alumni Archives - Pine Forest Camp

This World is Pine Forest Camp

Posted on February 23, 2017April 10, 2017 by PineForest

Imagine a world with no TVs, no cell phones and no internet access, where…

– “Mail” is simply on a piece of paper, hand written, with a pen.

– The only “gaming’ is on a field or a court.

– “Chatting” is done verbally: in a cabin, on a walk, over a meal or around a campfire, the purest form of “FaceTime.”

– You can only “like” something or someone by giving a real compliment, a smile or a hug.

– A ‘wink’ is done with eye contact and a grin, and ‘laughing so hard you cry’ is not an emoji but rather the funniest late-night bunk conversation that will live on for decades.

– The biggest news of the day is whose birthday it is, what evening activity will be or what’s for dinner.

– You don’t need to have hundreds of “friends,” instead you strive for a quality handful of the best, truest friends you could ever imagine.

– A “snap” is simply a hand gesture.

– Silly costumes are homemade or brought up in trunks not created with apps or filters.

– The only “tweet” comes from birds and being one with nature.

– A “house party” is getting to hang out in your cabin with your favorite people, bunk mates.

– The latest songs and videos come out of a bunk skit, song or cheer rather than top 40 radio hits.

– And, the only photos you take during the day are ones that live in your mind, providing you with lifelong memories.

This world is Pine Forest Camp. It was this way for me as a camper at PFC, and it’s the same for my own children. Kids need camp, now more than ever. I am tremendously thankful that my children get to turn off, unplug and disconnect every summer. Where else in the world can that truly happen? And, although they may not always admit it, I know that my kids wouldn’t have it any other way.

A Piece of History

Posted on October 19, 2016April 10, 2017 by PineForest

One of the best parts of Pine Forest being in continuous operation since 1931 are the stories we hear from alumni, our legacy. There’s nothing like seeing an old photo and knowing exactly where it was taken in camp. You can feel history come alive.

We recently heard from Rick Leonard whose mother and uncle attended Pine Forest in the 1930s. Bette and Stanley Scherdorf, often spoke fondly of their days at PFC. He shared a photo of each of them, one taken at The Friendship Bench which remains an iconic spot for PFC photos. Rick also shared a letter written by his grandfather to his mother while she was at camp in 1936 looking forward to seeing her on Visiting Day, the same week of the summer as it is today. Check out the postmark!

Thank you to the Scherdorf and Leonard family for sharing this piece of camp history. The real essence of camp is still exactly the same as it was in 1936: friends, fun and adventure. And those things are timeless.

Lenny Rapkin

Posted on August 15, 2016April 10, 2017 by PineForest

This summer, one of the giants of Pine Forest leaders passed away, Lenny Rapkin, the boys camp Head Counselor and Director. Lenny was the ultimate camp director, confident, organized and fun. He led the boys camp in the late 1970’s and most of the 1980’s with gusto and humor. For most of those years Lenny’s counterpart was Edie Klein, head of the girls camp. In his perfectly pressed and matching jump suits, Lenny was one of PFC’s most popular leaders. His camp persona was like a combination of Mel Brooks and Gen. George Patton. His schedules were exact and comprehensive and boys camp ran with efficiency and care. Lenny and his dear wife Jane were a fixture at camp and his sons Mickey and Jonathan grew up at camp. Lenny and Jane’s grandchildren are currently PFC campers.

There was never a camp leader like Lenny Rapkin and there never will be again. He was a teacher, a leader and a role model to a generation of campers. The many, many lives he touched in boys camp and the men they became will be his lasting legacy.

A Small PFC World

Posted on April 19, 2016 by PineForest

Pine Forest Camp makes our world seem a little bit smaller, no matter how many summers we’ve spent there. Recently, PFC alumnus, former Color War General and father of 3 PFC campers, Jon, spotted a man in a PFC hat at a deli in Westchester, NY. When he went over to say hello, Jon met 94-year-old Herman Slotoroff, who attended Pine Forest in 1934. Uncle Marv remembers Herman and his family from his camp days! Herman still wears his PFC hat over 80 years later because of how fond his memories of it were, even after one summer.

When you are part of the PFC family, you are part of something special. It stretches back 86 years and 5 generations, from Greeley, PA, to a deli in Westchester and around the world.

Warmest wishes to Herman for continued good health and happy memories of his summer at camp!

Herman at PFC in 1934!

PFC Goes Hollywood!

Posted on November 18, 2015 by PineForest

PFC alumnus and Hollywood film director and actor, Brian Klugman screened his
new movie “Baby Baby Baby” at the Philadelphia Film Festival last month.
Pictured above, Brian is on the right with Barbara and Mickey Black, and PFC alum, Andy
Sternthal. Brian directed and stars in the movie alongside co-star
Adrianna Palicki, with appearances by Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, Kelsey
Grammer, Cloris Leachman, and William Shatner.

And get this: Brian wears a PFC t-shirt in one of the scenes! We nominate him for an Academy Award!!

Click here to learn more about Brian’s new movie.

85th Anniversary Celebration

Posted on September 29, 2015 by PineForest

What a glorious weekend of fun, friendship and memories as PFC celebrated its 85^th season. Former campers and counselors arrived on a beautiful fall weekend. Over 150 alumni from as far away as California, Colorado, and Florida sang a rousing chorus of the old camp welcome song, “We Welcome you to Pine Forest” when they were greeted by 4 generations of the 5 generation Black Family. Many dignitaries were in the crowd including several former head counselors. An especially warm welcome was extended to legendary Head Chef “Sparky” McIver’s daughter and granddaughter who were in attendance.

Activities were in full swing all afternoon with a pick up “A” game at Chadwin Court and arts and crafts featuring old-school tie dye and lanyard-making. Camp legend, Nafis ran alum through the ropes course and canoes were all out on Lake Greeley. Some alum even made a nostalgic trip out to Blueberry Island. A highlight of the weekend was the 85^th season mural, created by Steven Charny. Almost everyone in attendance helped paint a part of it.

But it seemed like the most popular thing to do was relax with camp friends, smell the pines, listen to the acorns fall on bunk roofs, and recount stories from the past.

Late in the afternoon, everyone gathered at the corner of Route 6 and Pine Forest Camp Rd. to dedicate the red barn to PFC’s beloved Ricky Charny, a very special former camper, counselor, division leader, Color War leader, camp parent and all around, life-long PFC enthusiast.

Next, the group went back to camp just in time for line-up at the girls flagpole led by Lee Forest Black, with jokes by Lisa Sherman Fayne. Line-up was followed by a delicious dinner in the “new” dining room.

At night, everyone gathered under the stars for a campfire on Mitchell Field. Uncle Marv regaled everyone with his stories from the history of Pine Forest and we sang those classic camp songs that still resonate. And ahh, the taste of s’mores! Later, there was an “after party” with dancing to the classic sounds of a “Purple Haze” style DJ. Old bunkmates talked late, late into the night, even after curfew.

Thank you to each and every camper and counselor who attended and to those who could not but sent their many good wishes and support. Pine Forest is many things but most of all it is about the timeless bonds of friendship. May the happiness, joy, and adventure that it has brought thousands of campers and counselors for 85 seasons go on for the next 85. “Friends, friends, friends, we will always be…”

What a Thrill: An Alumni’s Perspective!

Posted on December 5, 2014 by PineForest

I went to PFC in the late 80‘s/early 90’s. I started as a high senior 9 and continued on for the next 5 years into the counselor years. Some of the best years of my life thus far. I stopped only because it was time to get an internship “in the real world.” It was not my choice, that’s for sure.

Fast forward many years, I am now a Mom of two childen at PFC…a13 year old girl, who will start her fifth summer as a high senior 9 and a 10 year old boy going into his second summer as an Inter 5. I was an Inter 5 counselor and some of my then campers now have kids at camp as well! How old that makes us all feel goes without saying!

When we started our family camp search, we researched a few camps. I told myself what was right for me may not be right for my children. PIne Forest was all I wanted for them but I tried to be fair and open. It was my daughter who knew right away that Pine Forest was for her. Perhaps her 2nd generation status wooed her a bit, but she said she just got “a feeling” the second she saw PFC. She’s so my kid.

As I tell my children, PFC was my happy place for many years in my youth but it’s now theirs. I try not to bombard them with memories and stories and resist the urge to point out pictures of me on the Hughie and dining hall walls. They’re building their own memories now and the time is all theirs. But as I’ve learned, PFC is still a place in all of our hearts. The same incredible Black family still owns and runs it, 5 generations, 85 years strong. A lot of course has changed with the times, but so much has remained the same. Just how we would want it to be.

Sometimes you don’t know how much something means to you until you come back again and see it through the eyes of your children. I encourage you to give camp a call, check out their website, schedule a meeting with one of the team and consider giving your child the gift of PFC, just as your parents did. Give yourself the thrill of a lifetime, getting to watch your child walk the same hills, play on the same fields and sit in the same Netsy benches for Friday night services as you did! It really is a rare and special gift, not only for your children, but for yourself!

– Hillary Lane Slovin

Tag: alumni