Compiled by Louis Levin
Don’t tell Adam and Stephanie, but I played hooky last week… for exactly sixty minutes. It was an ideal day in my little neighborhood in Southwest Detroit, perfect for a stroll around the park across the street from my house. School was just letting out, and kids were spilling out of the elementary, middle, and high schools that line the perimeter of the park. The first paleta vendor was ringing the bells on his cart as kids lined up for an afternoon treat. Birds were chirping, the sun was shining, the harsh winds of winter had finally died down.
And, it was Opening Day. The Tiger’s first pitch was slated for four o’clock, and I had planned to flip on the radio to celebrate the not-really-even-a-holiday baseball holiday, and listen to the game as I finished my work day. Here in Detroit, we’ve had some dicey weather at the start of the baseball season the past few years. It was simply serendipity that one of the nicest days of the year so far happened to line up with first pitch. Looking out the window in my office, over toward the park, with the game just about to start, I grabbed a pair of headphones and decided to go for a walk – those emails could wait. With masterful radio broadcaster Dan Dickerson calling the Tigers game, baseball re-assumed its place in my heart as the steady, reliable pastime that carries me through the spring, summer, and fall each year.
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I had two big feelings pulling me in opposite directions on my walk. First, hope. The start of baseball season is always a hopeful time for me. Hopeful that my team(s – my hometown White Sox and current hometown Tigers) might actually win a few games this season, and hopeful that the snow has finally stopped and that the camp season is fast approaching. Going on a walk through my neighborhood and listening to the first game really set the countdown in focus: camp is less than three months away. And while I felt that hope, I also felt a little guilty… those emails are important, and we’re getting toward crunch time! Things are just getting busier and busier here in the camp office as we prepare for the upcoming season.
Perhaps one of the best parts of my job as Program Director is getting out of the office to walk around camp. There’s always work to do in the Big House office, planning special events, making schedules, and answering emails. But unlike the winter office, one of my biggest responsibilities at camp is, for lack of a technical term, going for a walk. I love to check in on our activities and engage with the campers as they participate in all the incredible things that happen all day, every day, all over camp. The start of baseball season means that soon enough, going for a walk on a beautiful afternoon will become a highly important part of my job, instead of simply an hour of hooky – and I can’t wait!
As our reunion tour comes to a close, we’ve got some more news to report — if you have anything you’d like us to share in an upcoming Arrowhead newsletter, please send me an email at [email protected]!
IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW… In Denver, it seems like everyone has hit the slopes this winter! Rollie Cohen, Finn Simon, and Walt Schiffer are all out practicing their french fries/pizza [can you tell the editor of this news doesn’t know how to ski?]. Eli Karp is playing basketball for his school’s team, Zander Aronoff has been playing drums in his school’s jazz band and celebrated his Bar Mitzvah with a Nebagamon themed party, and Tejay Reddy is playing lots of pickleball — he’s looking forward to the new courts we’re installing at camp! There’s lots of talent in Dallas: Henry Bader is playing soccer and basketball as well as practicing guitar, and Louis Bader is playing tennis, volleyball, and practicing piano. Ari Foxman is a member of his Robotics club, and Mason Pedroza read from the Torah for the 150th anniversary of his synagogue. Over in Houston, Arthur Kramer and Henry Kramer are both practicing their tennis – Arthur is also on the swim team. Max Goldfarb is on the technical crew for his school’s theater, and Will Goldfarb is playing soccer and is an active member of the National Honors Society. And three sport athlete Reuben Katz spent the winter playing basketball and on the swim team, while baseball season is ramping up. Finally, in St. Louis, Henry Sonneland hit the links as much as he could this offseason, and is practicing lots of squash — Alistar Wolcoff is playing squash as well, and healing a broken collarbone he got playing hockey this winter. Bernie Goldstein is busy playing soccer, water polo, tennis, and practicing his skiing, and Spencer Scissors is playing for his basketball, baseball, and football teams.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW… Arthur Kay (Houston, 1975-’78) is working in IT infrastructure, currently for the American Cancer Society.
WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS GO TO… Ben Chukerman (Highland Park, IL, 1999-2004, ’06) and Laura Ackman!