Ella Englehardt: Our first Legend of the summer, is a member of our girls that are Subs, she started in the year 2011, and found it was Deerkill she loves. Yes, she even had Nancy when she started with us as a Flipper, then Dolphins, Does, Gazelles, Impalas, Nyalas, Royals, Wapiti and Zebras, now the Subs that’s quite a tripper. Her mom takes a photo with her and her brother at camp, it’s a tradition every Fall, and now she’s finally a Legend, Ella Englehardt you are the bell of the ball!
Max Gotlib: Our first Legend started as a Flipper in the year 2011, at Deerkill he and his sis found their own slice of heaven. He’s been a Lope, Buck, Gnu and Moose, Okapi, Ram and Stag, finally a Yak and now a Subsenior, if we were having a group parade, he most certainly would be bearing the flag. So instead of clapping, like ducks let’s all make some quacks, for our first Legend of the evening, the Gotlib we all call Max.
Skylar Shaw: Here’s another Flipper from the year 11, of course the road she took was different than Max but certainly just as fun. I can still remember her first day, which makes me feel very old, when I saw she was on the list, I was shocked truth be told. Her younger brother still has a few years to wait, though it’s a good bet he’ll be one too, her parents deserve one as well, they come to every Fall Fest it’s true. So let’s be like Little Chief and together yell hee-haw, for the next Legend to join the club, our Sub Girl Skylar Shaw.
Sasha Golubchik: Next up was a Dolphin originally with Stacey Swirnow, a decade later she stands (or sits) before us now. Every day she’s made the trek from Hoboken, her hometown, now she’s a Sub and of course will wear the Legend-ary crown. She’s always wearing a smile, and now a sweatshirt she will kick, let’s clap and celebrate our own Sasha Golubchik.
Cole Laskowski: This is a story about a Senior Boy, who like Sasha used to play with Dolphin toys. He also comes from Hoboken, as he has every day, he’s part of a tight knit group, through 10 years they have played. A Bison, Caribou, Okapi and Ram were next, Stag, Wildebeest, and Sub always wearing his signature specs. He’s a great kid and a Deerkill camper in whole, I give to you the Laskowski named Cole.
Ben Strauss: Next we have one of Cole’s good friends, who also counts his years at Deerkill in the tens. He started in Hoboken but to Ridgewood he did move, knowing his family, it’s a change of which we absolutely approve. He is also a Senior Boy, as old as they come, he’s never met a guitar he couldn’t strum. So for him please do your best to bring down this house, our next Legendary camper is Mr. Ben Strauss.
Alina Dolan: The following Legend started out as a Doe, she followed her sister Brianna, whose already a Legend you of course know. Now a Senior Girl, her last year as a camper, up Happiness Hill many times did she scamper. We love having her family with us they all have energy to spare, in fact she and her sister did a Gaga Games title share. Please put your hands together, there should be no cajolin’, for a decade at camp we honor Alina Dolan.
Julianna Gold: The next camper just popped in for the night, to become a Legend with her friends was certainly her right. Her brother a Hi-fiver did become, that’s 15 between them if you’re adding the sum. She started as a Bambi with none other than Mallory Budnick, it was obvious from the start that with Deerkill she did click. Now a Senior Girl, I can’t believe she’s that old, making a guest appearance as a Legend is Julianna Gold.
Sage Gurtman: Another Bambi when she started, with stops in Gazelles, Llamas, Oribi and others, she’s the only Legend in her family, something she’ll make clear to her brothers. She’s danced to the bus every summer jumping on Bus 66, it’s now with the Senior Girls where she gets her kicks. She’s one of FIVE in her group to be a Legendary age, but for now it’s her spotlight, she’s the Gurtman named Sage.
Costes Lerner: OMG, yet another Bambi, from that class of ’11, truly it was a group of girls who found Deerkill heaven. Her brother also attended but came up short of his decade, it was only a fortnite for which at Deerkill he stayed. But she kept on coming one of our Weehawken pioneers, coming from the Pathmark, then Acme and Lidl through the years. So let’s yell out loud and make a real ruckus, for the only Legendary Lerner the one they call Costes.
Sammi Sapira: Our final 2011 Bambi alumnus, she is one of a handful of Legends among us. She almost didn’t make it past day one, tears in her eyes she held Rebecca’s hand til the day was done. One of our founding Hoboken families, the Sapiras have a long history here, her grandparents once spent their summers here (tis true). A great athlete and friendly as they come, I’m sure she’ll go on to do great things as a Deerkill alum. But for today, she joins the club, more prestigious than even the grammys, let’s all clap our hands for the Sapira named Sammi.
Fritz Desir: Now this next Legend started in 2010, as an Antelope, with Mallory, Casey, Tommy and Alex S, a staff for which every parent hopes. He had to be held every day his first year, fortunately after the first summer he got over his fear. He was a Caribou with Dan, a Ram with Desimone, a Wildebeest with Dank, it’s no wonder how much he’s grown. He’s well known at Deerkill’s Bball Pavilion, he’s one of our greatest hits, everybody clap your hands for the Desir we know as Fritz.
Henry Farkas: Up next is a Legend who started as a Buck, the fact he found us and us him was simply a stroke of luck. He’s a musician at heart, playing guitar and viola, at Deerkill, he’s as classic as coca cola. Everybody’s a fan, he’s known both near and far, it’s true he was known as one long before he officially became a STAR. So let’s show him some love and all let’s be friendly for our next Legend the Farkas we know as Henry.
Ian Towns: He started with Henry, though he comes from Tuxedo, be friends with everyone and friendly to all might as well be his credo. He plays on a diamond, not the jewel but the one with a mound, whether or not he makes the majors he’ll always be one of the biggest STARs around. Not even a sprained ankle could keep this guy down, today we celebrate Mr. Ian Towns.
Isabella La Malfa: This next STAR started in 11 as a Fawn, then stayed for awhile 9 more years she would add on. Another who outlasted her brother, who decided to start going tripping, she made her way to be Legend, while having fun swimming and zipping. She’s also a regular from Weehawken, making her way back and forth on bus six zero, how sweet that she and “HF”are now each a Legendary hero. Now joining this club there’s no doubt she’s the alpha, our next to celebrate ten is our own Isabella La Malfa.
Isabelle Arevalo: Our first staff Legend of the night, this one is certain to go on to great heights. She asked me yesterday, “Do the 10 years need to be in a row?” to which I said you shouldn’t have left us, but truth is the answer’s no. She’s grown so much as a person here, you can see it every AM, where she used to be shy when the kids get off buses now she just runs up and grabs ‘em. She has the most beautiful butterfly you’ve ever seen truth be told, but being a Legend will always be her peak, even if she goes on to win gold. So for her we clap our hands and in Hawaiian we say Mahalo, for thanks is just not enough for our very own Isabelle Arevalo.
Brett Crowne: OK, so the next staff Legend is from a famous Deerkill clan, though he’s the first to be Legend jealous will be his old man. Believe it or not his first year he was with Dennis in the boys we call Subs, now 10 years later with his first Group Leader he does join this Legendary club. He’s a big skater and he often tried archery at camp on for size, he even likes Boating, well until a boat my son did capsize. He’s grown so much like the ball on New Years he deserves his own countdown, but for now let’s just cheer and yell for our own Mr. Brett Crowne.
Dan Farrell: This next Legend almost didn’t happen for his interview is a story hard to top, when I went to meet him at the bus, he decided not to get off at his stop. I eventually chased the bus down somewhere upstate while he felt considerable shame, I was going to write him off until we chatted about last night’s Sox game. Yes, like me he’s from Mass, though he’s the furthest thing from a hole, he is on the Mt. Rushmore of considerate whether serving in the Caribou or STAR leader role. Like many Legends here he goes by one name, everyone who knows him is a fan, I’m talking of course of our own very Farrell, the one we all know as Dan.
Dennis Gordon: Another staff member who I give thanks for every day, when he first joined us I was worried he wouldn’t stay. He ran the Subs for a few years and then, when cloning me didn’t take, he took over Programming where he has been ever since, except all the first days he couldn’t make. Some people call him flash which goes with his name but truthfully he’s less pop and more sicle, those who know him best use his true nickname, perhaps we should all start calling him Pickle. He is one of the hardest workers I know and is responsible for so much of all that you love, Counselor Challenges, Theme Days and shows, it’s obvious here he fits like a glove. I for one can’t thank him enough, my appreciation for him is endless, let’s give a rousing congratulatory cheer for our own Gordon we all call Dennis.
Isis Gotlib: Next up was a founding member of the Nyalas with La Tia her first year she did share, she joins her brother in the club, today they’re a Legendary pair. She’s been a kickboxer, floutist, and swimmer, though bugs she could do without, she found her passion in the pool and of that there can be no doubt. She’s been in 7 groups, before she joined our staff two years back, she learned her skills at camp, and now she’s giving campers feedback. We’re so happy she’s here, who else would you want in a crisis, let’s all make some noise for the second Gotlib today the one we all know as Isis.
Josh Jaeger: The forthcoming Legend started with the Gnus as a boy, where we “learned” about camp from none other than Tom Conroy. Like others before him his was a circuitous route, with many groups to get here however his was not a bus commute. He joins his mother as a Legend, the second in his family tree, though his sister is on deck, she will make it three. He’s always been a sportsman, though baseball is his sport, too bad he roots for the Yankees lately they always seem to come up short. His name goes with Meister, now it’s not much of a cliffhanger, our next Legend of the evening is none other than Josh Jaeger.
Sophie Jaeger: As foretold before, another member of Josh’s clan joins the club, she started in 2011 with the girls, to be specific the Subs. It was a storied bunch but she’s the only one left of the crew, she has Deerkill in her blood and is a legacy through and through. She never missed a year, though playing violin in Europe took her away, fortunately she joined as a sub which allowed her to be inducted today. She’s a bracelet-making machine, for that she should win a trophy, let’s all put our hands together for the next Jaeger named Sophie.
Tommy Simon: This counselor as said before started in the Antelopes in 2010, he makes the 3rd Legend from that group, who could’ve imagined that then? He then worked with Darrah in the Bison, two years with her that must’ve been exciting. He finally found his home with the Elks who’d he lead, there’s no doubt at this point it’s Deerkill blood he bleeds. He’s a fan of the Packers and Yanks but nobody’s perfect, his rooting interests in sports may be his only defect. It seems like he’s been here forever, in the rough he’s surely a diamond, I’m so proud of this next Legend the one and only Tommy Simon.
Staci Singer: For the next Legend we could sing her praises, her ability in gaga always amazes. Her last name describes a person who you might see in a band, but you might catch her juggling with her dexterous slight of hand. She’s one of the most athletic people at camp, whether in soccer or hockey, she can always light the lamp. She is even on the Gaga Wall of Fame, it came down to she and her brother in one of the most memorable Games. But her camper days have past though in her memories they may linger, let’s give a great big Hurrah for our own Staci Singer.
Ethan Squadron: The LAST Legend for today started in the Moose with Abe, Brandon M, Charles L and Noah W from that group also still remain. From Saddle River he would come, from Upper not Low, to the Rams, Stags, Yaks and Subs finally in the Seniors his love of sports ever did grow. After a great year in the STARs, it was to the Gnus he did go, he’s come full circle and it’s his campers he now helps grow. We’re thrilled that he is with us, his Legendary status will never be common, for the last time today let’s hear it for Ethan Squadron.
Sebastian Ramirez: This STAR began his Deerkill tenure as a Gnu, however new is what he is not, he’s been here 9 years longer than some of you. Then on to the Okapi, Rams, then Wildebeests for two, Yaks, Subs and Seniors and now he’s part of the STAR crew. He was on the first bus from Weehawken, and rode a few years with Hussein, that’s a lot of time on the road, but he will never complain. Him finally being a Legend, bring us great satisfaction, our penultimate Legend of the year is the Ramirez we know as Sebastian.
Connor Witschonke: Our final Legend of 2020, arranged his summer for this one day, “I have to come in for #10” years ago he would say. He started as a camper in the Subsenior Boys way back in 20-1-0, his counselors included such Legends as Dennis, Steve and Mallory, before to the Gnus as a counselor he himself did go. He took off a year in 2017, only to return because “OF COURSE,” he then found his sweet spot as a staff member on our Adventure Course. Yes, it’s true he’s “climbed” to great heights here on Deerkillimanjaro and off, now that he came in one day, he’s already asked if he can take tomorrow off. He’s as sincere as they come and absolutely worthy of this honor, let’s put our hands together for the Witschonke we all call Connor.