Compiled by Adam Fornear
This is tough…Normally I would sit down and start sharing with you all about my most recent fishing trip or spending time out on Lake Superior on a sailboat or maybe even desperately asking for help in finding staff for the next summer. While I do have a little fishing trip to share with you, I first would like to give the largest of large THANK YOU’s to everyone that I have crossed paths with over my 25 summers at Camp Nebagamon (If you haven’t read Kaplan’s page yet, then stop reading here and read that first….). I’m sad to say but I am moving on to begin a new career in Parks and Recreation for the City of Duluth.
It has been an incredible career at Nebagamon, and I am going to miss every second of it as I start my new career in Duluth, MN. Arriving way back in June of 1992 as a silent 16-year-old junior counselor in Logger 6 to stepping away as a not so silent associate director in 2022. There were some years spent away from Nebagamon in that window, but not many. As I write this, memories are popping up in my mind that make me smile, laugh and also wonder – what was I thinking?! From that first summer in ’92 taking out early morning fishing trips with campers, changeover trips, trip staff socials on the shores of Lake Superior, paddling the Quetico, pedaling the south shore, the many shakedown trips, a speeding ticket (really long time ago), cooking over an open fire, dawn paddles, camper luggage and overloaded pickup trucks, that one time I popped a sweet wheelie but breaking my leg right after it, motorcycle run to Eau Claire lakes to deliver a stove, burgers at the Y Go By, 6 am coffee in the Big House, naps on the infirmary porch/trip room/shop table/front porch of Big House, road trips all over the country, SNL or WWHL and hanging out with Andy Cohen, backing into light pole by CNOC, the off season reunions, ribs in KC/Memphis, magic tent pole with trip staff, delivering first round of trips to trip staff, Swamper overnighters and July 4th fireworks…The list goes on and on and I am grateful for every single one of those moments. They helped shape who I am today.
More importantly though, because it’s not the place…It’s the people – that have made my time here at Nebagamon one that I will never forget. I want to give the grandest of THANK YOU’S to everyone that I’ve crossed paths with here at Nebagamon…everyone! That includes the staff, campers, camp parents, alumni and the residents of the village of Lake Nebagamon. Camp Nebagamon is what it is because of all of you. I’m incredibly lucky to have worked at Nebagamon this long! Every off season when I’m interviewing staff, I make sure to tell every applicant that once you work at camp you will be stuck with friends the rest of your lives. I’m eternally grateful to be stuck with all of you as my friends. These friendships have been forged with laughter, difficult talks, teamwork and more laughter. I’m going to miss it all…the times talking to campers about their trip ambitions for the summer, parent calls in the off season, tripper meetings in the basement, training drivers in the ski boats, talking about all of our boats to whoever would listen, planning trip schedules till the early hours of the morning and reminiscing of all the great times over the years. Again…I am incredibly fortunate to have found a home but more importantly a family, here at Camp Nebagamon.
To be honest, it is tough for me to find the words to express my thanks to everyone. I would like for everyone to know that if I was to throw myself a going away party, I would invite every single camper, camper parents, staff members, other summer camp directors and residents of the village since the summer of 1992. I would want to throw this party as a way of saying thank you for helping shape who I am today. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you and Keep The Fires Burning…
-Fornear
As you can see below, I don’t have a ton of news to share yet. Reunions don’t start for a bit (how about that…Reunions are coming back!) and I can only spend so much time on Facebook in the office, so PLEASE help us out and send Louis news of you! Please email ([email protected], text, carrier pigeon, Facebook (sorry – no twitter)) any awards, athletic participation, theatrical roles, or other accomplishments that you want to share, and we promise you will make the next edition of “In the News!” Until next time, get outside and soak up some vitamin D!
WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS go to: Malcolm Kerr (St. Paul/Brooklyn ’00-’06,’08-‘11) and Anna Hess (Brooklyn). Keep the congratulations going for Ben Cronin (Chicago/NYC ’01-’04,’06-‘12) and Julia Livick (NYC). Congratulations for Nick Laskin (L.A. ’99-’03,’05-‘09) and Lindsay Laskin (L.A.).
IN THE BIBS AND DIaPERS DEPARTMENT: It’s a girl, Isla Marie, for Lauren and Paul Schutz (Chicago ’97-’02,’04,’06,’08,’10). It’s a boy, Ethan Tucker, for Tom Elson (Chicago/D.C. ’93-’99,’01-’04,’09,’13,’17) and Adam Backels (D.C.). It’s a boy, Noah, for Scott Ventrudo (Redondo Beach, CA ’98-’03,’05-’09,’12) and Emily Brosius (Redondo Beach, CA ’08-‘09). It’s a boy, George Morris, for Ben Donchin (OKC, ’03-’08) and Stephanie Donchin (OKC). It’s a boy, Benjamin Michael, for Josh Kotin (Chicago, ’91-’96, ’98-’01) and Katie Durick.