The Arrowhead

Camp Nebagamon's Monthly Newsletter

Volume XCV

Number 5

May 2024

Return to Our New Style

Embracing the Future

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.

2024 Camping Season is Almost Here!

With the 2024 camp season quickly approaching, we would like to issue a few reminders that will help to answer questions and make the transition into camp run as smoothly as possible.

Click here to access your camper forms

All families should have received our email containing the instructions for completing your camper forms. All the forms need to be submitted by May 15. If your doctor cannot schedule the physical exam until after May 15, that is OK, but please complete the health history form ASAP. We read every form in its entirety, and the information helps us provide a fun and healthy summer for each camper. Please be diligent in filling them out.
If your son will be using any daily medication in pill form, please note the due dates for CampMeds, a prepackaged medication service. (May 18 for first session and eight-week campers, and June 16 for second session campers.) This information can be found with the rest of the online forms at the link above.
Camp must have a copy of all prescriptions and doctor’s orders for all medications distributed at camp. The good news is that all prescription medicines fulfilled by CampMeds will arrive at camp with the prescription attached, so there is nothing additional for you to do. However, for all regularly scheduled medications (including over the counter medicines and melatonin), you must have your doctor complete and fax to camp the Doctor’s Orders Form (available in your CampInTouch account). Also, for prescription medications that CampMeds cannot fill (epi-pens, albuterol inhalers, etc.), the medication must be sent to camp with the prescription label attached.
Please make travel arrangements as early as possible. If you are using the Official Travel Agency of Camp Nebagamon, Travel One, contact them at 952-854-2551.

It’s All About the People

By Noah Stein

In the past week, I’ve had many conversations with members of our camp family. I’ve received thoughtful messages from fourteen-year-olds to eighty-year-olds. Current campers, counselors, and those who haven’t set foot at Camp in decades reached out. The support has been overwhelming, humbling and heart-warming.

In these recent conversations with the camp family, I’ve thought a lot about “community” and what it means to me. I consider a community to be a group of people unified by a connecting force, a glue that holds the group together. As messages poured in from campers, parents, staff, and alumni, I was so awe-struck by the strength of our community, by the deep emotional investment in Camp Nebagamon that spans generations and geography. So, I spent some time considering what that glue is in our community by reflecting on the messages I received. As I read, a theme emerged: it’s all about the people.

Alongside kind congratulatory messages, some camp family members additionally described what makes Camp so important to them. Former campers and counselors illustrated the ways in which their time at Camp sculpted them into the people they are today, while parents and caregivers shared about the effect Camp has had on their children and families. Some anecdotes emerged from last summer and some from sixty summers ago. Some memories took place on trail, and some at projects, but across the board the stories revolved around the people.

Folks reminisced on how that one counselor supported them when they needed it the most. They reflected on their fond memories with cabin mates and how those memories have become foundations for their sturdiest friendships, friendships that have changed their lives! The stories highlighted something I love about Camp: at Nebagamon we can all change lives. When we walk past the sign in front of the Big House and read the words “This shall be a place of welcome for all,” we can take that as a call to action. We can go out into our community—whether that be our cabin, or trip group, or village at camp, or our school, or workplace, or home during the “offseason”—and make them “a place of welcome for all” by doing things like making a friend or helping someone out.

While I was reading these amazing stories about the impact of individuals in our community, I felt the impact myself! I am so thankful for the welcoming words from across our community, and for the generations of campers, counselors, and families who shaped Nebagamon into the welcoming community it is today. At Camp Nebagamon we agree to live by the words on that sign, and because we do, we’re all the glue.

Touring 2023-2024 Off-Season Projects with Andy and Joe

“You know, I think that’s one of the art forms of what our caretakers do when they’re here, is making sure that everything is up and running and in good working order, but that whenever we do something new, it looks like it fits and looks like it’s always been here.“
– Adam Kaplan

In April of 2024 our entire team of year round staff members gathered at Camp Nebagamon to welcome incoming director, Noah Stein and to film an announcement video to share with the Camp Family. While we were there we took the opportunity to tour Camp with our two year round caretakers, Andy Mack (’91, ’93-’24) and Joe Crain (’95-’24) to learn about all of the incredible off-season projects and improvements they have been working on and we took the camera crew along with us.

This behind the scenes video gives an exciting sneak peak of Camp Nebagamon’s new fishing dock, upgrades to our mountain biking program, two new pickle ball courts, the acquisition of new staff housing (formally Big Pete’s Snuggery), and our completely rebuilt council fire benches. We couldn’t fit everything into one video – this Spring we’re additionally re-roofing our entire Rec Hall (that’s a big roof!) and resurfacing our tennis courts (no more Nebaga-bounce!)

Caretaker Joe Snuggles Up in Camp’s New Building

By Joe Crain

Old Man Winter’s last (but substantial) blast of winter lined up with the very end of March. It took a couple weeks but things are at last looking spring like again here at camp. It did take most of the first two weeks of April to melt off the 14-inch tantrum left behind, but things have started to green up and several days in the 60s over the past couple weeks have got the spring peepers and wood frogs singing there oh-so-loud spring chorus in the ponds and wet ditches around camp. And, I glimpsed one of my favorite signs that spring is actually determined to stay put and fight off the last throws of winter: the crocus and daffodils have emerged and started to bloom! Nothing gets me in the spring mood better than the bright cheery yellow of daffodil blossoms bobbing in a warm spring breeze. The big snow at the end of March and the bit of rain we received at the end of April have gone a long way to relieving the drought conditions the abnormally dry winter had left us. And looking at the weather pattern for the next week or so, we will be getting more rain and should be close to normal precipitation for this time in the season soon.

We have had plenty of indoor work to get us through the early spring storms of snow and rain. But – not in the caretaker’s shop, as we do most springs; this year we have been spending our early spring days rehabbing a new staff housing acquisition camp has made. It’s a little brown house that sits just to the east of the Little House driveway. The little cabin even has its own name: The Snuggery. The Snuggery sits on a lot that is surrounded by camp land; as a matter of fact the lot that the cabin sits on was once camp land as well. At some point in the late 40s the lot was acquired by a long time staff member, “Big Pete” Peterson, who at the time had worked for camp for about 20 summers, and who’s time with camp would end after 33 years of service to our beloved institution. Here is how Nardie and Sally Stein describe Big Pete in their history of camp, Keep the Fires Burning: “Big Pete Peterson was an iconic figure, bigger than life to the campers whose years he spanned, 1933-1966. He served camp loyally as a cabin councilor, craft shop director, trip staff member, and assistant director in charge of the kitchen ordering and operation. Pete was always willing to help where ever needed. No one who met Pete could forget the size of his hands or the strength of his handshake. Big Pete was a willing worker, a friend to all, a trusted leader, and thoroughly dedicated to camp. He was a can do guy.”

Pete and his family built the little cabin in 1949, the original plan book and some paper work from the time was discovered by caretaker Andy as he was starting to clean out the house. The Snuggery was still occupied by Big Pete’s wife Verna Peterson in 1995 when I joined the camp caretaking crew. Verna was a very sweet and interesting woman who must have been in her mid to late 70s at the time. Verna was a bit of a stuff collector and caretaker Andy spent most of the first few weeks in the house sorting and relocating much of the leftovers in her “collection” to the Goodwill shops and thrift shops in our area. Some of the old furniture will still be usable, but a lot had to be cleaned out of the house. Once Andy got the house cleared of the extra furnishings, he washed all the walls of the mildew accumulated over several years of the house being unoccupied. I got into the Snuggery rehab at the start of the month and set about painting the freshly washed walls of the two main floor bedrooms and living room while Andy set to work painting in the kitchen and dining room. In the middle of the month seasonal Caretaker/Kitchen Manager Cody Keys came back to us from his winter hibernation and was set to work on the basement floor which needed a good clean and a coat of paint. Our only construction plans for the Snuggery are to turn an existing pantry off the dining room into a small powder room with just a commode and sink which will out fit the Snuggery with a second restroom which should let the house accommodate 6-8 staff members comfortably.

Staring at the calendar wondering how it could possibly be the start of May already it is caretaker Joe At Camp.

I Work for Us! How Cool is That?

By Troika Brodsky

It has not been lost on me that now that Camp Nebagamon has transitioned to a non-profit organization run by a Board of Directors made up of alumni from our own community, that from a certain point of view… Camp Nebagamon is now collectively owned by the camp family. And if we all now share a stake in the ownership of Camp Nebagamon, then that means I work for us! How cool is that?!

That’s right. The way I see it, each and every member of our extended camp family is now my boss. Yes, I know that technically Adam and Steph are my boss…but go with me here. My primary objective as the director of alumni relations is to foster additional avenues and meaningful opportunities for our community to stay connected and rekindle bonds, all while championing the legacy of this esteemed institution. Each decision I make in navigating my role is carefully weighed with the community’s – our – needs at the forefront. However, community ownership also necessitates community investment; it’s a reciprocal relationship.

As the new “owners” of Camp Nebagamon, there are numerous ways to invest in our relationship with our community. Keeping up with the Arrowhead newsletter each month, engaging with our social media posts, and staying informed about community news is a valuable step. Attending camp reunions in your area and reconnecting with former cabin mates may seem like small gestures, but they contribute significantly to our community. Simply sharing your love for camp with others can make a meaningful impact. Often, these casual yet passionate endorsements of Camp Nebagamon with peers lead directly to new campers and staff members joining our community.

Donating your time in support of Camp Nebagamon pays huge dividends back into our community as well. Countless hours of hard work has been invested by the members of our volunteer Board of Directors these past 2+ years to launch the new non-profit. Just these past few weeks I’ve been floored with gratitude for the support offered by Nebagamon alumnus Hugh Broder (‘66-’69, ‘74-’75, ‘16-’19, ‘23-’24), Danny Cohen (‘95-’01, ‘03-’07, ‘10-’11), Matt Friedman (‘83-’90), and Jim Schulman (‘90-’96, ‘00-’04) who all bent over backwards to assist with the rollout of our announcement of our next camp director (congrats again, Noah!). The camp family is brimming with generosity, wisdom, and expertise, presenting endless opportunities for everyone to contribute and volunteer in diverse ways as we move forward.

Donning my cap as director of development for a moment, it’s also important to highlight opportunities for financial investment in our community. Camp Nebagamon offers two primary avenues for charitable giving. Our Camperships program ensures boys can attend regardless of financial constraints. Additionally, our “Keeping the Fires Burning” capital campaign is in its final push to fully fund the purchase and transition of camp into a tax-exempt nonprofit model and establish emergency reserves for long-term stability. A third fund, the Camp Nebagamon Scholarship Fund (CNSF), though independent, provides tuition scholarships for non-profit summer camps serving youth facing poverty and disability. Established in 1947 by Muggs Lorber and overseen by Nardie and Sally Lorber Stein for over 50 years, CNSF and its own Board remains as dedicated as ever to its mission.

One more significant way you can invest in our community is by helping us at the camp office stay connected with you. If you’re receiving the Arrowhead newsletter in your email inbox, that means we’ve got your current email address on file. But having your current mailing address is just as important, even in the Internet age. Without it, we can’t send you occasional mailings or invite you to off-season reunions, for instance, which are always a blast.

So, we’re asking for your help to ensure we have the most up-to-date contact information for all our alumni. Plus, we want to hear what’s going on in your lives! Whether it’s graduations, engagements, marriages, births, professional milestones, or big projects, we want to celebrate with you and share the news with the rest of the camp family.

To make it easier for us to keep in touch, I’ve set up an online form for submitting alumni updates—both contact information and news. You’ll find it on the Camp Nebagamon website under the “CAMP FAMILY” section. This simple form sends responses directly to a new email account we’ve created: alumni@campnebagamon.com. Feel free to use this dedicated alumni email account to reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns throughout the year. Remember, I work for us now!

Visit https://campnebagamon.com/alumni-updates/ to submit contact information and alumni news.

Need help tracking down old cabin mates? I’m on it. Struggling to navigate our online Photo Archives? Shoot me a message. Thinking about visiting Lake Nebagamon but have some questions? I’d love to assist.

Now, to be clear, I can’t promise an immediate response to every query or that I’ll have all the answers at my fingertips. But I can promise to do my best, to be fully invested, and to always be here for the camp family.

Looking forward to staying connected! Keep The Fires Burning!

Congratulations to our May Birthdays!

This month’s birthdays include…

May 1st – Milo Gilman, Milo Karsh, Ethan Mack

2nd – Arely Aguila Gutierrez

5th – Jacoby Naft

6th – Alex Gudgeon

7th – David Levick

8th – Alexander Johnson

10th – Ari Foxman, Evan Friedman, Justin Munoz

11th – Grant Cowens

12th – Ian Fogel

13th – Aidan Capes, Rex Frank

14th – Josh Desenberg, Gibson Kapp, Jonah Kleiman

18th – Grant Singerman

19th – Louis Levin, Solzy Wasserman

22nd – Jack Henrick

23rd – Ikerus Vargas

24th – Sam Bernstein

25th – Joe Briggs, Gage Holloway

27th – Ben Brotchner, Zach Brotchner, Fernando Lapetra Murcia, Jacob Solomon

28th – Joshuan Torrez de Paz

31st – Zander Aronoff, Max Diaz, Silas Gold-Kessler, Charlie Goshko, Abdullai Saeed

News of the Camp Family – May 2024

Compiled by Louis Levin

As I wrap up interview season and hiring for 2024 is nearly complete, I’ve been reflecting on the incredible group of people we’ve got signed on to make camp magic at Nebagamon this summer, and all the new folks that will be joining our community as first time staffers. As I did last year, I thought I’d share with our readership the amazing quality of these new staff in their own words. I ask each staff member at the end of their interview what a successful summer would look like for them. Here’s what our new staff had to say about 2024…

“I want to be a role model for my campers, and help them become the person that camp helped me become”
“I’m looking forward to helping kids discover a new passion at activities and trying things they’ve never tried before”
“I want to give back to a place I love!”
“I am coming to camp to make a difference with kids, and try something new, joining a new community, a new job, and a new country”
“I’ve been trying to work at camp for a few years and couldn’t make it work… Now that I am joining camp staff, I want to help kids love Nebagamon as much as I do”
“I want to grow as an outdoors leader and help kids feel enthusiastic about nature in the same way I do”
“I really want to teach kids new things. I want to help them discover things about themselves and each other.”
“I hope I make a difference for the kids, and help them form friendships. And I hope I form friendships with them!”
“Success would be teaching kids a love of the skills they can learn at camp. I love so many different things we do at camp, and I’m looking forward to seeing kids love those activities too.
“I am happier at camp, and I want to make kids feel happy at camp too”
“It would be great to keep all the kids safe, helping them push themselves in a new activity, and doing so in a safe way!”
“I think it’d be a success if all my campers came back the next summer, and I’ll want to come back to be their counselor again”
“All I want is to have a ton of fun this summer!”

We’re still looking for a few more staff for this summer – particularly, Junior Counselors, Office Staff, and a Nursing Assistant. If you are interested in making this summer successful, please reach out to me for more information!

And, with reunion season over, our flow of news has slowed to a trickle. If you have something to share with the camp family in the next newsletter, please let me know at louis@campnebagamon.com!

IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW… Jude Alderman, Henry Kramer, and Judah Gladstein got together for Max Hesser’s Bar Mitzvah!

More Campers Enroll for 2024

We’d like to welcome some more campers who have enrolled for the 2024 season in the past few weeks. We are VERY excited to see this at camp this summer. If you are interested in joining us for 2024, reach out to us at info@campnebagamon.com or enroll now!

Third Grade: Mateo Galik, Kane Katsumura

Fourth Grade: Hiro Katsumura, Spencer Scissors

Fifth Grade: Mason Cirrincione

Sixth Grade: David Apple, Same Bluestone, Josh Jaen

Seventh Grade: Thomas Cirrincione, Sammie Holz, Kingston Zhao

Eigth Grade: Jake Apple, Hadley Goldsmith

Ninth Grade: Diego Deletre, Justin Navidad, Johnny Wallach

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