NEWS FROM ELIZAVILLE...
Maybe it’s the holiday season—a natural time of reflection. Maybe it was simply the process of tabulating 2016 camper survey results (sneaky plug for page 3 chart) with various rankings of favorite activities, favorite special events, favorite.... But, with 30-plus years of writing Scatico camper and alumni newsletters (taking over from my father in the early 1980s) somehow thoughts when writing this opening page pivoted (promised last use of a word from this political cycle) inward toward the newsletter itself. My favorite thing about the newsletter? Easy. The Random Scatico Sightings. The RSS.
I suppose a deep retreat into the archives would reveal when we first started regularly including RSSes in the camper and alumni newsletters, but there’s no doubt that these are the most fun stories to receive throughout the off-season. Recently, I was with an alumnus from the 1950s-70s who ran into a divisionmate whom he hadn’t seen in 49 years. Wonderfully, they were able to swap camp stories from the mid-1960s.
This issue’s 4 RSSes (see Wha’s Happenin’ column on page 2), include 3 with a 2016 graduating Upper Senior or Sooper connecting with a younger camper—from a street in Brooklyn to Madison Square Garden to outside “The Big House” in Ann Arbor before a University of Michigan football game.
These particular RSSes reflect some of what’s at the core of the Scatico experience. Memories that will last at least 49 years into the future.... The bonding across age groups.... The role that our older campers (particularly graduating Upper Seniors and Soopers) play in leading the camp and nurturing our younger campers.... The abundant sisterhood and brotherhood....
So keep sending in those reports of RSSes. It’s the kind of news that helps to quicken the pace of the “off-season” and make the “10” part of the “10 for 2” just a little more manageable. Longer and warmer days are just a few months away....
Left: Chef Ally with a few Sub Juniors. After a camper and counselor career in the 1980s- 90s, Ally returns in 2017 for her third summer as head of the Cooking Program.
Right: A different kind of Scatico culinary experience.... Emily gets set for the donut- eating contest at the Carnival as Avery looks on (maybe a little concerned?).
HOME SWEET HOME...WHEN NOT IN ELIZAVILLE
Here’s our annual look at where campers live during the other 10 months (2017 enrollment as of January 1):
- Westchester 29.3%
- New Jersey 19.9%
- New York City 17.1%
- Long Island 12.2%
- Connecticut 6.9%
- Other* 4.1%
- Florida 3.7%
- International 3.4%
- Metro DC/Balt. 3.4%
*Other includes California, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
WHA'S HAPPENIN'
Welcome to the second Wha's Happenin' column of the 2015-16 off-season. For future issues, send along all Scatico news, non-news, and photos to info@scatico.com.
Dylan and Jane.
As always, we’ll start with Random Scatico Sightings (RSSes). Our favorite for this issue of the Camper Newsletter? When Camp Sisters Dylan Schaeffer and Jane Greeley had their RSS moment on a street in Brooklyn this fall.
Sporting events (as fans and partici-pants) also provide great RSS potential. Jordan Klein and Shay Rubinson met at a Pitt-Michigan basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Windermans (Kerri and Tyler) and Vandercars (Sadie and Jake) connected while tailgating before a Michigan-Wisconsin football game in Ann Arbor; and divisionmates Matt Roban and Alec Vickers discovered that their Westchester County travel soccer teams were playing against each other in November....
Rachel and Lauren.
And on to other non-RSS Scatico news.... Congratulations to 2016 Upper Senior Simon Mandel, who will play on the USA ice hockey team that will compete in August at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel.... 2016 CITs Rachel Trichon and Lauren Rosh met up at a Giants game in October.... Rachel Karlin's and Emily Holzer's travel soccer teams competed in the semi-finals of the New Jersey State Cup.... We are excited to welcome Daniel Douglass back for his second summer as a member of the photography staff. During the “off-season,” Daniel is working as an on-board photographer for the Ruby Princess (just in case you want to coordinate a vacation)....
2017 Upper Senior Reunion.
Ketti, Lexi, Melanie, and Francine.
Ten of sixteen 2017 Upper Seniors attended a reunion at Branden Rothenberg’s home in New Jersey, including Jack Klafter (all the way from Sandy Springs, GA). It’s never too early to plan for your graduating summer as a camper.... With 2016 CIT Melanie Krieger starting to take to the road to visit colleges (with Scatico office manager mom Ketti and big sister Francine), they tracked down division leader Lexi Schecter when they arrived at the University of Delaware....
Lots of “reunioning” at the Mazarins! If it didn’t involve a transatlantic flight, all of the 2016 Girl Debs and Inter Boys attended Ashley’s fall Bat Mitzvah. A week later, all of bunk 1-2 were at Josh's birthday party.
Ashley's Bat Mitzvah.
Josh's Birthday.
Survey Says...
Thanks to all who returned the summer of 2016 camper surveys. Below, we share your Favorite Activities. In the Spring Newsletter, we’ll travel to the Dining Room:
Fireworks on the 4th of July.
The Boys Nat.
Jinters on the Gaga Court.
IN THE WORKS FOR 2017
Though just in the planning stages.... Two new projects for the coming summer:
A permanent flag football field. We’ll move the boys archery range to the open crest between the woodshop and campfire site and then excavate the woods between the former archery site and the ballfields to create a new playing field.
A major renovation of the girls gymnastics building will create a new entranceway and improved activity area.
The discerning Scatico eye will also spot other additions/improvements, including bathroom renovations, new storage areas and activity supplies/equipment, and, yes, a 9-Square for boys side.
PAY IT FORWARD
We wanted to thank the nearly 100 campers and staff who donated footwear at the end of the 2016 summer to our collection for Soles 4 Souls. We’ll aim for even more donations of sneakers and sandals in 2017.
At the end of each camp season, we also donate any leftover food items (as well as shampoo and other toiletries) to the Elizaville Methodist Church to re- distribute to local families and received this nice note: “Thank you again for all of the food donated again to the pantry this year. All of the items are always needed and we are extremely grateful.”
Finally, a special shout-out to Sarah Feldman, who after last summer’s CIT Service Trip to the Domincan Republic to run a day camp for underserved children (in partnership with the DREAM PROJECT), began a drive in her school this fall to collect school supplies for the non-profit organization: “I just wanted to let you know of the progress of my collections for the DREAM PROJECT so far. I have collected about 10 Spanish books, over 100 pens and pencils, crayons, markers, 10 different folders, index cards, index card holders, calculators, and tons of loose-leaf paper. I am also having a bake sale to raise money to donate as well as for the shipping costs. My whole school has been very supportive and I hope I can do this again.”
The Junior girls during Divisional Sing.
Mark Your Calendar
Open House: Saturday, June 10
Opening Day: Saturday, June 24
Visiting Day: Saturday, July 15
Scatico-In-Training: Sunday, July 23 - Saturday, July 29
Closing Day: Saturday, August 12