The Importance of Socks: And a few other things…

In somewhat of a list format. In no particular order of importance. An ongoing list…

– Clean socks and maintaining pairs. Mesh sock bag, clothes pins, endless bags of cheap socks. Whatever you gotta do. Socks matter! To me, at least.

– Try something new. Not easy, but worth it. An activity, a food, a friend. It doesn’t matter. Try it. It’s safe to try at camp.

– GaGa is a sport…

– Battery Ball.

– You can be ‘camp good’ at something. You know what I’m talking about.

– To this day, when traveling with a friend, I always assume I can just use someone else’s toothpaste. Not true. If you’re traveling with a friend from camp, you’re likely out of luck…And toothpaste.

– Music.  Summer songs for me included: Too Sexy, Under The Bridge, I’ll Be Missing You (Puff Daddy Version), Can’t Touch This, Informer, Summer Girls, Waterfalls, Two Princes, This Is How We Do it, American Pie  —— I’m not saying these songs represent my taste in music. I’m just saying that, when I hear them…I know the lyrics. Like, ALL the lyrics.

– If someone has a guitar at a campfire, you can’t NOT sing The Weight.

– Finding the perfect s’mores stick is a talent unto itself. Not to mention the actual s’more.

– No matter how old you get, no matter where life takes you, when you’re with your camp friends it’s as if no time has passed. Those same silly jokes are just as funny. If not, funnier.

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I’m seated on the ground, in the navy shirt, holding the sign. Likely in between scratching bugbites. One of my many summers in Bunk Banana over my tenure as a camper at PFC.

PFC FALL HAPPENINGS, OPEN HOUSES AND MORE!

For more information contact us at the camp office! 267-639-2488

Mark your calendars!

NOVEMBER

Camp Reunion/Get Together

Sunday, November 9, 2014 11:00AM-1:00PM

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant
128 S. Federal Hwy
Dania Beach, FL 33004

Open House – Armonk, NY

Sunday, November 16, 2014 5:00PM-7:00PM
Armonk, NY
Call the office for more information!

Open House – Short Hills, NJ
Sunday, November 23, 2014 3:00PM-5:00PM
2 Fairfeld Terrace Dr.
Short Hills, NJ 07078

 

DECEMBER

Open House
Sunday, December 7, 2014 5:00PM-7:00PM
North Potomac, MD
Call the office for more information!

JANUARY

Bowling in Philadelphia – New and Prospective Camper Party!
Saturday, January 10, 2015 1:00PM-3:00PM
The Playdrome in Devon
300 West Lancaster Ave.
Devon, PA 19333

Chelsea Piers Fun –  New and Prospective Camper Party!
Sunday, January 11, 2015 1:30PM-3:30PM
The Field House at Chelsea Piers: Pier 62
New York, NY

FEBRUARY

Ski Day
Saturday, February 7th, 2015
Greeley, PA
New, Prospective, and Alumni Families!
Call the office for more info!

 

JUNE

New Camper Weekend at Camp!
Saturday, June 6 – Sunday, June 7, Greeley, PA
Call the office for more information!

Lee’s List: Favorite Evening Activities!

#10 – Blanket Basketball. It is what it is.

#9 – Social. Right? Who’s with me!?

#8 – Capture the Flag: Because to this day, I still do not fully understand Capture the Asagi.

#7 – Basketball Leagues. Under the lights. Lace ’em up!

#6 – Stealth Marble Band: Takes place on the nature trail involving marbles and rubber bands, oh my!

#5 – Escape from PFC: Costa’s ice cream? Yes, please.

#4 – Counselor Hunt: They’re not as fast as they look.

#3 – Luau: Always pack a Hawaiian shirt. ALWAYS! (In 2000, my entire bunk, Bunk Fir, wore Hawaiian shirts for our bunk picture. Our parents were less than thrilled).

#2 – GOLD RUSH: A multilayered event with costumes, real gold, fools gold, a general store…To this day, I think my backpack still has gold paint on the inside.

#1 – Campfire. Call me old-fashioned but to me, there’s nothing better than hanging with your buddies around the fire. Not necessarily a ‘kumbaya’ campfire. I’m talking jokes, songs, s’mores, more jokes and DEFINITELY more s’mores. And, if it’s a boys campfire, the fire has gotta be BIG. Right? Men?

PFC 365!

Keep the summer alive, all year long!

1) Keep in touch with camp friends! Call, text, email!

2) Login to Mom & Dad’s ‘MY PFC’ account and look at pics from this past summer!

3) Come to the 2014 reunion! Nov. 2, 10a-12p @ The Funplex in Mt. Laurel, NJ.

4) Read the blog and check for PFC events in your area!

5) Watch videos on the PFC Vimeo page!  https://vimeo.com/pineforestcamp

6) Wear your PFC gear! 5K, Hughie Black, PFC Official…it all works! Take a pic and tag us!

7) Follow PFC on Instagram – @pineforestcamp – Use #PFC2015

When I got home from camp, I…

(In no particular order)

– I ate bacon. Real bacon.

– Enjoyed the air conditioning.

– Took a long shower.

– Sat on the couch.

– Got bored.

Take me back to camp.

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The Candlelight Ceremony

Like a shooting star. Like a spark at a camp fire. Like the flicker of a candle. Pine Forest Camp’s 84th season  is almost over.

It’s a chilly night tonight. And as dusk fell, if you looked up at the tree tops  rustling  in the breeze, you could see a red or gold leaf fall to the ground, the first signs of Autumn. It’s time to go home.

We gather together one last time until we return for PFC’s 85th summer, sharing the warmth of friendship. This magical place seems so far from the rest of the world, like we’re in some faraway kingdom of goodness and happiness.

Arm in arm, we sing for the last time this year, “Friends, friends, friends  we will always be…”

Let it be so.

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Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness at Camp

July 4th at Pine Forest.  It’s only mid-morning and it feels like a celebration. We awoke to a rain storm and the good news that we had “late sleep”! Awesome! One hour later the skies cleared and we walked into the dining room to find the entire place decorated with  red, white and blue balloons! And the food too, red strawberries, blueberries and white whipped cream on our homemade  crème brulee “French” (ok, we’ll call it “ American toast”, today!)   And of course the traditional Krispy Kreme donuts.

As the boys finished breakfast a little spontaneous joy broke out when, Lucy, one of our kitchen staff started doing the Macarena line dance with Josh, head of the lake. Before we knew it about 100 boys campers, counselors and even Mickey and Barbara joined in the dance and we were all goovin’ to the music in our red white and blue garb.

But the best is yet to come! This afternoon, Circus time brings huge inflatable rides, the pools will be open, and we have an all-camp carnival with booths created by campers. (They’ve been working on them for days) They’ll be prizes, face painting and music.

After dinner it’s the highlight of the day, our all-camp talent show, followed by the best fireworks display in Pike County, Pa.!! All under the watchful eye of our own Greeley Volunteer Fire Company.

This must  be what our Founding Fathers had in mind when they wanted us to pursue happiness. We are, and we’re grateful to live in a country where we can.

Kugel Makes a Comeback!

Just like your Bubbe used to make, our own Barbara Black made a delicious homemade kugel to go with tonight’s Bar B Que chicken, fresh( not canned) sweet potatoes, stir fried fresh vegetables and cranberry sauce ,strawberry spinach salad and apple Brown Betty. Wow! Are we on a cruise ship? A weekend at Grossingers? Or is this the best darn food, this side of the Delaware River?! Campers loved tonight’s dinner and tomorrow we crank up the wood burning pizza oven! Are we foodies or is this just the good life at camp?

Pine Forest Camp Sets Sail!

Last night campers all over the world went to bed at home with great hopes and big dreams for the summer. New  friends, fun and adventure.  And today their dreams will come true.

Step off those buses, out of your cars, off of the airplanes and step into your summer home. We can’t wait to welcome you.

Parents, relax. We’ll take over from here.    Your children are in good hands, the best.

All of the planning and preparation is over and the first campers have arrived just hours ago.

Pine Forest’s 84th summer  begins now.

So sing it as loud as you can, from Florida, to New York City to Europe and back to Bethesda, Maryland  and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It’s the Pine Forest Welcome song, “We welcome you to Pine forest, we’re mighty glad you’re here. We’ll set the air reverberating with a might cheer!”

Let the fun begin. Our ship sets sail now. All good things are yet to come.

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