By Adam Kaplan
Nebagamon Campers taking the Tennis Court Oath
In 1789, The Tennis Court Oath started a revolt of the commoners against the French Monarchy, and paved the way for modern republics as a form of government. In 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church signaling the beginning of the Protestant Reformation which would radically reshape the Catholic Church and Christianity as a whole. In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down indicating the reunification of Germany and the end of the Soviet Union. In 476, Romulus Augustulus abdicated his position of Emperor of the Roman Empire ushering in the Dark Ages which would last for 1000 years in Europe, and result in a bleak existence for most Europeans during that millennium. In 1985, Coca-Cola introduced New Coke resulting in undoubtedly the most dramatic upheaval ever to surround a soda pop.
And after the summer of 2024, Noah Stein will become the new director of Camp Nebagamon. (We will get back to this moment in just one paragraph after I have labored for a bit to make this massively inappropriate metaphor work!)
In each of these moments, the world seemed to be thrown off its axis and the dislocation, disequilibrium, and uncertainty of the times was truly frightening for huge swaths of humanity. And in each of these cases, it played out very differently and the world became a safer, more inclusive, and more democratic place. (Ok, sure…it may be tough to make this case when it comes to the Dark Ages…and New Coke…but for our purposes here, let’s just all agree that while the changes were accompanied by some anxiety and trepidation, in the end, things wound up BETTER because of these evolutions.)
To date, the institution that we all hold so dear, Camp Nebagamon, has undergone three transitions of its own. When Muggs and Janet entrusted Nebagamon to Sally and Nardie Stein in the late 1950s, people were nervous about what this change might mean. Muggs was a larger-than-life, charismatic personality and the notion of him being replaced by his daughter and her sandals and socks-wearing husband, seemed hard to swallow. And yet…the fruits that were born of the Sally and Nardie era at camp are inarguably among the most important additions and improvements in the nearly 100-year history of Nebagamon. When it became time for Nardie and Sally to pass the torch on to Roger and Judy, again people were nervous about what this might mean for camp. To many, Sally and Nardie were synonymous with Nebagamon, and it seemed impossible to fathom a new set of directors stewarding this special place. And yet…the growth and evolution of Nebagamon during Judy and Roger’s time as directors, established Nebagamon as an even more forward looking institution that understood its importance to children and their development. Nebagamon continued and enhanced its position as a premier place for boys to grow, have fun, and learn. And 21 years ago, when Judy and Roger entrusted Stephanie and me with the keys to the castle, we too were met with some degree of nervousness (mostly because the alumni that knew me as a child wanted to make sure I had NOTHING to do with influencing children moving forward!!). And yet…the two of us have worked very hard to keep Nebagamon growing and relevant during our tenure.
And after the summer of 2024, Noah Stein will become the new director of Camp Nebagamon.
Frustratingly, Noah’s moving into this job has not been met with the same malaise! What happened to being nervous and anxious about new leadership!? What happened to things will never be the same?! Where is the doom and gloom!?! What are Stephanie and I…chopped liver?!?!
Much to the credit of the Nebagamon family, and to Noah himself, the announcement of Noah Stein as the next director of camp has been met with tremendous excitement, warmth, openness and optimism.
Noah is that kind of guy. He is exciting, warm, open, and incredibly positive. Those that know him already can attest to this, and those that are just beginning to know him have already gotten a sense of this.
Nebagamon is that kind of place. It is a place where exciting things happen. It is a place where people are greeted with warmth and openness as we live up to our ideal of This Shall Be A Place Of Welcome For All. And Nebagamon is a positive place. With a healthy respect and passion for tradition, and always with an eye towards possibility and the future.
Just as the moments, that I mentioned at the beginning of this note, had lasting positive impacts on the future of civilization (with the exception of the Black Death, famine and that disgusting flavor of Coke), this seminal moment in the history of Nebagamon, Noah Stein taking over as director, will have a lasting impact on the future of this institution that we all love so much. And the place will be all the better for it. I know Noah is the type of leader to make this happen, and I know this community is populated with the type of people that will embrace the future.