Unirondack 101 - Manual for Beginners

TO READ OR NOT TO READ

If you want to learn about all of Unirondack organically (on your own, in your own time, experiencing it at the camp) just don't read this. 

 If you want to know all the things that might take years to figure out:   the Manual is presented below.

Just who is behind this camp and what is with the name?

Unirondack was founded by the NYS Universalists Convention in 1951 after renting camps for a few years.   The name was representing 'Universalists in the Adirondacks'.

 Today is is a MEMBER corporation with Unitarian-Universalist church congregations and individuals/families making up the membership.    Thus the camp is 'owned' by the membership.

So what gives?  Is it a church camp? what is UU about?  

 To learn more about the UU (Unitarian-Universalist) connection see info on the camp web-site link:   www.unirondack.org/about-unirondack 

In short everyone is welcome at camp there is no pressure to be or join any religion

How will my kid know when to wake up?

Unirondack works on a bell system, starting with a moring wake-up bell.  And then following that up with a KP bell.  When activities end or change a quick bell is rung.  The bell system is used in Emergencys as well with 3 bells repeating over and over signaling an emergency or Fire Drill.    The important bell is when you hear 2 bells, that meand TIME TO EAT get to the dining hall.

WHAT does KP mean?

    KP or Kitchen Party is a central part of coming together as a community and contributing to the overall community.  Traditionally each cabin is assigned a day when they will cover the KP duties.  They report at the KP bell (15 minutes prior to the 2 ring meal signal)  The kitchen staff will give information on what to place on the tables.  Tables are set with cups/plates or whatever is needed.   It is not a race or a challenge or a demand to work, it is a shared responsibility to offer your service and help with your turn at the fun.  During meals KPs are often split up onto separate tables and act to gather more food from the kitchen or refill drink containers.  Having one select person for each table cuts down on many people running about.  Being KP of the table if an important role to be treasured and admired.  After the meal and announcements are over the KP team gathers the plates and food and takes items up to the kitchen or dish racks and then wipes the tables and sweeps the floor.  There is always a break after a meal so KPs do not miss any activities outside the fun in the dining hall.    KP is literally the first step young camers take in contributing their effort and thought to the camp.  It is a life-time lesson of contributing for the greater good of the camp week and thus the camp and the world.   (who knew?)

FIRE DRILL? 

  Each week the camp is required to perform a fire-drill like in any school.  It is a surprise time and the 3 bell signal will blast from the school like bells.  There are 4 bells scattered through the camp.   They are not shocking  unless you are standing under one when it goes off.  Hearing 3 bells is always a shock to the system and the camp gathers at the designated area for a role call.  The Wayne crew will start up the fire system and often roll out the hose and fire water high in the air.   

Who is this Wayne I keep hearing about?

  Well Wayne is name for the maintenance crew at camp.  Wayne describes a group of staff.  "Wayne will fix it",  "Make sure to tell Wayne about that".  "If you see a Wayne working with tools try to keep your distance".  Wayne members fix everything that breaks at camp, (even broken hears at times), the build props for events, they work on the road.  When not busy working in Wanye Manor the Waynes help out with programs - (traditionally after a shower), help run evening activities and set up and participate at the camp fire.

Wayne Manor

This is the maintance shop located in one end of the camp near the Woods Quad.  The shop is locked up when not in use for safety.  Campers generally shy away from the Manor but it is a great place to tour if you ask a Wayne.  The Manor includes 3 floors of Maintenace supplies, a stained glass window, a crew Wall of Fame (going up the steps) and yes there really is a bat pole which stops at the first floor or continues to bat cellar.   The Manor was named in honor of the Guillaumes with Marc being the original Wayne.   The story goes that Adam Farington and Marc came to camp for staff and Adam could not remember all the names so just looked at Marc and said  "You look like a Wayne".  For several days Adam just called Marc Wayne, and the name stuck but not for Marc but for Marc's crew and every crew since 1991 when that happened.

The Woods Quad

 (this weekend in 2026 called the Woods Squad)  Anyway there is a cluster of 4 cabins at one end of the upper campus.  The first cabin you come to is called WOODMAN.  It was named after the director who had to crew build it.  Marc (Wayne)'s father Jon was on the crew when this cabin was built around 1960.  Two more cabins were added at the same time Gilman was built.  Thus the cabins were Woodman 1,2, 3.  Then later as they cabins are in the woods they just became the Woods cabins.  A fourth cabin was added around 1970 and named Chadwick and it the last cabin.   The middle two cabins are Smith and Zigmund.  The cabins were all in a row with each facing a differnt direction.  A plan was cast by old Wayne members to push the Smith cabin out of the way to create a large area for campers to gather in.  The doors to Woodman, Smith Zigmund would all face into the are and thus is was called the Woods Quad - simialr to a Quad on a college campus.    To SEE a video Marc (the original Wayne) made about the weekend they moved Smith see the link here Moving Smith Cabin.  That page of the archives also has the plan as shown to the Board of Directors and photos.

Upper Camp - Lower Camp

   Unirondack sits on only a 9+ acres site - and some of that land is in the lake.  So the land mass is not large but the camp is cut in half with a large hill running through the entire length.  The lower camp includes the playing field, Steven's Performing Arts Center,  Carncross Waterfront, Campfire Circle, Adirondack Lean-to, The Hollands boathouse, the MacPhee Arts and Crafts shop, Chapel area in the woods, The Randy (bathroom).

The upper camps has the Woods cabins, main lodge, Leining dispensary, Evelyn Anderson House, Gilman Dining hall, Sweet dormitory and Wayne Manor.

The Chapel

    Is a beautiful area next to the lake with towering pines equal to a European Cathedral.  It is used for weddings and occasional meditation or other events.  Church services are not a thing normally but a special guest could hold a service or event in the chapel.  Benches are brought over from the Stevens center to sit on.  Traditionally lots of mequitoes hang out in the chapel are.

Gilman

   Gilman is our dining hall and kitchen.  Named after Howard Gilman who was a founder of the camp and early director for many many summers.  Gilman started out as the recreation center and was converted to kitchen/dining in 1976.  It can be a very loud place during kids camps or any camp at times.  When the cow bell rings everyone becomes silent to listen to announcements about the meal or about the upcoming events of the day or evening.

the Cow Bell

The cow bell is very important relic from the camps distant past.  The cow bell was used since the start of the camp and survived the fire which destroyed the main lodge in 1976.  Thus with this history the bell is quite important and continues to serve its purpose at every meal.   Various games are played with the directors about their announcements but you need to start your request Before the actually ring the bell.  The staff will explain the rules to traditions such as these as they change over the years.

1976 Fire

  To learn about the Old Lodge and the fire there is a lot of information in these archives about the old lodge,  Lodge fire,  Planning for and building a new lodge is on of the pivital points in the camps history.  To read about how they did it look here.   All the kids were hearded out of camp to neigbors and the fire department saved the Sweet building.  The old lodge contained: The kitchen, dining hall, living room, porch, office, camp store.  It was all lost but the camp reopened after only a 1 week break in the summer.

Sweet

Sweet is shown in engraving at the header to this page as the far right hand building.  It is a large two story housing building with 3 cabins on the upper floor and 4 cabins on the lower floor.  Sweet was the guest house for the original John Patterson camp.  

Evening Activity

  During the summer after dinner and KP clean up the Evening Activity takes place.  This is normally is an all camp event on a grand scale.   Capture the Flag is a all time favorite but the staff in recent years has been going all out on major productions with themes relevant to the age group on campus.  During the highschool camps there is sometimes events that are a bit to realistic or startling to some campers so the staff goes to lengths to offer 'safe' spaces or areas out of the general chaos.  Examples would be going to the art shop  for an alternative to the event or being stationed in a safe zone.  A great example was during a recent zombie type outbreak event there was a safe room where campers would control radios and camera feeds rather than being out on the camps within the mahem.   Generally all Evening Activities are fun games or shows for the entire camp participates in.   Vetran campers might have a small edge while playing capture the flag or something but new campers are encouraged to jump right in or stand back and watch depending on what the mood is.   Friday is normally packed night with a dinner banquet, the talent show or coffee house the camp fire and a dance in the lodge.

Things that happen during meals

   Every year the staff seems to come up with new twists and turns to happenings during a meal.  For example there are thing about leaving your seat - you need to take your spoon or something or else your chair might get turned around on you.  These silly things should be explained by your counselor.  One that I do know of as it is a very very old tradition is the hula hop.  Generally not allowed at breakfast as the sound can be very jarring, at lunch or dinner a table will decide on person or a catagory of people and target them to do the Hula Hop.  Only once per meal can this happen except during the banquet - where all bets are off.  the tabel quickly decides on what they are doing and then pounds the table three times and singing: Here's to ______________ and the way they do the Hula Hop, here's to  _____________ and the way the do the Hula Hop, The Hula Hop, The Hula Hula Hop. Let's See ________________do the Hula Hop.   (might be a name or a cabin or everyone with a birthday or everyone over 30)  .  One catch here is that in about 1990 when the staff was all new the song was forgotten so that the last little part is not known today.   (Let's See ____________ do the Hula Hop)  will not be sung as they don't know it is missing...  so you can be the king by explaining to the vetrans the proper way it is supposed to be done.

The Banquet 

is a long running tradition of the staff putting on an elaborate last dinner event for the campers.  The staff take over KP and decorate the dining hall in the theme for the banquet.  The theme is generally decided on during Camp Council by a secret vote after everyone has a chance to shout out their suggestions for the theme.  Getting your suggestion to win is very difficult as there are usually a wide range of choices.  So do not fret if your dream banquet theme does not happen.  Sometimes it takes 10 years of trying before you get enough votes.  Staff and campers spend time preparing for costumes to match the theme of the banquet if they desire to.  If you don't want to dress up you come as your are for the good food.  The art shop and Wayne Manor often get in on helping campers prepare for the banquet.