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ePinemerit Newsletter
December 2013
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From the Executive Director
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To the members of our Pinemere Family,
For those of you that I have not met yet, my name is Mitch Morgan and I am the new Executive Director of Pinemere Camp. I am honored to be working with such an incredible community. Everyone has been extremely supportive and welcoming as I've come on board this fall. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It is never easy to transition to a new community or a new role. You have all made things exceptionally smooth and a lot of fun. Below I'll give you an idea of who I am and let you in on what our team has been up to at Pinemere World Headquarters.
"So who is this Mitch character?"
Thank you for asking. The most important thing that you should know is that I love camp. Yes, I know that it is my chosen profession, but seriously I'm passionate about Jewish camp. I think about it all day, every day. If you can be addicted to camp, then I'm addicted to camp. I spent my first summer at Jewish overnight camp in the mid-80s and immediately felt connected. Over the years I've been a camper, counselor, program director, waterski director, wilderness trip leader, assistant director, and director. It all totals up to 20+ years at camp. I did in fact leave camp for a number of years to work in the business world, which taught me a lot of skills for camp management. It also fueled my desire to wear shorts and flip flops and to work in camping forever. So for me this really is an amazing opportunity. I love the work we do "behind the curtain" as community and business managers to create an excellent organization. And I love being "on stage" at camp working with our team to create the best summer, every summer.
The camps I've attended and worked for have all been similar to Pinemere Camp, which is why I was so attracted to Pinemere. We have great traditions and an amazing atmosphere...sounds like camp to me! Thus far I've had the chance to meet with a number of alumni, campers, parents, and staff. Every time, I walk away learning something new about camp and become more and more pumped for summer 2014. Hopefully I'll have a chance to meet everyone either before or during the summer. Either way, keep your eyes and ears open, as our team of extraordinary Pinemere staff work to make this our very best summer!
Happenings at Pinemere World Headquarters:
- Your Feedback: Over the last two months we have pored through tons of feedback to determine things we need to work on and things we're doing well. We have and continue to learn a lot from our community. Throughout the offseason we'll be working on a variety of opportunities to improve. This has been an important step in my onboarding and it will continue to be an important part of our process each year.
- Staff: We have met with a number of staff both face to face and over the phone. We want our staff to have an opportunity to work with us on the feedback and to help us prepare for summer 2014. We are now getting ready to start conducting interviews and hire for the upcoming season.
- Meeting families: It's important to me to get to know our families and create as many relationships prior to the summer as possible. It's also important that campers have the chance to teach me about camp. When a new director is hired, the first thing that campers and staff worry about is "What's going to change?" and "Who is the new guy?" I enjoy learning about camp from the campers and staff, and I think most people have left our meetings pretty excited about the upcoming summer!
- Recruitment: We have been and will be everywhere this winter and spring! During November and December we attended and held a number of events. While our calendar is filling up, we hope that you'll help us in spreading the word about our amazing camp. From home visits to community events to Pinemere-hosted events like Froyo gatherings... just let us know how we can help you spread the word.
- Program: This is one of the most exciting pieces of the work we've been doing. We're asking everyone to give us their ideas for adding to our camp program. We'll continue to work with our summer staff to improve current programs and to add other exciting activities to camp.
- Raising Money: We are currently involved in a fundraising match program with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. We are closing in on our goals and need EVERYONE in our community to help us. Please reach out to me at mitch@pinemere.com for more info, or you can click here to make a gift. Every gift will help us in making facility improvements!
All in all we've been pretty darn busy and we've been having a lot of fun. Please be in touch with us at the office if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions...or if you'd like to call just to say hi! I am very much looking forward to my first of many, many summers at Pinemere Camp.
Mitch
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Summer 2013 Camper Reunion
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Survey Results
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Each summer we ask campers, families, and staff to fill out surveys and provide us with important feedback about their Pinemere experience. THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to go through the surveys! This feedback is incredibly important to our organization. We want to make sure that we give everyone an opportunity to continually help us improve. Many of these surveys are also conducted across the US at other Jewish overnight camps. All of the data collected allows us the opportunity to review our summer, set goals to improve, and plan throughout the year so we can provide an amazing summer experience.
We will continue to review the data and use it to discuss options as we move forward. However, we want to give you a preview of a few improvements already on tap for summer 2014:
- Food. The feedback on our quality of food improved in 2013. That said, we still have room to improve. We are working with our food service on menus and dining operations. We don't want good food, we want GREAT food.
- Communication. We have improved in our communication and turnaround time on calls to camp. We know that we can do even better! Two camper care specialists have been hired to assist in working with our campers and staff. They are also going to help act as liaisons for families during the summer. Our hope is that we can provide more support and more communication.
- Facilities. Our facilities team is currently looking at a variety of projects to improve the bunks. This includes the bathrooms. Our Board of Directors is currently raising funds to help with improvements to a variety of areas around camp. To help support this campaign, please click here.
- Programs. We have great data from the campers about various programs. We are looking at ways to improve the program and will involve our summer team of counselors and supervisors. We do know that we need to continue to provide campers more opportunities to choose the activities they want.
- Staff. As you know, we have great staff. We will be providing additional training/development, support, and improved staff social programming next summer. We will also be involving more staff in the planning process both before and during camp.
- Updates during camp. During Summer 2014 we will be providing multiple updates each week from Executive Director, Mitch Morgan, and from various guest writers. We are also currently working on adding more video to supplement our daily pictures too.
Here are a few other tidbits that we learned:
- 97% of our parents indicated they were "likely" or "extremely likely" to recommend Pinemere Camp to others. WE LOVE IT! Please make sure to recommend Pinemere and spread the word about our amazing camp.
- Our parents feel very strongly that we create an ambiance and atmosphere where their children are proud to be Jewish, bring Jewish values to life, and we favorably impact their children's Jewish identity.
- Pinemere's strong history of tradition, positive atmosphere, and family feel continue to be cited by parents, campers, and staff alike as major strengths, and play a large part in what draws them back summer after summer.
Some of the phrases that came up repeatedly were: "strong tradition," "well organized," "sense of Jewish community," "nurturing, family-like atmosphere," "strong sense of spirit and acceptance," "intimate, safe space," "warmth," "shared values," "independence-building and confidence-building," "positive role models," "caring, loving staff," "inclusive," "welcoming," "sense of belonging,"
Thank you to everyone who participated; your feedback and comments are crucial to our work!
And congratulations to the three winning families of our parent survey raffle. Each family has won a goodie basket full of Pinemere gear!
The Davison Family The Goldberg Family The Shaid Family
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Alumni Day / Family Camp
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SAVE THE DATES!
Alumni Day: Sunday, July 14, 2014
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Family Camp: August 15-18, 2014
Details to follow...
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Pinemere In Your Neighborhood
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We've enjoyed seeing our Pinemere families as we've made the rounds over the last few months to our camp communities to share the energy and excitement of camp! Our best advertising is person-to-person referrals from our camp families, past and present - please spread the word to your friends and around your town when we are coming to your neighborhood!
So far we have been to Wilmington, West Chester, Elkins Park, Penn Valley, and Rockville, and we have events coming up all over Philadelphia and its suburbs, Allentown, Central New Jersey, and Brooklyn.
An updated list of events including maps and contact info can always be found at
www.pinemere.com/experience-pinemere/in-your-neighborhood/
Do you know any families for whom Pinemere would be the right camp?? It is now easier than ever to refer a friend, just fill out this form and we will send them a brochure and follow up.
As a bonus, for each new family you refer that registers, you will receive a $100 check at the end of the summer! (Applies to current staff too!) Refer 10 new families and your family will receive a free camp tuition! |
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Where did Pinemere Campers and Staff Come From in 2013?
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10 Countries
Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Mexico, Poland, United States
17 States
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wyoming
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SPARK/Pioneers Short-Term Programs
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One Happy Camper Incentive Grants
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Through the generosity of the Foundation for Jewish Camp and local communities, we are proud to be a partner of the One Happy Camper incentive grant, which provides $1000 for first-time overnight Jewish campers.
Some communities also provide a $750 grant for the second summer. If you are eligible, you must apply (for the second year as well!) directly at www.onehappycamper.org. Please contact us with any questions.
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Welcome to the Pinemere Family!
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The following NEW campers have recently registered for Summer 2014!
Hannah Alansky Jake Alansky Jordan Amaya Rachel Appelbaum (Pioneers '13) Jack Berkowitz (Pioneers '13) Lauren Berkowitz Zach Brown Noah Delfiner (Pioneers '13) Julia Dubnoff (Pioneers '13) Talia E. (Pioneers '13) Elon Fass Alex Gellman-Beer (Pioneers '13) Zach Goldman (SPARK '13) Evan Goldstein (Pioneers '13)
Zachary Hassett (Pioneers '13) Alex Jaffe Sam Jaffe Naomi Kales Claude Kaplow-Healy (SPARK '13) Arden Kolodner Leila Kutz (SPARK '13) Zoe LaBow (Pioneers '13) Rebecca Lappen (Pioneers '13) Jordan Levine Tyler Levine Elana Meltzer (Pioneers '13) Madeline Miller (SPARK '13) Molly Pachman Maya Ringold (Pioneers '13) Leo Schown Dylan Steinberg (SPARK '13) Brody Ufberg (SPARK '13)
We are so excited to welcome them to the Pinemere Family, and are looking forward to the enthusiasm all our new campers will bring to Pinemere this summer!
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Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
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Mazel Tov to our Pinemere campers who recently became a Bar or Bat Mitzvah!
Matan Arnon
Max Edelstein
Ben Glazer
Rebecca Goldberg
Nicole Handel
Megan Kaliner
Sydney Kesselman
Josh Miller
Noah Mintz
Julia Rappaport
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Dec/Jan/Feb Birthdays
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
December:
2 - Caden Siva
3 - Max Kesselman, Brett Rosoff-Verbit
5 - Aaron Edelmann, Talia Prusky
8 - Rachel Hockman, Talia Marcus
10 - Aaron Sterling
11 - Michael Bellomo, Beth Schonberger
13- Eli Check, Marsha Stockman
14 - Jeremy Ferman
15 - Ethan Falk
16 - Megan Kaliner
17 - Abigayle Schonberger
18 - Maya Ackerman
19 - Shira Ferman, Nayan Klur, Kayla Saliman, Maddy Schonberger
20 - Jonas Tenzer
23 - Martine Appel
24 - Matthew Shuster
25 - Mayah Nossbaum
26 - Ben Glazer
27 - Mira Edelmann, Taylor Schwartz
28 - Katia Boyet, Emma Delin
30 - Adam Kramer
31 - Hannah Cramer
January:
2 - Ann Selkow
5 - Jordyn Harrison
6 - Marc Ferdinand
7 - Michael Miller
11 - Audrey Peck
12 - Elijah Kutz, Sarah Steinberg
14 - Kaitlyn McInerney, Kristen McInerney, Madeline Miller
15 - Brendan Bellomo, Ofir Chananovits, Zachary Hassett
16 - Adrian Guerra, Ben Kutz
17 - Dan Cominetto
19 - Dalia Morris
20 - Samantha Goldman
23 - Atom Carrasco, Avi Cohen, Erin Klein, Matan Schwartz, Robby Ufberg
24 - Benita Cohen
25 - Matt Zager
27 - Rachel Berlowe-Binder, Sarah Raizen
28 - Ezra Androphy
30 - Avery Rosen
31 - Chuck Lazarus
February:
1 - Tom McInerney
3 - Gal Bejerano, Rebecca Lappen
4 - Nerli Wainstejn
5 - Maddy Kunreuther
6 - Tomer Heitner
7 - Lily Selkow
8 - Noa Ayash, Brendan Cantos, Samantha Lenrow, Jake Weiner
9 - Maia Ben-Shoshan
10 - David Brandeis
11 - Zach Goldman
12 - Mallory Friedlander
13 - Lindsey Schweitzer
14 - Sam Wechsler
15 - Dylan Steinberg
16 - Rich Kraus
17 - Alex Jaffe, Sam Jaffe
18 - Benny Berger, Irvin Juarez Diaz, Ethan Randazzo, Danny Wax
19 - Lila Berger
20 - Benny Schonberger
21 - Yvonne Rochford
25 - Ben Arnon, Leo Schown, Hayden Ufberg
26 - Sophie Citron
27 - Rachel Lappen
29 - Racheli Shuraty
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Important 2014 Dates
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Full Season: June 22 - August 10
1st Session: June 22 - July 20
2nd Session: July 21 - August 10 SPARK (grades 1-4): July 11 - July 13
PIONEERS (grades 2-6): July 21 - July 27 Visiting Day: July 20 Alumni Day: July 13
Family Camp: August 15-18
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Give to Camp!
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It is never too late to give to camp! In this season of giving, please consider Pinemere Camp's Annual Giving Campaign when making your year-end tax deductible gifts. Your gift to Pinemere Camp will support our camper scholarships, and continue to enhance our programming and facilities.
Please also consider participating in our donation matching program in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Click here for more information.
You can make your gifts online, by calling the Pinemere office at 215-487-2267 ext. 101, or by sending a check to 4100 Main Street, Suite 301, Philadelphia, PA 19127.
Thank you!
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Pinemere Camp
Visit us on the web at www.pinemere.com
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