Camp News

As the clock struck midnight on December 31st, the calendar flipped from 2025 to 2026. Stranger Things streamed its finale and the series ended. The holiday season drew to a close and winter officially took over. And, most notably, Owegans everywhere shifted from saying “Next Summer” to “This Summer.”

Congratulations, fellow campers! We have successfully entered our “THIS summer” phase. We know how daunting it can be to reach the end of an amazing summer and realize just how many days stand between you and your next Owego experience. That 300-plus number is super annoying, right? School starts, life goes on, the weather changes, and you think to yourself, “Next summer is going to be EPIC…when it finally arrives.”

Though the weather outside is currently frightful, you are now in the optimal position to think of camp in terms of words like “THIS,” “UPCOMING,” and “SOON.” You will arrive at 1687 Route 6 and enter through the gates THIS summer. You will attend line-up and eat B’s and D’s THIS summer. You will find out which Olympics team you’re on and which Tent is your Captain THIS summer. And your Frontier Week tribe will burn a rope with the most massive bonfire you’ve ever seen… You guessed it, THIS summer!

The anticipation of what’s to come is a huge part of the excitement surrounding camp. What bunk will you be in? Who will be your Unit Leaders? Will Scotty’s production of “Sponge Bob Square Pants” be even greater than the Broadway version? It can be difficult to wrap your mind around these questions at the start of the school year when you’re preoccupied with homework and extracurricular activities. Camp seems so far off. But with our feet firmly planted in 2026, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

THIS summer, we will paddle canoes and kayaks around the lake, play Magic in the picnic grove, sing Little Red Wagon at Friday night campfire, and swing through the trees on the Ropes course. THIS summer, some of us (this author included) will become Old Timers, while others will attend the ice cream bash for the first time. THIS summer, we will laugh and cheer together, and celebrate everything that makes Owego our home away from home.

So, with apologies to (and appreciation of) Mel Brooks, when will “Then” be “Now?”

SOON.

‘Tis the season for gift-giving, and thus the perfect opportunity to examine more closely the oft-used phrase: “The gift of camp.” We hear it from parents, alumni, key staff, and pretty much anyone who has ever been to summer camp. This phrase illustrates how we, as Owegans, are the beneficiaries of a priceless offering. Those who came before us and who possess the wisdom to understand the true value of camp, place this treasured keepsake in our hands and allow us to discover its magic on our own.

Camp is both a literal and metaphorical gift. As we grow and mature summer after summer, we come to understand what a privilege it is to attend Owego, whether for 3 weeks or the full seven. We are the lucky ones whose families send us to Greeley each June for a life-changing experience that many of our peers will never have. Aside from the obvious economic value of camp, there exists an abstract value on which we could never place a price tag. This is the metaphorical gift of camp. The one that lives deep within us and helps mold the kind of person we grow up to become.

Here are just some examples of the “gifts” we receive at camp:

1. The opportunity to disconnect from our electronic devices and connect face-to-face with both our friends as well as the natural world around us. At camp, we communicate with each other in ways that are personally fulfilling and fun!
2. The experience of living with our peers, which teaches us patience, responsibility, tolerance, and empathy. Anyone who has ever shared a bathroom with 13 other boys knows exactly how challenging it can be!
3. A feeling of belonging to an exclusive Brotherhood through songs and rituals, at a time in history when many of us have never felt more isolated and alone. At camp, we throw our arms around one another and become a collective force.
4. A safe space to try new things that we may be hesitant to try at home, for fear of judgement or mockery. At camp, we leave our images at the gate so that we can be whomever we want to be.
5. Connections with peers who are different from us, either culturally, religiously, ethnically, or geographically. The intense connections made at camp serve us well down the road as we encounter differences in the real world.

What’s unique about this list is that all of these “gifts” are experiential rather than material. You won’t find them under the Christmas tree or inside your Hanukkah stocking, but their value lasts long after the holiday wrapping paper is cleaned up off the floor. And they don’t require batteries!

Our holiday “wish lists” don’t typically include life lessons. Camp is the greatest gift because it benefits us in ways that are both obvious and also somewhat invisible. It is the gift that stays with us throughout our lives, and one that we never truly outgrow. This holiday season, when you are opening your presents, take a moment to reflect on how lucky you are to be a recipient of the greatest gift of all.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Having just celebrated International Camp T-shirt Day this past Tuesday, we march into the blustery second half of November dreaming of warm, daylight-soaked summer days. Memories of summer 2025 swirl around our heads like falling leaves as we patiently count down to the promise of what’s still to come in 2026.

Happy “225 days left ’til camp” to those who celebrate.

Although memories and warm thoughts serve us well in the darkest months of the year, we can’t forget about how camp continues to pervade our everyday lives even in the offseason. What may seem like a silly social media campaign to some is a collective call to the Owego Brotherhood, and a valuable way for us to connect with our “camp selves” no matter where we are geographically located. Camp T-shirt Day reminds us that we don’t have to look very far to be reminded of the magic of camp.

Attending college in Wisconsin? You can wear your camp shirt!

Going to grade school in New Jersey? You can wear your camp shirt!

Teaching in Missouri? You can wear your camp shirt!

Camp isn’t confined to the acreage behind the Owego gates on Route 6. It creeps out and follows us all over the world as we go about our daily lives. Camp in the wild is WILD! Have you ever bumped into your Frontier Week Chief at a bunkmate’s Bar Mitzvah? Hung out with a Unit Leader at a New Camper Event? Crossed paths with a counselor outside of camp and thought, “Wow, he’s just like me!” Believe it or not, it happens!

Walking through a parking lot, you might see an Owego magnet on the back of a car. Listening to Sirius XM on the way to school, you might hear “Cigarette Daydreams” or “The Roads.” Wearing your camp gear out in public, someone might stop you to say his cousin’s ex-girlfriend’s brother’s former roommate attended Owego in the 90’s. Believe it or not, it happens!

You are a part of an exclusive club, where members have the privilege of not just living “10 for 2,” but proudly displaying their profound connection to this special place 365 days of the year. We all exist outside the physical confines of 1687 Route 6. Although we return to camp each June and typically fall back into the familiar rhythms of summers past, we continue to carry the Owego torch throughout the school year.

Even on the darkest days when winter’s icy grip has us hunkering down and longing for a hot, sunny afternoon at the lake, we can open up Instagram and see the familiar faces in blue and white. We can schedule hang-outs with our bunkmates or arrange to ski Big Bear and swing by camp in the snow. You never know when you might have a serendipitous encounter with an Owegan in the wild.

In the meantime, wear your Owego shirts proudly and conjure up those camp vibes!

Summer 2025 drew to a close 2 months ago, and we currently find ourselves surrounded by the colors of fall and the familiar icons of Halloween. Pumpkins, skeletons, witches, and werewolves may dominate the decorations on our front lawns, but we can’t help thinking about our summer home where the costumes we wear may not be as flashy as the ones we’ll don on October 31st, but still serve as artifacts of a summer well-lived.

Owegans wear costumes every day at camp. While the Fourth of July and Owegoween are popular occasions for dressing up, and Scotty’s Shows always delight with the colorful and creative attire worn onstage, there are opportunities sewn into the fabric of our ordinary daily routines that allow us to step into another skin. From the moment we open our eyes until lights-out, we wear a multitude of costumes. Here are just a few of the ones in which you can find us during the summer months:

1. Morning line-up often calls for the “sleepyhead” costume: flannel pajama bottoms and hoodie sweatshirt pulled up over the inevitable bedhead. Some bright-eyed and bushy-tailed campers arrive at morning line-up fully dressed for the day, while others eat their Fruit Loops and French toast sticks in a state of semi-hibernation. No Crocs, of course, because every Owegan knows that you wear sneakers in the dining hall!
2. We cherish the time spent in the HBC or on the Upper Field in our “intercamp” costumes: LOC pinnie or official, shorts, and whatever accessories that game calls for: shinguards and cleats for soccer, cool LOC headband optional. There’s nothing quite like spectating at the basketball court or baseball diamond and seeing that wave of blue and white!
3. On lake days, we wear our “waterfront” costume: bathing suit, Crocs or slides, beach towels slung around our necks, life jackets fastened securely around our torsos. We stand at the top of the Wibit, embodying King of the Lake mentality as we survey the scene below. Some of us accessorize with oars or paddles, while others skip the water altogether and opt for a fishing rod and Wellies.
4. The “Olympics” costume becomes a staple of every Owegan’s wardrobe. During Olympics, we wear our camp-provided t-shirt in our team’s color. The design changes every few years, the colors vary from time to time (shoutout to pastel pink and heather gray!), but the same Olympic rainbow of Brotherhood spreads across camp for 3 days every summer.
5. On Friday nights, Owegans don their “campfire” costumes. Current Tents proudly display their long-awaited Tent shirts, while Key Staff and counselors from Tent years past wear their slightly-worn shirts with a mixture of nostalgia and bravado. We line up and march to the campsite in our mandated longs and longs, Crazy Creeks tucked securely under our arms.

This is just the beginning of an extensive list of costumes associated with our time at Owego. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a human banana or hot dog while walking through Pioneer Village. We wear these costumes with our heads held high, knowing that they are part of a much larger tradition. With a great costume comes great responsibility. You must embody the sprit of an Owegan, not simply look the part. When we pull an official over our heads for an out-of-camp trip, or trek through the woods in longs and longs while gathering sticks for Rope Burn, we manifest the essence of all the Owegans who came before us.

Happy Halloween!

Having departed Owego exactly one month ago today, with Summer 2025 in our rearview mirrors, we now find ourselves halfway through September and about to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Quicker than you can say “Ro-cham-beau!” we’ll be wearing Halloween costumes and carving turkey with our extended families.

As much as we say we’d like time to slow down, however, we know that every passing month brings us closer to Summer 2026…and CAMP!

In this first offseason blog post, let’s not wish away the next 9 months (yes, as of today we are living 9 for 2). Instead, let’s take a look back at the 7 weeks we spent together as Owegans. Let’s take a long look in that rearview mirror and reflect on what we accomplished, how we grew, and why the power kept going out.

Many of us came to camp for the first time this summer, while others became Old Timers and even first-time counselors. We all experienced the Owego Brotherhood in a multitude of ways — chanting in the Dining Hall on Friday nights, walking arm-in-arm to Olympics Closing Ceremony, shouting Little Red Wagon at campfires, collecting sticks for Rope Burn, crying while singing “Kansas City” as we waited for the Frontier Week judges to tally the final scores. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Brotherhood could be found in the quieter moments, as well. When we were playing Magic on the Senior Gathering Deck, laying in our hammocks next to our bunkmates, and playing ping-pong or Kan Jam in the Village during Rest Hour, we felt connected. It is that feeling of connection that makes camp, and Owego in particular, so special. Those moments, in that place, with those people, are what we will carry forward with us as we march through the school year.

Summer 2025 saw the return of many beloved staff members, as well as visits from some Owego legends. There was very little rain, except during Olympics when everything flooded and the power went out for 8 hours. We beat the heat a few times with buckets and hoses and pool parties. We had a few bears try to enroll as campers. Scotty’s Shows wowed the audience, the Senior/Hi-Senior trips went off without a hitch, and Rope Burn was one of the fastest (and hottest) on record. Close your eyes and remember. You can feel the heat, can’t you?

Now that the laundry is finished and the camp trunks safely stored away, we can focus on making the effort to stay in touch and get together when possible. Even when we can’t see each other face-to-face, we can text or chat, listen to our camp playlists, and look at the photos of what will surely be remembered as an epic summer.

Only 285 more days until Summer 2026. But who’s counting?

The worst thing about camp is that it ends.

The best thing about camp is that it never leaves you.

Early tomorrow morning, we will wake up, grab our backpacks and trash bags of “miscellaneous” items, and hop a bus or car or airplane home. June 28th seems like a distant memory, and yet the summer has passed by in a flash. Weren’t we just watching the staff talent show?

Many of us will start school soon. Some will head off to college for the first time, others will be attending a new school. By mid-September, we’ll be wearing hoodies and planning for Halloween. There will be a million things to distract us, but we’ll still think about camp.

When we hear someone say “6-7” we’ll think about camp. When we wear our Olympics or Polar Bears shirt, we’ll think about camp. When we eat Fruit Loops, we’ll think about camp. When we hear a particular song, we’ll stop what we’re doing and think about camp.

Some of us will be lucky enough to see our Owego Brothers over the course of the school year. The Bar Mitzvah circuit alone will ensure that our 7th graders maintain regular get-togethers! When you’re out in the real world, removed from the magic of camp, you long for the simple joys — playing Magic in the Grove during Rec Swim, making S’mores at the Friday night campfire, digging for worms by the lake. What you must remember is that these memories are accessible to you anytime, anyplace. When winter is pounding down with its icy chill, you can conjure up memories of being sweaty while running during Owego Raid or being sprayed with the hose during Beat the Heat.

Stay connected to your Owego Brothers in any way you can. Reminisce together via text (or whatever the kids are using these days). Laugh at your bunk’s inside jokes. Sing your Frontier Week song. READ THE BLOG! Follow the Owego Instagram. Wear your Owego shirts with pride. When people in the “real world” ask you about it, smile and know that you are a part of something extraordinary and special — and that other people would never really understand.

When you get home, please watch the First and Second Session videos on our YouTube channel, and relive all of the amazing moments from Summer 2025. When you’re missing camp, remember that Owego is as much a state of mind as it is a location off of Route 6 in Greeley. It will always be there for you.

This is the final blog post of Summer 2025. What was a daily narrative all summer long will now become a monthly ode to camp. And when you return to Owego in June 2026, the blog will be ready to report on all of the amazing things you’re going to do.

That’s all for now, folks.

On the second to last night of camp, we feast.

Well, it’s less of a feast and more of a regular camp dinner with lots of fanfare and awards. There is an atmosphere of silliness and fun, as we celebrate the summer that has passed and look forward to next summer. The Tents savor their final two days as campers, and use Banquet as an opportunity to shine. Simply put, they serve as our waiters, and they do one heck of a job!

There are 4 major examples of how this dinner is unlike any other dinner of the summer:

1. We are served appetizers! Everyone likes an hors d’oeuvre, and this year we had mozzarella sticks, pizza rolls, and mac and cheese bites. Fancy-shmancy!
2. As mentioned above, the Tents act as waiters! Each bunk was assigned its own Tent, to not only bring more appetizers, refill water pitchers, and pass out Chipwiches, but also to sit and eat with the bunk. It’s like inviting your waiter to dine with your family!
3. We take this opportunity to thank the people who help Owego run like a well-oiled machine. Kyle took the mic and thanked our health center staff and office staff (to thunderous applause). Then he introduced the most important people at camp: the food service staff! One by one, these outstanding gentlemen exited the kitchen and were met with deafening cheers and a heartfelt ovation. We all know how challenging it can be to feed a camp full of growing boys!
4. Entertainment is provided! Everyone looks forward to the presentation of the “Shellys,” tongue-in-cheek awards named after our former director (and Kyle’s Dad), Shelly Silver. The nominees in each category are announced, and the awards are given to campers and counselors based on inside jokes or stories from the summer. It’s all in good fun, and a real honor to win!

Speaking of Chipwiches…

While we enjoyed dessert, we journeyed back in time to relive the Tent years of our current staff. This year, we traveled all the way back to 2009 and started with Hi-Senior Head Counselor Jason Guss’ Tent chant. We proceeded through the years, until we reached the current Tents who performed their chant for the final time. Then it was time for the world premiere of next summer’s Tent chant. Our current 10th graders stood at the center of the dining hall and belted out the chant that we will be hearing every Friday night of Summer 2026! The torch has been passed.

After Banquet ended, the divisions headed back to bunks to throw on longs and longs and grab their chairs for campfires. Tonight’s campfires were the last of Summer 2025, and the chants and songs were recited with a little more spirit than usual. It was like everyone was trying to put it all out there and leave nothing behind. Why not give it all you’ve got, when you need it to sustain you for the next 10 months?

No need to be upset. Before you know it, we’ll be teaching new campers “Little Red Wagon” all over again.

The final day of Frontier Week is always a mix of mirth and melancholy. Tribes are pumped for the judging of campsites, and it’s “all hands on deck” for the final building and waterproofing of the shelters. On the other hand, there’s an acute awareness that only 3 days of camp remain. The light is changing, the night air is chilly, and Owegans have already begun to depart for home.

Still, the day dawned with more sunshine and a determination among Tribes to end this marathon with a strong finish. Breakfast was designated the “Silent Meal” of Frontier Week, a challenge to remain quiet even when the key staff is trying their best to make you lose your composure. Everyone entered the dining hall arranged by Tribe, in complete silence. Campers walked through the food line, as usual. Everyone started eating. The only sound was the occasional clanking of silverware or the squeak of a chair. The scene was like something out of Monty Python. There were Unit Leaders walking across tables, riding piggyback, and doing bizarre things with whipped cream. Key Staff shouted nonsensical phrases into the faces of campers just trying to enjoy their eggs and French toast sticks. While you were permitted to smile, you couldn’t laugh, chuckle, or chortle. It was the most peaceful meal of the summer!

About halfway through silent breakfast, Kyle announced that it was time for the Tribes to present their Cheers to be judged. In alphabetical order, the Tribes marched in from the porch and gathered at the center of the dining hall to recite the cheer that had been written this week. They clapped, they stomped, they repeated the Tribe’s name in a booming chorus. The cheers were judged based on originality, spirit of presentation, and togetherness. The full cheers were posted to our Instagram stories earlier this morning.

After inspection, Hi-Seniors reported to their Tribes’ campsites to further prepare for the official judging at 2:30. Juniors and Seniors gathered on the Lower Field for Medicine Man’s Mission, a scavenger hunt of sorts headed by each Tribe’s Med Man (a leadership position held by an 8th grader). Everyone was given a list of nearly 100 things to acquire for points. Some items were tangible objects (frisbee, 700-page novel, photo of a pet). Other items were activities (100 jumping jacks, painting a rock). Then there were acquisitions of information (Freedo’s top 5 Frontier Week songs of all time). Counselors were given their own list of items, which included a canoe from the lake and a full cubby from a bunk. In the hour allotted, Tribes must accumulate as many of the items as possible. The most elusive items are the ones for which only one exists. The first Tribe to borrow Freedo’s bike gets the point!

Everyone reported to campsites to work until lunch. Juniors continued to perfect their mini-sites, and older campers worked on stabilizing their structures and cleaning up the main site. After lunch, the campsite transformation continued. With just about an hour remaining before the judging began, the Tribes had to ensure that their waterproofing technique worked, that the site was cleared of all tools and debris, and that the shelter itself was large enough to fit the entire Tribe underneath.

Judging took place by a team of 5 Key Staff members, moving from site to site in the order opposite of last night’s meal judging. Campsites were judged in 3 major categories: Shelter (is the design creative/practical, can everyone fit underneath), Eating Area (is there a place for everyone to sit comfortably, is the area easily utilized), and Camp Craft Skill/Environmental Impact (strong lashing skills, stability, all equipment returned and debris cleared). The final results of meal and campsite judging would be revealed at tonight’s Final Flame ceremony.

Tribes worked on song prep leading up to shower hour, and then again immediately following dinner. The entire camp assembled at the Stage at 7:30. This was it. The last matchup of a 5-day battle. The Song Competition for Frontier Week inevitably ends in a puddle of tears, as campers young and old reflect on the summer and grow nostalgic for their younger days. The Tribes take the Stage one at a time, performing a somber song set to a popular tune. The lyrics reflect the values of Frontier Week, and the significance of the Owego Brotherhood. The performance usually includes a nod to campers who have not returned to camp, and acknowledges the impact of growing up at Owego and moving on from Owego. Hence, all the crying.

While everyone waited for the judges to calculate the final scores, there was more singing — this time to Frontier Week songs from the past. There was also more crying, as bunkmates threw their arms around one another, and younger brothers hugged older brothers. Campers sang Kansas City, Cigarette Daydreams, Head Full of Doubt, The Roads — you name it. They hit all the greats. And then the judges were ready to crown a champion.

Tribes paraded to the Upper Field, following their Chiefs. The Chiefs led the way, carrying the torches that had been painted by the Juniors earlier in the week. It was a full-circle moment, for sure. The bonfire raged and everyone formed a semi-circle facing the massive flames. Dave started by announcing the results of both the Tribe Meal and Campsite competitions. Then Kyle stepped forward and stood behind the six Chiefs. One by one, he tapped each Chief lightly on the back to let him know that it was time to extinguish his flame. First, it was Ponca. The Chief turned and proceeded to toss both his torch and his bandana into the fire. Next to go was Ticuna, followed by Potomac. And then there were three.

Kyle approached the trio, patting Lenape’s Chief on the back. Unami’s Chief and Ekota’s Chief looked at one another. Was this really happening? Kyle stood behind the two Chiefs, his hands hovering behind their backs. Ever so lightly, he tapped Unami. Their flame was extinguished. The final flame belonged to the Tribe of Ekota!

The members of Ekota erupted in cheers. They jumped up and down, elated over this unexpected turn of events. Ekota’s Chief was stunned. His Tribe rushed over to him and enveloped him in their hugs. It was a celebratory moment after 5 days of blood, sweat, and tears. All of the Chiefs came together and congratulated one another on a hard-fought effort. The accomplishments of every Tribe this week were truly remarkable.

Tomorrow, we sleep late. And we rest. We’ve earned this. Frontier Week may be over, but the flame will burn in our hearts long after the bonfire burns out.