Late Summer Edition, 1972 New Milford, Pennsylvania 18834

The 1972 Season - Looking Backward

 This has to be called "The Season Of" - it was the season of rain - more than any other season in our memory. It was the season of the horse van, making it possible to enter horse shows. It was the season of the tractors and hay baler, so now we can get our own hay rather than depend on others to do it for us. It was the season of new rifles, which ended up under flood waters in Wilkes-Barre, holding up the riflery program while we located other new ones. It was the season of the circus tent dining hall in Equinita which finally got up at the end of the first half, but which we couldn't get finished. It was the season when every first half camper received the Webfoot Award. It was the season of the lake road that disappeared, only to reappear having been washed down onto our beach. It was the season of the brand new herd of horses, and our surprises getting to know them. It was the season of the fully-co-ed Horsemen group, and of the horseman apprentices. It was the season of Equinita II and a small group of girls who pioneered that new segment of the camps. It was the season of - Tingley Lake, Fernheim, The Country Store, Elk Mountain, Halloween in August, Buttermilk Falls, The "Forth" of July, the Gymkhana, the Bittersweet Horse show, the raccoons, the English Channel Swim, the dances, the Horsemen trip to Cornell, Indian Creek, supper rides, home made bread, the Olympics, hay rides, and many more things.

Mostly, though, it was a season of great campers and great counselors. Never before has a camp community accomplished so much against such odds with the weather. Hurricane Agnes did not affect us directly, but she certainly slowed us up with all her rain. Campers and Counselors went right ahead with everything, though, and we all had a great time. It hardly seems possible that it is over, but the nights are now cold, and some of the early maple trees are starting to change their color to red and yellow. All of the tents are down, the shutters closed, and Camps Susquehanna and Equinita are about to hibernate for the winter. When we walk out into the clearings at night now, it doesn't feel like a camp. We feel as though we are in the middle of a woods all alone. The vibrant heartbeat of the camp is missing. When we walk back into the 'A' building, though, it is a different story. There are the piles of 'Lost & Found' and the left behind. There, too, are the piles of things to be put away or repaired. Finally, there are the piles of our own things to be packed and moved to our winter quarters. The season ends, but the work goes on.

LOOKING AHEAD - The next big event is the reunion at the National Horse Show in New York City Nov. 11th. Details will be along later when we find out about prices and other important matters.

It was a great season. We're looking forward to seeing you during the winter and here at camp next summer. In the meantime, have a great time in school, and stay in touch.

Sincerely
Ken & Joy


Swimming Awards

 The waterfront was busy during the 1972 season, with many campers passing their tests for swimming ratings. Those campers who passed their tests are:

BEGINNER - Laura Osborne, Carla Weisberg, Allison Kruger

ADVANCED BEGINNER - Eduardo Avalos, Todd Schroder, Jill Kurtz, Robbie Devor, Vicki Vogel, Teddy Hartree, Rana Glickman, and Karen Goldstein

INTERMEDIATE - Tracy and Carla Sepe, Karen-Jeane Rosenberg, Pam Susson, Teddy Forbath, Charlotte Swanson, Scott Orr, Michele Kemmerer, Fred Dameron, Adrienne Bortree, and Deidre Torr

SWIMMER - Chris Schmutz, Edana Heller, Jose Luis Saiz, Joanne Tarricone, Karen Blinder, Jim Schmutz, Erik Olsen, Jan Fellenbaum, John Kurtz, Marc Wolf, Amy Katz, Sharon Hughes, Beth Robbins, Stephanie Zelden, Lisa Schlossman, Pedro Sordo, and Jose Compos

JUNIOR LIFE SAVING - Shari Cohen, Henry Levine, Lynn Goldstein, Brenda Hughes, Ruth Pickel, Margo Owett, Lisa Hoffman, Joanne Tarricone, Stephanie Zelden, Jan Fellenbaum, Julie Brooks, Amy Maguire, Beth Brooks, Julie Smith, Lisa Rogers, and Amy Ziegler

ADVANCED SWIMMER - Ignacio Avalos, Mitch Wasterlain, Adam Owett, Adam Bailey, Eric Michelson, Jose Carrera, Eduardo Berrondo, Julio Carrera, Fernando Uribe, Jenny Kurtz, Holly Schroder, and Andrew Julien

SWIMMING TROPHIES for the 1972 season were awarded to Karen Goldstein and Teddy Forbath.


Softball Game

 Just after the regular softball season ended, the Susquehanna team challenged the male staff to a game. For awhile, it looked as if the team might win. But then, as Randy Everett joined the staff, the tide began to turn. The team emerged as losers, while the staff again was victorious, 7-6. The staff hereby challenges the team to a rematch, next summer!


Horseshow

 On Saturday August 12, the final two events of the Parent's Weekend Horseshow were held, with both camps in attendance. The winners are:

Class 12 - Beginners Over Fences
First - Lisa Rogers
Second - Steve Bruckman
Third - Ellen Freed
Fourth - James Schmutz

Class 15 - Open Over Fences
First - Ross MacDonald
Second - Mark Schlossman
Third - Brad Michelson
Fourth - Debbie D'Acunto

Congratulations to the winners!


Skink Hunt

 On Sunday the 13th, the Lower Camp (minus horsemen Scott Orr, Jeff Marcus, and Mark Rogers) went off into the night on a skink hunt.

Jim Weeks and Rick Davis told the assembled campers about the skink, an elusive lizard. Then, armed with laundry bags and noise makers, the campers set off to a rock quarry to practice for the big hunt. Robbie Devor, Greg Vogel, Andy Ziegler, and David Shevett eagerly volunteered to be the "catchers", waiting at the end of the field for the skinks, while everyone else made noise and scared the skinks downfield.

Timmy Joyce had one in his bag, but it slipped out and escaped. Todd Schroder grabbed a skink but it somehow managed to wriggle free. Joe Kaszeta, while not seeing any, almost saw one of the dark lizards. Nobody caught one, but it was fun.


Awards - 1972

 While the 1972 season may have been a wet, there was no sign of any lack of enthusiasm on the part of the campers. The awards handed out at the Annual Banquet are proof of the active season. Along with trophies and medals listed below, many campers won Susquehanna "S"'s and Equinita "E"'s. Congratulations are due for all, with special recognition for the trophy and medal winners.

RIDING AWARDS
Horseman Awards
Ross MacDonald - Riding Excellence
Brenda Hughes - Most Improved Horseman
Nancy Morgan - Care and Interest Award
Holly Schroder - Horseman Award
Harold Vogel - Medal
Ed Adler - Medal

Non-Horsemen Awards
Greg Vogel - Most Improved Boy
Joanne Tarricone - Most Improved Girl

JOURNALISM AWARDS (Medals)
Vicki Vogel - Willingness to contribute to the paper
Darlene Gaydes - Artwork
Fred Dameron - Enthusiastic work

TENNIS AWARDS
Jim Schmutz - Medal for Most Improved
Lisa Hoffman - Medal for Most Improved
Mark Schlossman - Medal (Tournament Runner-Up)
Bret Wallach - Table Tennis Medal
Mark Schlossman - Table Tennis Medal
Eduardo Berrondo - Tennis Trophy

PHOTO MEDALS
Aaron Julien - Great Improvement
Todd Schroder - Great Improvement
Eric Michelson - General Excellence

DRAMATICS AWARDS
Lory Stapsy - Medal
Robert Dobbs - Medal
Jeffrey Marcus - Medal
Andrew Julien - Trophy
Jennifer Kurtz - Trophy

AIR RIFLERY AWARDS
John Kurtz - Medal for Excellence
Greg Vogel - Trophy for Excellence

ATHLETIC AWARDS
Tony Pleskow - Athletics Award
Brad Michelson - Baseball Medal
Miguel Avalos - Soccer Medal

ARCHERY AWARD
Henry Levine - Trophy

ARTS AND CRAFTS AWARD
Joanne Tarricone - Medal


The Sigafoose Memorial Award

 In the rush and hubub of the Banquet, one of the more honored awards was forgotten. The award, The Sigafoose Memorial (named after Guantanimo Sigafoose, a mythical camper), is yearly awarded to a deserving member of the staff, who somehow manages to earn it.

This year the award was both earned and given on the last day of camp, less than three hours after the buses left for New York. Randy Everett, while moving the waterfront equipment to the stage, managed to back the Jolly Green over a canoe, completely crushing it.

After careful consideration, it was decided that Randy deserved the award for his cautious use of camp equipment. Congratulations!


Baking-at-Equinita

 Baking was the word last Thurs., August 17, at Camp Equinita. And eating ran a close second, as Kathy Anderson and Carol Parr conducted the first reflector oven class in Equinita's history.

Beginning early in the morning and continuing throughout the day, the classes baked a total of twelve dozen chocolate chip cookies in the lodge. Many campers came back two or three times to sample the tasty morsels.

The oven itself was homemade. Kathy lashed four sticks to the corners of a small grill, and then wrapped aluminum foil around three sides and the bottom and top. She then placed the oven in front of the fire, where the heat could reflect back into the oven.

Many campers just stopped in a few minutes to watch it work. A lot more gathered wood to fuel the fire and bake the cookies, "almost like Mother used to make".


Halloween

 Wednesday, August 16 was Halloween, at least according to Equinita's calendar. Everyone was invited to a party in the Lodge, where there was a costume contest. Pretzel Rosenberg won the prize for most original. She wore her clothing upside down and appeared to be walking on her hands. Julie Smith was judged Most Frightening and Karen Blinder's costume of a 1920's schoolboy won her the prize of Most Well Done. The fourth category of Funniest went to Carole Katz, who dressed, then undressed, as a stripper.

There was also peach bobbing as well as refreshments. Equinita II disguised the craft lodge as a haunted house, and judging by the screams heard all over the clearing, it was rather scary!


Hayride

 Just after dinner on Thursday, August 17th, all of the non horseman campers went for a hayride, followed later by the horsemen. With Eddie driving the tractor, the hay wagon rolled down Old Harmony, and into the field by Barn #2, where Randy Everett threw hay onto everyone. Then as Joanne Tarricone led everyone in singing, the ride continued before turning around.

Coming back Andrew "Mushroom" Julien led the singing, making fun of many staff members and some of his fellow campers, who showed their appreciation by throwing hay.

The horsemen had to take a somewhat shorter ride because of darkness, but all enjoyed the evening tremendously.


Staff Show

 After the horse show on Sat. Aug. 12th, the staff of both camps combined their talents and gave an entertaining performance at the stage.

The highlight of the evening was the "Lower Larry Boys", as they gave their own rendition of "Salty Dog Blues" and "Y'all Come". The "Boys" featured Andy Bershad on the pot, Jim Davis on the pitcher, Brent Myers on the tin pan, and Jim Weeks on the fiddle.

Dave Rosen and Steve Blauner sang an amusing song about the staff and directors. Marilyn Robie as Nugget, Susan Perry as Elsworth, and Pat Gallagher as Ajax acted out a typical day in the camp office, as far as the dogs are concerned.

Solo performances were given by Ron Becker and Scott Nemtzow. The show ended quietly as Dave Rynick and Marilyn Robie sang several songs with guitar accompaniment.




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