Hello from your happy assistant director, Stephanie Becker Tasman! It is hard to believe that 2013 is now coming to a close and we are about to begin 2014! I wanted to take a minute to reflect on the incredible 2013 camping year. For some of you, this was your first summer away from home for an extended period. You tried new things, met new friends and learned what it was like to live with other girls. For others, this was another summer spent with your summer sisters and best friends. Whether it was your first summer away or your fifth, all of you came away from camp having learned a new skill, gained a stronger friendship with your camp friends and gained independence.  I hope as this wonderful year comes to a close, that 2014 will be an even better one for all of you! I know the upcoming summer of 2014 will be one of our best yet, with special surprises for you and I cannot wait to spend it with all of you!

2013 Reunion Tour Continues

This past month has been another busy one for us in the camp office. Mary ventured out to Indiana, where the Siegel family hosted the camp reunion. The girls got to watch a special Indiana camp DVD, reminisce about the summer and share their excitement for next year! Thank you again to the Siegel family for hosting such a wonderful get-together.

Our reunion tour continues, as Suzi heads out to L.A. in February.  The Mass family will be hosting our L.A. reunion on February 9th at 11:30am and we know it will be a wonderful time for our special campers.  Our highly anticipated Chicago area reunion will also be on February 9th.  We will be hosting our New Camper Orientation the same day in the morning at 11:00am. More information with details to follow.

EXTRA! EXTRA!    READ ALL ABOUT IT

We are very excited to welcome many new faces to the Agawak Family. We cannot wait for them to get off the bus this summer and dip their feet into Blue Lake for the first time! Please join me in welcoming: Natalie and Hannah Retzleff from Eagle River, Julia Risk, Elle Mabon and Annabelle Garelick from Chicago, Joanna Howson and Haydn Revell from Ohio, Skyler Greene from Northbrook and Rosie Ezgur from Highland Park. We are also excited to welcome back Blair Glimcher from Ohio. We’re excited to have Blair back at Agawak this summer! We also have two special new rookies Meira Mervis and Bella Maurer from Indiana joining us for the first time.

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

Guess who got engaged --  Our Head Cook , Chris “Ducky” Domack!  We wish Ducky and his fiancé, Nichole Williams all the best. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Welcome Back!

Our returning staff list is growing by the day and we know that there are many more staff that will be jumping on board soon. Anna Brady, Queen of gaga and geo-caching and Val Wolf, our log-rolling, basketball and archery pro will be returning for their second summers. We also welcome back Amber Szekeres who was flip-flopping away in the Rec Hall and Ellie Kraus back to teach campers survival skills and outdoor cooking. Selina White brings back her creativity to Arts and Crafts.  Anna, Val, Ellie, Selina and Amber are all teachers in the “off season” and we are lucky to have such educated and talented instructors.  Denise Lopez Cruz will be back to assist Abraham and Ducky. Junior Counselors Casey Malman, Sloan Oblonky, Samantha Soloway, Marni Widen, Jaqueline Kaplan and Meredith Rush will all be back as second year staff members.  Senior counselors Jamie Bronska and Jenna Spathis will be back with their enthusiasm and leadership. Holly Shadlow, from Australia, will be making an appearance after taking a year hiatus and we cannot wait to welcome her back home!  We are very excited that our nursing staff will welcome Jesica Samuelson as one of our new nurses in the Infirmary.  Jesica worked as a camp nurse before at other camps and will bring experience and warmth to our infirmary.  As our staff list continues to grow, we will update all of you! Be sure to reach out to your counselors from last summer and let them know how much you want them to return! They love to hear from you!

Continue to stay warm this winter and enjoy the special holiday time with family. From all of us at camp, we wish you a wonderful holiday and an even better New Year.

Camp Agawak, the place to be seen in 2014! Let the countdown begin…now!

- Stephanie Becker Tasman, Asst. Director

December Birthdays 

Halle Abramson – 1     Meredith Leon – 13       Emma Morgan - 23
Allison Grosky – 1       Val Wolf – 13                Melissa Kramer - 24
Ryan Loeb – 2             Jess Bowman – 13         Tori Yoblon - 24
Ally Linn – 3               Ava Novak – 14             Navid Espinoza - 24
Sophia Coplan – 3       Margaret Duffy – 14       Hailey Kanter - 25
Emma Fogel – 4          Sandra Easley – 14          Laura Meadows - 25
Mirelle Haas – 4          Spencer Weiss – 17        Rosie Ezgur - 26
Anna Gray – 6            Taylor P. Cohen – 17      Abraham Reyes Torres - 26
Sophie Sinder – 6        Lexi Rootberg – 19        Maya Barr - 28
Kaylie Denenberg – 7  Sarah Schulhof – 19        Samantha Bernsen - 28
Emily Saturno – 8        Jessie Allen – 19             Chris “Ducky” Domack – 29
Victoria Zanoni – 8      Lauren Chilow – 19        Ilana Beilinson - 30
Caroline Zessar – 8     Emma Schwartz – 21      Marissa Lachman - 30
Julia Paull – 9               Amanda Golde – 22       Casey Malman - 30
Erika Kider – 10           Julia Schwaeber – 22     Aleksandra Muller - 31
Sydney Garelick – 11    Angela Gutman – 22      Michael “MP” Pierce - 31