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Since 1887 …
Once a Life Camper, a camper for life. Once a Trail Blazer, always a Trail Blazer. Whether it’s been one year or fifty years since you last visited camp, we want to keep in touch! And keep your eyes peeled for information about our annual events: Operation Muscle (volunteer day to set up Mashipacong Estate in May), Friends of Trail Blazers Day, and Labor Day Weekend Camp Out!
The Alumni Engagement Committee (AEC) was established by the TBC Board of Trustees to help promote camper and staff alumni engagement with Camp and foster a sense of unity and continuity across generations of TBC alumni. Like you, AEC members have been campers and/or staff at Trail Blazers and fondly remember their Camp experiences and the people who impacted their lives in so many ways.
This page celebrates the rich legacy that we inherited from those who came before us. A legacy which became a part of, and was left to, those who followed. As importantly, we hope that it will serve as a way for alumni to learn about current programs and events and find meaningful ways to stay involved with Trail Blazers and support its continuing efforts to provide children and young adults the opportunity to “Go Outside, and Grow Within.”
TBC had its origin in 1887 as Life’s Fresh Air Fund. Here is a 1919 article from LIFE Magazine describing the program at Life’s Fresh Air Farm in Branchville, CT (LIFE Magazine, Vol 74, No. 1974, July 3, 1919, p. 60).
By 1938, under the leadership of L.B. Sharp, the name of Life’s Fresh Air Fund had been changed to Life Camps and two more properties had been acquired. This gave rise to three camps, collectively known as Life Camps: Life’s Girls Camp at the original Life’s Fresh Air Farm in Branchville, NJ, Camp Raritan in Pottersville, NJ for younger boys, and Camp Pole Bridge in Matamoras, PA for older boys. This article from the Aug 15, 1938 issue of LIFE Magazine (pp. 60-61*) includes photos and descriptions of the three camps.
*after clicking on the link below, click on p. 60 to read the two page article
In 1938, Doris Duke purchased the 1000 acre tract of land in Montague Township NJ for use by Life Camps. And, in 1939 Life’s Girls’ Camp in Branchville was moved to the property that we now call the Mashipacong Estate. This article from the August 28, 1939 (pp. 62-65) includes photographs and descriptions of the new Girls’ camp at Mashipacong and the two Boys’ Camps.
This booklet, authored by Juanita Barrena. includes two major chapters. The first chapter, “Where My Caravan Has Rested,” tells the story of the first 70 years of LC/TBC (1897-1957), primarily through a script that was written by Hilde Wohl-Adler for the 70th Anniversary celebration at TBC’s Mashipacong property. This chapter also includes the scrolls that were written by Lois, Betty, and Nita in 1952, the year that Camp was threatened with closure, and a tale written by Mary Dell Morrison about how the donkeys were saved to come back the following summer when Camp reopened. The second chapter, “Flowers of Love and Memory,” includes several “scrolls” that Lois wrote for Council Fires, and also includes a transcription of her closing remarks at her retirement reception in 1980.
In 1980, Lois Goodrich retired after 50 years with LC/TBC, first as a Counselor at Life Camps in Branchville, then as Director of Life’s Girls Camp at both Branchville and Mashipacong, and then as Executive Director of Trail Blazer Camps. This article, which was included in TBC’s 1980 Annual Report, chronicles her early life in Texas and her work at Trail Blazer Camps.
Have you ever wondered what was at Mashipacong before LC/TBC? This article, published in 1904 in the Magazine “Country Life in America” talks about the Mashipacong Estate’s use as the Mashipacong Club.
The 150 year old caretaker’s house referenced in the article is now the Lodge, and that one of the three other cabins was the original Fisherman’s Cabin.
LIFE CAMPS/TRAIL BLAZERS CAMPS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
1925 – 1952: L.B. Sharp (Life’s Camp)
1953 – 1956: Hoyt Palmer (St. John’s Guild), Lois Goodrich (Trail Blazers Camp Director)
1957 – 1980: Lois Goodrich
1980 – 1984: Jani Brokaw
1984 – 1991: Judy Meyers
1991 – 1994: Kay Kennedy
1994 – 1995: Pam Gregory (Interim)
1995 – 1996: Connie Robson
1996 – 2002: Pam Gregory
2002 – 2004: Mary Ann Killeen
2004 – 2008: Kate Sullivan
2008 – 2023: Riel Peerbooms, MSW
2023: Josh Borkin, EdD (Interim)
2023 – present: Shanna Gumaer
PHOTO ALBUM LINKS
Click on the button below to see hundreds of photos of TBC people, flora and fauna, places, small camp living, and other camp programs and activities. The photos are organized into albums by topic or time periods. If you would like to submit photos to add to the albums or can help to identify people or activities in the photos, please contact us at
LISTEN TO SOME TRAIL BLAZERS HISTORY
This collection of audio recordings were made by alumni from all eras of TBC.
LISTEN TO SOME TRAIL BLAZERS HISTORY
Take a trip down memory lane to walking the paths of Mashipacong while singing these classics. If you would like to submit ideas or videos for our next songs, please contact us at
Chef Julia’s Baked Oatmeal
Makes four servings or one TBC breakfast serving
Ingredients:
Quick-cook oats – 3 cups
Brown sugar, packed – 1 cup
Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Eggs – 2 large
Milk, whole – 1 cup
Butter, melted – ½ cup (one stick)
Adds: dried fruit (¼ cup), nuts (¼ cup)
Serve with warm spiced applesauce and brown sugar-vanilla syrup.
Provided by Julia Enerson
Lemon Honey Butter
¼ cup butter
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup honey
Melt butter and stir in honey and lemon juice. (Perfect to go with Rowland’s pancakes.)
Provided by Chris Elmes
No-Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
¼ cup cocoa
¼ cup butter
½ cup milk
½ cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
1 tsp. vanilla
Boil sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is melted. Add oats and vanilla. Increase recipe 5x to spread on a large cookie sheet. Refrigerate and cut into squares.
Provided by Chris Elmes
This booklet, titled Taking your Campers on a Bird Walk at TBC’s Mashipacong Estate, was created by a group of TBC alumni to provide advice to current staff on how to prepare campers for going on a bird walk, and provides information about different types of bird habitats at Mashipacong and listings of the species of birds commonly found in these habitats.
This TBC Camper Guide to Mashipacong Birds was created for Trail Blazer Camps (TBC) by a group of TBC alumni to share their knowledge with current staff and campers about some of the birds commonly found at TBC’s Mashipacong property and other sites where TBC operates its outdoor education programs.
This booklet, titled Camper’s Guide to Common Trees of the Mashipacong Forest, was created by Juanita Barrena, Diane Schaefer, Mary Kay Inserra, Debra Dolph, Deborah Willis, Martha Grace Lawrence, Suzanne Levy, Jane Kortz, Tom Riddleberger, Connie Robson, and Vincent Milea, Jr. – a group of TBC alumni who lent their vast expertise and contributed countless hours to develop a robust resource for campers to learn about Mashipacong Estate’s forest.
Accompanying the Camper’s Guide is this booklet, titled Key To Common Trees of the Mashipacong Forest. It is based on a tree key created by Dr. William Harlow in the early 1950’s for campers and staff to use to identify trees commonly found at Mashipacong Estate and has been enhanced by the alumni credited above.
(For more information on how to submit your alumni profile, email alumni@trailblazers.org)
KAY SMORTO – 1935-1941
I was a camper at Life Girls’ Camp in Branchville CT from 1935-1938, a Camper Leader at Life Girls’ Camp at Mashipacong from 1939- 41, returned to Alumni Camp as an LL (Life Lifer) with my husband Charles and my children for many years, and served as a member of the TBC Board of Trustees for several years.
Although I have so many fond memories (including dishwashing), I suppose the most meaningful one took place in November 1938 when I was in the group of Life campers who came to Mashipacong to dedicate the site for a new Life Camp. On that day, we buried a time capsule with scrolls near the lodge where a new foundation was being laid and watched the workmen mark the spot where the Dining Hall would be built.
JUANITA BARRENA – 1957
In 1957, during a particularly stressful time for my family, I was “sent” to Trail Blazer Camps by a social worker who thought I would benefit from being away from the situation. I was nine years old, and had never been out of the City. And, yes, that is me in the photo in the upper left hand corner, which appeared on the cover of the 1958-59 TBC Annual Report. And, what an exciting adventure it was. Not only did I get to sleep in my very own bed in a canvas shelter (farm sled) in the forest, but I got to see and learn about all kinds of plants and animals (hmm, like, not all mammals are rats, and not all insects are roaches). And, more importantly, I got to live with a group of seven other girls my age and two or three caring adult counselors. As a kid, I loved everything about Camp, even cleaning the latrine. It was MY Camp, my very own home in the woods, and it was FUN (all caps)! Needless to say, I returned as a camper for many summers into the early 1960’s.
Little did I know that my Camp experiences were having such a great impact on my development. Certainly, in retrospect, I can point to some things that were noteworthy. So, like how splitting my first log and lighting a one-match fire made me feel proud and confident in my abilities and willing to take on new challenges; how having a task to perform each day for the group and having a say in making decisions about what the group’s program and menus would be made me feel important and valued; how learning a common table etiquette, Camp songs and other “routines” at Camp made me feel safe and created a sense of belonging to the entire Camp community; and, certainly, how living in and learning about the magical land of Mashipacong inspired a sense of wonder and my life-long interest in the natural world. And, of course, there was the individual attention I received from my counselors (some who have maintained contact with me to the present time). Counselors who not only cultivated my interests and developed new ones, but who also set limits and applied appropriate discipline when my ‘enthusiasm” got a little out of control. So, like, I had quite a few “time outs” during my day, which was probably more effective in redirecting my behavior than a smack across the head or a wooden spoon across the rear. But, it was not until I became a counselor, myself, that I fully understood the transformative impact that Trail Blazers had on me as a child and that it had on campers under my care.
I returned as a counselor in 1966 and served in that role into the early seventies, then continued as a staff trainer for most of the 1980’s and early 90’s, and have continued to maintain connection with Trail Blazers to the present. And, I think it important to emphasize that Trail Blazers’ impact on my life was not limited to my time as camper. As a young adult, my goals were poorly defined and my leadership skills were far from fully developed. And, each year as a counselor was a growing experience for me. Although I spent many years in college and graduate school to acquire the subject knowledge and credentials to become a college professor of Biology, my philosophy of education, how I conducted my classes, how I interacted with students and colleagues, and the successful programs I developed to improve the success of students from disadvantaged groups, can be directly attributed to my training and experience as a counselor at Trail Blazers and the mentorship of Lois Goodrich, Trail Blazers’ legendary Executive Director, who over her 50 year tenure inspired thousands to embrace her values and make a positive difference in our world. And, although there were certainly other factors that enabled my success in life (so like I was a pretty smart kid and my Mother was the wisest, most selfless and resourceful person I have ever known), I doubt that this kid from Brooklyn would have become not just the first in her family to graduate from high school, but also have gone on to earn a Ph.D. in Zoology and a productive and rewarding career as a University faculty member in sunny California.
GLORIA GREENBAUM – 1941-1944
My first year at what was Life Camps was in the early 1940’s when I was a child of about 11. It was the first time I chopped wood, searched for tinder, made a fire over which I, along with my camp mates, cooked simple meals. We hiked, sang songs, visited the burros, and enjoyed the bountiful natural life around us. I had always loved swimming and was taught greater swimming skills in the refreshing Lake Mashipacong. At night, we slept out under the stars- an entire blanket of brilliance which I can still envision. TBC instilled in me a great love and appreciation for the natural world and its natural inhabitants. At 87 years I was still finding deep joy in the world around me, the birds, the trees, the sky, and the fresh air. I will always remember Lois Goodrich and Betty Faust, exemplars of womanhood, of true, genuine people. I am ever grateful for what Trail Blazer Camps gave me which I truly believe could not be found elsewhere.
MARTHA GRACE PRICE LAWRENCE -1954-1961
I attended Trail Blazers Camps during July and August from 1954 through 1961, except for summer 1956 (when I worked as a waitress to earn money for college.)
When I was growing up, my two older brothers were very active in the Boy Scouts and my father was a volunteer Scout Master. I greatly envied their hiking and camping adventures. Thus when I was given the opportunity ( through Hilde Wohl Adler) to attend TBC, I was thrilled. In July and August 1954, I was a camper in Timber Ridge. Camp was all that I could have wished for and much more. Not only did I enjoy the outdoor living and educational experiences but also the warm comradeship of my fellow campers. In 1955, I returned to TBC as a camper-leader in Homestead in July and Awanasa in August. In 1957, I returned as a counselor for five years until I married: 1957 in Pioneers; 1958 and 1959 in Unami then as Counselor-at-Large, in 1960 and 1961, residing in Unami.
No one experience in my seven summers at TBC stands above all the other very happy memories. What I most treasure are the friendships that I made. The TBC ethos of respect for and enjoyment of the varieties of people and the variety of the natural world, under the leadership of Lois Goodrich and her staff, especially Betty Faust and Nita Baumgardner, inspired me and was the reason for my return as camper and counselor. Now, past eighty years of age, I still enjoy hiking, kayaking in the mountains and traveling, exploring with family and friends.
PAULINE ROBERTSON-JEUDY -1956-1959
When I reflect back to the time when I attended Trail Blazer Camp, I find that I am filled with a passion to want to get back to nature and to be in tune with it once again. To move in an environment where I can live in harmony with trees and animals, and be able to avail myself of invigorating sunlight, fresh, clean air and pristine spring waters, is a dream that I have decided to pursue for myself. This is all due to my joyful memories of the years I attended Trail Blazer Camp. I am grateful and honored to have had that opportunity.
HILDE WOHL-ADLER – 1950-1959
I was a counselor at Trail Blazer Camps through most of the fifties. And because I lived in New York City at the time, I was heavily involved with Lois, Betty, Jo Cormack, Mary Dell Morrison, and others, in the effort to preserve the camps (financially) when Life Magazine decided they could no longer support them. We spent every weekend, in Lois and Betty’s little apartment on Christopher Street, scheming about ways to keep the camps financially solvent. When the name had to be changed, it was this group that came up with “why don’t we name the camp after one of the small camps?” Hence Trailblazer Camps. The effort bonded us all for life.
I started as a counselor in Brae Tarn (with Mary Dell Morrison and Betty Faust) for two years and then was moved to Timber (over the years with Naomi Diederich (who had a most amazing voice!), Jean Lewis, Lesley Tarleton, and Jo Cormack. During two summers I directed the waterfront and lived in Timber.
I had been involved in scouting for a lot of my life, and somehow, just after college graduation, stumbled into this job at Life Camps. I had no idea what I was getting into, how much it would influence me, how much I would love it, and what deep lasting friendships would come out of it.
A few specific memories (in no particular order and of no particular importance): Lois, appearing at Timber, in yellow raincoat and hat, in the middle of a major hurricane, “to make sure we were OK!”; singing endlessly in the dining hall; how to pass a cup (I still do that!); aims, objectives, and reports; Cap’n Bill Vinal’s 5 am bird walks; balancing around the bog in our underwear; Betty and Candy; “Where my Caravan has Rested”; checking for headlice (this skill was extremely useful when we had had an outbreak of head lice in my kids’ elementary school several years later); freezing in the showers; ignoring the dieticians and having nothing but ice-cream for supper; banging on the triangle; “Life has Loveliness to Sell”; “All the Flowers of Love and Memory.”
I got married after that and moved to Madison Wisconsin and never went back to camp to work. I visited camp with my family, and went to Lois’s big retirement party and then, sadly, to her funeral. My children grew up with the Trail Blazer songs. Luckily, Naomi Diederich (of the wonderful voice) lived in Madison. The lessons learned and the friends were (are) forever.
-Hilde Wohl Adler
Jane Kortz – 1969-1979
This photo with Lois Goodrich, on the front step of the dining hall, was taken in 1976. The pre-camp training program booklet is from my first summer at camp, 1969 (raffia still on spine holding it together). Inside the program is a hand drawn map of camp highlighting the small camps and many other special places at Mashipacong.
When I arrived in Sussex, New Jersey coming by bus from Port Authority, New York City, little did I know how one place and everyone there would impact my life forever. I lived at several different small camps over the years, but Brae Tarn has a special place in my heart because it is where I was assigned my first year at camp. In 1978-1979 I was hired as one of the year-round staff and lived in Brooklyn, NY. We worked at the office in Manhattan near Times Square and went to camp on weekends for winter camp. This was a very special year for me, and after the year I was drawn back to Minnesota to be closer to family.
There are so many memories from my years at Trail Blazer Camps. There were of course many challenges, but with hard work and support we made all those into learning experiences. I feel so fortunate to have my experiences from camp with me as my life moves along. I have been retired from full-time employment as a computer programmer in Seattle, WA for a few years My dog Viola keeps me hiking and generally joyful in watching her navigate along the trails.
The cover of this pre-camp training program reads “Discoveries, Learnings, Skills, Routines” and recalls for me, how these were all part of our experiences each summer at camp. And could these possibly also be life-long goals These were important words as we wrote our goals and objectives for small camp and for the children who were our focus. We lived and learned what decentralized camping was all about.
Perhaps this poem from the pre-camp training program booklet says it best what camp holds for me. A true sense of belonging and gratitude as well as a love of learning for what has been and will be. Poem by -Mildred Bowers Armstrong
“Strange –
Strange — to grow up and not be different,
Not beautiful or even very wise…
No winging-out the way of butterflies,
No sudden blindfold-lifting from the eyes.
Strange to grow up and still be wondering,
Reverent at petals and snow,
Still holding breath,
Still often tiptoe,
Questioning dew and stars,
Wanting to know!”
Pre-camp training, 1960’s
JIM SECOSKY – 1967-1968
How Being A Staff Member Affected My Life
I was a counselor at Trail Blazer Camps summer camp in the 60’s. Now, I’m old with a bad heart; do not know how much longer I have on this planet. Medical teams and devices saved my life a few times, but my luck may be running out. Situations like these cause one to wonder about how their lives have turned out. Looking over the ups and downs of my life, I came to realize how much my life was affected by Trail Blazer Camps (TBC).
I was young, just in my second year of college, studying to be a biology teacher, and my favorite bio professor encouraged me to apply to work at camp. Between extensive pre-camp training and then living in the woods with the oldest group of boys, I learned skills that proved useful for the rest of my life. More importantly, camp turned me on to the importance of helping young people. As the years and decades went on, I taught junior high, high school, and college. I always focused on the lost, struggling kids. Trail Blazer Camps imbued me with that attitude.
I knew little about living in the woods, especially the way we did it—cooking 2 meals/day—rain or shine. But TBC taught me well. I have used those camping and cooking skills professionally and personality all my life. What follows are some specific examples.
As a teacher, I took my kids on many exciting field trips—eventually they evolved into camping trips. I am most proud of our many trips from Upstate NY to Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. They lasted 8 days and focused on geology. We kept costs low as we cooked 2 meals out each day. Some went smoothly, but we did have our near disasters. We had rain every day on one trip. Our tents were islands in a field of water. But, we still had our hot meals. Camp taught me how to survive rain. Trips often involved multiple vehicles, one had over 30 participants. We flatlanders experienced much adventure by climbing mesas in Monument Valley and hiking and camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was all really breathtaking for me as I never lost that sense of wonder that I experienced every day in the woods of TBC. After many trips with high school kids, we branched out to taking trips with just adults. Some were able to earn graduate credit for the trip through Portland State University. You know the idea for the credit belongs to TBC which offered college credits for the pre-camp training.
My students benefited from the trips, but I did camping with many other groups like at church camps, Boy Scouts, and teaching a community college course. I am especially grateful to have helped with a camp for children of alcoholics. We tried to make that week the happiest week of the year for our campers. After a number of years, the camp evolved to include almost any at-risk kid in the Rochester NY area. Some campers eventually joined staff. Early on, my son went to the camp as a CIT, for I was and am a recovering alcoholic with 48 sober years. When he was an adult, he became a Boy Scout leader and took his scouts on many trips. I went along on some, as a cook. Camp taught me how to cook, good one pot meals for groups. Both of his sons became Eagle Scouts. And yes, they can cook well. We often never know how our actions may have far ranging consequences.
For some of the years that I taught, many kids in the area had trouble with alcohol and other drugs. Being a recovering alcoholic I set up a program for them through the school. And of course, camping was a big part of it. I wanted to get them to interact more with good, stable adults. They did not trust adults. I was impressed with how much could be accomplished by having many adults at activities. My model was TBC with 2 [staff] and only 8 campers. Our school and community were behind me all the way. Every year we spent a day at the ropes course at a 4-H camp. They struggled in school but they all managed to graduate. Some 30 years later, I’m still in touch with many of them on Facebook. They share pictures of their kids and their grandkids. They warm my heart.
As an outgrowth of that program, I and members of the community launched a teen center. In that small community there was nothing for many kids to do on weekends. Camping was an integral part of our activities. Sometimes we went to big amusement parks and camped overnight; hence, our kids were able to get in many rides when the usual cliental were not there. We went to caverns, museums, planetariums, and even to the Rock and Roll museum in Cleveland. If one can camp, one can travel and see neat things at a low cost. They all learned to use chop sticks.
The school and the community showed their appreciation of my efforts with various awards. The local MADD group gave me a plaque. I was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in America, and given their Distinguished Humanitarian award.
I am also very proud to have helped start a soup kitchen for recovering alcoholics in my town. I cooked and washed tons of soup bowls.
Although camp helped me, my life did not to straight up when I left. I went back to college and drifted into alcohol and a bit of other drugs. I ended up for a time in a mental ward. Eventually, I found I had bipolar, ADHD, alcoholism, and maybe Autism. Five years of my life were hell. However, I found groups of people who helped me. I’ve been off alcohol and all meds for decades. I maintain this absence by trying to help others with the same problems. The world is full of people whom I can try to help.
Throughout my life, I have had flashbacks of my time at TBC. I remember pulling the wagon to get ice at the ice house. I learned how to use plants for black birch tea, sumac lemonade, and white birch bark for fires. I was happy to learn to how to walk all the trails at night without a flashlight. And I never forgot the mosquitos. I loved the variety of people on staff. My co-worker my first summer was from Denmark. After camp was over, we went around New York City, and then he came to my hometown for a visit. One year many of us went on a canoe trip down the Delaware River. It was exciting lead a long vagabond on the Appalachian Trail and beat on the bushes to chase rattlesnakes away. My first fishing experience was in the lake. Part of our swim test was to tread water for two minutes while keeping our hands above the water. I have visions of some nice waterfall we went to in our staff training. There was such a peace in the woods of camp. In the summers, I find myself placing a small bouquet of flowers on the table, a tradition that Lois Goodrich taught us. I love the folk songs we sang, ones that are covered by groups like Peter, Paul, and Mary.
Since my intense experience at TBC came early on in my life, it shaped and hardened my philosophy of life in such to make me focus on helping young people. Many opportunities appeared to allow me to help our youth. I think the world is a better place because of my experience at camp.
Sabrina Bams-Simmond – 1980-1999
I have been with Trail Blazers since 1980. I was a camper in Trail Blazers, Hermit Glen, Aquila and Unami. I was also in the Leadership program. My time as a camper was awesome. Although I was the quiet one in the group, I enjoyed each and every day there. I have very fond memories of going to the ice house to get ice to make ice cream, picking blueberries, square dancing, riding and taking care of the donkeys and my most favorite thing to do, going on vagabond.
I also had the pleasure of working at Trail Blazers throughout the late 80’s and 90’s. I was a counselor, worked in the kitchen, an enabler and on the support staff where I worked between two small camps.
Being able to go back to visit has been a blessing. I have loved going to Family Camp. My spirit feels at ease when I’m there, like that’s where I’m supposed to be. I have introduced my daughter to TBC. The first time she went with me, when she was 5, she was not feeling it. She’s now 11 and when she recently went back with me she felt more comfortable. She said she’d go back with me again!
I look forward to continuing to visit camp, whether as a volunteer at Operation Muscle or at another Family Camp.
Jane Kortz – 1969-1979
This photo with Lois Goodrich, on the front step of the dining hall, was taken in 1976. The pre-camp training program booklet is from my first summer at camp, 1969 (raffia still on spine holding it together). Inside the program is a hand drawn map of camp highlighting the small camps and many other special places at Mashipacong.
When I arrived in Sussex, New Jersey coming by bus from Port Authority, New York City, little did I know how one place and everyone there would impact my life forever. I lived at several different small camps over the years, but Brae Tarn has a special place in my heart because it is where I was assigned my first year at camp. In 1978-1979 I was hired as one of the year-round staff and lived in Brooklyn, NY. We worked at the office in Manhattan near Times Square and went to camp on weekends for winter camp. This was a very special year for me, and after the year I was drawn back to Minnesota to be closer to family.
There are so many memories from my years at Trail Blazer Camps. There were of course many challenges, but with hard work and support we made all those into learning experiences. I feel so fortunate to have my experiences from camp with me as my life moves along. I have been retired from full-time employment as a computer programmer in Seattle, WA for a few years My dog Viola keeps me hiking and generally joyful in watching her navigate along the trails.
The cover of this pre-camp training program reads “Discoveries, Learnings, Skills, Routines” and recalls for me, how these were all part of our experiences each summer at camp. And could these possibly also be life-long goals These were important words as we wrote our goals and objectives for small camp and for the children who were our focus. We lived and learned what decentralized camping was all about.
Perhaps this poem from the pre-camp training program booklet says it best what camp holds for me. A true sense of belonging and gratitude as well as a love of learning for what has been and will be. Poem by -Mildred Bowers Armstrong
“Strange –
Strange — to grow up and not be different,
Not beautiful or even very wise…
No winging-out the way of butterflies,
No sudden blindfold-lifting from the eyes.
Strange to grow up and still be wondering,
Reverent at petals and snow,
Still holding breath,
Still often tiptoe,
Questioning dew and stars,
Wanting to know!”
Pre-camp training, 1960’s
JIM SECOSKY – 1967-1968
How Being A Staff Member Affected My Life
I was a counselor at Trail Blazer Camps summer camp in the 60’s. Now, I’m old with a bad heart; do not know how much longer I have on this planet. Medical teams and devices saved my life a few times, but my luck may be running out. Situations like these cause one to wonder about how their lives have turned out. Looking over the ups and downs of my life, I came to realize how much my life was affected by Trail Blazer Camps (TBC).
I was young, just in my second year of college, studying to be a biology teacher, and my favorite bio professor encouraged me to apply to work at camp. Between extensive pre-camp training and then living in the woods with the oldest group of boys, I learned skills that proved useful for the rest of my life. More importantly, camp turned me on to the importance of helping young people. As the years and decades went on, I taught junior high, high school, and college. I always focused on the lost, struggling kids. Trail Blazer Camps imbued me with that attitude.
I knew little about living in the woods, especially the way we did it—cooking 2 meals/day—rain or shine. But TBC taught me well. I have used those camping and cooking skills professionally and personality all my life. What follows are some specific examples.
As a teacher, I took my kids on many exciting field trips—eventually they evolved into camping trips. I am most proud of our many trips from Upstate NY to Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. They lasted 8 days and focused on geology. We kept costs low as we cooked 2 meals out each day. Some went smoothly, but we did have our near disasters. We had rain every day on one trip. Our tents were islands in a field of water. But, we still had our hot meals. Camp taught me how to survive rain. Trips often involved multiple vehicles, one had over 30 participants. We flatlanders experienced much adventure by climbing mesas in Monument Valley and hiking and camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was all really breathtaking for me as I never lost that sense of wonder that I experienced every day in the woods of TBC. After many trips with high school kids, we branched out to taking trips with just adults. Some were able to earn graduate credit for the trip through Portland State University. You know the idea for the credit belongs to TBC which offered college credits for the pre-camp training.
My students benefited from the trips, but I did camping with many other groups like at church camps, Boy Scouts, and teaching a community college course. I am especially grateful to have helped with a camp for children of alcoholics. We tried to make that week the happiest week of the year for our campers. After a number of years, the camp evolved to include almost any at-risk kid in the Rochester NY area. Some campers eventually joined staff. Early on, my son went to the camp as a CIT, for I was and am a recovering alcoholic with 48 sober years. When he was an adult, he became a Boy Scout leader and took his scouts on many trips. I went along on some, as a cook. Camp taught me how to cook, good one pot meals for groups. Both of his sons became Eagle Scouts. And yes, they can cook well. We often never know how our actions may have far ranging consequences.
For some of the years that I taught, many kids in the area had trouble with alcohol and other drugs. Being a recovering alcoholic I set up a program for them through the school. And of course, camping was a big part of it. I wanted to get them to interact more with good, stable adults. They did not trust adults. I was impressed with how much could be accomplished by having many adults at activities. My model was TBC with 2 [staff] and only 8 campers. Our school and community were behind me all the way. Every year we spent a day at the ropes course at a 4-H camp. They struggled in school but they all managed to graduate. Some 30 years later, I’m still in touch with many of them on Facebook. They share pictures of their kids and their grandkids. They warm my heart.
As an outgrowth of that program, I and members of the community launched a teen center. In that small community there was nothing for many kids to do on weekends. Camping was an integral part of our activities. Sometimes we went to big amusement parks and camped overnight; hence, our kids were able to get in many rides when the usual cliental were not there. We went to caverns, museums, planetariums, and even to the Rock and Roll museum in Cleveland. If one can camp, one can travel and see neat things at a low cost. They all learned to use chop sticks.
The school and the community showed their appreciation of my efforts with various awards. The local MADD group gave me a plaque. I was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in America, and given their Distinguished Humanitarian award.
I am also very proud to have helped start a soup kitchen for recovering alcoholics in my town. I cooked and washed tons of soup bowls.
Although camp helped me, my life did not to straight up when I left. I went back to college and drifted into alcohol and a bit of other drugs. I ended up for a time in a mental ward. Eventually, I found I had bipolar, ADHD, alcoholism, and maybe Autism. Five years of my life were hell. However, I found groups of people who helped me. I’ve been off alcohol and all meds for decades. I maintain this absence by trying to help others with the same problems. The world is full of people whom I can try to help.
Throughout my life, I have had flashbacks of my time at TBC. I remember pulling the wagon to get ice at the ice house. I learned how to use plants for black birch tea, sumac lemonade, and white birch bark for fires. I was happy to learn to how to walk all the trails at night without a flashlight. And I never forgot the mosquitos. I loved the variety of people on staff. My co-worker my first summer was from Denmark. After camp was over, we went around New York City, and then he came to my hometown for a visit. One year many of us went on a canoe trip down the Delaware River. It was exciting lead a long vagabond on the Appalachian Trail and beat on the bushes to chase rattlesnakes away. My first fishing experience was in the lake. Part of our swim test was to tread water for two minutes while keeping our hands above the water. I have visions of some nice waterfall we went to in our staff training. There was such a peace in the woods of camp. In the summers, I find myself placing a small bouquet of flowers on the table, a tradition that Lois Goodrich taught us. I love the folk songs we sang, ones that are covered by groups like Peter, Paul, and Mary.
Since my intense experience at TBC came early on in my life, it shaped and hardened my philosophy of life in such to make me focus on helping young people. Many opportunities appeared to allow me to help our youth. I think the world is a better place because of my experience at camp.
Jane Kortz – 1969-1979
This photo with Lois Goodrich, on the front step of the dining hall, was taken in 1976. The pre-camp training program booklet is from my first summer at camp, 1969 (raffia still on spine holding it together). Inside the program is a hand drawn map of camp highlighting the small camps and many other special places at Mashipacong.
When I arrived in Sussex, New Jersey coming by bus from Port Authority, New York City, little did I know how one place and everyone there would impact my life forever. I lived at several different small camps over the years, but Brae Tarn has a special place in my heart because it is where I was assigned my first year at camp. In 1978-1979 I was hired as one of the year-round staff and lived in Brooklyn, NY. We worked at the office in Manhattan near Times Square and went to camp on weekends for winter camp. This was a very special year for me, and after the year I was drawn back to Minnesota to be closer to family.
There are so many memories from my years at Trail Blazer Camps. There were of course many challenges, but with hard work and support we made all those into learning experiences. I feel so fortunate to have my experiences from camp with me as my life moves along. I have been retired from full-time employment as a computer programmer in Seattle, WA for a few years My dog Viola keeps me hiking and generally joyful in watching her navigate along the trails.
The cover of this pre-camp training program reads “Discoveries, Learnings, Skills, Routines” and recalls for me, how these were all part of our experiences each summer at camp. And could these possibly also be life-long goals These were important words as we wrote our goals and objectives for small camp and for the children who were our focus. We lived and learned what decentralized camping was all about.
Perhaps this poem from the pre-camp training program booklet says it best what camp holds for me. A true sense of belonging and gratitude as well as a love of learning for what has been and will be. Poem by -Mildred Bowers Armstrong
“Strange –
Strange — to grow up and not be different,
Not beautiful or even very wise…
No winging-out the way of butterflies,
No sudden blindfold-lifting from the eyes.
Strange to grow up and still be wondering,
Reverent at petals and snow,
Still holding breath,
Still often tiptoe,
Questioning dew and stars,
Wanting to know!”
Pre-camp training, 1960’s
JIM SECOSKY – 1967-1968
How Being A Staff Member Affected My Life
I was a counselor at Trail Blazer Camps summer camp in the 60’s. Now, I’m old with a bad heart; do not know how much longer I have on this planet. Medical teams and devices saved my life a few times, but my luck may be running out. Situations like these cause one to wonder about how their lives have turned out. Looking over the ups and downs of my life, I came to realize how much my life was affected by Trail Blazer Camps (TBC).
I was young, just in my second year of college, studying to be a biology teacher, and my favorite bio professor encouraged me to apply to work at camp. Between extensive pre-camp training and then living in the woods with the oldest group of boys, I learned skills that proved useful for the rest of my life. More importantly, camp turned me on to the importance of helping young people. As the years and decades went on, I taught junior high, high school, and college. I always focused on the lost, struggling kids. Trail Blazer Camps imbued me with that attitude.
I knew little about living in the woods, especially the way we did it—cooking 2 meals/day—rain or shine. But TBC taught me well. I have used those camping and cooking skills professionally and personality all my life. What follows are some specific examples.
As a teacher, I took my kids on many exciting field trips—eventually they evolved into camping trips. I am most proud of our many trips from Upstate NY to Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. They lasted 8 days and focused on geology. We kept costs low as we cooked 2 meals out each day. Some went smoothly, but we did have our near disasters. We had rain every day on one trip. Our tents were islands in a field of water. But, we still had our hot meals. Camp taught me how to survive rain. Trips often involved multiple vehicles, one had over 30 participants. We flatlanders experienced much adventure by climbing mesas in Monument Valley and hiking and camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was all really breathtaking for me as I never lost that sense of wonder that I experienced every day in the woods of TBC. After many trips with high school kids, we branched out to taking trips with just adults. Some were able to earn graduate credit for the trip through Portland State University. You know the idea for the credit belongs to TBC which offered college credits for the pre-camp training.
My students benefited from the trips, but I did camping with many other groups like at church camps, Boy Scouts, and teaching a community college course. I am especially grateful to have helped with a camp for children of alcoholics. We tried to make that week the happiest week of the year for our campers. After a number of years, the camp evolved to include almost any at-risk kid in the Rochester NY area. Some campers eventually joined staff. Early on, my son went to the camp as a CIT, for I was and am a recovering alcoholic with 48 sober years. When he was an adult, he became a Boy Scout leader and took his scouts on many trips. I went along on some, as a cook. Camp taught me how to cook, good one pot meals for groups. Both of his sons became Eagle Scouts. And yes, they can cook well. We often never know how our actions may have far ranging consequences.
For some of the years that I taught, many kids in the area had trouble with alcohol and other drugs. Being a recovering alcoholic I set up a program for them through the school. And of course, camping was a big part of it. I wanted to get them to interact more with good, stable adults. They did not trust adults. I was impressed with how much could be accomplished by having many adults at activities. My model was TBC with 2 [staff] and only 8 campers. Our school and community were behind me all the way. Every year we spent a day at the ropes course at a 4-H camp. They struggled in school but they all managed to graduate. Some 30 years later, I’m still in touch with many of them on Facebook. They share pictures of their kids and their grandkids. They warm my heart.
As an outgrowth of that program, I and members of the community launched a teen center. In that small community there was nothing for many kids to do on weekends. Camping was an integral part of our activities. Sometimes we went to big amusement parks and camped overnight; hence, our kids were able to get in many rides when the usual cliental were not there. We went to caverns, museums, planetariums, and even to the Rock and Roll museum in Cleveland. If one can camp, one can travel and see neat things at a low cost. They all learned to use chop sticks.
The school and the community showed their appreciation of my efforts with various awards. The local MADD group gave me a plaque. I was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in America, and given their Distinguished Humanitarian award.
I am also very proud to have helped start a soup kitchen for recovering alcoholics in my town. I cooked and washed tons of soup bowls.
Although camp helped me, my life did not to straight up when I left. I went back to college and drifted into alcohol and a bit of other drugs. I ended up for a time in a mental ward. Eventually, I found I had bipolar, ADHD, alcoholism, and maybe Autism. Five years of my life were hell. However, I found groups of people who helped me. I’ve been off alcohol and all meds for decades. I maintain this absence by trying to help others with the same problems. The world is full of people whom I can try to help.
Throughout my life, I have had flashbacks of my time at TBC. I remember pulling the wagon to get ice at the ice house. I learned how to use plants for black birch tea, sumac lemonade, and white birch bark for fires. I was happy to learn to how to walk all the trails at night without a flashlight. And I never forgot the mosquitos. I loved the variety of people on staff. My co-worker my first summer was from Denmark. After camp was over, we went around New York City, and then he came to my hometown for a visit. One year many of us went on a canoe trip down the Delaware River. It was exciting lead a long vagabond on the Appalachian Trail and beat on the bushes to chase rattlesnakes away. My first fishing experience was in the lake. Part of our swim test was to tread water for two minutes while keeping our hands above the water. I have visions of some nice waterfall we went to in our staff training. There was such a peace in the woods of camp. In the summers, I find myself placing a small bouquet of flowers on the table, a tradition that Lois Goodrich taught us. I love the folk songs we sang, ones that are covered by groups like Peter, Paul, and Mary.
Since my intense experience at TBC came early on in my life, it shaped and hardened my philosophy of life in such to make me focus on helping young people. Many opportunities appeared to allow me to help our youth. I think the world is a better place because of my experience at camp.
FOUR GREAT TRAIL BLAZERS
This video created by Juanita Barrena (former TBC camper and counselor) is a tribute to Lois Goodrich, Betty Faust, Nita Baumgarder and Rowland Warren. Through photographs and songs, the video honors their essential roles in the history of Trail Blazer Camps and their extraordinary personal impact on the lives of thousands of children and young adults. Photographs were collected from various sources. Most of the songs are original TBC songs sung by TBC Alumni. Special thanks to Chris Fletcher for her solo recording “Burrito’s Lullaby” in Nita’s segment.
Claire Rose Kircher
August 21, 1955 – March 31, 2020
August 21, 1955 – March 31, 2020
TBC years beginning in 1975 and ending in 1988
Compiled by Pam Gregory and Diane Schaefer
Claire Rose Kircher grew up the eldest of six children and came to Trail Blazers from West Bend, WI. The Girl Scouts played a huge role in Claire’s life. It was “a refuge, a place of infinite possibilities to explore, and a place of loving female friendships and bonds,” many of the same things she later valued about Trail Blazers.
In 1975, at the age of 19, Claire left Wisconsin to be a counselor at Trail Blazers, following in the footsteps of her sister Patty. Diane Schaeffer met and worked with Claire in 1975, her second year at TBC. They co-worked in Unami with girls about 11 and 12 years of age.
Diane described their summer working together saying, “It was a dream to work with Claire. She was down to earth, hard-working, and funny.” We started out the summer in July with our first group by dismantling the kitchen. We spent the first week lashing and building our tipi home. What a sense of accomplishment we shared with our girls. I trusted Claire’s ability to notice what needed to be done and take care of it. She was kind and caring with the girls but also tough. She had a great sense of humor and I can still hear her low, throaty chuckle, and that spark in her eyes. She also had a sense of impatience when things went awry which I loved. We shared that as well. She was a no-nonsense kind of person!!! I felt so supported by her as we worked through that wonderful summer.”
Through both Girl Scouts and TBC, Claire realized that she thrived in leadership positions, enjoying the decision-making process and logistical planning.
She returned to Trail Blazers twelve years later in 1987 and 1988. In 1987, when Claire returned to Trail Blazers, she had completed her training and education and was a practicing RN. She returned to be the Waterfront Director for Deb Willis, the Girls Camp Director. Her maturity and training made her an incredible asset to lead this high-risk area at Trail Blazers. The following year, she returned once again as an Enabler and Acting Director when the Director was away, and she recruited her sister Mary Ellen Kircher to take her place as the Girls Waterfront Director.
Pam Gregory, Girls Camp Director in 1988 described their summer together saying, “I was fortunate that Claire, Jill Borrelli, and Lisa Todd served as Enablers during my first summer as the Girls Camp Director, where I learned so much about TBC and life from each of them. It was a really difficult summer for me personally. I knew so little about Trail Blazers’ culture and history. Claire was a bright light, a patient and non-judgmental teacher, and strong support for me and many others that summer. She was calm, empathetic, confident, full of passion for Trail Blazers and the young people we served. She was a great role model who understood and embraced Trail Blazers’ values.
We also bonded for life because we both had Girl Scout backgrounds and loved to sing. She kept us all entertained with puns and started many a round in the Great Hall during meals at the staff table. She organized countless Community Days and Concerts on the front steps with her boundless energy.”
Claire went back home to Wisconsin after that summer to continue her nursing career, eventually, marry her partner, and give birth to her beautiful daughter, Hallie. She taught Hallie many of the songs, games, and customs she learned at Trail Blazers and became a regular donor to the place that meant so much to her.
Claire’s daughter, Hallie, perfectly described Claire as “a sister, explorer, risk-taker, nurse, mother, and loving friend”.
ELIZABETH “LIZ“ MURPHY 1974 – EARLY 1990S
Elizabeth Elmina Marie Murphy
June 20, 1951 – May 22, 2020
Camp years: June 1974 thru the early 90s
Co-written by Tom Riddleberger, Diane Schaefer, and Deb Willis
My first memory of Liz at camp was my first day there as well. We had all just arrived at camp; Liz from Georgia and myself from Indiana. We were gathered on the triangle in front of the Lodge. Tracy Apple was teaching everyone a song and we were to look into a different set of eyes with each round of the song. I remember seeing Liz across the circle. Her long thick hair flowing, dressed in open-toed sandals with white pants.
Lois joined us and went around introducing everyone and saying a bit about each of us. She had learned our names from the pictures we sent her. Liz was to work for the boy’s camp as a nurse. Lois then broke us up into our small training groups. She called off the boy’s camp staff first. Liz joined her group and as the guys grabbed their gear, she found her huge suitcase with wheels on it. I know she expected one of the strong, male staff to help her with her luggage, but soon she realized she was on her own. I have this picture of her walking behind the guys down the hill to the boy’s camp pulling this suitcase behind her. And thus began an amazing life experience that changed all of us and an almost 50-year friendship.
I didn’t see her much those years when I was a counselor as I was hidden away in the woods, but somehow I got to know her. She had a huge heart and a wonderful laugh but she was a tough nurse. She would listen quietly and then unless you were seriously ill, send you back to your small camp somehow feeling better for having been heard.
“As the years went on she began helping out in the small camps, training staff and still listening intently and then sending us out to do the job she knew we could.”
Diane Schaefer
“Liz had a huge impact on camp and I think camp had a huge impact on her. At first, she was a fish completely out of water, but quickly adapted and while absorbing the Trail Blazer way, she added her unique perspective. Her laughter and seriousness were both powerful. Her professionalism as the camp nurse was exemplary. She “got” camp and was grateful that she found a place where she could do so much good for people while also nourishing her own soul. Not everyone expressed their gratitude for camp as deeply as Liz did about her camp experiences. Sometimes a person and a place and a community are a perfect combination; that was Liz at TBC.”
Tom Riddleberger
“I really got to know Liz after camp was over for the summer when we both stayed for Alumni camp and beyond, helping put things away for the winter. We bonded over the smell of mothballs in the Girl’s camp linen room and cooking in the big kitchen for ourselves and Rowland, Ferdie, Lois and Betty. We slept out at the Farmer’s small camp in one of the sleds with a huge pile of wool blankets and the sounds of bobcats walking past our shelter at night.
Liz got cold. As she liked to point out, she was from the South and needed warmth. Imagine my surprise when Lois decided that we could sleep on the third floor of the lodge after Liz (using a much thicker drawl than I’d ever heard her use before) told Lois about her problem with the cold. I had never asked because we had been told in no uncertain terms that sleeping on the third floor was not an option, ever.
Liz used her southern roots at other times as well. She and I were roommates in NYC for a year where she worked for Doctor’s Hospital during the fall and winter and then went to camp in the summer. We roomed together another year in New Jersey before Liz moved on. During a huge snowstorm, while we were in New Jersey, I overheard Liz on the phone with the local police explaining to them in her best Southern form that she was needed at the hospital but she just didn’t know how to drive in this kind of weather being from Georgia and all and couldn’t they help her out. They drove her to and from work until the roads were clear!
Liz was a warm and caring friend and gave to camp over and over in so many different ways. She was funny and gracious, unstinting in her warmth and care especially for the boys in her care during the summers. I will miss her.”
Deb Willis.
From his obituary:
“Christopher had such a zest for life. His energy, enthusiasm, and positive attitude radiated light wherever he went. He never met a stranger. His smile was infectious. Christopher was a small-town boy, but after moving to New York, he loved the big city and the opportunities that lay ahead, so he then decided to make Brooklyn his home.
At present, Christopher worked as Overnight Camp Director under Riel Peerbooms at Trail Blazers Camp in Brooklyn, NY and Montague, NJ. Prior to that, he was Associate Director under Denny Rosen at Camp Ojibwa for boys in Eagle River, WI for 19 years. While doing all this, Christopher also spent 10 years as Holiday Operations Manager at Macy’s Santaland in New York City and 10 years as Associate Artistic Director at Boomerang Theatre Company. He loved the theater and traveling. He also loved a good bourbon and a fine cigar with friends and family. He played his guitar almost every day, but his passion was the kids at the camps where he worked, and all the friends he had made in his lifetime.”
Anyone that met him, knows this: Christopher had an uncanny ability to make you feel at ease. Always a joke and a story at the ready, he would quickly break the ice and get you to talk. And then he would listen, really listen. You would know this when, weeks later, he would reference one of the things you talked about. He had a true ability to see people for who they were and accept them. It is what made him such a great camp director, and an even more amazing person to be around.
Christopher spent three years with Trail Blazers, two of those years were pandemic years. If it ever stressed him out, you wouldn’t have known. Meeting after meeting, plan after plan, pivot after pivot, Christopher smiled and went back to work.
Opening camp in 2021 after COVID mandates forced closure was one of the hardest things we ever had to do, and the first few weeks of camp were challenging to say the least. I was amazed how Christopher moved through it, it all seemed easy for him. But it wasn’t easy at all, he shared later. It was just another typical thing about him – he would not burden you with his challenges, ever.
It is hard to overstate how special it was to have Christopher on our team. You could always count on him to lighten the mood with a joke, in fact, we counted on him to deliver at least one joke per meeting – often perfectly timed and not expected. “Anything else to report?” I asked one meeting. Christopher responded, “Did I mention my friend Frog had some car trouble?” “Oh no,” we said, “What happened?” “He got toad,” Christopher answered. “TOAD!” Get it? One of his favorite jokes was his standard response to anything in camouflage print – he acted like he couldn’t see it. It was camouflage, after all! Click here to see CT and his humor in action.
The Summer 2021 team was a special group of young people, and there is no doubt they lived through one of the hardest summers Trail Blazers ever experienced, due to the unique pandemic environment. But there is also no doubt it was Christopher’s deep well of experience, patience, and kindness that got them through. I sat in the back of the room at the end of the summer as staff debriefed with him. His entire focus was on getting each staff member to be proud of what they had accomplished. It was never about him.
Christopher, in just three years at TBC, made an impact many others did not make in a lifetime. I think one of the reasons for this was his connection to TBC’s history. As with his previous camp, he was very interested in the ties that bind us. Under his guidance, a new Alumni Engagement Committee thrived. If you didn’t see it before, check out the Alumni page – one of the many projects he poured his heart into.
Another highlight was the re-inventing of the Labor Day Family Camp/LL Camp – this is where Christopher was really at home. He saw family camp as an extension of the regular summer camp and an essential way to connect with parents and families.
In 2019 we tested out a new and expanded version of Family Camp with over 65 people in attendance for an extended Labor Day Weekend. Here he is during the weekend’s talent show. I don’t think his performance required any practice on his part, he was always ready to perform.
If nothing, Christopher was so much fun to have around. Here is the team in 2019 for Halloween – take a guess at who he is, or who were are supposed to be.
Thank you, our dear friend, you will be missed by so many, this summer at camp and forever. We are thankful for the time we got to spend with you.
-Riel Peerbooms, Executive Director
AEC Organizational Structure and Membership:
1. The AEC shall include at least 5 camper or staff alumni who are committed to serving a term of at least one year. Additional alumni may be added as needed to ensure a diverse representation of generations and program experiences, but should normally not exceed a total of 11 alumni members.
2. All camper and staff alumni are eligible to serve as members.
3. The founding alumni membership shall be established by the TBC Executive Director in consultation with alumni who participated in initial conversations relating to the AEC.
4. Future alumni member appointments shall be made by the TBC Executive Director (ED) in consultation with continuing members of the AEC.
5. The TBC ED shall designate at least one TBC Staff member to serve as a liaison to the AEC (this may be the ED).
6. The Chair of the AEC shall be an alumnus/alumna elected by the alumni members of the AEC for a term of one year.
7. The committee shall function quasi-independently under the leadership of its chair to develop and implement projects in consultation with TBC staff and with limited staff support to the extent that it can be afforded and is consistent with advancing TBC priorities.
8. The AEC may establish ad hoc project subcommittees to develop and carry out specific projects and recruiting Alumni to participate in the subcommittees.
9. In light of the geographic diaspora of TBC alumni, the AEC shall adopt electronic mechanisms for holding “meetings,” communications, sharing documents, assigning tasks, and monitoring progress toward achieving project goals.
AEC Mission:
The AEC is charged to develop projects and recruit alumni participation in projects directed towards the advancement of the following goals:
1. Documenting, preserving, and making Trail Blazers history, traditions, institutional knowledge, and program evolution accessible and transmissible;
2. Promoting engagement of the larger community of Alumni in Trail Blazers and Trail Blazers engagement with Alumni;
3. Promoting a shared sense of TBC culture and values across generations of Alumni, along with an understanding of and appreciation for traditions and program elements that inevitably change over time;
4. Creating and maintaining connections within and across the generations of Alumni through communications (e.g., an Alumni newsletter) and events (e.g., a re-envisioned Alumni day);
5. Creating connections between Alumni and new/current campers and staff through Camp visits, participation in staff training, working together on projects, transmitting information/advice from alumni to current staff/campers.
Current Alumni Engagement Committee (AEC) Members
Juanita Barrena
J. Faye Dixon
Maureen Eccleston
Brittany Fasinro
Natalie Hernandez Vilaro
Vijay Patel
Kenneth Sattler
Diane Schafer
Click the button below to read the latest issue of High Far Seeing Places, our Trail Blazers Alumni Newsletter.
AEC Communication – October 16, 2020
Dear TBC Alumni and Friends,
Thank you for visiting the TBC Alumni Website and for signing up to receive Website updates and other news from the TBC Alumni Engagement Committee (AEC). As you have probably noticed, it has taken us a while to figure out a communication system, but we think we’ve got it down now. So, here is our first update, and it is coming to you from alumni@trailblazers.org, our very own e-mail address.
Our most recent addition to the Alumni Website is a collection of hundreds of photographs that have been organized in a way that we hope will make it fun and easy for you to explore. To get to the collection, go to https://trailblazers.org/alumni/. Scroll down to the green banner titled “historical archives.” then click on “videos and photos” in the menu, then click on “Photo Albums” in the sub-menu. This gets you to a page of all the photo albums. You can click the individual boxes to open each album and see the photos.
Yeah, we know that this seems like a lot of work to get to the photos; but really, it takes way less time to do it than it takes to read it. Perhaps, down up the road, we can figure out a quicker way to access the photos; but, in the meantime, kudos to Christopher Thomasson for figuring this one out and getting the platform set up. Also, a special thank you to Louis Milea who scanned thousands of TBC archival photos and slides from which many of the photos were selected for this project, Kathy Riecks for coming up with the overall organizational plan, and members of the committee who searched through thousands of archival photos to select photos for inclusion in the albums, contributed photos from their personal collections, and added descriptions to the photos.
So, now it’s YOUR turn to help out with the photo project. Although the framework has been set up and the collection covers about 100 years of Trail Blazers history (1920’s to the present) and a wide range of programs and activities, the collection is by no means complete. For example, in many cases, committee members could not identify the approximate year the photo was taken, who is in the photo, or even what activity or the place it was taken (e.g., a specific small camp or vagabond spot). More importantly, there are some periods, most notably the 1930’s – 1959 and 2000-present, groups of alumni (e.g., early LL’s and Boys’ Camp staff and campers from 1960-1979) that are not well represented in the collection. Therefore, if you can help with photo information or have photos to contribute in any category, please let us know by sending an e-mail to alumni@trailblazers.org and we will work with you to make this happen.
Depending on when you last visited the Alumni site, there may be other exciting things for you to check out. These include a songbook titled “Rooftree Revisited” which is a collection of LC/TBC original songs and a few additional songs that have played a significant role in LC/TBC’s history and traditions. The songs are accompanied by a narrative that explains the origin of the songs and their historical context. To get to a pdf of the book, again scroll down to the “historical archives” green banner, and click on “Camp Songs.”
While you’re at the site, you might also want to check out the new Alumni Profiles that have been added. To do this, go to the green banner titled “Alumni Profiles,” and click on a time period. There are currently five “profiles” posted (Kay Smorto, Rowland Warren, Martha Grace Price Lawrence, Juanita Barrena, and Jean Lynch), they are posted under the period they first came to TBC, so you might not find them where you might think you would. Again, as in the case of the photo project, we are hoping that YOU help make this a fabulous site by writing a profile either on yourself or someone you greatly admired at Camp. There is no set format, but we think that the ones that are posted serve as good models. And, again, if you would like to make a contribution to this project, please contact us at alumni@trailblazers.org. Actually, please contact us with any comments or suggestions you may have about the Website or about the kinds of projects and activities you would like the AEC to undertake to promote Alumni interactions and engagement.
Best to everyone. Please stay safe and well.
Your TBC Alumni Engagement Committee
These scrolls were prepared by staff and camper alumni in 2019 and read at a pre-camp council fire . .
Coming soon!
The AEC is engaged in an ongoing project to capture the history, the traditions, and the memories of camp. We are continuously looking to expand our alumni base and to share all of our information with anyone who has a love for TBC. To be added to the Alumni list, please click the “Sign Up” box and complete the sign up form.
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