Our youngest son recently started a new book in his middle school English class, The Outsiders. It’s a wonderful read and great story. I read it at the same school, in the same grade, a hundred years ago and still remember Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Two-Bit. I’m excited for Luke to enjoy it and talk with him about it.

On the evening I learned about his new book, I was listening to a podcast in which the guest was talking about gangs. I’m not sure about you, but my mind immediately goes to the detrimental side of gangs – violence, hazing and other bad outcomes.

While the guest spoke about the ‘bad’ of gangs, he also spoke of the positive aspects: a natural feeling of community and an identity with in it being the chief benefit. As anyone with a 10 to 15-year-old in the house knows, having a place and fitting is high on the order of wants.

Gangs

The greasers and the Socs from The Outsiders were certainly gangs. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, we heard often about the Crips and Bloods. There were the Hell’s Angels, the Cosa Nostro, the Backstreet Boys….

You may have been a part of a gang in the past. Along with a few like-minded friends in middle school, I formed a gang called the Volcano Boys. Entry required that you eat a slice of Domino’s pizza and chug a Coke in under 90 seconds. We even made a sign… in colored pencil. On ruled paper. Yes, it was that serious.

While the Volcano Boys did not do much more than fill Friday and Saturday nights with pizza parties, great 80’s movies, and the occasional prank, we felt a specific sense of belonging, of being a part of something different.

It didn’t outlive puberty when a few guys became more interested in girls and others got jobs. But it was fun while it lasted.

The Weequahic Gang

Having just returned from our first Winter Gathering Bowling Party of 2020, the ‘gang’ idea came at me again. We had campers fly in or drive hundreds of miles to see their friends. We young men and women who’ve been with us for almost a decade laugh and scream at seeing their friends.

That’s when it hit me: our kids have formed a gang of sorts. It’s one predicated on connection and community, driven by the values of showing gratitude, choosing your attitude, and building your courage.

The gang is overseen by long-time counselors, many of whom were campers themselves. There is a vocabulary you use only when speaking of or living at camp. There are traditions that are important and expected. While all are welcome, staying means living up to the expectations of the gang.

The result is an excited group of kids who want nothing more than to connect with each other again and again and again.

Joining Up

The hard part? It’s feeling on the outside. Try as we might first time campers arrive at one of our bowling parties and feel a bit on the outside. The older the first-time camper, the more powerful that feeling. Thank goodness for our amazing CITs who helped welcome so many into the ranks. And, thankfully, our parents are patient with the process.

We can’t wait to ‘get the gang back together’ this summer. The connection to one another and something larger than oneself is a powerful thing in all of our lives. Our new campers, with the help of their new-found friends, will fit right in.

Ah… it’s going to be a great summer! See you in six short months!

We all grow so much during our teen years.

From experience, kids are pretty capable at 10 years old. They can make their beds, choose what to eat pretty well, clean up, handle homework, build relationships. They can do a lot!

But, by the end of our teens, they will have learned to drive, cook, clean, and become (mostly) independent. Every decade shows a lot of growth, for sure. The teen years, though, serve as the greatest launching pad for the future.

As we move into the 2020s, I’m struck by how much Weequahic has grown and changed during the Teens.

People

During the first summer of the decade, campers from twelve states and four countries arrived at Weequahic for a remarkable summer. This past summer saw those numbers change a bit.

We now have campers from sixteen different countries and the same number of states. The number of campers has gone from… well, let’s just say we went from using half our bunks to building new ones!

Just as our camper population has grown, so has our summer staff.  Our staff grew from just over one hundred young men and women to well over 200 young men and women (and a few of us gray hairs….). I may be most excited about this number in regards to staff:  we’ve gone from three former campers on staff to over 20 last summer. We can’t wait to watch that number grow.

Summer 2010 was a big year for Weequahic in that so many full-time staff started working for the first time: Camp Director Kate, our Assistant Dana ‘PSP’ Stassen, and our Administrative Director, Cammie Brennan. Associate Director Sue jumped on board for Summer 2011. Dana’s husband, Scrappy, joined us full time in 2017. Chef Daniel arrived six summers ago. Alex Nichols arrived and happily returns each summer. Thankfully, Jerry and Camp Mom Judy never left!

Place

A birds-eye view of Weequahic shows a bit of change: The Cove has been a wonderful addition for our Senior Campers, new toys in the lake and beachfront for the kiddos to enjoy, new courts and fields,  a few new docks in Sly Lake, and more.

Our bunks have gone from ‘rustic’ to ‘camp comfortable.’ Instant hot water heaters, new bathrooms, new bunk beds, new siding and windows…. They are a lot nicer without losing their purpose: a place where community is built.

Thinking about the facility, I can’t of a spot that hasn’t been modified or improved in some way.  Program areas have been improved or modified, the Dining Hall got a facelift, our fields and grounds have been rebuilt…. Oh, I know – my office hasn’t changed a bit. Fine by me – I don’t like being in their much anyway!

Traditions

The Rec Hall continues to show the glories of the past in the plaques and banners, the bunk signs and awards. Campfire happens every Friday night, flagpole each morning and evening, and the Tribal and Olympic competitions make for a memorable end to each session.

Weequahic was lucky when the last decade arrived: it had great bones and deep traditions. Our founders and their family built camp around the idea of caring for children. Along with some wonderful long-time staff and help from friends, we took that torch up and added a few new ideas from old sources.

Present & Future

Camp Weequahic hopes to create a remarkable experience for everyone we meet through gratitude, attitude and courage. Just as we did ten years ago, we meet every new family before their camper arrives at camp. We put every potential staff member through a thorough interview, rigorous background check, and extensive orientation. And, we work to build a community which draws out and celebrates the ‘best self’ within each person under the towering pines Mr. Lustig planted seven decades ago.

We have so much for which to be grateful. Our ‘teen years’ were those of growth and change. Alongside so many wonderful campers, trusting and supportive families, and diligent team members, we’ve built a launching pad for the future. And, oh, what a bright future it is!

Thank you for being on this journey with us. We can’t wait to see what happens next. Happy New Decade, Weequahic!

Every day gives us all ample opportunities to practice both gratitude and fear. It doesn’t matter if you are taking your semester ending exams, helping to clean the house to welcome company, or spending some break-time with friends.

We can be fearful of the upcoming situations or the consequences of their aftermath. The test didn’t go well and our parents will be upset. No matter what we do, the guests will be critical of how the place looks. Try as we might, our friends would rather be somewhere else.

A Grateful Rope

The fear you feel and dwell upon in these situations draws you inward. It becomes a bit of black hole, speeding you down a path of increasing anxiety. Not a good place, is it?

What lifeline is most available to you while drowning in that cramped world of fear? You guessed: gratitude.

You’ve had good teachers and are thankful of the time you had to prepare. If the test didn’t go well, then you are grateful to know you need to change your preparation habits. The place may not be as clean as you’d like but you are more grateful to spend time with your guests. Getting to do anything with your friends out of school is just great!

Gratitude puts an exclamation point on the end of the day. Think about how we practice that at camp: someone always asks you for your ‘highs’ of the day. (If you are a 7^th grader or younger, Cole and Kate ask for your two happies.)  This is a great way to practice a bit of reflection by thinking about your day and gratitude by expressing your thankfulness for a few great moments.

A Rich Year

As we near the end of 2019, many of us will spend time reflecting on the prior 12 months. This is a good practice to do daily but, with the turn of the calendar and bit of breathing room, it’s more often an ‘end of year’ practice.

During the process, make sure to spend some time practicing gratitude. That means you’ve got to think about the good things and say ‘thank you’ to those who helped make those good moments reality. These stress of the preceding months can weigh you down a bit as can the bustle of the holidays. If we aren’t careful, we can switch back over to worry and fear leading us to feel overwhelmed and alone.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us:

In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

Be rich in during the end of this year and in the start of the next. Give thanks to those who have impacted your path in this past year. By practicing gratitude you’ll be more likely to end this year with an !

(Hat tip to one of my teachers, Chuck H., for this idea!)