Embedded Files
A Working Paper on Camp during transition to stand-alone corporation 1969
A Working Paper on Camp during transition to stand-alone corporation 1969
The Unirondack Experience - Steven Burdick 1977
The Unirondack Experience - Steven Burdick 1977
Crew Philosophy
Crew Philosophy
Crew Philosophy (from the Unirondack Crew Manual google doc)
Crew and Counselors have somewhat of the same job; to make sure that the campers have a wonderful time. Crew and Counselors are different in that the Crew addresses the needs of the camper's bodies (rest and recreation) and the Counselor's address the needs of their minds. (roughly)
Devin Hollands presented me with the analogy of camp to Disney World. When a family or kid goes to Disney world, they have high expectations. This is matched by a high ticket price but they expect their experience to be worth the money. Once they step through the gates or start a session, everything is different. All the workers are smiling and happy, the food is always there when its supposed to be, the buildings stay clean, and somebody is always there to help. If a camper or visitor happens to break something, that door or whatever is magically working the next time they try it. Somebody complains that a door is banging in the night. Magically, the next night, the door is quiet.
So much of what parents see of camp is when they either drop off or pick up their kids. Parents and their money keep Unirondack open. Thus, the most important time for Crew to work magic is at both ends of a session. The counselors usually have a focus on the feelings of the kids, not on whether or not a piece of gum wrapper was dropped on a path. It is Crew's job to see what other staff is too busy to see and take the time to pick up the garbage, re-stack the wood, or sweep a porch one more time.
The environment a person lives in dictates a lot about how the person will behave and live. A constantly dripping faucet or running toilet will get on a person's nerves. A door that closes precisely and a well lighted room relaxes a person and gives them a psychologically mellow state from which to work. Crew should be the magic that keeps the doors smooth and the lights on.
Finally, employ the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid) for the ease of yourself and those who come after you.
Marc Guillaume
A Simple Desultory Phillippic on Unirondack Campfires - 1970s
A Simple Desultory Phillippic on Unirondack Campfires - 1970s
The Campfire - paper developed for staff members by Eric Nasemann
The Campfire - paper developed for staff members by Eric Nasemann
Plus bibliography of books for Story Telling
Unirondack Philosophy - 1980
Unirondack Philosophy - 1980
Camp Youth Conference Report 1982
Camp Youth Conference Report 1982
Camp Hierarchy of needs by Devin Hollands 1995
Camp Hierarchy of needs by Devin Hollands 1995
Camp as seen with Fresh Eyes of a director - Dan Gottfried 1996 (Dan started in 1990)
Camp as seen with Fresh Eyes of a director - Dan Gottfried 1996 (Dan started in 1990)
> Today's Topics:>
> 1. an open letter ()
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:29:32 -0400
> From:
> Subject: [Unirondack] an open letter
> Cc: zzyzx_gurl@hotmail.com, unirondack@uua.org, goatiy@yahoo.com,
> julia.h.schnell@lawrence.edu, leaders@unirondack.org, Devin Hollands
> <devinhollands@gmail.com>, lghunt@nycap.rr.com,
> cmacdonald89@hotmail.com, nemo.nada@gmail.com, dangottfried@gmail.com,
> worldofone@gmail.com, mikepac16@gmail.com, glowstargirl@gmail.com,
> "Tegan T. Kehoe" <tkehoe@brandeis.edu>, lowensteind@kya.org,
> hevans@macalester.edu, jwquimby@yahoo.com,
> thexsunxonxbatteries@yahoo.com, walkereh@alumni.hiram.edu, Jon
> <jonmarkgo@gmail.com>, jferguson1707@yahoo.com,
> garrett.g.simpson@dartmouth.edu, hiloraine@gmail.com,
> rstevenson2@mail.brookdalecc.edu, leemster39@yahoo.com,
> b1epiphany@yahoo.com, eward@firstuchicago.org, ktkat417@yahoo.com
>
> This is an open letter. Everyone is free to redistribute it.
----------------------------------------------------
Anne Perry ajperry@rochester.rr.com via lists.uua.org Sep 12, 2008, 3:05 PM
to unirondack
As a former board member and as someone who has managed people in the
business world, the one thing we all need to realize is that personnel
matters are private and confidential. The individual who is reprimanded or
asked to leave can say anything he/she wants to say about what happened, but
the manager/organization can't say anything about the matter. This leaves
the rest of us who have not been involved wondering what happened and,
perhaps, feeling sorry for the individual affected. My experience tells me
that we must respect the privacy of the board and the individual and we must
trust that the Board has done the best thing for the organization. The Board
can not defend its actions in a personnel matter because they are legally
bound to keep the matter confidential. For all we know, the Board has
followed Unirondack values and since they can't defend themselves, we have
no way to hear their side of the story. I personally believe that handling a
matter "professionally" is not in conflict with Unirondack values.
-- Anne Perry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ellyn Lentz" <ellynbl@aol.com>
To: <unirondack@lists.uua.org>
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Unirondack] Unirondack Digest, Vol 53, Issue 5
> seems to me discussion of staffing issues needs to be more private than an> open list serve.
> Sincerely> Ellyn Lentz
Bari-Sue Douglas kdbsh@comcast.net via lists.uua.org 12, 2008, 4:07 PM
to Ellyn, unirondack
We wholeheartedly agree. We are aware of people at our congregation in New Jersey who have never attended Unirondack at all but who signed up for the list serve since they are considering coming next summer and they are reading all of this. Not a great first impression I think.
Also, we're very confused by these e-mails anyway. We read all this heated discussion about Ami's contract being terminated in a way that was apparently very controversial; but nothing has explained why or how it was terminated. Not that we really need to know, but if we're not informed about that, what's the point of us receiving all these related msgs.?
Be well everyone.
Bari-Sue and Ken Douglas
(Attended family camp this summer for the first time)
Community Building at Unirondack - handout for campers/staff - Elizabeth Basher ca. 2010
Community Building at Unirondack - handout for campers/staff - Elizabeth Basher ca. 2010
Marcus Jaiklin Statement of Philosophy - with Application for Directorship
Marcus Jaiklin Statement of Philosophy - with Application for Directorship
Crew Chief - Goals/Philosophy - 1980
Crew Chief - Goals/Philosophy - 1980
Central Meeting Space important to camp Nov 1978 - Eric Nasemann
Central Meeting Space important to camp Nov 1978 - Eric Nasemann
Letter shows Howard Gilman views - 1961 Jr High Leader leaves camp at 1AM
Letter shows Howard Gilman views - 1961 Jr High Leader leaves camp at 1AM
Jim Garbarino talking about issues of the new youth in early 1970s
Jim Garbarino talking about issues of the new youth in early 1970s
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse