I'm not even sure where to start right now. This is my first blog update since I returned home from camp on Saturday August 23rd. Ultimately, its been two weeks so trust me I have quite a few stories and life altering moments to share with all of you. From the moment I stepped back onto the shores of Tamakwa after my final day off, the remaining six days were spent focusing on spending time with my campers. My campers second month were as follows: Sam "I AM" Orley, Jason "Cutie" Sachse, Jack "E.T." Kelman, Tal "Vajjjsicles" Shelef, Ori "O.T." Almog, Jacob "Ho Daddy" Hoeflich, Alex "I put the puck in the net" Sigel, Harrison "Billy" Slavner, Jamie "I love Peanut Butter" Perlmutter, Brad "MSU" Levin, and Zachary "The "Watch out Its A" Leranbaum. All of these kids made my summer special in so many ways. I spent almost all of my free time with my cabin Ranger 5/6. Free time encompasses all the time spent off the hockey rinks. I must include the fact that I was so fortunate to meet so many great people this summer. A fun and important part of bonding with your campers is making up a cabin cheer. So, I think its necessary to let everyone know our cabin cheer. It goes as follows, "R6 R6 R6 nibbles on many .... Big small and very round, we know how to get dowwwwnnnn....R6 R6 R6 has the biggest ....Big huge and very long, just as big as Donkey Kong." I mean just an epic cheer. So must energy. So much poetry. So much purity. I cannot say enough about my campers and how truly special they all were. I miss all you boys beyond comprehension and hope I get to see you all soon.
The end of camp featured an All-Day, a few more full court shots, my first and only loss of the summer in staff hockey out of a total 13 games, Color War, The CIT Banquet, 123 straight push ups in front of the whole camp, Tamakwas 2008 Olympic Plat-forum Skills Competition Day playing only Remix's with Matt Orienstein and PutinFenkell, and of course wait a minute are you kidding me? An Overnight Canoe Trip? Vajjj. Furthermore, there are many more stories I could mention but I will do you all justice and just start typing and see where my brain takes me.
Wow, listen to this. So for one of the evening programs one night they decided to do Guinness Book of World Records. So all throughout the camp there were competitions and records to break. Such activities included hockey, which I ran in which you have to shoot 5 balls in the least amount of time through the 5 holes of a shooter-tutor attached to the net, how many free throws one could hit consecutively, running up the slope, and most push-ups. Sadly during this whole event I had to stay stationed at my activity. This obviously didn’t allow me to participate in any of the events that truly upset me. When the bell rang to meet at the slope I made my way there and sat down. Mike Etherington, a UFC fighter who ran the Fitness program approached me and asked if I wanted to take a stab at the push-up record. I immediately said yes and made my way down the slope with him. As I stretched out and began focusing, I heard Franchi, the program director get everyone’s attention to watch me attempt to break the record while he tallies up all the finalists for all the records. Etherington told me that his fist was going to be on the ground and I needed to touch his fist with my chin for a push up to count. Now, for those of you who don’t know I am a pretty good pusher-upper. The record was 75 by Alex Schecter, an absolute beast from the city of Ann Arbor, so I had my work cut out for me. I began by busting out 5 quick ones before I heard Jeff Avegian, the boys camp director, yell stop because he didn’t think I was doing them correctly. So I stopped, argued, got the general consensus from all that mattered there that they did in fact count so I began starting all over again. Ill jump to 75 now as I still am flying throw the push ups. I began feeling it at 110 so I slowed down and did an extra 13 before collapsing on the bottom of the slope in front of the whole camp. It was a great experience for me to shed off light on the kids and to show heart and it was great for the kids because they all know now that it is possible to bust out 123 straight push-ups. Just a wild night. But trust me I was feeling the effects after I got up.
The All Day this year was based on the concept that a power outage plagued camp. The four teams included Plumbers (I mean… just epic), Carpenters, Electricians, and Mechanics. I was on the Mechanics team, but known to all as a Plumber, so its all good. The final day of Individual Choice this year will be remembered as Tamakwas 2008 Olympic Plat-forum Skills Competition Day playing only Remix's with Matt Orienstein and PutinFenkell. During this final Individual Choice Day I was able to hit 2 full court, two-handed shots. The greatest day I had though on the basketball court was when I hit my first full courter of the summer. Once I hit it I walked down the court so excited and grabbed the ball I shot. I immediately picked up the ball, walked to half court and bounced it from half court on one hop perfectly placed where it swished into the net. Could make my all-time list for greatest athletic performance but not quite. I made the half court one hopper I must add, during the time that the kids were going crazy because I hit the full courter in front of them just before. What a great time that surely put a smile on my face. I made the shots in front of some legends that included Robbie "#2" Epstein, Smitty, and M.O.
Moving now to the end of the 2008 Olympic Skills Day, towards the end of 5th period I was beginning to put everything away, as Craig Perlmutter laid foot on the Plat-forum and came my way. I had no clue what he was about to ask or talk to me about. He soon asked me if I would take over for a staff member who got injured during a canoe trip. I thought about it for a second and said yes. So I immediately hopped in Craig’s golf court that he uses to travel around camp, and dropped me off at boys hill. I made my way up to Dickson Bonfield, which is the name of my cabin, and took Ho Daddys dry bag that already had my sleeping bag in it. Boom….just like that I was back down to the office porch heading to the landing docks to leave in a pointer across the lake to meet up with Len Giblin, the tripping director. I hopped in the front seat of Lens car and drove to Joe Lake where we awaited the canoe trips arrival so I could swap spots with Chris Keating and spend the last night of their canoe trip with them on Joe Lake. They made their way to the docks where Len and I stood and I hopped in. I was given tuck (candy) to give to the kids before I left camp, so I immediately took it out and was loved for it. Thanks Craig for that by the way. We paddled our way to our camping site, which was connected, to group of pioneers and the 15-day girls canoe trip. What a great night filled with a great dinner and good story telling. I made my way back into camp the next day at noon, completing the shortest canoe trip ever by a non- JT staff member. How How.
Color War this year was extremely well organized and thought out. The theme was the Great Depression and the four richest moguls during that time period were called upon to lead America out of the depression. The four teams were Rockafeller, Carnegie, Hurst, and Vanderbilt. Great times during those two special days dedicated to nothing less then intense competition. One of these competitions included track races at the baseball field. I was asked by my team captains Etai Sarner and Katie Dresner, to run in the staff 100 meter. Jumping to the race now. So the way it worked was there were 3 other staff members each from a different team, all known as the fastest runners our camp has to offer, lined up next to me. The 3 competitors credentials all are legit and as pure as bure. Harry Snider, track star with great potential, Chris Keating, UK hockey player with speed, and Joe Bolton, also a stud from the UK. I was in the second heat of 4 staff runners, with the top two from each heat making it to the final heat. Matt Orienstein called it out from 3, once the gun rang off, rumors have it that I flew as fast as Usain to the finish line in his 200-meter Beijing performance. So here I am after a great first performance lining up for the final heat that included Fankle, Matt Orienstein, Josh Ketai, and Mr. Snider. This time there were a bunch of people watching and cheering, which adds not only a positive effect to the sport but adds internal motivation and intensity. You know how the race ended. PutinFenkell.
The last day of camp included cabin clean ups and the CIT Banquet. The CITs theme for Banquet was Reduce Re-use Recycle. It was extremely hot in the dining hall that night and the food was mediocrity at its finest. The end of banquet is saved for each activity to give out high awards and talk about their summer at their activity. When it became my turn I got a little nervous but stepped up and delivered a speech. I cannot express enough how happy and truly blessed IO was to have the opportunity to run hockey and teach little kids how to put the puck in the net.
I made a ton of new friendships with a bunch of different characters from different places around the globe. Ill start with a few in particular that do standout. First is my boy Jesse Gold. I called him “The Prodigy” basically because he is one. His musical talent is one that I truly admire for a 14 year old. He has a lot of potential to be something truly special because he is a gifted kid. Jesse came to my cabin to chill quite often after taps, and we would discuss life and girl situations. I feel privileged to be his good friend now and I wish him the best of luck in his musical career as it moves forward. Other legends include Josh Ketai, my only Co-Counselor for the whole summer. We had outstanding times together. He was on the canoe trip that I went on for the overnight, he was involved in some epic athletic displays with me, and most of all he is a genuine young man. I also feel fortunate to have shared great memories with Josh at the place that I love so much. I promised I’d mention this story so during a cabin vs. cabin baseball game our team was up a run in the final inning and there were men on 1st and 2nd. Josh was playing shortstop as a sharp groundball was hit to him. First making the stop on his backhand with a sharp scoop he followed it up by making the wise and quick decision to tag the guy running to 3rd and throw the ball to 1st all in one motion. Truly an incredible play that one cannot truly explain in words but I do my best out there coach. Jonah Raduns Silverstein, “JRS”, could be a rapper but will hopefully finish out school. JRS was a co-counselor of Smittys whom I became extremely close with. We went on a few days off with each other, he led a hobby hub for me, and most of all he was my friend. We got to know each other so well this summer and I cannot thank him enough for his kindness and respect that would make anyone feel like a brother. Matt Orienstein, of course, “MO”, an integral part of my success this summer. Just a great guy. I mean he is full of positive energy and big smiles. Almost forgot about Chad Gans. I know he’s factoring in Boulder currently now but the times and laughs we shared will last forever. I’m glad we got to continue and strengthen our bond of friendship this summer. Thank you for everything. I know I might be missing someone here or there but I must call it quits on this passage and close out by saying that this is just another chapter in the book for me and this one at Camp Tamakwa 2008 was E P I C. Thank you to Craig Perlmutter and Vic Norris for giving me the chance to come back and teach the sport I love so much.
I returned home after following Smitty into Toronto to drop off Zoe. We met up with Joe Bolton and Mara Soferinsky for a little before we headed home. I returned home to see Dudley!!!!!!! And my Majjj and Fajjj and Jeffrey. So many great times have led up to today since I’ve been home. I stayed at home that Saturday night chillz factoring at the Fajjj Mahal with a few of my boys. The next morning I headed up to East Lansing to my house to move some of my stuff back in. I went with my Majjj and Dudley. It was a lot of fun for Dudley who got to run around with our dogs that live next door Izzy and Jack. I came home that night to help Jeffrey run the door for his party at Clutch Cargos. It was a lot of fun and I even saw a few Tamakwans and good kids. Ran into my hockey enforcer Lee Feldman, and one of the greatest Jewish Baseball players of his generation, Jake Balbes I left that shin dig at 11ish and went home to factor before I passed out in preparation for a lunch with Renee the following morning and class at 4:10.
I am working on my entry for what I’ve been doing since school started and let me tell you the beginning of my senior year at college on Evergreen in East Lansing has been nothing short of brilliant. Thank you all for reading this and Shabbat Shalom.
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