Compiled by Adam Fornear
What a month December has been. Yet another sweet trip to the east coast for the Nebagamon reunion tour and Duluth has turned into a winter wonderland. So, while I was absent from Duluth, we received about 32(!) inches of snow. This was the first time in my 44 years of existence that I needed to find and pay someone to shovel my sidewalks to avoid getting a To/From from the post office letting me know that it was my responsibility to clear the way for the postal carriers. Here’s the deal, I love shoveling snow, even when my back is not a fan. It’s like cutting the grass during the summer… without the fresh cut smell of grass… kind of. Luckily for the camp connections though as I was able to convince Jamey Sharp (who’s in Duluth studying at UMD) that this was his calling and that I was also paying cash money.
Having to pay someone to shovel my sidewalks did not deter me from having a wonderful time on the east coast reunion tour. We had amazing turnouts at the D.C. camper and alumni reunions, many new camper visits, and Kaplan crushed me in a scooter race from the Treasury Department to our VRBO. After that we headed north to Brooklyn and New York City. There is something about NYC that I just love. Sometimes I tell myself that I could totally live there, then I mention it to close friends and they just laugh and tell me no way you could do that. Anyhow, I had my annual visit with Cody Zalk who I took out on trail when I was a tripper, then Cody was a tripper and now we just walk around NYC with his son. Great tradition. Also, before ending with a great reunion in Manhattan we were able to sneak in a Devils/Blackhawks game with Ben and Hugh Broder. Afterwards we headed north to see our camp family outside NYC. Sadly, I came down with strep but luckily Adam Kaplan was fully capable of flying solo at the reunion and new camper visits (and pick me up a steady diet of ramen noodles and ginger ale).
Our reunions are truly a spectacular experience. It allows me to keep in touch with Nebagamon friends near and far and it also gives us a chance to share how the summer Nebagamon experience is alive and strong. Yes, there is a lot of reminiscing of years gone buy but there is also plenty of curiosity in what is and is going to happen at camp next summer.
Winter break is upon us in the Nebagamon office. Soon though we shall be hitting the road in mid-January for more reunions (lots of jelly donuts in Chicago!), and hopefully we will be able to cross paths. If you are unable to attend please pass along news so I can make you famous in the Arrowhead! Email me (Fornear) at [email protected]. Best wishes for a great start to 2020 and I hope you all get the chance to shovel a little snow this winter.
IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW that in Nathaniel Kehrberg is part of his school’s LEGO Robotics league and he will be competing in the First Lego League Lego robotics tournament in Broward and Palm Beach counties. While in D.C. we learned that Ben Mack is taking drum lessons, playing baseball and will soon be starting futsol. Emmitt Gerstein plays for his schools varsity baseball team while Michael Cohen is busy rowing crew. Small world bit…one of Michael’s teachers is former camper and staff member Dale Glasspiegel. Si Kessler ran cross country this past fall and will be running the mile for his track team. Jorn White is keeping active with baseball and track. After mastering the subways of NYC we headed to the NYC reunion. There I was informed that Will Wyden is playing flag football and baseball. Benji Solomon is playing tennis and his brother Jacob is taking up climbing. Both Syd and Lazer Rosenbloom continue to pursue their passion of soccer. Nick Fleisher plays guard for his schools basketball team and was elected class president this fall at his new school. Impressive! Daniel Heller is also playing soccer while Daniel Sabados continues to spend many hours at the climbing gym. Daniel was also in a recent play called “Names That Hurt” written by the students.
IN THE WHERE-ARE-THEY-NOW DEPARTMENT: John Robert Allman (Houston ’05-‘06) has a new book out called “A is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A to Z”. It can be found here. Max Setteneri (CT/D.C. ’15-‘16) is now working for the EPA in Washington D.C. Ben Huston (Denver, CO. ’09-’12, ’16-’19) moved to Israel to join the IDF.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RECENT ENGAGEMENTS go to Dan Klonowski (Chicago ’07-‘10) and Jenny Wardrup (Chicago)
WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS go to Mike Samuels (Youngstown, Ohio/D.C. ‘50-‘58) and Lena Auerbach (Washington, DC)