going to camp – well into my early teens. But I went – and I loved it – and still do, well into my early . . . . I hated the thought of going away to college and law school after that. But I did both of them, loved those experiences and wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. And, I would have gladly unpacked before each of the great vacations I’ve gone on, had they been cancelled on me. But they weren’t and I went and loved every one of them.

It is that life experience – that only years can provide – that helped me make the right decision and go to Africa. Most of the choices like these involve trade-offs. Like camp for a child: yes, it is relatively far away and, yes, 51 days is a long time. But the life experience, the social development, character building, strengthened confidence and self-esteem along with the new friends and skills learned make the positives far greater than the realities behind any of the apprehensions.

In the end, we went to Africa. To say that it was a “trip of a lifetime” captures the feeling both Mindy and I share. We saw virtually every one of the “big five” animals on our safaris, met some wonderful people in Africa, made several new friends and loved Marrakesh. What a mistake I would have made had we stayed home.

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Gordon Cup – A long Line of History

2015-02-05T20:22:18Z

For over 20 years, the Gordon Cup Tournament that takes place at Timber Lake each summer has left an imprint on the minds of hundreds of current and former campers. This is true for players who wore the Timber Lake jersey, as well as players from other camps. These memories from a tournament that takes place once a year in late July, are memories that will last a lifetime.

The Gordon Cup wasn’t always the spectacle it is today.

Given Timber Lake’s growing hockey program, in September of 1985, Jay wanted to start a competitive roller hockey tournament. But, at that time hockey was considered potentially too violent to be played in an intercamp tournament. Jay pitched the idea to Mike Gordon, the Director of Camp Wah-Nee, who agreed to come to the tournament and brought along Camp Pontiac. Soon after, Camp Summit signed on and the tournament was born. Sadly, Mike Gordon died suddenly later in December of that year. Jay decided to name the hockey tournament after Mike.

The first tournament scheduled in the summer of 1986 was rained out (The Timber Dome was not built until 10 years later) and so the first drop of the puck was in 1987. Appropriately, Mike Gordon’s Camp Wah-Nee was the Gordon Cup’s first victor.

As we look forward to the Gordon Cup in 2015 taking place on July 22^nd, we took notice of a team that plays year-round in the Manhattan Roller Hockey League (MRHL) on 96th street and 1st avenue in NYC. While many think that the Gordon Cup feeling ends once you graduate as a camper and become a counselor at camp (or move on to something else), this team we are about to discuss has been able to keep Gordon Cup magic alive for over 15 years.

They call themselves the Mighty Mouses – a team name that was chosen after the late David “Mighty Mouse” Glass. David was known as one of, if not, THE best Gordon Cup players of all time from 1995-1999 (Captain in 1999). Glass started every year that he made the team, beginning as a Junior (12 years old) and going all the way through his 2nd year Teen summer. Glass was known as a speedy scoring winger, and although he was a little guy at the time, he always played with a big heart among the giants around him.

The idea to enter this team into the league was that of former Associate Director of Timber Lake now turned Director of Hampton Country Day Camp, Dave Skolnik, along with his best buddy and former bunk-mate, Matt Segal. Skolnik was on the Gordon Cup for 3 years (97-99) and was an Assistant captain in his final season wearing green and white (1999). Segal was also on the squad for 3 years and joined Skolnik as the captain in 1999. They formed this idea to create a roller hockey team in Manhattan and immediately contacted Justin Buchel (known for the everlasting “BU SHELL, CLAP CLAP” chant that is ingrained in Timber Lake fan’s memories from the late 90s). Buchel was the starting goalie for 3 seasons from 97-99, winning an MVP award in 1998. Soon after Buchel joined forces with Skolnik and Segal and the Mighty Mouses were born.

The first season began in 2009, 10 years after their last Gordon Cup together back in 1999. With 3 seasons per year in the MRHL, no one on the team was sure if they’d be able to last. The first team was made up of almost entirely TLC Gordon Cup Champions from the 1998 and 1999 teams. Included on the team were Buchel, Skolnik, Segal, Matt Schwartz (96-98), Andrew Bernstein (96-98), Jordan Klein (97-98), Zach Rechler (96) Kyle Newman (97), and Danny Glaser (98). They even had a cameo from Gordon Cup great Jon Sawitz. Let’s not forget that these ’97-’99 teams played against some of the toughest competition ever, even going up against Eric Nystrom from camp Summit, son of NHL great Bobby Nystrom, who was a 1st round NHL draft pick and is currently playing in his 8th NHL season.

It is safe to say that the common bond that you have with your camp friends is unlike any friendships you have in your lifetime. You can go without seeing your camp friends for months – or years – and the moment you see them, it’s like you were with them every day leading up to that moment. The Mighty Mouses have captured this feeling once a week for the last 5 years.

Over the years in the league, the Mighty Mouses added more Gordon Cup TLC players such as Jared Feigenbaum (Captain ’98), Geoff Gottlieb, and Jeff Goldberg (Co-Captains of the ’02 team). Former coach and current Timber Lake employee Damon DeBicarri even attended some games in NYC to see how the players he coached more than 10 years ago were still playing today.

The team went through some changes, like any other team. In the Fall of 2010, the youth movement began. Jason Aaron (captain of the 2004 Gordon Cup Champs) was added to the team. Jason instantly became one of the Mighty Mouse’s best players and was soon voted Captain along with Justin Buchel and Jared Feigenbaum.

After more than 4 years of playing together, in the Fall of 2013, most of the original team had moved on due to age. Buchel and Jason Aaron are the captains now as they began to add some other TLC players of the past. Jason soon added his older brother David (’00-02 and Asst. Capt ’02) who soon became the team’s best forward. The team now consists of 7 TLC alumni – Buchel, The Aaron Brothers, Geoff Gottlieb, Brett Carmen (’01-’03 and Capt 03), Jeff Kahn (’01-’03 and Asst Captain in 03), and Keith Fisher (’04-05). They did have to add some players from other camps to round out the team and each of those additions played in the Gordon Cup at one point as well.

With a new team and fresh blood, the Mighty Mouses went undefeated in the summer of 2014, but lost in the championship game. But, that didn’t stop this team. In the Fall of 2014, the team went 9-1 and won the championship by sweeping a best of 3 series. This was the first championship for the Mighty Mouses in the MRHL, but hopefully not the last.

After interviewing former Gordon Cup great Justin Buchel for this article – he wanted me to focus on one major point: The players that have been a part of the Mighty Mouses are not just former teammates and Gordon Cup players, rather, they are all close camp friends that have turned into best friends. After all, the one thing everyone that went Timber Lake knows, is that camp friends are the BEST FRIENDS.

The Mighty Mouses look forward to defending their title in 2015 – we will be sure to update you with the results!

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The Camp Cup

2015-01-09T17:05:44Z

This past weekend, the second annual Camp Cup roller hockey tournament was held at Skate Safe America in Old Bethpage, Long Island. The tournament was run by our Teen Division Leader, Brett Kotcher.

The Camp Cup is a roller hockey tournament for current and former campers and counselors. 12 camps were represented with 24 teams in 3 divisions. Participants traveled from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Chicago, Florida and even Ottawa, Canada! The Camp Cup brought together camp families and staff and felt like another camp reunion for those who attended.

TLC was represent with 6 teams – a 7^th grade and under team, 2, 11^th grade and under teams and 3 alumni teams.

7th grade and under consisted of last summer’s Sophomores and Juniors

Timber Lake Black 11th grade and under consisted of the majority of last year’s Gordon Cup team
Timber Lake Green 11th grade and under consisted of last summer’s Seniors and Collegiates
Timber Lake Black Alumni consisted of Louis Coniglio, Greg Ehrlich, Zack Soss, Peter Gawrychowski and others
Timber Lake Green Alumni consisted of some of the first ever Gordon Cup players! Brad Rangell, Matt Kulekofsky, Remy Wagman, Todd and Jared Kaplan and others — Coached by Damon DeBiccari
Timber Lake White Alumni consisted of Justin Buchel, Geoff Gottlieb, Brett Carmen, Jeff Kahn, Travis Yablon and others

All of our teams played in some very exciting and close games. All current and former campers and counselors should be very proud of the way they represented Timber Lake this weekend. It was also great to see current and former campers and counselors that were not playing on one of the teams, come down to Skate Safe to cheer on their friends as well as all of the TLC teams! Jay, Mindy, Robbie, Steve Bocian and Romy all dropped by Skate Safe to support the Tigers.

The TLC Black team finished in second place in the 11^th Grade and Under division while goaltender Daniel Siegel won the Most Valuable Goalie award. The Timber Lake Green and White alumni teams had strong playoff runs while the Timber Lake Black alumni team also took home second place in the Alumni Gold division. Greg Ehrlich followed in Siegel’s footsteps and captured the Most Valuable Goalie award as well.

The atmosphere at Skate Safe this weekend was electric and filled with TLC spirit. We would like to thank everyone who came to the rink to play and cheer on the Tigers. We can’t wait until the 2016 Camp Cup!

The post The Camp Cup first appeared on Timber Lake Camp.

Getting ready for Summer 2015!

2014-09-24T18:53:09Z

We hope everyone is doing well and the school year is off to a smooth start. With the leaves beginning to turn and the cold weather around the corner, we are setting our sights towards the warmth and sunshine of the 2015 summer. Here are some exciting camp events and changes we have planned for the upcoming year:

INDIAN SUMMER – Our TEEN campers will be heading up to Saddle Mountain for some fun and relaxation this weekend for Indian Summer. The weekend is always a highlight of our year and is an opportunity to spend quality time with the Teens without the hustle and bustle of the summer season. Flag football, movies in the cabin, Reggie’s Cookies and Janie’s famous guacamole are all on the agenda – and of course, Jay’s unforgettable (and forgettable!) camp stories around the campfire.

FALL REUNION – We can’t wait to see the rest of our Camp Family at the Fall Reunion in November. It’s always great hanging out and reuniting with old camp friends and meeting our new incoming campers. Mark your calendars for November 22^nd and be on the lookout for more details soon! RSVP by logging in to your CampInTouch Account!

TIMBER JOHN – The people have spoken and the Timber John will be coming to TLC in 2015. The Timber John – a bathroom for boys and girls located adjacent to the Timber Dome – is one of the many great ideas that came from this summer’s Shark Tank competition. In the past, during activities in the Timber Dome, Girls’ Side campers had to either return to their bunks or use the bathroom in Boys Bunk 11. We had hoped that the boys were doing the same, however, recent soil samplings from behind the Timber Dome tell a different story. Nevertheless, we are very excited that we will now have restrooms close to the Timber Dome and Fitness Center.

TIMBER DOME RENOVATIONS – The Timber Dome itself will be getting a full facelift this off-season. A new paint job and a few surprises will restore the dome to its former glory!

CAMPUS RENOVATIONS – The boys Teen House, and the Girls’ Ranch, Bunkhouse and Lodge will each see some upgrades, renovations and improvements. With our older camper divisions completely filled for next summer, and with renovations on both Boys and Girls’ side making life better in the Freshman through Junior bunks, we’re now moving into older divisions with improvements that we know they will appreciate.

We’d like to wish everyone all the best and we can’t wait to see you all soon.

276 days until camp.

Jay & Mindy

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Camper Creative Writing Corner

2014-07-14T03:49:08Z

What does a lonely young girl growing up on a remote farm, a yoga teacher who wants to be able to tell exciting stories, a bullied teenager, a 37-year-old woman whose only goal in the world is to become rich, and a 72-year-old police officer named George have in common?

First, they are all fictional characters who appeared in poignant short stories written by several Teen and Collegiate girls at Jay and Mindy’s cabin this weekend. Secondly, all of these protagonists, like all main characters in compelling short stories, experience conflict and pain. Thirdly, all of these characters experience profound change and growth after spending a summer at Timber Lake.

This weekend, I had the gift of combining two of my favorite things in the whole world: Timber Lake Camp and Writopia Lab. Writopia Lab is a non-profit organization that fosters joy, literacy, and critical thinking in kids and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing. On July 4th, I had the opportunity to take a Writopia workshop to my home away from home.

As I looked around the room at this group of imaginative and bright writers, I was struck about how eloquently they were able to articulate their experiences at camp through fictional characters. Undoubtedly, Timber Lake Camp improves lives. After time, each camper walks away with a stronger sense of self, increased confidence, and greater ability to make and maintain friendships. It happened to me. It happened to my friends. It happened to my sisters. It happened to my cousins who are current campers and counselors at camp. And now it was happening to Jess, a fictional teenage girl in this short story developing in front of my eyes by the Teen and Collegiate girls.

All of the stories included the magic of TLC. I asked these campers to explore their fictitious characters in whatever way they wanted and they all chose to bring this eclectic group of characters together to experience the life-changing experience that happens during a summer at Timber Lake.

The campers didn’t stop at short stories. They also wrote plays, musicals, and poems. Though their writing ranged from serious dramas to hilarious comedies, from realistic fiction to fantasy, all were marked by originality, honesty, and camp spirit.

In all works of great fiction, a character undergoes a transformation. This weekend I got to witness character transformations in countless stories. I also got to witness the ongoing transformations that take place at TLC. These transformations are also character transformations. For Timber Lake is a place where self-esteem flourishes, happiness radiates, and long-lasting friendships are made.

—

Danielle Sheeler, Alumni

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