Camp News

While we certainly miss our First Session campers who departed just yesterday, we wasted no time filling the empty space with an influx of Second Session Owegans as we kicked off the latter half of Summer 2026!

Campers arrived this morning by car, by bus, and even by airplane! We couldn’t wait to catch them up on all that has occurred these past 3 and a half weeks. The excitement was palpable as Full Session campers greeted old friends and became acquainted with new ones. While returning Owegans have a pretty good idea of what is still to come between now and August 13th, our new Brothers in Blue have seen only the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s a little taste of Second Session for campers arriving today who are new to Owego, as well as their families:

Second Session is like an out-of-control freight train in THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE! We begin with a typical daily schedule, with Choice periods and optional activities like Top Cooks and Top Golf in full swing (yessssss!). This weekend, we’ll host a Play Day for prospective campers on Saturday and Visiting Day for Full Session campers on Sunday. Post-Visiting Day, the Seniors and Hi-seniors will embark on their respective out-of-camp overnight trips. While they are away, the Juniors and Inters will play! Our youngest campers will enjoy Owegoland, a day of bounce houses, water play, and an awe-inspiring cotton candy machine! They will also participate in Switch Day with Timber Tops. Our boys spend the morning trying out activities alongside their counterparts at CTT, and the CTT girls spend the afternoon with us at Owego.

Further down the line, once the Tents have returned from the 100-miler (more about that at a later date), we will kick off Frontier Week with a spectacular bonfire and lots of pomp and circumstance. Campers will be assigned to a “Tribe” and will engage in 4 days of campsite clearing, shelter building, outdoor cooking, torch decorating, banner creating, and song performing — basically, a boy’s heaven on Earth! By the time Frontier Week wraps up (with another spectacular bonfire), we will be close to the end of Summer 2026.

Phew! It can be difficult to keep up with all of the action during Second Session, and that’s where this blog comes in. We will bring you updates on all things Owego several times a week, especially when a special event is taking place. Between the photos on CampMinder, the stories and reels on Instagram, and the insider scoop in this blog, you can rest assured that you’ll enjoy these next 3 weeks almost as much as your camper will!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have now reached the official halfway point of Summer 2026, with the transition from First to Second Session. On “Changeover Day,” as we call it, we bid farewell to those campers who are with us for First session only. Whether they leave by car or bus, we send these boys back to their parents and prepare to usher in a new group of Second session campers tomorrow. It is a bittersweet ending and simultaneously an exciting beginning.

This morning, everyone was moving in different directions. Our departing campers were up extra early, partly from the anticipation of being reunited with their families and partly for the logistical need to feed everyone breakfast and get the buses on the road in a timely fashion! The counselors whose tenure was ending stayed behind to ensure that all departing campers were in the right place at the right time, and that all of the bunks were sufficiently cleaned out to make space for incoming Second session campers.

All Full session campers and staff boarded school buses and headed to Kalahari Water Park for a day of fun in the sun! Before the buses left, however, friends and bunkmates took the time to say goodbye to those who were departing. It’s always difficult to say goodbye to our camp friends, whether it’s on Changeover Day or the last day of camp. At this point in mid-July, next summer seems a long way off. While we hope to connect over the 10 months of the school year, we acknowledge that life often gets in the way and prevents us from seeing our Owego kin as often as we would like.

I will leave our First session campers and staff with these words: We are so glad that you spent the past 3.5 weeks with us at Owego, as one of the Brothers in Blue. Hopefully, you tried something new like Ropes or Archery or even Waterskiing. Maybe you discovered a food that you will now ask your Mom or Dad to make at home. My younger son came home from camp once, after eating only beige foods for several summers, asking me to make Baked Ziti because he “like(d) it now.” You undoubtedly made friends with Owegans from all over the country, and engaged with counselors from all over the world! You learned the chants, sang the songs, and adopted the rituals. You are forever an Owegan. We hope to see you next summer, either again for one session or maybe even the full summer. We’ll be waiting for you!

For now, we will hold on to what remains of Summer 2026. And we will take to heart the words of the 90’s band Semisonic, who taught us that “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Bring on Second session. Here’s to new beginnings!

 

 

 

There are certain things you expect from a Scotty Myers production at Owego. Cameos by counselors and key staff, musical numbers that get the audience singing along, vibrant costumes, and lots of laughs. But a Christmas tree? Elves?? Santa??? Last night, the audience was treated to all those things and so much more, as “A Christmas Story: The Musical” premiered on Scotty’s Stage!

Pretty much everyone is familiar with the story of Ralphie, whose only Christmas wish is to be gifted an authentic Red Rider BB gun. Ralphie’s parents, teachers, and even Santa Claus  proclaims, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” In the original story, there is a leg lamp, a pink fluffy bunny suit, and a tongue frozen to a pole. In a Scotty Myers production, however, it’s the connection he draws to Owego that really captures the audience’s attention.

Last night’s show was no exception. In Scotty’s original script, adult Ralphie narrated the story of the summer he attended Lake Owego and wished for nothing more than to bring a little Christmas spirit to camp. The running joke throughout the script was that Owego is a predominantly Jewish camp, and everyone there wants Ralphie to embrace Hanukkah in the same way he has become fixated on Christmas. There was an appearance by Santa AND Hanukkah Harry, who sang an Owego-centric rendition of Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song!”

One of the highlights was the group of Juniors who played the youngest campers at Owego (some serious Method acting going on there). Their energy on stage was infectious, as they danced and sang their way through the story. The “6-7” joke went over particularly well with this audience! When they came out on stage dressed as Christmas elves and danced to  “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the audience’s cheeks no doubt hurt from smiling so much! The show concluded with a curtain call/sing-along to “Holiday Road.” Everyone had a blast, on and off stage, and that is a testament to Scotty’s talent and hard work!

The cast was, simply put, sensational! To have the courage to get up on stage in front of the entire camp and perform deserves major kudos. Whether the players are Juniors who have never before performed on stage, or older campers who regularly appear in camp productions, the talent was emanating from the stage! Between the acting, singing, and dancing, the audience was thoroughly entertained. Add in a bonus performance of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Kyle, Freedo, and Dave, and it was nearly impossible to sit still! The audience clapped and sang along. In a way, we were all a part of the show!

After the curtain call, the cast assembled in the dining hall for a post-show celebration. They were treated to a beautiful cake, baked special by our kitchen staff! Last night’s performance will be uploaded to our YouTube channel later this week, so everyone can continue to celebrate Owego Christmas through the end of July and beyond!

 

 

As the first half of Summer 2026 winds down, we reflect back on all of the moments we’ve shared over the past 22 days. July 4th celebrations, World Cup matches, trips to Costas, mornings on the Delaware River, bike rides with Freedo, and, of course, 3 days of Olympic glory! One experience in particular stands out for the way it has strengthened the bonds of Owego Brotherhood among old and new campers alike.

Our Friday night campfires represent the best of Owego traditions. Though we are divided into 2 groups (Junior/Intermediate and Senior/Hi-Senior), each divisional campfire is a time of togetherness. It is where we learn the songs and chants, make them our own, and eventually lead them. Hundreds of Owegans have come before us and have sat around the campfire, sharing the same stories and traditions.

Friday night campfires begin with a silent processional into the woods. Everyone brings a Crazy Creek or soccer chair and sets it up at Junior or Senior campsite. Song sheets are passed out. Various key staff/Tents/counselors take turns leading skits and chants and “routines” like Little Red Wagon. Aaaand…that is about all I can tell you. Partially because I have never felt comfortable “intruding” on the sacred Owego tradition that is Friday night campfire, and partially because I’m pretty sure that I’ll be shunned if I give away too many secrets!

Here’s what I do know: The campfire is a venue that allows campers and staff a chance to regroup after a long week and get on the same wavelength. We honor the Owegans who came before us by continuing the traditions that they started. We tell their stories. We participate in their rituals in the hopes that one day we can pass them on to the next generation of Owegans. We sit side by side with our bunkmates and friends, making S’mores and singing silly songs, and we belong.

 

 

 

 

The day following the Olympics finale is always low-key. Coming down from 3 full days of physical activity, intense competition, noisy cheering and chanting, and the emotional rollercoaster of rooting for your team to win, can be exhausting in and of itself! Thus, today’s late sleep could not have come at a better time.

Following breakfast and inspection (we still have to keep those cabins in tip-top shape), campers launched directly into a double-SFA period. Campers scattered across camp, enjoying the leisurely pace of the day. Some played pickleball, others shot hoops in the HBC. Many just wanted to play table top games and chill.

After 3 days of blogging about Olympics, from the break-out all the way to the closing ceremony, it’s a nice change of pace to write less about the details of the camp day and more about the general vibe at camp! In lieu of details, I’m going to tell you a story.

In the summer of 2016, a rising 3rd grader attended an Explorers weekend at Owego. Back then, Owego offered overnight “try-it” weekends for prospective campers, in addition to what we now call play days. The boy arrived at Owego with his parents, and eagerly ran off with the Explorer counselors and campers while his parents toured camp with Kyle. Within the first 2 minutes of that tour, the parents were ready to sign on the dotted line. When Kyle described Frontier Week as an opportunity for the campers to go out into the woods, cook food, and build shelters, the boy’s parents knew that Owego was the best camp for their son. Further evidence in favor of this conclusion emerged at the end of the weekend, when the boy talked about what an amazing experience he’d had even though it RAINED THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS THERE.

Fast forward 9 years.

That boy became an Owegan as a rising 4th grader, while his Mom joined the staff two summers later and his 6-year-old brother tagged along for the experience. All 3 of us are now Old-Timers.

The boy is now a second-year counselor in his 9th summer at Owego. As boys tend to do, he has grown into a man and graduated from high school. He will leave for college in a few weeks. I can say, without hesitation, that he would not be the person he is now had he not spent his summers at Owego. Owego has been a place for him to hone his sense of humor, to push himself beyond his comfort zone, to navigate challenging friendships, to advocate for himself, to stand up for others who are different, to learn how to pick out his own clothes, and to have the opportunity to be a leader. All of these gifts from his time at Owego will serve him well as he leaves the nest and starts the next chapter of his life in college.

Why did I share this story? Well, for the first time in 7 years, I’ll be spending the second half of the summer away from Owego. There is packing and moving and lots and lots of crying to do. The blog will continue, though it will go from being posted daily to whenever I can see well enough to type through my tears! As we transition to the next half of Summer 2026, I hope you’ll continue to follow along for the ride. There are so many exciting things still to come!

But we’re not finished with First Session just yet! We had a social tonight, campfires tomorrow night, Scotty’s show on Saturday, another sibling visit on Sunday PLUS the World Cup final, and divisional awards and a closing slide show on Monday. There is still so much to say, and you can count on this blog to be the place to say it!

 

The final day of Olympics 2026 was a hot one, but it was nothing compared to last summer’s rain and power outage debacle. We prepared to drink lots of water, slather ourselves in sunscreen, and take breaks from the intense sun. The Juniors were rocking their newly-laundered shirts, and the Seniors and Hi-Seniors smelled…well, Olympics-y.

The big morning event on Day 3 was the Ultimate Olympic Challenge, a relay race that involves every single member of the team, campers and staff alike. Everyone signs up for a leg of the race. While there are numerous opportunities to run, if that is your thing, there are other tasks that allow individuals to demonstrate their unique skill sets. You may be asked to sink a golf put, score a knock hockey goal, hit a basketball layup, or toss 3 bean bags onto the cornhole board. Once your leg is complete, you tag the next team member and away he goes!

Like yesterday’s camper triathlon, the finish line is a rainbow of Olympics shirts, all cheering on the competitors. The final leg of the race is run by the team’s Captain, holding the country’s flag. Once the Captain crosses the finish line on the Upper Field, he is greeted by hi-fives and pats on the back. Each team earns points based on its overall time from start to finish.

Once both heats concluded, everyone gathered at the team meeting areas for song practice. The countries needed to focus not only on learning the tune and lyrics to the song, but also on the presentation and performance aspect. The song judges take into consideration how clearly and emphatically the team members sing, as well as any special elements the team integrates into its performance. In past summers, teams have attempted to “tell a story” through their performances, or have held up signs with significant phrases. The stakes are high, as the song competition is worth a LOT of points and often tips the scales in one country’s favor for a strong finish to Olympics.

After a yummy quesadilla lunch, we enjoyed a much-needed rest hour. The campers were treated to a Counselor Triathlon, where different staff members from each Olympic country either swim, bike, or run to earn points for their team. That was followed by more song practice, and an all-camp rec swim. It was a perfect way to wrap up a busy, hot afternoon!

Dinner on the final night of Olympics is a special tradition at Owego, where teams sit together in the dining hall (rather than by bunk as usual) and enjoy a delicious meal of steak, fries, and Caesar salad. After three days of fierce competition, the hearty protein was a welcome sight! Campers replenished their energy and got ready to sing their hearts out! The countries were given one last opportunity to practice their songs after dinner. This was the time to get lyrics, enunciation, and projection perfected. With only one chance to impress the song judges, execution had to be as close to perfect as possible!

The entire camp assembled at Scotty’s Stage at 7:45, sitting by country. Dave took the stage and picked a scrap of paper out of a plastic cup. The first country to present its song was New Zealand, followed by Kiribati, Tuvalu, Samoa, French Polynesia, and Tonga. All of the songs were wonderful and so much fun to watch. They will be posted on our YouTube channel in the next few days!

When all of the performances were complete, the judges sequestered themselves inside Crockett to tally up the final scores. Each country paraded to the Lower Field for the Closing Ceremony. Teammates threw their arms around one another and Juniors hitched a ride on the shoulders of a few older campers. A rainbow-colored semi-circle formed in front of the Silverdome, facing the Olympic flame which burned brightly at the center. Dave stepped forward and thanked everyone for a successful Olympics, and commended the Captains and Head Coaches for a job well done! Then it was time to get down to business.

The Captains took their places facing the crowd. As each country was announced, its flag was unfurled from the Silverdome. Dave started by saying, “In fifth place…” and everyone looked around, confused. Weren’t there 6 total countries? There must be a tie! Exciting stuff! Fifth place went to French Polynesia (yellow). The tie for fourth place went to New Zealand (green) and Tonga (red). The bronze medal was awarded to Tuvalu (light blue). It came down to the final two countries : Kiribati (orange) and Samoa (purple). In the end, Samoa came out on top. The team exploded in cheers and rushed to embrace their Captain. They were the 2026 Owego Olympic Champions.

We had a wonderful 3 days, and we are so proud of our teammates and friends for all of the effort put forth during these Olympics. Sportsmanship was strong, spirits were high, and IT DIDN’T RAIN!!!

Now, we reunite as one complete camp. Brothers in Blue, through and through.

 

Day Two dawned with sunny skies, more humidity, and dirtier Olympics shirts. Not to worry — the Juniors/Intermediates will have their shirts laundered this evening, just in time to finish Olympics smelling fresh and clean! The Seniors and Hi-Seniors will continue to wear their shirts around the clock, as is Owego tradition. My own son, once an Olympic Captain and now a Head Coach, still has his Captain shirt from 2024 sealed in a Ziploc bag. It has never been washed (another Owego tradition). I’m thinking of sending it off to college with him this fall.

Following breakfast and inspection, we continued yesterday’s athletic match-ups with the Medal Round games in basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, Newcomb, and water polo. Basically, the teams who placed 3rd and 4th yesterday played for the Bronze, and 1st and 2nd played for the Gold and Silver. The final standings determine the number of points awarded to each country.

Once the Medal Games concluded, countries gathered in their meeting areas to start talking about the Team Song. In preparation for the final night, each team chooses a song and rewrites the lyrics to reflect the spirit of Olympics and the sentiment surrounding camp. The team members will practice the song over and over again, leading up to tomorrow night’s Song Competition at the Stage. Olympic songs are upbeat and fun, and they are as enjoyable to watch as they are to perform!

After lunch and rest hour, campers participated in individual events all over camp. Every member of a team must sign up for one event, and no one is permitted to compete in multiple events. This is everyone’s chance to shine! There’s a track meet on the Upper Field, a swim meet at the pool, kayak and canoe races at the lake, and such unconventional events as Archery, Extreme Golf, Pickle Ball, and Climbing Wall. Campers get the chance to demonstrate their strengths in a variety of ways!

One of the most enjoyable events to watch (but maybe not to participate in) during Olympics is the Camper Triathlon. All campers gather at the amphitheater by the lake to cheer on their team members who are competing. There are 4 total heats: one Junior/Inter from each country competes 3 at a time and then one Senior/Hi-Senior from each country competes 3 at a time. The first leg of the triathlon is a long-distance swim from the middle of the lake to the shore. Once on shore, the competitor must put on a shirt, socks, and sneakers — all while soaking wet from the swim — secure a bike helmet, and jump on a bicycle. The next leg is one lap around camp on the bike, followed by 2 laps running on foot. In case you’re wondering, I’m exhausted after just writing that!

The finish line is where the excitement really peaks. Each team’s head coach and captain typically run the home stretch alongside the competitor. The runner crosses the toilet-paper finish line and receives Gatorade and a hero’s welcome from his teammates! Several summers ago, both my kids were tasked with holding the ends of the toilet paper as the runners finished. It was the closest they’ve ever come to participating in a triathlon. What these camper triathletes are able to accomplish is nothing short of astonishing!

Immediately following dinner, the Medal Games for Bombardment and Kickball commenced. All Seniors/Hi-Seniors headed to the tennis courts and all Juniors/Intermediates headed to Danny’s Diamond. Each country had a chance to play one game to determine their final placement, 1st through 6th. In Bombardment, Tuvalu defeated French Polynesia to win the gold medal. Samoa earned the bronze. In Kickball, Tonga defeated French Polynesia for the gold medal, with New Zealand winning the bronze. There were lots of exciting moments in each game!

Everyone came together to end the day with a special treat: Watching the 2026 MLB All-Star Game! Our campers have been working so hard these past 2 days, that they certainly earned the right to be spectators! I wonder if the All-Stars on the screen know about the All-Stars we have here at Owego. Jordan Walker and Kyle Schwarber can sure hit home runs, but can they hold their own in the Owego Olympics?

 

 

 

 

 

 

When campers opened their eyes this morning, many wondered, “Was last night all a dream? Were there actually hacky sacks raining from the sky?” We’re happy to report that last night’s Olympic break-out was, in fact, NOT a dream. And the hacky sacks in question are now stored safely in the bunks. The process of getting dressed this morning was a bit more spirited than usual, with campers reaching immediately for their brand-new Olympics shirts. Then there were those campers who turned it up a notch. Face paint, headbands, beads…the spirit wear appeared out of nowhere and suddenly we were ready for some fierce competition!

After breakfast and inspection, the countries assembled in their respective meeting areas for planning purposes. Each Head Coach and Captain presented the day’s schedule to the rest of the team, pumping everyone up for the excitement ahead. Each member of the team plays an integral role in the country’s success. Everyone signs up for an individual event as well as a team sport. There’s something for everyone. Strong swimmer? There are pool races and water polo matches. Fast runner? There’s a track meet and an all-team relay with several running components. Agile climber? There’s even a Ropes course competition.

The morning was split up into two Pools: The three countries in Pool A (French Polynesia, Kiribati, and New Zealand) competed in various athletic matches like Newcomb, Basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, Water Polo, and Soccer, while the three countries in Pool B (Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu) played kickball (Juniors and Intermediates) or Bombardment (Seniors and Hi-Seniors). After lunch and Rest Hour, the Pools flip-flopped and headed to the activity in which they had not yet participated.

We held an all-camp Rec Swim to wrap up the afternoon’s events. It was a great opportunity to bring everyone together after some intense team competition, and a welcome chance to cool off from an active day in the hot sun! Shower hour, dinner, and SFA proceeded as usual, with campers remaining unified off the playing fields. The team competition resumed after SFA.

Tonight’s evening activity was Olympic Rings, which is a more cerebral event than the day’s physically strenuous match-ups. Olympic Rings is a rotation activity where each team has to complete a game or task at a specific location around camp in a set amount of time before the bell rings and they have to rotate. Six Olympics teams means six rotations. Each lasting about 10 minutes, the activities included:

— At Canteen, a fun game of Ring toss

— In Crockett, five simultaneous Running Radio activities, including dictating instructions on how to assemble a Lego set and guessing book titles based on context clues

— In the Silverdome, trivia with Scotty

— In the HBC, the Coach and Captain silently lead each team member through a maze of cones using only gestures until someone makes it all the way through

— In the Dining Hall, games of Crossword and NY Times Connections puzzles

— In the Picnic Grove, searching through a pile of books to locate team members’ names

Day One of Olympics was filled with exciting victories and tough defeats. More importantly, it was filled with good sportsmanship and team spirit. It’s always fun to win, but the real reward of Olympics is being an integral member of a team. Campers young and old unite to work towards a common goal, lifting each other up along the way. Every Owegan can feel pride today knowing that he contributed to his team in the best way he knew how. At Owego, each of us has something unique and special to give. Olympics encourages everyone to shine differently.

 

Sundays at camp mean bagels with smoked salmon for breakfast, the start of a fresh new week, and our weekly visitation with our siblings at CTT and PFC.

Sundays are also for breaking Olympics, so here we goooooooooo!

Campers and staff were enjoying a lovely Italian dinner (the Sunday gravy was especially on point, I might add), when things veered a little off course. Dave took the microphone to do his usual post-dinner announcements, when Hacky Sacks began falling from the sky.

Well, not exactly.

Several Key Staff had positioned themselves (safely) upon the dining hall roof, and were tossing hacky sacks onto the ground below. Once the air horn sounded, everyone knew that it was NOT a drill! Campers poured from the dining hall, shouting, “Olympics!” Some of the Juniors looked a little confused, but the older boys guided them in the right direction! The instructions were to head to the Lower Field.

Once the campers arrived at the Lower Field, they noticed hundreds of hacky sacks scattered across the grass. Upon closer look, each hacky sack was one of 6 different colors and had a specific camper’s name on it. The goal? To find your name and get an Olympics shirt in your team’s color. Was it chaotic? A little bit. But friends helped each other out, and everyone eventually had the correct hacky sack in his possession.

Once the teams were assembled, new shirts and all, Kyle welcomed the entire camp to Olympics 2026! The Olympic flame was paraded onto the field by last summer’s Camper Triathlon winners. The cauldron was ignited, and it was time for the fanfare to begin!

Dave took center stage and began to announce the countries, Captains, and Head Coaches. One at a time, he held up the flag, announced the country’s name, and disclosed which campers and counselors would lead the team. Lots of cheers and high-fives later, the teams were set. The teams for Olympics 2026 are: Red Tonga, Green New Zealand, Yellow French Polynesia, Purple Samoa, Light Blue Tuvalu, and Orange Kiribati!

All campers were sent back to bunks to get sneakers and water, then summoned to the Upper Field for the first official event of Olympics 2026: Bull Rush. In Owego’s version of “Sharks and Minnows,” groups of Juniors, Seniors, and Hi-Seniors from each team take turns running across the Upper Field, while counselors try to grab their flag football belts. Anyone who makes it across the field with his belt still intact, scores a point for his team. The results of Bull Rush determine the order in which the teams get to choose their indoor meeting areas. These 6 areas are used frequently during Olympics for strategy meetings, song practice, and morale boosting. Owego veterans take the choosing of the areas VERY seriously!

Tomorrow, we will begin the first of three full days of Olympic competition. Teams will learn cheers and songs, compete in a series of athletic games, participate in games of strategy, and — most importantly — cheer on their friends and teammates. Our goal is for every Owegan to walk away from Olympics saying, “That was a lot of fun.” For the next three days, we are divided into 6 countries. But no matter what color shirt we wear, deep down we are still Brothers in Blue.

 

Today was a changing of the guard, so to speak. A true “Sunrise, Sunset” moment in time. Owego hosted its first “Play Day” of Summer 2026, for prospective campers, and honored its new members of the “Old-Timers’ Club.” These two events represented an intersection of Owego’s future and its past.

Many of our current Owegans attended a Play Day at one time or another. Some of them even remember which counselors were assigned to the group on the day they visited! Designed as a “try-it” day for families considering sending their sons to Owego, our Play Days give parents and kids an accurate snapshot of a day in the life of an Owegan. The prospective campers engage in activities like tennis, ropes, swimming, arts and crafts, and basketball, eat lunch in our dining hall, and interact with our campers and staff. The parents are given a tour of camp, and hear directly from Kyle and Freedo what makes Owego so unique and remarkable. We hope that today’s Play Day is just a starting point for these boys, and that they become the future of Owego.

No future is possible, however, without a solid foundation rooted in the past. And it was with reverence for the past this evening that we honored the new first-session members of Owego’s “Old-Timers’ Club.” Starting with your third summer as an Owegan, you are welcomed into an elite group of campers who have demonstrated longevity at camp. Once you reach your seventh summer, you are celebrated with an official royal blue “Old-Timers” t-shirt which has your name emblazoned over the left chest. Seven-year campers are also invited to take part in the Old-Timers’ ceremony, where new inductees share their most memorable (and often hilarious) stories from their time at Owego. Achieving Old-Timer status earns you bragging rights. You can wear your shirt with pride, knowing that you directly contributed to Owego’s rich history and tradition. Your name will be stored in the archives of camp lore forever.

Camp is all about the old and the new. Old traditions, new facilities, old stories, new songs, old t-shirts, new swag. The seasons come and go. We are deeply grateful to the Old-Timers who have shown their love for and loyalty to Owego by returning to camp year after year. And we are excited to welcome the new generation of Owegans who are poised to carry the flame forward when the Old-Timers have long since departed. The camp journey is a lengthy, winding road, but all signs point to Owego.