The Black Family
Welcome, Future Camp Families! Lake Owego Camp is part of a camp organization that has been owned and operated by our family, the Black family, for over 90 years and 4 generations. It's one of America's oldest camps under continual ownership. Lake Owego's sister camp is Camp Timber Tops and it is affiliated with Pine Forest Camp for boys and girls, started in 1931 by Hughie and Selma Black.
Our Team of Directors
in alphabetical order
Jeff "Freedo" Freedman
Jeff started as a camper at Lake Owego Camp in the 1970's and since then, has gained over 20 years of experience as an independent boys camp director. Prior to entering the camp world, Jeff was a lawyer for the NCAA. He was also a competitive tennis and basketball student-athlete in college and received All-American accolades. He has a passion for youth and what camp can provide for them and feels that camp is the best place in the world for a boy to spend his summer.
Kyle Silver
Kyle started camp at Lake Owego in 1990 and has been here ever since! As a former LOC basketball counselor, Athletic Director, Unit Leader and Head Counselor, he has worked his way up the ranks to become one of our Directors. After 23 years as a middle school educator and administrator, as well as a high school soccer and basketball coach, he now works as a Camp Director year-round! Kyle met his wife, Leigh, at camp years ago. We're proud to have Leigh on our team as our Medical Director and their daughters at Camp Timber Tops, our sister camp. For Kyle, thinking about camp year-round is a dream come true.
Director Emeritus, Shelly Silver
Shelly has been in education for 40 years, the last 11 as an elementary school principal at East Brook School in Park Ridge, New Jersey. He began his teaching career in physical education and coach in New York City. As a high school basketball coach, he won two city championships with his team participating in state finals. He has been in camping for over 35 years and is the author of The Smart Parents' Guide to Summer Camps. Shelly also authored "Athletic Energy for Academic Power," published in The New York Times Sunday Sports.
