Category: Uncategorized

Community Driven Creatures

September 6th, 2026

When the writer Kurt Vonnegut told his wife he’s was going out to buy an envelope, the following ensued:

“Oh, she says well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet?

And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope.

I meet a lot of people. And, see some great looking people. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And, and ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know.

The moral of the story is, is we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that.”

Community at Camp

That’s one of the beauties of camp. For three or six weeks, we get to ‘fart around.’ We have time and space for connection, for the inside jokes and the moments that will mean little to others but we’ll never forget.

Mr. Vonnegut is right – ‘computers will do us out of that’ if we aren’t careful. Amazon will deliver our stuff, Door Dash our food and some screen our entertainment. They have their algorithms that serve things up like a (very) informed personal assistant.

But I wonder if the real danger is not that computers will think like us but that we’ll begin to think like computers. No imagination, no creativity, no magic. Community only due to information exchange.

As our kids head back to the demands and structure of school and the draw of technology, I hope they’ll remember what camp brought to the forefront: we are community driven creatures. That meaning of all this comes from the moments at the margins of our day – time spent in the car on the way to school, around the dinner table, walking and talking with a friend, taking a moment to smile and interact with the barista or cashier or delivery person.

If camp teaches nothing else, it reminds us of the importance and beauty and restorative properties of community, of time spent together. It’s easy here… during the summer at least. We have to work for it a bit back home.

A School Year Challenge

Can it be uncomfortable? Sure! But that’s where growth is – in the uncomfortable.

Camp proved to you that the ‘uncomfortable’ is actually worth it. So… go reach out to that new friend. Put down your phone, look the people around you in the eyes and smile or, better yet, nod and say ‘hello.’ Get to know the custodian of your hallway, the bus driver, the person serving your food… whomever your actually interact with or pass by often. Do it all year – not just this week.

At the end of the school-year experiment, I bet you’ll return more confident, still and more excited to be back where community is the easiest thing in the world.

Remember: you, me and we are community driven creatures. Go practice and prove that through the year.

Can’t wait to hear of your adventures through the year. Summer 2027 will be here before we know it. With GAC,

Cole

Notes from Pre-Camp

June 12th, 2026

It’s already been four weeks of long days on camp and late nights in the office. We had a wildly talented Facilities Manager hired but, when her husband got a great job far away… it was back to me leading that charge with the incredibly competent Kai and our small group of returners. It’s something we’ve done together for years and it’s been fun seeing Winter get whipped out of this place.

Kitchen News

We’ve two new chefs, Chef Chris and Chef Esaie. Only way to say this: these guys can sling it. Kate and I have always thought camp runs on its stomach (and a watch) and Chef Chris, Chef E and their team have kept everyone happy and full. Even our long-time Kitchen Manager Yanira has been impressed. High praise, indeed.

At breakfast today, we had 60% of our summer staff already with us. For the past week, they’ve been busting it alongside our DHs and PHs swinging weed-eaters, laying down paint and sod and picking up sticks and limbs and logs. Between (good natured) World Cup arguments, learning camp songs and traditions and getting to know one another, we’ve gotten a lot done.

By the end of dinner, we had 95% of team on camp. This is a HIGH energy group with more returners than we’ve ever enjoyed. Time to roll!

Speaking of which, Kate and I have great news.

Weequahic News

After being partners and part-owners in camp for many years, we completed our full purchase of Weequahic in May. We’ve loved working with our partners and will continue to be close. (They are all coming to Sydney and CK3’s wedding in August.) And, it was time to make Weequahic a completely family-run operation.

What will change?

Beside our young Kelly men becoming more involved and, with Luke heading to college, Kate and I spending more time in PA… nothing.

The values of Gratitude, Attitude and Courage have never been more important. Finding, recruiting, training and leading staff remains paramount. Home visits, Kate leading Nominations, the quest for continual improvement, great traditions we’ve started or kept going all remain the same.

If nothing else, it’s motivated us to do even more for our campers and staff and this great camp the Lustig family founded in 1953.

We are so happy to be fully started on Summer 2026. We’ve got two great weeks of Staff Orientation in front of us. After that, we can’t wait to get the kids here! Time for SUMMER!

Chores at Camp

May 23rd, 2026

At camp, it’s a camper’s right to have a ton of fun. Yes, they’ll learn some good things, too. But we find some of the best learning comes when you are having a blast. No phone-induced comparison traps. No worry about judgement from the larger world. Just be yourself and have a blast!

And, with that ‘right of fun’, comes some responsibilities.

Responsibilities at Camp

Just like us adults, campers have responsibilities, too. They are certainly more simple than the tax code, though: no swimming without a lifeguard, boys and girls stay out of the opposite gender’s bunk, follow the ‘banned items’ rule, do your chores and be kind to others.

The first three are pretty easy to delineate. These are ‘if/then’ statements. You either left your cell phone at home or you brought it to camp. Easy decision.

Those last two responsibilities – chores and kindness – those are a little harder to enforce. But camp, just like society at large, does better when all the participants practice what an old English judge called ‘obedience to the unenforceable.’

Chores

The following is by no means and exhaustive list of chores performed at camp but it’s certainly a good start:

  • Make your bed every morning. 
  • Put away your dirty clothes.
  • Clear your plate and cutlery and trash in the Dining Hall at every meal… and help clean the table
  • Brushing teeth, washing hair (with actual shampoo!)
  • Assist with other bunk chores like sweeping or being the clean-up DJ or taking out the (small) trash bin or checking the drying lines, etc.

Why do all this? For a number of reasons. But the main reason is explained beautifully by Michael Korda:

Chores don’t steal childhood. They teach life. They teach gratitude… It’s about love disguised as responsibility. In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility.

Done right, chores build community. They make our place tidy and clean and more enjoyable. They help keep us physically safe and emotionally calm. We become more prepared for a brighter future. Let’s move to the last of the ‘unenforceables.’

Be Kind

It’s a choice – a set of demonstrable behaviors performed towards others… and yourself! Sometimes, being kind is helping someone up. Other times, being kind is passing along a challenging truth.

Now, we can’t make someone be kind. Each of us has to choose how we act towards one another and ourselves. We can set up consequences for certain actions – being mean, bullying, etc., sure. However, we cannot reach into a person’s mind and heart and drive them around like a tank.

What we can do isshow a whole bunch of great examples of kindness and patience (our staff and older campers) and inspire to live and act more kind. We can also have our counselors ‘nominate’ campers they saw doing kind and good things at camp at the Flag each night – a long tradition at Weequahic.

The power of examples is an amazing thing.

Do Your Chores and Be Kind

Can you have a ton of fun at camp without these two responsibilities being achieved with a level of consistency and effort? Sure can! (It just won’t be at Weequahic.)

Like many things in life that provide outsized benefits – eat your fruits and veggies, move your body, be grateful – these are simple ideas. That doesn’t mean they are always easy. But, like anything else, the more we practice….

Have a great week. Can’t wait to get everyone to camp soon!