Andy Pritikin Interview, from U.S. 1 Magazine

Where were you born and raised?

Born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Caldwell, NJ. Hence, my affinity for the Mets, Giants and Nets- Sorry Philly Phans!

What did your parents do professionally?
Mom is a nurse and eccentric world traveler (currently in the Australian outback), father is a CPA in NYC.

How did you end up going to camp?
One day my Dad came home from work and told me and my brothers that he had a new client- a Camp Owner, who owned a beautiful sleepaway camp up in the Bershires. My Dad was born and raised in Brooklyn, went to camp for ONE SUMMER, for ONE WEEK- and it was the greatest week of his childhood. He always promised himself that if there was any way he could send my brothers and me to Camp, he would. We were given a deal at one of the most high-end camps in the country, and it was the two greatest summers of my childhood- Waterskiing, playing tennis (two things I’d never done) and living in a bunk with a group of new friends- amazing experiences.  Plus the spirit and community of Camp- something I had never imagined.  I’m a strong believer that it helped me out in my transition at college, and helped make me the person I am today.

What was your career path and how did you become a professional camp operator?
I was a professional musician, won on Star Search, was on the radio/TV- and was working as an instrumental music teacher (band director) in Wall Township and South Orange/Maplewood- while gigging until 2am with my band in NYC.  It was quite an exciting (and exhausting) life.  When my band broke up in around 1995, I cut my dreadlocks off (seriously) and considered getting my administrative degree, and becoming a principal. At the same time, I was working during the summers at a Camp in North Jersey that was part of a group of eight of the most successful, high-end camps in the NY/NJ Tri-State area. These people convinced me to leave my tenured teaching job, and at 27 years old, work alongside some legendary-to-be Camp operators and leaders of the American Camp Association. I had just bought a house in North Jersey, and my wife was pregnant with my daughter- but I took the plunge, and never looked back.  I was the director of North Shore Day Camp in Glen Cove, NY for 4 summers, and started Liberty Lake Day Camp in 2002, which is just down the road in Mansfield Township, NJ. At the same time, I ascended up the ladder of the American Camp Association, as a Board Member for the past 15 years, and the Professional Development Chair- overseeing the many conferences we have throughout the off-season, including the largest gathering of camp professionals in the world- The Tri-State Camp Conference in Atlantic City, every March. Starting in 2014, I will be the President of the NY/NJ Affiliate.

Would you elaborate on your work as a musician, how that developed, and if that work supports you off season?  And is the camp a year-round occupation?
Besides performing with Absolut Drama on Star Search on 1991, local radio and TV, and playing most every medium sized venue in the late 80s and early 90s in and around NYC, my Jazz group, Brilliant Coroners, had been together since the early 90s, and played throughout NYC, including the Blue Note (which I personally rank higher than my Star Search appearance.)  I was also in an amazing Pink Floyd cover band called Interstellar Overdrive, which performed 3 hour epic Pink Floyd shows, with lasers, floating pigs, etc. I officially retired from performing about 6 years ago- as my Camp career, and my family took over my life- including starting a second Camp up in the Boston area two years ago. I have a piano and a studio at home, but my big musical thing is what goes on at Liberty Lake- We are truly the “Camp of Rock”, as we employ a stable of great musicians, teach all the rock instruments, singing and even Rap. We have rock band classes, and the kids get to perform every Friday at our Lakeside Amphitheater in front of 600+ campers and 200 staff. There’s nothing like watching a band of 12 kids get up in front of everyone and perform “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or such- with many of the kids learning how to play just that summer!  Every Friday assembly ends with a rousing rendition of “The Liberty Lake Song”, which you can find on YouTube- which brings the house down. 20 years as a performing musician- and that song is probably the best song I ever wrote!

While you run a day camp, you mentioned the importance of overnight camps. Are you considering expanding your operations to overnight?
Yes, I am- I feel that there is a great market right now for SHORT SEASON (1-3 weeks) Resident Camps.  While I went away for the entire summer as a child- there are only a handful of camps left that do that, as this generation of “cool parents” actually WANT to spend time with their kids- plus 50% of parents are divorced/separated and want to be with their kids during their allotted weeks/weekends.

How many staff members do you employ during the year? High season and off season?
During the summer we have 200 employees. In the off-season, we have 5 full timers, and 4 part-timers. Remember that we have to register 1000 campers, hire 200 staff, book 100 picnics/special events, take care of 60 acres of property, run the NJ Renaissance Faire- This is no small operation. One thing about staff and camping- Summer Camps are a HUGE employer of youths and teachers during the summer months. And as we are currently experiencing the worst percentage of “youth unemployment” (ages 16-24) since they started keeping records 60 years ago. While the recession has made operating a Camp more challenging- Hiring quality staff has been better than ever, with a huge pool of applicants- enabling us to truly raise the bar of expectations.

What is the toughest part of running a camp?

Most of my non-camp director friends tell me “I wish I could have your job”- Outside playing with the kids, giving inspirational speeches to the staff, etc. But once they hear about the responsibilities and stress that I have to manage, they quickly change their mind. The wide range of behavioral issues of campers (and their parents), managing modern days teens and 20-somethings, school buses, pools, lakes, regulatory agencies, township zoning/planning boards, rain storms, heat waves- I could tell you stories that would make your head spin. Our former security guard was a high ranking military officer in the South Pacific during the Korean War, and he used to shake his head at me during the summer and say, “I wouldn't do your job for all the tea in China!”  For me, the positives outweigh the stress and challenges. I get to see little kids grow up into contributing members of society, I meet hundreds of great new people every year, and I am seen by my camp families in a way that people often view their pastor or their rabbi- as a youth development professional, and a partner in their children’s upbringing. It’s a tremendous opportunity to contribute to so many lives, each and every year- which I take it extremely seriously, and my Camp families know and appreciate that.

 

CAMP: A Transformative Summer Experience!

Remember when Summer was so simple?  

We’d wake up, Dad would already be at work, Mom would be home, and we would spend our days outside- in the streets, backyards, parks, and pools. In today’s world, our kids have so much more to distract them- Hundreds of TV channels, limitless internet, iPods/Touches/Pads/Phones/etc, xBox Live, and of course, central air! Yet these wonderful technological advances create a void of life skills that come from the old time basics. Instead of learning life by exploring outside, kids are learning life through their multiple SCREENS. Instead of scraping their knees and learning life lessons, technology indirectly shelters them from reality. And we know what they are watching on their screens: sex, violence, and commercialized exaggerations of real life.  How can we give our kids the childhood experiences and life skills that we learned?  One word: CAMP!

So put on your shorts, pack your bathing suit, lather on the sunscreen, and leave the electronics home! Camp is a step back in time, to a simpler time when if it rained, we got a little wet. Choices we made had repercussions, because our parents weren’t lurking over our shoulders. And we learned how to socialize and make friends, because our relationships weren’t based on texting, “liking” photos, and accumulating Facebook “friends” (acquaintances). At Camp, young people learn how to actually talk to one another, relate to older and younger people, and learn the life skills that top colleges and employers are looking for in the 21st century.

What are 21st Century Skills, you may ask?  They are NOT computer programming and technology skills, nor the “3 R’s,” which most schools’ standardized tests are based on. They are the skills and competencies required to work with people, so that issues can be resolved quickly, and tasks can be tackled and conquered efficiently. Check out p21.org and see how the top corporations and education organizations have come together to identify the essential skills relevant in today’s world. By the way, there is a wonderful place where millions of kids continue to gain these skills every summer… CAMP!

So while most schools still focus on reading, writing and arithmetic- Camp is experiential education in what the p21 organization calls “the 4Cs” - Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity.  These are social and behavioral skills such as Work Ethic, Communications, Teamwork, Collaboration, and the #1 DEFICIENCY amongst young people: LEADERSHIP! Most young people (who don't attend Camp) would rather follow than lead.

Camp is more relevant and important than ever before. According to the CDC, 17% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are considered obese, and of course they are, spending their lives indoors, in front of screens. The Kaiser Foundation found that our teenagers are in front of screens (TV, computers, tablets & smartphones) for 52 hours per week!  Tweens and Teens are sending an average of 60 text messages per day, and spending an inordinate amount of time updating Instagram, Facebook, etc. Young people may feel that they are super-connected, but they are actually less connected than ever. Less close friendships, less “face to face” social skills, and less capable of coping with the challenges of life.

The American Camp Association conducted a study with over 7600 campers from over 80 camps to gauge the outcomes by their summer camp experiences. Parents, staff, and children all reported significant growth in: Self-esteem, peer relationships, independence, adventure and exploration, leadership, environmental awareness, friendship skills, values, decision-making, social comfort, and spirituality. These are life skills, which transform children into successful adults, and contributors to society who are inspired to one day change the world.

Summer Camp is a transformative experience, where children find their passions for life, make lasting friendships, and feel that their potential is limitless. So get your kids outside, away from the computers, TVs and Smartphones- Let them get all kinds of hot, dirty and sweaty at Camp this Summer- They will thank you for it now and later!

Andy Pritikin, January 2013

Published this Winter in the Asbury Park Press, The Courier Post, South Jersey Magazine, U.S. 1, Princeton Packet Publications, South Jersey Mom, and various online sources.  

For more articles by Andy Pritikin, check out: http://www.libertylakedaycamp.com/content/articles-andy

Liberty Lakers Helping Out the Troops!

Brandi Carnivale has worked at Liberty Lake for 13 years (yes, we know that this is LLDC's 12th summer).  Starting as a 19 year old group leader to a specialist, to division leader, "special ops," program director, teen leadership founder and director, assistant camp director, to now my "right hand woman" - While Brandi is often accused of being an optimist, a hippie, a dreamer, etc. (all accurate), she has done a TON for LLDC, and continues to do so.

As one of the founders of the Liberty Lake Foundation, she is always looking for ways to give back to those less fortunate, and recognize those who are forgotten.  Her annual "Unity Day" has been terrific the past few years- We've planted a beautiful flower garden around the flagpole, built a multi-colored brick road through our new "Turtle Town", and this past year each of our 50 groups of Campers created 50 beautiful blankets for the troops in Afghanistan- it was quite an undertaking, and it worked!!!

We purchased fleece material in red, white & blue patterns, and each group spent time making their blanket- cutting fringes all the way around both pieces of material and then attaching the pieces by tying knots until completely together and fringed on all sides.  After tying the blankets, each camper took time to write a personal message or draw a picture for our troops to show their love, appreciation and admiration!  We displayed the blankets for the camp families to see during our Family Night- It was quite a sight!
The blankets were donated to the men and women at the Fort Dix/ Maguire/Lakehurst Mega Base, and were given to soldiers who were deploying to Afghanistan just before the holidays- choosing to fight for our country in the desert during the holidays, while we opened presents with our families in our warm houses.  The blankets were so popular upon their arrival that Barbara had to hide them to make sure that the soldiers earmarked to receive them actually did!  It turns out that the evenings are quite FREEZING in the desert, and that our LLDC handmade blankets served a tremendous purpose for the soldiers IMMEDIATELY, upon first night there.
The Base issued LLDC a certificate of appreciation, with numerous hand written thank you letters from the soldiers, and a sign with a picture of the troops which they signed and decorated (below).  I can not tell you how moving this tribute is- It's the kind of thing that you would see being sent TO the soldiers, and they sent it to US!!! 

From: Brenner, Barbara V CTR (US) 

Date: Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 2:40 PM

Subject: Blankets to Fort Dix (UNCLASSIFIED)

To: "bc@libertylakedaycamp.com"

Brandi, I wish you could have seen the faces of the Soldiers as they each took a blanket for themselves as they are getting ready to leave for Afghanistan.  For them it was an early Christmas and the gift was very welcome.  They felt important knowing how much they are appreciated.

Thanks, Barbara

Thank you Brandi for coming up with this idea, thank you to the Liberty Lake Team for making it happen last July, and thank you to the Liberty Lake Campers and Teen Leadershippers for actually doing the work, which means so much to so many important people- our friends, neighbors and relatives who are putting their lives on the line so that we can have happy, normal lives with our families in our homes.

The Liberty Lake Foundation was created to give camp scholarships to those in need, and create partnerships with schools and other local youth serving organizations.  This fall, we received $1200 from two Liberty Lake COUNSELORS who were former campers- dedicating part of their salaries towards giving a 2-week scholarship to a lucky camper in 2013- Thank you Gabe and Hallie Wilmes- We are blown away by your generosity!!!!!

For more information on the Liberty Lake Foundation, go to www.LibertyLakeFoundation.org

160 Days 'til Camp!!!

LLDC Families Surviving Hurricane Sandy

Thank you to the hundreds of Camp families who responded to our "How are you faring" Email yesterday.  While many have regained power in the homes, and many have not, it was very positive to read how well the kids were adapting, as well as the heroic stories of families traveling to "rescue" relatives (or even strangers) who were in danger.  At Liberty Lake, we lost a lot of big trees (and will replant) as well as our new greenhouse (too sad to show a picture of).  

One common question was "How can we help those in need?"  Well, besides contributing to the red cross directly, one of our veteran staffers Leanne Summers created a T-Shirt to help "Restore the Shore" - Check out this link.  For more updates, check out our Facebook fan page as well.  Enjoy the positive energy below from our beloved Camp Families:

Big Tree at Point made a BRIDGE across Crafts Creek- Should we Keep it?

Our power went out Monday at 7:15 and is still out. We are fortunate that we bought a generator about 5 years ago because we live on the Delaware and are prone to flooding. We have been using our generator to keep our life as normal as possible. As we speak the kids are drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie on Netflix. Our biggest issue is no heat. Luckily blankets and warm drinks keep us as warm as possible. Hope other camp families are doing okay.  Stay safe! Jennifer

FROM LONG TIME CAMP FAMILY THAT LIVES AT THE SHORE-

As you know, we live in Forked River but we were very lucky that our home was spared and no damage came to us. We only lost power but we had hot water and gas stove top to keep us going. We got our power back Thursday morning and I am back at work today. The boys don't have school until Monday so they are very happy with this little school break. My neighbors right behind me were not so lucky, the main road (E. Lacey Rd.) that leads to the marina flooded and many restaurants, tiki bar and docks were destroyed. I know that we will all be the better for this, because of the many people who have been so giving and caring in this time of need- This is the true silver lining that will come of the devastation- Stay safe my friends!!!

Andy and LLDC family, My prayers are with you and your family. I know what’s most trying in times like natural disasters, but family time is so important too.  We’ve hunker down in living room where the steam from spaghetti pots heat the house. The warmth from our large dog keeps us comfortable with body heat. Last year, we anticipated a lot of snow and bought a generator. Thank goodness there’s still gas stations with working pumps even though there are down trees and power outage across Pemberton. Even the military base lost power due to a transformer blew on Monday night. We are still without power here. Over the weekend, my husband was at golf tournament in New York and had to deal with traffic northbound from evacuee on the coast. But was able to find shelves not yet empty of water, batteries, & extension cords. Thankfully he bought a sweatshirt for each of us as a golf souvenir. Yes, we’ve turned off our Iphones, shut down the computers, and there is no TV. Just a portable radio, board games (J. loves chess and checkers) doing our yardwork. I’ve cleaned out both refrigerators and instead of watching TV the kids went trick o treating last night on base. Ft Dix has power restored. J. is playing shadow with flashlights and hide and seek in the dark. Both kids love the black-out but are freezing due to the lack of heat. I am just glad that the basement isn’t flooded, the cars weren’t demolished by down trees, and the house is still standing with just a window’s shutter that flew off and hit our fence. And kids didn’t have to sit in the storm waiting for the school bus Monday. Thank you for reaching out. We are a bit out of touch with the rest of NJ due to the lack of power and cable service. I keep chatting with neighbors and co workers to see how they made out in the storm. Take care, Sarah

Thank you for the note.  Just another example of the type of person that you are, which is reflective in the heart and culture of Liberty Lake.  I am grateful for the day that I saw your Ad and visited the open house.  The S. family is doing well.   We never lost power, but our neighbors across the street did, so they are happily using our generator.   My Mom on Long Island (89), didn’t fare as well.  She refused to come my way before the storm.  Her house had damage and no power (All electric including heat)  I was able to get there yesterday and bring her back to NJ so all is well.  If you or your family need help in any way please let me know.  J.

Thanks for your message.  We was on the LLDC website yesterday, trying to find out how the camp made it through the storm.  It sounds as if things could have been much worse than they are, thank goodness.  We hope Justin is doing well and are glad that your family has power again.  We were without power for 27 hours and enjoyed candle light meals (fortunately, we could cook on the gas stovetop) and, of course, board games (specifically Monopoly and Trouble, as well as card games).  We also took advantage of the daylight hours to do some much-needed painting in our house (I bought paint on Sunday, in anticipation of losing power)!  You probably heard E’s scream of happiness when the power suddenly came back on Tuesday night!  We were just getting ready to break down and light a fire for warmth, so the timing couldn't have been better.  We cleaned out the refrigerator/freezer yesterday, so that's done. I understand from Brandi's note that tomorrow night's LLDC Teen Event has been postponed, so we look forward to a reschedule of that and definitely plan to attend.  And like you, we are horrified at what destruction has hit NYC and the Jersey shore.  It will be a long road back for many people who are much less fortunate than we are.  Thanks again for your message, and we hope to see you soon!

 L & E

 The F’s got their power back last night around 9 pm. We had a tree top come down in our backyard landing in the 1 spot I would hope, missing the kids swing set our fence and most importantly our house.  I will miss the games of uno and monopoly though, and the family candlelight dinners. I hope everyone else fared as well as us.  M

Andy, Thanks so much for your kind and caring words. We were on of those without power for 30 plus hours and made the most of it. We had no damage other than a section of fence blown down thankfully. That was such an eloquent heart felt email. I will be sure to tell my son that you, and his counselors were asking about him today. I personally am about to leave Burlington with my boat in tow, myself along with a few others have collect 20 some cases of water 2 generators various food items as well as assorted batteries and extra flashlights. We will be leaving the main land side of Barnegat City and motor across the Barnegat bay to deliver much need supplies to some of the residents there without power and phone lines. There is no access in or out by vehicle as the roads are covered with debris. Thanks again for your concern !!
  J.

The Lake was calm on Tuesday- No Flooding- Phew!!!

This was one of the classiest notes ever. Thank you so much for thinking of all of us – just shows the heart behind the camp!  No power but praying dearly for it today.  Glad you are well and your family is well. We continue to keep your son in our prayers!  K.

Thanks Andy. We were lucky. We never lost power! Unfortunately, I work in NYC so I haven't been able to get into the city all week. Some may not see that as a bad thing right? :-) Kind of an extra week of vacation though because I have connectivity, I could work (shhhhh...that's a secret) Seriously, thank you so much for your concern and offer of help. I know lots of folks were not as blessed as I was and were happy to know there was some additional support out there.  I'm glad you now have power and life can start getting back to "normal". Take Care.

Hi Andy, It was nice to hear from you and we are glad you have managed through the storm.  We only lost power for the better part of 2 days and no damage except some more leaves and branches than usual.  Having this electronic-free time allowed us to actually eat dinner at a decent hour and there was no TV on to distract us from our conversations.  Our hearts and prayers were given to those less fortunate and in looking at the pictures – sadly there are many.  All said it was a little colder in the house than usual – now if I put it to 64 it seems like summer – but our spirits were never down – we even had a wager on to when the power would come on – we could have made it for how long the power would be out but that is not positive thinking. H. was bummed I won – no money or favors were exchanged it was just for bragging LIGHTS!  We will think about purchasing a generator in the future – that could be a good investment.  This gave us an excuse to clean out the fridge and buy new salad dressing – the only thing we lost in the freezer was ice cream and that makes the dieting easier.  If you are ever in need of an extra set of hands for clean up or to move things – please let us know – I am not that much of a craftsman but I can hold my own with most tasks. Thanks, The B. Family

Hi Andy – thanks for the note; the J. family is good. We lost power for about 19 hours – which is nothing compared to what others are going through.  It’s been a long week for DJ, working since Sunday – but he’s been coming home for dinner/rest before heading back in each day. The kids welcomed the three days off from school – and it was nice to see them use their creativity to keep busy. My parents and brother are in Little Silver and Oceanport, near the Monmouth County shore – declared disaster areas, but luckily they are all OK. No power, but OK. Trying to get them to come down here, but my dad recently had hip replacement surgery, so they want to stay home where he’s more comfortable. I will be heading up there tomorrow with gas to replenish their supply for the generator. Growing up at the shore, I’m hearing the areas we ‘played’ in are devastated and have simply washed away. Our old stomping grounds of Sea Bright, Sandy Hook and Long Branch will never look the way I knew them, but I’m sure they’ll rebuild, in time.

We are fine over here and have electric. Our house is surronded by tall mature Oak tree. We sweated out the night sleeping downstairs in makeshift tents. Woke up to gigantic tree limbs in the front and back yard.  No falling trees !  We are very blessed. If there is anyone in the Lawrenceville area that might need some help just let me know.  Chef John & Family

We are right here in Columbus/Mansfield. We made out very well in the storm, thankfully, with only minor damage and only 3 days of no power, water or heat.  My heart often turned to Liberty Lake and the devastation it might suffer at the hands of Sandy. I am not a praying woman but I did this time. For the camp and for your family and for the other families out there who may not have been as lucky as we are.  Thanks for checking in and continuing to show, through your actions and words, what an amazing place/family Liberty Lake is.  Take good care,  K, T & E

We are back at work & the kids are at school today, though so many people in the area are still w/o power the parking lots here in Trenton are pretty empty. We were lucky, our home is fine, our trees are fine and we were able to borrow a generator for a few hours to keep the refrigerators running and cold.  Phil was crazy busy w/ the fire dept and our local OEM.  He's still a little sleep deprived, but back at work too.

Yes, old fashioned ways to stay busy. While P. was out w/ the fire dept on Monday & Tuesday, the kids & I played scrabble and the original trivial pursuit by candle-light.   CP

We have been been without power for days but are blessed with friends that have big refrigerators and extra beds.  We are lucky and are glad to hear that everything is holding up rather well on your end. All the best, Michelle & family

The W. Family is alive and kicking. Just a few down trees and no power for 2 days. Basically, nothing to complain about.  Please let me know if you are going to collect food, clothing and othe things to help out the less fortunate. I will help in any capacity that I can.  Thank you for your concern and we are still praying for your son.  We get great compliments about our orange Justinsanity shirts, especially now in the fall.

The Cedar at the Vista snapped in half

Thank you very much for your email!  Our family is okay; we were only without power and some damage to our roof, so we feel fortunate. I know how busy you are, but please let us know if you are taking monetary collections for families affected by this tragedy as we will be happy to help.  I hope your family is ok and your son is doing well.

Thank you very much again, Margaret 

Your email brought tears to my eyes. During difficult times, is often when we are reminded most, how fortunate we are. We are living in an amazing community surrounded by so many loving, kind, generous people!  The B’s are FINE! We definitely had our Guardian Angel watching over us. We didn't lose power, direcTV didn't lose its satellite, and not a single shingle is missing on our roof! As NJ and NY clean up from the devastation, I can't help but think about how life can surely change in an instant!  So grateful that my children have shared in the Liberty Lake Camp experience! Thank you and your family for providing my children with memories that will last their lifetime! If there is anything we can do to help at camp or at your home, please ASK!

Thank God we are ok, with no damage and only lost power for 12 hours. A & M both went back to school on Wed. and Hamilton is still closed. On Wed. I had to go pick up my son from Rutgers because 3 of the 5 New Brunswick campuses were under water and without power. He was on a campus that was without power for a day but otherwise safe. The school asked parents to pick up their children if possible so the two dining halls are able to handle everyone. Classes are cancelled until Monday.

Glad to hear your power came back on!  We were extremely lucky and managed to NOT lose power.  BMS is finally open today so I’m back at my desk, although it still feels strange as the parking lot is mostly empty.  Moorestown schools are still closed.  Even though I knew Halloween was moved to Monday, I still faithfully put a bowl of candy next to the front door yesterday.  The doorbell did ring once, but it was just friends, not trick or treaters.  I gave them candy anyway J  Hope all is well and life is getting back to normal. HM

Thanks so much for your message. Glad your power came back on. Ours was off in Burlington for 42 hours. It came back on yesterday around 4:30 pm. We are thankful for everyone that is working around the clock to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Our son Antonio has been asking about camp every day since last week before Sandy came through. We appreciate the updates you’ve been posting. We are lucky to have only lost power. We still have a home and we’re all safe. The devastation at the shore is heartbreaking and unimaginable.  Hope you and your family remain safe.  Wendy

Please let us know if we can help with water, food, batteries etc. to families who my reach out to you as we are grateful and to have experienced only minor loses compared to many.

Hi Andy, What an uplifting note to receive.  Thanks for that.  Just want you to know we are all fine and surviving without Electricity since Monday.  The boys stayed with some friends who have electric and heat last night. They had a great time the first 2 nights without power, I was surprised at how they used their resources and played games and hide & seek. E, W & I stayed at the house with the dog.  But have been hanging with our neighbors until bedtime, who have a generator and heat. Praying for electric soon, but they are saying not until Monday or later.  So we will see. Thanks for the note.  Looking forward to summer already?  Yes I am!  Take care and be safe.

Heidi

We got our power back on in Burlington twp 2 nights ago. Lots of family has come to stay. Please let me know if anyone needs any supplies or if we can help in any way. Glad you are all ok and my kids can't wait for summer!  Jennifer

We came through the storm just fine, fortunately. You are correct to pray for those who have lost so much...but also jump into action, lend a hand, or simply a shoulder that someone can rest on. God Bless you Andy for caring and all you do. BOB

We are still without street power. We have been running the generator one hour on, four hours off since 7:30 pm monday. We have propane for cooking inside. They grilled outside last night--a nice change from canned food. Mark pulled out the Magic cards and attempted to teach his Dad how to play. When he tired of reading, he rediscovered Kerplunk and other games.

Some chipped benches, but that's it!

I, like you, did not see the pictures until today when I went back to work and was overwhelmed with sadness that so many people are hurt, have lost so much and for all of us, a part of out childhood has literally been washed away.  Robbin 

Doug learned to play Monopoly. lol   All in all, no problems here but we see how many others were not so lucky!

We are doing ok; everyone is fine. We have no power and have been "camping" in the house as are many others. The most recent update from PSE&G is to receive power sometime before midnight on November 9. I liked your mention of the word "grit" - we heard a homily a few weeks ago about the fact that we didn't necessarily need GPS in our lives, but, rather, we needed more GPT- Grit, Persistence, and Tenacity. I'll be reminding the boys of that when they wake up soon. 

Take care, The Z's 

There is never a day when H. doesn't talk about camp and we actually played a lot of indoor games that he learned at camp during the storm. Thank you so much for your email, With best regards, P, M & H

Dear Andy and Liberty Lake Family,

From Spain we'd like to send you all our strength and support in these tough times. As we have been seeing the images of the disaster on TV, we were thinking about all of you fearing the worst, because Sandy passed just over Liberty Lake neighborhood. As you say, fortunately things can only get better from now.  Mafalda and Oriol ask me what could we do for you from Barcelona. But I really don't know. Please tell us if we can do something to help anyone from here. We wish all of you a speedy disaster recovery, and our deep heartfelt wishes. The Mariana Family.

I was able to get our grandma out of Freehold last night because she still didn't have power and it was 58 degrees in her house!  She is safe and warm in our house with us and the kids are loving their time with her.  On a scarier note we had to go to queens on Long Island to get our Aunt Patti who's house and car were completely under water from a storm surge!!! And she wasn't even in an evacuation zone :/. We helped her salvage as much as we could and she is safely resting with us tonight until going back tomorrow to finish packing the few things that survived. And then Saturday we will move her out of the town she lived in most of her life! The things I saw there today I will never forget!  Families clearing their entire house to the side of the street while their kids watched in the yard....broke my heart.  Anyway we were so lucky to be able to help our family and I am happy and grateful they are safe!!!!  I'm so happy your power is back on and your family is safe.  I hope your son Justin is being strong and hanging in there.  We look forward to seeing you at camp next year!!!! Sincerely, TS

FROM LONG TIME TEAM MEMBER + CAMP PARENT-

I wanted to tell you, once again, how grateful I am for the experiences I have had at camp over the last few summers.  During Hurricane Sandy with the wind blowing and the rain pouring down, my children and I played The Game of Life in the basement of my parents' home.  I knew that the key to keeping the children calm was to be calm.  That being prepared beats being panicked. I knew that I needed activities that didn't take electricity and that I could vary with time to keep the kids distracted.   And that most of all, I know my kids have a little grit.  We have danced in the rain at camp, and sat together under the tents to wait out the storm.  That was great practice for the 'real deal' that was Sandy.  We didn't go dance in the rain on Monday or Tuesday, but we didn't fall apart either.  As we sat laughing about how many kids we had in The Game of Life, I was hoping secretly that LLDC would be all right.  I am sure there are other skills we have learned there that we will use when the circumstances arise, and I'll thank you in advance for them.  With Love, Lara

Dark Waters after the storm- Liberty Lake fared well this time!

 We have been without power & water since Monday. We are being told it could come on Monday, Nov 5 at the very earliest. We have been doing ok though. No damage to the house or property so we were very lucky!  We were able to get our hands on a generator today, so hopefully that will help! L & B have really been enjoying it.  Playing games and reading books with their “head-lamps” and flashlights! We are happy that there was not too much damage at the camp!  Stay safe! Gail

Fishing Tips from Larry the Liberty Lake Fishing Guy

There's nothing like catching a fish on your FIRST DAY OF CAMP!

Greetings From the Fishing Dock!

Fishing at LLDC 2012 was a great success and will always be a cherished time in my life. I saw kids who knew nothing about fishing grow to the point that they baited their own hooks, could identify the fish they caught, and became able to remove the hook safely to put the fish back for another day. As we adjust to our post-camp schedule in my home, my son and I spend some great moments together reflecting on the great times we had at LLDC this past summer. Those moments will remain as wonderful memories, and the friends that we made will last a lifetime!

In the 10 weeks of Camp this Summer, Liberty Lake Campers caught a record number of fish: 1,542. 

In these numbers we had over 200 fish that weighed 3 lbs. or greater, including a 3 ½ lb. Large Mouth Bass and a 7 ½ lb. Brown Bullhead Catfish.  Check out all the pictures in your CampMinder Photo Album, and on the Facebook Fanpage!

I know that some parents have fished before, but many have not. Fishing is an affordable activity and is a great way to spend time with the kids and see what they learned at Liberty Lake.  I have put together some tips below for those parents that would also like to learn the art of fishing.

Even 6 year olds can have lots of success when fishing!

Fishing Made Easy

The very first thing you need to freshwater fish is the proper equipment. A rod & reel, hooks, sinkers and  floats will give you a great beginning. You also may want to get a tackle box to place your items in. These items can be found at your local sporting goods store or even Wal-Mart, however I have used the BassPro site for showing you examples of the items I use at camp. There are some additional items that I will also recommend for your tackle box.

1. Rod & Reel- There are a variety of rods and reels available. The best way to begin is to get a simple “Spin Casting” combo set. I recommend the Spin Casting reel as it is the simplest to learn with. Here are some great beginner combo sets.  You can get a set that comes with some tackle but the tackle that I will recommend will be slightly different and easier to use.
2. Hooks- As with all fishing equipment, there is always a wide variety of everything. The hooks I recommend are easy to use and also easy to remove. They are also good to use to catch any type of freshwater fish. The “Bait Holder” type hook is very easy to use and a “size 6” is good for both large and small fish. 
3. Sinkers- I like to use sinkers that can be re-used very easily, help me with casting and keep by bobber steady in the water. I use a “Split Shot #5”. It can be attached or taken off with the use of a pair of needle nose pliers and they last a long time. 
4. Bobbers/Floats- Once again, a number of choices and again I go with simple. I use the Weighted Round Foam Floats as they last a little longer than plastic and the colors are real easy to see. I have chosen the 1 ¼ “ as it works for all type of fishing and weather.
5. Tackle Box- I have a tackle box the size of a small trunk. However, I have collected a great number of fishing items over the years. When starting out, you want some room to collect but not too big. Here is a box that will allow you to grow and last a long time.

The following are some extra items that I have in my tackle box to make fishing easy.

Boys, Girls, Athletes, Non-Athletes- All love Fishing!

1. Pliers- These are good to have for cutting line, use with sinkers as well as removing hooks. 
2. Fish Holder- Catfish have three spines (one on each side and one on the top) that are very sharp. They are not hard to hold but I like to use this tool. 
3. Old Rags or rubber gloves- For those who are not quite comfortable holding fish or worms, these are good to have. I have shop towels and  these gloves that I bought at Home Depot. I keep my towels washed so that they can be re-used and are clean. Good Gloves, and Towels- 

Now, how do we use all these items? Once again, easy is better! Here are some sites that will guide you along your way.

• Tying Hooks- I use a very simple knot at camp. It is called a “Clinch Knot”. Here are the instructions.
• Here is a great site that will help you with tying a wide variety of different hooks. The site is animated so you can watch and learn. The knot I recommend learning here is the “Snell Knot”. 
• Fun to Fish- What a great site. Just about everything you want to know is here.
• Teaching Kids to Fish- This site is great for kids and adults to learn all the basics. 

Enjoy your new found hobby with your kids, and feel free to Email me if I can help in any way to make your fishing experience a good one!

Your Friend,

Larry ”The Fishing Guy” Pennypacker

fishing@libertylakedaycamp.com