The Power of Camp Memories
In a recent conversation with my older brother Ben, he shared how he was taking our baseball card collection (basically a complete run of Topps cards from 1962 to 1969—almost all purchased one pack at a time at the local toy store in our hometown of New Rochelle) out of storage to reorganize. Twenty minutes later there was a follow-up email....
The almost lost 1963 Topps Mickey Mantle
First, to set the scene.... Back in the 1960s, campers would “flip” baseball cards with bunkmates, actually losing (or winning) cards. There were matching games (color of cards or teams), games when you’d toss a card for distance, and games when you’d toss for distance and try to land on another competitor’s cards. But probably the most popular game took place when a card was “leaned” against a wall and you took turns trying to knock it down with another card thrown from a distance of about 10 feet. Turns alternated, and if you knocked the card down you would collect the entire “pot” of cards that were unsuccessful in flattening the leaner. One final note—my brother and I were obsessed Yankees (read—Mickey Mantle) fans....And now, back to the story and my brother’s email:
“I remember once when I was in Bunk 4, we were doing leaners against the bunk door during Rest Hour. I was down to my last card. Mantle. I flipped it.... It hit the pile and nothing for a second, and then they all fell. I never flipped Mantle again. I still have that card.”
Fifty-nine years ago.
Every summer there are a multitude of events that you are certain will bring a smile to your face for years to come. A young camper belts out a song in a 4th of July Talent Show act that amazes the audience, a standing ovation erupting at the moment of the last note. A back-and-forth basketball game comes down to a final second 3-point shot. The resident heron lands on the dock in the middle of a chaotic full-camp event and calmly watches the proceedings. The two fires of the Color War Rope Burn climb higher and higher in mirror image. The epic summer storm that’s followed by an epic rainbow and then an epic mudslide.
Yet year after year we hear from alumni who are just as likely to share a story about a tiny in-between moment. Sitting at the waterfront with divisionmates and watching a sunset. Figuring out the final clue in a treasure hunt. A spontaneous bunk dance party when just the right song played at just the right time. An activity when they caught the perfect wind when sailing or got a project centered on a pottery wheel or started fully extending a backswing at tennis—when something clicked into place.
Some alumni fondly recall not specific moments but the comfort of daily routines. Chocolate milk and cookies at Taps. Birthday announcements at morning lineup. Endless card games on bunk floors or at picnic tables outside cabins. A unique way a division leader had for assembling the group and counting off. Afternoon general swims. A counselor’s daily trivia contests at the end of mealtimes.
As the summer of 2022 looms (number 101 if you’re counting from home), we know it will be filled with memorable moments large and small as well as comforting routines. And maybe a few life lessons. Like don’t flip the Mantle.
One Memorable Moment from 2021: celebrating a 100th birthday . Up to light one set of candles—staff with more than 20-plus Scatico summers: (from left to right,) camp doctor Marc Stiefel, Cory, Kerri, Dusty, Audrey, and Nicki.
SCATINEWS
As always, we’ll start with RSSes (Random Scatico Sightings). And it’s an impressive list....
Girls head counselor Kerri Winderman was flying to Florida with her son Tyler, when they spotted Leia Pinals in the airport. Tyler will join Leia on staff this summer... A repeat RSS in back-to-back issues! In the fall, we reported how cousins Ben Strauss and Max Pisnoy met divisionmate Spencer Hellman outside an ice cream store in Maine. Fast-forward three months, the three reconnected at a rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike (all heading south to Maryland for Jake Finkel’s Bar Mitzvah)....
Tyler, Kerri, and Leia
Ben, Max, and Spencer
When Noah Thaler went ice skating with bunkmate Caleb Sanchez in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, his sister Ryan tagged along—and then had her RSS moment when she ran into bunkmate (and Brooklyn native) Eloise Berlach....Divisionmates Teddy Gourevitch and Ezra Elkin met on the basketball court in January. Ezra seems to be working his way through the sports calendar. In the previous issue we reported on a baseball RSS....
Eloise and Ryan
Teddy and Ezra
Cather + Strauss RSS in Hawaii
Maybe a first ever Hawaii RSS? Siblings Reed, Denali, and Nile Cather ran into siblings Ben and Simone Strauss in the 50th State....
In non-RSS news, Massachusetts campers Naya Bodner and Hayley Kahn got together for an ice skating playdate outside Boston...“Mozga Stars on the Ice with the Junior Penguins” proclaimed a January headline in the Tri-County Independent (a newspaper covering Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna Counties in Pennsylvania). A 2022 graduating camper, team captain Nick Mozga led his 16U hockey squad in scoring through the first 24 games of the Delaware Valley hockey league season....
Hayley and Naya
Nick
The 2021 Centers in NYC
Nine of eleven 2021 Centers got together over Thanksgiving for a New York City dinner....
Top Scatico book for 2021? Our nomination, My First Year at Sleepaway Camp by Reed Cather.... The image below? Not a treasure map for the ballfields! It’s Ken Vallario’s rough outline for a board game based on Legends (a now-beloved camp event Ken spearheaded in 2016). Each corner of the playing surface provides a home base for a Legends team: Alchemists; Guardians; Harbingers; and Seers. Pretty certain this is a fluid creation with ever-evolving rules, so send along any ideas. Ken has worn many hats during his 9 Scatico summers on staff (division leader; ceramics director; art director; and resident philosopher) but it now looks like he’ll get one more hat to wear (game designer) along with his 10-year fleece....
Legends Board Game
Scatico Book of the Month
You can send all news (and non-news) for the Spring Issue of the Camper Newsletter to info@scatico.com.
Survey Says....
The results are in from our annual camper survey. More to follow in the Spring issue of the camper newsletter....
Favorite Special Events
Color War
Divisional Sing
4th of July BBQ, Talent Show and Fireworks
College Bowl and Teams
DJ Pure
Carnival
Art Show and Open Mic Night
Favorite Meals
Chicken Nuggets with Mac & Cheese, unseating longtime #1 choice...
...Chicken Patties
Pizza
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Taco Tuesday
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Spaghetti and Meatballs
New For 2022
‘Tis the season for planning program purchases and identifying capital projects. Already in the works for 2022 (with more still to come):
Adding a high element to the climbing program that will include three different challenge activities: Flying Squirrel; Nitro Swing; and Bean Pole. “Tower Steve” Lewanick returns to oversee construction and head the activity.
A new scoreboard for the “A” court.
Installation of a 250 square foot fishing dock.
Parent Portal
A link to the Portal will be sent to parents by the end of February. With the following timeline for forms/information:
February—Summer Forms: Packing List, Health Histories, and Camper Confidentials.
April—Parents’ Handbook: Information to get you ready for the summer of 2022
Coming soon to a camp near you....
Going through the slides above: Chess games on the HC Porch (including one fan-heavy tournament directed by Ken to determine the team story-telling order at the Legends campfire); S’Mores (Sylvie showing great form); Relaxing during General Swim (Noa and Carson sharing a paddleboard); Fishing (bass beware, Charlie returns); and Yoga in the dance studio (Mountain Posing with fully-focused Juniors).
100th Reunion
Are YOU attending Scatico’s 100th Reunion Celebration on September 10, 2022? It promises to be a day of all things camp, including a BBQ, time to play and hang at the lake, and lots of bonding with Scaticonians from across generations. Even if this summer will be your first at Scatico... this event is for you! Tickets are free, but we ask everyone to register (and learn more) at Scatico100.com. The website also features an Artifacts Timeline, and the Ultimate Scatico Playlists (sorted by decade and downloadable). You can make your own additions to the Timeline and Playlists.
