News From Elizaville
The recent news that boys head counselor Cory Schwartz (whose Scatico career began as a 10-year-old in 1988) would transition his role at camp to a part-time summer position, brought an outpouring of love and support from the camp community past and present. Memories of Cory’s many summers were shared from divisionmates and his former campers from the 1980s and 1990s as well as from parents of current campers. The latter recalled pre-camp home visits to get their sons excited (and feeling more confident) about approaching summers and nights and in-between moments at camp when Cory talked and listened to their children (perhaps supporting them through a bout of homesickness or lamenting the state of the Mets’ roster and sharing comic recommendations). Families also expressed excitement for Mark Gretenstein, who after working as an assistant for Cory beginning in 2018 (first as a basketball coach and CIT counselor and then as a program director) will become boys side’s fourth head counselor in the past 40 years.
This Scatico community never ceases to amaze—the ability to celebrate the past and embrace the future: generations overlapping and sharing, torches being endlessly passed. But what creates community at camp? Culture and values. An ethos as to how people are welcomed and included. The rhythms of day-to-day life in group living. Shared experiences—both mundane routines and moments when someone does something remarkable. Appreciation of the outdoors—a rainbow, a star-filled night, a flyover by Roger (the resident heron)....
As per Dunbar’s Number—counting just a little over 150 at the Opening Campfire (above) and Color War lineup (below).
Reflecting on the magic of Community (capital “C”) at camp brought to mind an article shared several years ago by an alumnus from the 1970s about Dunbar’s Number. First proposed by British anthropologist Robin Dunbar in the 1990s, it suggests that an optimal size for a community is approximately 150 for “individuals... to meet their own requirements, as well as coordinate their behavior with other individuals in the group.” Camper and staff totals? Okay, a little bit over 150 on each side. And I’m thinking there is something about being big enough, but not too large. Knowing everyone and feeling part of something substantial.
As for overlapping generations adding to this sense of Community.... In the 1920s, a short story introduced the concept of Six Degrees of Separation. Briefly explained, this idea postulates that everyone in the world is connected by six degrees of separation; that you know someone, who knows, someone, who knows someone.... I would speculate that every camper and staff member back to Scatico’s first summer in 1921 is connected by no more than three or four degrees....So when Mark (or any current staff member or camper) looks back on their lessons learned from Cory (and on girls side from head counselor Kerri Winderman) and you start moving those lessons learned back in time to previous generations....
Maybe just fodder for Art Director Ken Vallario’s Philosophy Board on the boys HC porch? Or maybe a moment to pause and appreciate the blessings and connections (day to day and generation to generation) that camp provides. Two Cory lessons? Never underestimate the Community value of a rainbow or a campus mud puddle. Explanations to follow this summer!
Staying In Touch
As a leading life indicator (LLI) that a post-Pandemic world looms, we can turn to an uptick in Random Scatico Sightings (RSSes)— spotting a member of the community outside of the 12523. Clearly, people are more out and about....
Strausses, Pisonoys, and Hellmans
A regular RSS reporter, camper Spencer Hellman and his sister Isabelle were on a postcamp vacation in Maine when they ran into (siblings and cousins) Ben and Simone Strauss and Lily and Max Pisnoy.... A few weeks later, the Hellmans were eating outdoors in a restaurant when sisters Jessica and Emma Hochberg passed by in a car (no photo, but waves were exchanged, making it an official RSS)....
Freshman Ezra Elkin can also claim two RSSes. He spotted girls Head Counselor Kerri Winderman at a Wegmans in Westchester County (where Kerri learned that her husband Michael and Ezra’s dad Josh attended sleepaway camp together growing up—although not Scatico) .... A few weeks later, Ezra and 2021 Junior Jonah Cooper found themselves playing fall league baseball games on adjoining fields....
2021 Junior Emma Fabian and Justin Mazzola (co-head of the culinary program) had an RSS in Connecticut celebrating all things fall....
Ezra and Jonah
Ezra and Kerri
Emma and Justin
In non-RSS news.... The Caldara girls are playing rec sports and connecting with Scatico friends at games: Nealie with Jess Hochberg at volleyball and Parker excited to have bunkmate Maya Lederman cheering her on at hockey....
Jess and Nealie
Parker and Maya
Windermans and Metzendorfs
A lot of Scaticonians (campers and staff) crossed paths over the course of a November weekend at the University of Michigan (either someone currently attending the school, an older sibling visiting, or a high school student touring): Jamie and Sydney Segal; Mark and Andrew Perlman; Tyler Winderman (and mom Kerri); Julia and Kate Metzendorf; Ethan Rosenberg; and Sadie Vandercar. Also on campus that weekend were current undergrads (and 2021 Sub Senior co-counselors Shay Rubinson and Josue Lora). Apologies for not having a photo with everyone, but it seems not everyone was all together at any single moment....
We love sharing bunk reunion photos (when the entire group is invited). Recent gatherings included (2021 divisions) Freshman (jointly celebrating birthdays for Jordan Zelkin and Sander Gross and with a special guest appearance from counselor Brett Bockstein); Sophs (15 of 16 attending); Juniors (a beautiful September day at the Bronx Botanical Gardens with Ruby Elkin, Eloise Berlach, Olivia Garber, and Sylvie Eichel); and Sub Juniors (10 of 14 reuniting in November for a laser tag outing)....
Chuck, Michael, Jim, Austin, and Leah
....If you ever find yourself in Colorado, feeling a little homesick and needing a Scatico connection, you can visit the Boulder-based “Scatico Out-post” of the Moscous (current campers Austin and Leah and dad Jim, an alumnus from the 1970s-80s). Michael Tolstoi and Chuck Rubin recently stopped by. (Michael and Chuck’s sister Lulu are students at the nearby University of Colorado.)....
John Hickey, head of the Scatico filmmaking program, has opened an art studio in Los Angeles to pursue yet another passion—painting portraits. Recent commissions include recreating family photographs (even of a few pets) to be given as gifts for special occasions. You can see what he’s up to at JohnJamesHickey-artist.com....
Ceramics Director Sara Bussert ran the Wineglass half-marathon in Corning, NY, in October. Her husband Will Bussert (who heads the Outdoor Adventure program and is Scatico’s master fisherman and rock-skipper) has stopped by camp during the fall just to keep the fish in shape (and on notice)....
Journal-making with Laura and the Inters
And, finally, the news we have all been waiting on since the summer: Congratulations to Laura and Ishai Eshed (girls art and boys waterfront directors respectively) on the birth of Stav on November 9. Big sisters Bar and Eden can’t wait to show their new little sister Scatico this summer.
Send news, non-news, and photos for the Winter issue of the Newsletter to info@scatico.com.
On the Horizon
In the Winter Issue of the Camper Newsletter: Results from the 2021 Camper Survey (last chance to send back your forms) as well as updates on completed fall maintenance projects and capital plans for next season.
For Staff: We have already heard from many of our counselor and support staff about returning for the summer of 2021. As a reminder to eligible counselors, please contact us no later than December 31 about your interest in applying for a job in 2022. After that date, we will start locking in positions and may have few positions still available.
For Parents: The 2022 Parent Portal will be up and running in February with forms and other information to get you and your children ready for camp.
An orientation for first-year campers is scheduled for June 11th at camp (from 12:30PM to 3:30PM)....
The 100th Anniversary Reunion (third time’s the charm ) planned for September 10, 2022, is for all current campers and their families as well as for alumni from way back when. For more details, visit Scatico100.com.
Camp is a little bit of everything....Adrenalin and energy at College Bowl Capture the Flag.
Focus and concentration at woodshop.
Home, Sweet Home (at least when not in Elizaville)
With 2022 enrollment almost 95 percent completed, here’s our annual look at camper geographic demographics (for the analytically and statistically inclined):
Westchester 29.4%
NYC 17.5%
New Jersey 13.4%
Other* 9.3%
Long Island 8.2%
Connecticut 5.9%
California 5.6%
Metro DC 4.1%
Pennsylvania 3.3%
Florida 3.3%
* Other includes: Massachusetts, Vermont, Upstate New York, North Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Ecuador, Sweden, and Israel.
