Mah-Kee-Nac Totem 2011 by Camp Mah-Kee-Nac

camp totem2011

mkn t a 2011

: e c n a l ag

OpenIng ceReMOnIES 52

GREEN anD WHITE 66

4th OF JULY 53

VISITING DAY 63

SHAVING cReAM WAR 63

CAMP SInG 62

2011 carniVal madness 60

mkn t a 2011

: e c n a l ag

a day on the slopes 59

larp - a riDicUloUs afternoon 61

team jUnior camp 12

lower senior camp 22

upper senior camp 34

mkn t a 2011

: e c n a l ag

visiting hypnotist 99

the programmys 65

epic oLYMpic breakout 68

the four eleMents olympics 68

banquet AnD closing ceremonies 65

totem : w e i v r e 1 v 1 o 0 2 Camp Mah-Kee-Nac is very LOUD! We raise our voice all the time. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheering, screaming, and just the sounds of people having fun. Also, Mah-Kee-Nac is about personal growth, and empowering campers and counselors to speak their minds and be themselves. In that way, we learn how to find our voice, and when we do, we let it be heard! Mah-Kee-Nacers raise their voice in three places: on campus, as a group, and in the news. This book is divided up accordingly. MKN is an awesome place, and the summer of 2011 has been captured for you in this book. Enjoy!

lower senior camp 22 navajos 24 cheyennes 25 bunk photos 26 highlights 30 smiles 32

the mkn way 50 opening day 52 4th of july 53 danbee 54 day to day 56 mixing things up 58 highlights 60-65 green & white 66 olympics 68

upper senior camp 34 cherokees 36 algonquins 37 senecas 38 bunk photos 40 highlights 44 smiles 46

mkn today! stories and camper totem articles

team junior camp 12 apachequois 14 mohicans 15 bunk photos 16 highlights 18 smiles 20

72-107

Our campuses are where it all begins. There are three: junior camp, lower senior camp, and upper senior camp. Each is run like a small camp within MKN, with their own events, activities, and tribal leaders. On campus, we make noise at assemblies, on bus rides, and everywhere in between.

section

RAiSe Your voice

team junior camp

We No Speak y t r a Americ lP H o o o P w ano ! ee d ER o Danb o N o you f OO S ! R Smurfs eel? ME

The Simpsons ” ? a c e t o li ib la b “Donde esta T-J-C... DUCK! Bang, Bang, Clap! Z O BO

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TJ C

oolo Peel the Orange n

Derby Day!

eric’s e xtravag anza

“Can we play tennis now?” “DEAD RATS!!”

eric fingerman

tribal leader

Eric was an MKN camper in the 90s and has very much enjoyed his return to camp as a staff member. In the real world, he just finished grad school for education and is excited to start teaching in the fall. It’s quite clear that he has chosen the correct professional field; he said “I love working with the campers every day - they make ordinary moments sensational.” He is a fantastic presence on junior camp, and of course has an incredible relationship with all of the TJC campers (except during inspection time, when he is hilariously stringent about bunk cleanliness). One of the funniest things about Eric is that he is always carrying his backpack. This is because (1) He has always wanted to be Dora the Explorer, and (2) he cannot possibly be more than 3 feet away from notes about camp, sunscreen, bug spray, a deck of cards, and an autographed photograph of Tracey Singer.

apachequois

breakfast at tiffany’s deep blue something

THE

Voice of the apachequois

You say that we are just the young ones On junior field we start from And we are in Bunk 3

So what now? We know we’ll never finish. Justin can you please help us? Or it’ll be left undone.

You’ll say that Eric will come between us But Tracey has come to save us And we think that’s just fair

BRIDGE Susie says it’s time to get your suit on we know she’s the boss and we kinda like it, and she said we are the best at the pool!

BRIDGE: And we say we are the Apaches and Iroquois D. A. said it’s time to get up and ready And we know he’s the boss and we kinda like it And he said we are the best bunk on camp You see us working hard at woodshop. Trying to finish the project, and we know there’s no time.

You say that we were just the young ones. Soon we will be Mohicans. And move out of Bunk 3. You’ll say Tracey will come to save us, but Eric beat her to it. And he is Fingerman! BRIDGE Tom, Chris and Dan are always with us And sometimes, we think,

they kinda like us. And they know we are the best bunk on camp! BRIDGE Greg and Dave are really great at their programs. As they recall we are the youngest at camp. And we said we are the best tribes around! BRIDGE And are going to win camp sing As we recall, we think, we’ve beat the odds Just look and see there’s only 8 of us.

mohicans

bruno mars the lazy song THE CHORUS: Today I just feel like doing everything. I just wanna get out of bed. I feel like picking up my clothes, so inspection won’t bring me no woes. ‘Cause today I swear I’m gonna do everything. I’m gonna put on my cleats then head up the hill, Mah-Kee-Nac one and Winadu nil. Mohicans go in for the kill! I’ll be lounging on my porch just chilling with my buddy. Danbee check me out, in my Mah-Kee-Nac hoodie. TJC’s run by Mohicans.

Voice of the mohicans

CHORUS

‘Cuz I don’t want Coach to stare.

Mo-hi-cans rule, (Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh) x2

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Tomorrow I’ll wake up, peel the orange and flex. Find a really nice girl, put on my SunX. And she’s gonna scream out, You’ll be great! “Oh my gosh, you’ll be great!”

I’ll just strut in my bathing suit, ‘Cuz I’m a duck and not a moose,

Yeah, we might mess around, And get stuck in a tree. But I bet Fingerman will be so proud of me. Flag raising we’ll never be late.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. CHORUS Mo-hi-cans rule, (Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh) x6

Oh yes, I said it, I said it, I said it – MO-HI-CAN! CHORUS

Oh yes, I said it, I said it, I said it – MO-HI-CAN!

Yes, I AM gonna comb my hair,

One: Mohicans (Session 1) Back (L-R): Grayson Hoare, Roman Reed, Jack Solo, Scott Kauffman, Bradley Gainsburg, Marcos Curiel, David Patterson Front (L-R): Dennis Levy, Jordan Hofert, Zachary Kornblum, Zachary Erber, Jacob Donowitz, Nicolas Donato Pardo, Colby Liemer

Two: Mohicans (Session 1) Back (L-R): Quinn Merges, Emma Cowley, William Kay, Jacob Kay, Zachary Karol, Joshua Friedman, Matthew Cohen, Griffen Rakower, Harrison Philipps Front (L-R): Matthew Rimmer, Harris Adam Goldstein, Angel Martinez, Spencer Brouhard, Scott Rappaport, Jacob Beyer, Paul Dell’Ovo, Ed Williams

Three: Apachequois (Session 1) Back (L-R): Daniel Alderton, Susanne Simpson, Alex Beyer, Miguel Angel Barragan, Juan Pablo Donato Castro, Sean O’Toole, Thomas Short Front (L-R): Chris Day, Bennett Rakower, Chase Stenberg, Ethan Stillman, Camron Gaddis, Daniel Jureller

Names printed from top left to bottom right

One: Mohicans (Session 2) Dennis Levy, Colby Liemer, Gavon Mitchell, Zachary Kornblum, Cosmo Gigante, David Patterson, Grayson Hoare, Manuel Cangas Vigne, Zachary Erber, James Watkins, Ben Rifkin, Andres Gomez Rios, Cole Geller, Alec Geller

Two: Mohicans (Session 2) Matthew Rimmer, Emma Cowley, Ed Williams, Griffen Rakower, Adam Backer, Zach Karol, Matthew Cohen, Harrison Philipps, Jacob Kay, Robin Louapre, William Kay, Quinn Merges, Scott Rappaport, Jacob Beyer, Spencer Brouhard, Angel Martinez, Harris Adam Goldstein

Three: Apachequois (Session 2) Daniel Jureller, Chris Day, Francisco Biurrun Torre, Camron Gaddis, Asher Kornfeld, Daniel Alderton, David Solo, Henry Pinilis, Bennett Rakower, Susanne Simpson

tjc highlights

smurf hUnt night

harry potter day

ghost bUsters night

college day THE RED RIVER RIVALRY PLAYED AT MKN Excitement was in the air as the kids woke up to find signs on their beds signifying which team they were on. We blasted some music, and the guys were buzzing around, asking one another, “Which team are you on???”

VS.

Outside, Ed and Eric were waiting to lead the boys (and staff) on an expedition to find their head coaches. Throughout the hunt, the kids found out information about their teams, donned their headand wristbands, and became Sooners (Oklahoma University) and Longhorns (University of Texas). The coaches identities were kept a secret until the mystery man and woman emerged from the boat house in a cloud of fog. The kids went nuts when they saw Dave (our aquatics director) as the head of OU and Tracey (our assistant director) as the head of UT. The entire day, the guys played out their college sports fantasies and vied for points in basketball, football, soccer, dodgeball, cheering, and decorum. Even hand-washing for lunch was a competitive game today. In a related story, we’re almost out of Purell! Oklahoma wound up taking the Red River Trophy from Texas, although it all came down to the last competition, when we had a ridiculously fun water relay by the lake.

JUNIOR CAMP

S E L I SM

lower senior camp

nce a d t u o k the Bwroohrawks....asseeeeemble! Potato! ace Foley is always right! erd

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shw that’s NO Taxis Sono Qui T the MKN Way Na-na-na, Sing a happy song stop hatin’ Jive Sunscreen, H Swimming Costumes Nice Job! 2O

! y d d u b h a e y

, off you go !

LS R

tom bodily

tribal leader

T-bod is back on the Leprechaun campus after a year on TJC. He wanted to return to lower senior because he had such a blast with so many of this year’s Navajos last year when they were Mohicans. In a related story of shocking campus placement, this is the first summer in seven (SEVEN!) years that Tom has been on a different campus than Toby. In our interview T-bod said that he feels “a great sense of independence and maturation” though of course there are moments where he is “overcome by feelings of hopelessness, directionlessness, and general discomfort.” The separation has been rough, but he’ll get through it. In true MKN style, T-Bod decided to start playing the guitar early on in the summer. Of course he did. He enjoys the music room’s presence on LSR, and has learned 1 song! Hopefully he uses better equipment than what he turned up with to our photo shoot. 23

navajos

firework THE

Voice of the navajos

So we always feel, like the bunk is clean. Sweeping under beds, ordered to start again. And inspection scores, they just don’t make sense. But at least T-bod’s A leprechaun again. We all take a trip every single week. Having lots of fun and Lisa makes us wear sunscreen. We know that Navajo’s can win camp sing Cause there’s a spark in us BRIDGE: We just gotta believe tonight, and we will shine Just own the night

katy perry

This fourteenth of July! CHROUS: ‘cause baby we are Navajo’s! Come and show them how we roll. Make em go ‘wow, wow, wow!’ As we rock camp sing, sing, sing. Baby we are Navajo’s! Hoping T-bod never goes. Make em go ‘wow, wow, wow!’ We’re gonna leave ‘em fallin’ down, down, down. All you other tribes are a waste of space. Our new gaga pit will never be replaced. We have no idea what the future holds, How long till Olympics? Is what we want to know! Maybe our counselors get driven up the wall So we might learn to be a little bit respectable Like a lightning bolt,

our bunks explode with all the stuff we chose BRIDGE, CHORUS Boom, boom, boom! Please don’t throw out all the spoons, spoons, spoons. We really like the new food, food, food, and Now it’s time to rock this tune. CHORUS Down, down, down! Soon it’s off to Cooperstown, town, town. Loud, loud, loud! Take a victory bow, bow, bow!

cheyennes

forget you cee lo green THE CHORUS: You see us runnin’ ‘round camp with the tribe I love, and I’m like Cheyenne! We love the change in the garden to something we use. We love Gaga and tennis too. T-bod and Lisa, they want the bunks cleaner. Ha, now they’re full of shh. We know the bunks aren’t clean, but our brownie points mean we pass inspection! Yeah we’re sorry, we’re so good at hockey. Basketball and tennis too. Senecas got xbox, and a trip to Cali, but they don’t win games like we do. We pity the juniors that can’t go to Six Flags. They get Ski Bosquet, well two slides is ok...well we’ve got some news for you, Yeah go run and tell your little Fingerman.

Voice of the cheyennes

CHORUS T-Bod’s back on Lower Senior where he belongs, he’s a Leprachaun and we are too. Greg and Toby, got nothing on Bodily. Ha, he is the shh. And when we’re put to the test, LSR’s still the best, you know it’s true! Now we know, Algonquin row. They beg & steal & lie & cheat. Gonna beat them, & defeat them. Cause they ain’t gonna win camp sing. We pity the fools, who go to Winadu Lenox and Greylock, they think that they rock. We’ve got some news for you, MKN’s the place to be right now. CHORUS We guess the change in director, it was enough, we love Walter, and Tracey too.

Said Lake George’ll be awesome, you wish that you could come. Ha, now ain’t that the truth. And since T-bod is back, LSR is on track for Survivor! Now Danbee, Danbee, Danbee we just always wanna see you so bad. We tried to get more socials but they said the other tribes would be mad. We said (uh!) WHY? (Uh!) WHY? (Uh!) WHY Danbee? WE LOVE YOU! WE JUST LOVE YOU! CHORUS We know that next year we go to Cherokee row, but we’ll have four bunks, not just two. But, for now we’re Cheyennes, a tribe of legends...Ha, we are the best Sorry you can’t do a thing, We will still win camp sing, we are CHEYENNES!

Twelve: Navajos (Session 1) Back (L-R): Craig Poole, Ross Coleman, Jared Glickman, Rory Macfarlane, Andrew Saunders, Alejandro Diez-Guillamon, David Babb Front (L-R): Lisa Robinson, Jay Ascher, Mickey Glazier, Michael Faccibene, Alvaro Martinez-Freile, Nathan Strauss, Jacob Goldstein

Fourteen: Navajos (Session 1) Back (L-R): David Solo, Juan Castillejo, Connor Anderson, Sam Krull, James Crook Front (L-R): Mark Huline-Dickens, Jack Bolster, Tyler Bromberg, Ethan Bolster, Yago Baselga de Corral, Jonathan Murray

Fifteen: Navajos (Session 1) Back (L-R): Brittan Kuhlman, Matthew Fishman, Aiden Seiden, Andrew Schreibstein, Clayton Bass, Austin Pager, Steven Fischer, Ben Wagstaff Front (L-R): D.J. Reed, Josh Ludwig, Noah Seiden, Jack Dermer, Lucas Rosenblum, Russell Shapiro, Weston Cooper

Names printed from top left to bottom right

Twelve: Navajos (Session 2) Craig Poole, Jared Glickman, Ross Coleman, David Babb, Andrew Saunders, Jay Ascher, Jose De La Vega, Rory Macfarlane, Mickey Glazier, Alvaro Martinez-Freile, Young Se Choi, Nathan Strauss

Thirteen: Navajos (Sessions 1 & 2) Tom Ginn, Ethan Goldman, Evan Backstrom, Ryan Horne, Dylan Mintz, Noah Harrison, Henry Bushell, Russell Katz, Brett Davidson, Gavin Adler, Scott Shainberg, Harris Baskin

Fifteen: Navajos (Session 2) Steven Fischer, Brittan Kuhlman, Ben Wagstaff, Sam Brause, Josh Ludwig, Austin Pager, Lucas Rosenblum, Rodrigo Andres Palma Beltran, Inigo Torre Mijares, Weston Cooper, Vincent Costantini, Russell Shapiro

Eighteen: Cheyennes (Session 1) Back (L-R): Alex Friel, Jason Magid, Elliott Nehme, Aaron Reznik, Michael Wrubel, Perry Dornbush Front (L-R): Dougie Taylor, Dan Ellison, Scott Gelb, Eric Trachtenberg, Evan Birenbaum

Nineteen: Cheyennes (Session 1) Back (L-R): Tom Hodkinson, Ben Puritz, Jackson Rich, Sam Brandeis, Alex Glehan, Ben Redhead Front (L-R): Luke Siegel, Harrison Berger, Etienne Vongeritchten, Steven Conway, Simon Jackson

Twemty One: Navajos (Session 1) Back (L-R): Keagan Solch, Robert Pulling, Ryan Gold, Robby Fine, Jared Smith, William Gregson, Josh Kelly Front (L-R): David Bexon, Evan Greif, Guillaume Blanchet, Jonathan Gerstein, Jeremy Waldinger-White, Greg Giles

Eighteen: Cheyennes (Session 2)

Twenty: Cheyennes (Sessions 1 & 2)

(top left to bottom right) Perry Dornbush, Alex Friel, Jason Magid, Jack Rozen, Austin Perlmutter, Justin Levsky, Michael Wrubel, Daniel Ellison, Benjamin Browndorf, Dougie Taylor, Scott Gelb, Adam Geffner, Noah Eskenazi, Eric Trachtenberg, Bradley Fetner, Evan Birenbaum

(top left to bottom right) Christie Harnick, Daniel Cooke, Callum Croser, Ethan Alkow, Gregory Bassen, Jack Brill, Ethan Kahn, Ethan Fishberger, Joseph Ballan, Spencer Keats, David Altman, Jacob Leventhal, David Estrada

Nineteen: Cheyennes (Session 2) (top left to bottom right) Ben Haltmaier, Tom Hodkinson, Ben Redhead, Simon Jackson, Sam Brandeis, Jackson Rich, Benjamin Puritz, Jarrod Waner, Joshua Klugman, Steven Conway, Alex Glehan, Luke Siegel, Harrison Berger

Twenty One: Cheyennes (Session 2) (top left to bottom right) Keagan Solch, William Gregson, Josh Kelly, Ethan Parisier, Jared Rosen, Ryan Gold, David Bexon, Robert Pulling, James Bowen, Robby Fine, Jared Smith, Liam Cryan, Jay Hickey, Jonathan Gerstein, Evan Greif, Aidan Esposito, Max Pinilis

lsr highlights

capture the formula!

nav in cooperstown

trip to six flags

chy in lake george

survivor THE RETURN OF A LOWER SENIOR TRADITION! “ATTEN-HUT!” The drillmaster screamed as our movie night was bluntly interrupted, “Line-up – Quickstep, quickstep, 1-2 1-2! Right troops, this is Call of Duty” … or so we believed. After marching us down to the bottom of the hill to meet our platoons, he only marched us back up again to a remote part of camp. The tribal drums kicked in, the smoke machine provided a dramatic haze, and the tiki torches came into view. We all realized that the next few days weren’t looking to be a grueling boot camp for us, but rather a trying test of raw survival for eight of our lucky counselors and their respective tribes, who would attempt to outwit, outplay, and outlast one another in order to win the ultimate reward: Fribbles! We wasted no time as the eight tribes headed down to the waterfront for the first official challenge of LSR Survivor 2011. The game works like this: each survivor has a tribe of campers. As survivors get voted out (during tribal counsels), the camper tribes can still compete. At the final tribal counsel, by the survivor jury (the voted-out counselors) grilled the finalists (who gave emphatic speeches) before the time to vote. Before the votes were tallied, the campers were given the final standings of their tribes. Coming in first overall was Boran! The boys on that team will enjoy a very special trip to Friendly’s. Finally, without further ado, the winning survivor is…Tom Ginn of Koror!

LOWER SENIOR

S E L I SM

upper senior camp

fifa gla S sgow r R LA U angers C O champ BIN Senec i

Jake Candy Cops smash

a hot tub

ons

Communist Leninade s r o t ia d Gla Harlem City College College Football Day M brownie po an Hunt ints bear claw! T-Grip o sneaky” s t o N ” AR Music

lil skittle

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USR

sw ag

Seco M AND SHOES ol of Juilliard Sccleho nd F La senecondo an clean c lean loor LA L I Slum CODZ go cart drifting ber Part surprise trips ies

greg walbergs

tribal leader

We discovered Greg actually lying in a pile of all the candy that was confiscated from visiting day this year (note the picture). It was on its way to the shelter for a donation. Greg mentioned that if it were up to him there would be much more Sour Patch Kids and less chips. He spent the year (actually) as a machete-wielding banana picker in Australia. We have it on good authority that Greg approached banana picking with the same general intensity and militant nature that characterizes the upper senior bunk inspections. Speaking of inspection, this summer’s new category (brownie points) has been outrageously ego-boosting. Greg mentioned that the compliments (specifically from bunks 22 and 29) have elevated his self-esteem to an exceptional plateau. In fact, he created a www.plentyoffish.com profile complete with many of the kind words and flattery acquired during his daily bunk inspecting! 35

cherokees

BLACK AND YELLOW WIZ KHALIFA

THE

Voice of the CHEROKEES

Yeah, uh huh, you know who it is 22 and 23, 22 and 23 Yeah, uh huh, you know who it is Everything we do we always win. Uh Senecas and Algonquins They upper seniors too but the others ain’t. Soon as we hit the courts others hate. Hit the ball once make the camp shake. Walk inside, Danbee’s roaring, we’re the big boys, you know we’re excited for it. We’re shootin’ balls on every level Everybody’s watchin’ games We got Boston on our schedule Hear them Cheyennes talk, But there’s nothin’ you can tell them. Just went on a trip got another one on my schedule.

No love for Greylock, a winning streak we’re gonna start. CHORUS: Yeah, uh huh, you know who it is 22 and 23, 22 and 23 Yeah, uh huh, you know who it is Everything we do we always win. Yeah, uh huh, cleanin’ our bunks When I run up the court, make a slam dunk. Walkin’ through camp when you see us you know who we are, 22 and 23, 22 and 23 I jump down to the floor I’m in 22 and 23, 22 and 23 Got a call from my parents this just in 2 days till visiting day. Lots of candy with our best friends We really hope Greg won’t take it all. Stayin’ for 3 weeks wanna stay for 7

though. I’m sippin’ fribbles and counselors rockin’ staff shirts Havin’ so much fun… can’t tell what the time is. Got a pocket full of canteen cash win it up cause every playa I’m with tailored CHORUS Stay nice like I’m supposed to do Them bullies will never be mean to you And my bunk looks unapproachable Super clean and it’s never mean. We wanna bunk with our friends, play games, and get 10’s Got fly and take trips and that’s the real chat! We walk really high you should all try that faces Never drop 22 and 23 never look back! CHORUS

algonquins

tonight tonight hot challe rae THE It’s been a really, really, really long winter: 10 months of school, 10 months of torture. But now we’re back at camp again, Finally Algonquins, MKN. BRIDGE: La, la, la, Algonquins, La la la, Camp Sing. La, la, la, 2011, La, la, la. CHORUS: We’re going at it tonight, tonight! Algonquins are on top of the world. Tonight, tonight, Danbee girls lookin’ mighty fine. We don’t know if we’ll win it, But watch how good we sing it. Alright, alright, Algonquins tonight.

Voice of the algonquins

Rolled up to camp in June, Balloons in my backpack, candy in my pocket. That all got taken soon, But with Greg we didn’t mind it. BRIDGE CHORUS You got us singing like… Kitchen staff, WE LOVE YOU! Office staff, WE LOVE YOU! Health Center, WE LOVE YOU! Algonquins. We don’t stop, we keep on playing, keep spirit up and never frown. It’s our summer, do what we want to, we can go crazy ‘til it’s lights out. (repeat)

And, We’ve won 4 times before ‘cuz we’re Algonquins. Maintenance, WE LOVE YOU! Greg Walbergs, WE LOVE YOU! Judges, WE LOVE YOU! Algonquins. BRIDGE CHORUS We don’t stop, we keep on playing, keep spirit up and never frown. It’s our summer, do what we want to, we can go crazy ‘til it’s lights out. (repeat)

It’s you and me and we’re running around, And,We’ll sing this fieldhouse to the ground,

senecas

how we love ou r... Mah-Kee-Nac Kitchen staff/Office staff/ Female counselors/Neil Key staff Program heads Seneca privilege Campslers Campers espa単oles Gold Bond Seneca:Wel-B-Yon 2:1 Ratio Seneca swag Connor Apache-sized Senecas and our Seneca-sized Apaches 38

WEST COAST @cALifornia goodness The California trip is obviously a huge highlight of the Seneca summer. This summer, though, campers were permitted to bring their smart phones on the trip. The exceptional itinerary was beautifully complimented by the hilarious tweets (printed to the right) that we tracked down while the guys were away. #cali #hilarious #funfunfunfun

m Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s give the something to tweet about Getting our tickets to go see mickey! #seneswag On my way to the airport to go to Cali! Going to UCLA tomorrow #cantwait Dodgers game all u can eat section any one else think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a challenge? #senecali Missing @CampMahKeeNac, but loving every second of cali. Disney today! #seneca11 Good morning twitter, I will be relaxing at laguna beach for the day. #cantwait #seneswag

Twenty Two: Cherokees (Session 1) Back (L-R): Tobi Ojo, Jacob Hait, Sam Jaron, Josh Karol, Daniel Erber, Frank DiPasquale, Nicholas Cawley Front (L-R): Spencer Katz, Jeremy Goldstein, Matthew Chernok, Matthew Davis, Louis Susser, Joan Maria Diez-Guillamon, Scott Bindelglass

Twenty Three: Cherokees (Session 1) Back (L-R): Tomer Aretz, Stuart Grimes, Sam Schwartz, Matthew Kauffman, Jack Randall, Ethan Springer, Jake Multer, Makoto Nara, Scott Pascoe Front (L-R): Scott Mirenberg, Joseph Faccibene, Ben Kron, Zachary Posner, Kevin Hernandez, Jake Squire, Gabriel Iglesias-Garcia

Twenty Seven: Algonquins (Session 1) Back (L-R): Anthony Salmon, Ruairi Dolan, Inigo Baselga de Corral, Rodeo Thompson, Sam Altman, Blake Singer, Delano Kingston, Jeff Birenbaum Front (L-R): Charlie Sosnick, Brian Leff, Jake Toporoff, Matthew Altman, Harris Freedman

Names printed from top left to bottom right

Twenty Two: Cherokees (Session 2) Frank DiPasquale, Nicholas Cawley, Daniel Erber, Josh Karol, Scott Bindelglass, Jared Eisner, Tobi Ojo, Jacob Hait, Jeremy Goldstein, Benjamin Berliner, Spencer Katz, Sam Jaron, Matthew Chernok, Matthew Davis, Louis Susser

Twenty Three: Cherokees (Session 2) Stuart Grimes, Scott Pascoe, Jack Randall, Simon Osmont, Jared Levine, Scott Mirenberg, Tomer Aretz, Sam Schwartz, Benjamin Kron, Zachary Posner, Makoto Nara, Ethan Springer, Ian Winslow, Kevin Hernandez, Jake Squire

Twenty Four: Cherokees (Session 2) Harry Goldstein, Max Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, Jonathan Murray, James Crook, Brandon Kistler, Alvaro Garcia-Ramos, Trevor Wells Serman, Javier Torre Mijares, Tyler Dooskin, Mark Huline-Dickens

Twenty Eight: Cherokees (Sessions 1 &2) Twenty Seven: Algonquins (Session 2) (top left to bottom right) Wyatt Rich, Jeffrey Birenbaum, Ruairi Dolan, Samuel Altman, Daniel Wasserman, Blake Singer, Matthew Altman, Anthony Salmon, Harris Freedman, Jake Toporoff, Brian Leff, Charlie Sosnick

Twenty Nine: Algonquins (Session 1) Back (L-R): Elee Wakim, Jack Bowen, Max Sall, Zachary Leventhal, Jonathan Frankel, Jacob Rhode, Sebastian Sanders-Rivas Front (L-R): Landon Adler, Scott Ballan, Jesse Halpern, Connor Heelan

(top left to bottom right) Matthew Handley, Jack Woodhead, Kyle Brady, Javier Martinez Velasco, Sam Kay, Seth Gainsburg, Harrison Smart, Dalton Smith, Jake Ritterman, Damian Brady, Alex Bedrosian, Gregory Stiefvater, William Berger, Jake Kritzberg, Not pictured: Phillip Mayer

Twenty Nine: Algonquins (Session 2) (top left to bottom right) Elee Wakim, Ali Carpenter, Jonathan Frankel, Jacob Rhode, Jesse Halpern, Connor Heelan, Scott Ballan, Zachary Leventhal, Manuel Eduardo Arias, Sebastian Sanders-Rivas, Max Sall, Jake Shainberg, Landon Adler

Seneca Left (Sessions 1 & 2) (top left to bottom right) Jon Robinson, Zachary Goldman, Bradley Fallick, Sam Potash, Aaron Parisier, Ben Jaron, Max Weisman, Sam Allen, Jake Sundean, Evan Awner, Joseph Piaker

Seneca Back (Sessions 1 & 2) (top left to bottom right) Neil McIntosh, Todd Goldstein, Josh Coven, Zachary Jayson, Evan Beere, Jake Rosenbaum, Dan Davies, Eli Auerbach, Benjamin Cion, Benjamin Clark, Josh Kleinman, Randy Posner, Jack Bushell, Alex Cohen

Seneca Right (Sessions 1 & 2) (top left to bottom right) Maxwell Solo, Ethan Puritz, Brian Saunders, Toby Maher, Miguel FIerro Corsini, Michael Glassman

usr highlights FUN DaY TRIPS

AMERICAN gLaDiator NIGHT

BIG wheel DERBY

MANCHESTER UniTeD GAME

CHEROKEES in BOSTON

ALGONQUINS Trip to Six Flags in MAINE

Trip totoSiSIX x FlaFLAGS gs TRIP

UPPER SENIOR

S E L I SM

Now that you know how loud we are on our separate campuses, can you imagine how loud Mah-Kee-Nac is when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all together? In 2011, all-camp meals with music were just the beginning. This section is dedicated to our traditions, events, and group camradarie.

section

RAiSe Your voice

the mkn way We all come to Mah-Kee-Nac because it’s fun. Smiles and laughs are the most common sight around camp. But why is it fun here? The program we run is great, our special events are out of this world, and the trips are awesome. But ultimately this place is incredible because of The MahKee-Nac way. The MKN way encompasses the values and the mentality that we teach and cultivate here. It makes it the kind of place where getting up at banquet and dancing around is fun and funny, it doesn’t matter what you look like, and it doesn’t matter who is watching. This kind of culture is incredible for building confidence. Sound a lot like “raise your voice?” In addition, the Mah-Kee-Nac way mirrors the golden rule. It’s about kindness, self-awareness, and treating others well. These kinds of life skills are incredibly valuable for our campers. After living for a summer with your peers it’s hard to not learn a lot about yourself and work to become your best self. Experiences like learning to waterski, conquering a

fear of heights on the zip line, or just becoming more comfortable in social situations are all examples of ways that camp provides great opportunities. What’s incredible about Mah-Kee-Nac is the amazing network of counselors who make it their mission to be encouraging and supportive of this process. In addition to working on these skills at camp, we are sure to give back to our community. Check out some of this summer’s community service projects (on the page to the right). In addition, Mah-Kee-Nac has been a huge supporter of America’s Camp since it’s first summer in 2002. Many of our counselors and key staff have volunteered for years, including this summer (AC’s last). We hosted a trip during AC for the campers to visit MKN, the camp’s original site. The trick now is bringing the MKN way into the world outside of camp. Demonstrating the values, holding your head high, and being proud of who you are! Share some Mah-Kee-Nac with the world this winter.

MAH-KEE-NAC’S sMaller FOOTPRINT

Green and white are our colors, and 2011 marks some more green for MKN.

We have made some great advances this summer in terms of being more eco-friendly. We are very proud to announce the new ways that MKN is taking just a bit more care of the earth and being mindful of our carbon footprint. Here are some examples: - Recycling paper, cans, and plastic. - Using metal (instead of plastic) silverware. - Buying more local milk/produce (cuts down on fuel and emissions)

• • •

These two Cheyennes were found skipping through a field screaming “I can’t believe it’s not plastic!” * *This never happened. They said “Barry, this picture is funny but please don’t make up some cheesy quote we never said.” Whoops.

WHAT DOES THE MKN WAY meAn TO YOU? The Mah-Kee-Nac way is internalized and expressed differently by every person at camp. Everyone has their own goals, expectations, and personalities that they bring to MKN. No matter what, though, doing things the MahKee-Nac way means great things!

We wanted to get a sense from a few campers about how they live the MKN way (quotes printed here). We also talked with Ross Coleman who said it’s “making you and this place the best they can be!”

Danny:

“Being funny and creative.”

Matt:

Landon, Jesse, Zach:

“Trying your best...in style!

Harrison,Jackson, Luke, Alex:

“Well, it’s the MKNWAY sandwich bar at lunch everyday, of course!”

Harris:

Playing fair, keeping a great attitude, and being yourself!

Jacob:

Knowing that mkn is awesome and has “Making friends, respecting people, a special place in and having FUN!” my heart.

GIVING bacK TO OUR COMMUNITY

Swimming laps for Project Morry

Volunteering for the Stockbridge Bowl Association 51

opening day Hands down, the best day of the year! Campers come from far and wide (across the US and across the world) to join our exceptional staff who have been at camp for a week. Excitement is in the air, and the moment the busses poke out on the driveway by the woodshop you know it’s on! Camp gets LOUD really fast, as campers’ voices fill the Berkshire air...let the voice raising begin!

voice of: Jacob Hait (bunk 22) The buses arrived at camp at around 2:00 PM, full of campers excited for a great summer. After dinner, the entire camp headed down to the waterfront for what Walter described as a truly special opening ceremony. He talked about Joe Kruger (MKN’s founder) who believed that everyone deserved to be treated equally. One thing we all noticed was that the Senecas could not be found! All of a sudden, Mike Molloy took the mic and told everyone on the shore that the Senecas were in the middle of the lake on a pontoon boat. Everyone looked out at the water and sure enough, there were the Senecas floating in the middle of the Stockbridge Bowl. They were lighting biodegradable lanterns, designed to soar gracefully through the evening sky. Once on shore, the Senecas were presented with the Seneca flag and the Seneca tree. The tree represents the growth that these campers have experienced at camp. Then, two campers from each tribe, brohawks, staff, and key staff were given candles, symbolic of the lustrous glories of life here at camp. Lastly, each bunk built and released fiery orbs (Chinese lanterns) into the night sky. These traditions were a great way to start off the summer and everyone is looking forward to what will be happening in the future.

fourth of july

UNCLE SAM wants WINGS!

What an awesome activity to add to this year’s Fourth of July celebration! In addition to the classics -- an afternoon of special events (Seneca pie eating contest, a slip and slide, special games, etc.), the talent show at night, and an amazing fireworks display - we kicked it up a notch. Chef Bob let everyone know that he thinks that Independence Day isn’t the same without the grilling! So this year he was sure to incorporate some good ol’ US of A food into the MKN festivities. Here’s what we did. In the morning, 4 campers from each MKN campus were selected by the tribal leaders to be representatives. These groups each met with a member of the kitchen staff and created a wing sauce recipe. During the day, the crew in the kitchen cooked the wings to perfection and made a plate full of wings with each of the campus’ sauces. After dinner, a panel of judges (Dave, Eric, Tracey, Kevin) judged each plate, and they declared team LSR the winner! Check out the recipes printed below.

junior team:

lower senior team: upper senior team:

Cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, red hot, garlic, raspberry, liquid smoke, tomato paste, bulls eyes, Dr. Pepper

Cocoa powder, BBQ sauce, tomato paste, molasses, garlic, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, vinegar, brown sugar, lime

Cumin, chili powder, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, dr. pepper, liquid smoke, brown sugar 53

danbee Where to begin? Often the topic of camp sing lyrics, Camp Danbee (our sister camp) is such a great complement to the MKN experience! We have some pictures on these pages from our much-anticipated and much-enjoyed socials with the girls. Also, some shots snapped from our weekly brother-sister lunches which gives MKN-Danbee relatives a chance to catch up and chill out. As the article below shows, the staff of both camps certainly have a hilarious brother-sister relationship as well! Nothing beats a great practical joke!

IN A BIT OF A PICKLE Imagine the surprise when these shots were delivered to the MKN newsroom! For years, the Danbee staff have made it their mission to capture the MKN pickle and hold it for ransom. It seems 2011 was no exception. As you can see, the pickle has enjoyed many of the finest Berkshire destinations. At this point, it’s important to use all that teamwork we’ve worked on this week to figure out a way to GET THE PICKLE BACK!!

Enjoying a Fribble.

Picking up the essentials. 54

Doing some light reading. He’s more Hanging out in downtown Lenox. of a bowler.

voiceo

Jacob Hait (bunk 22) Earlier today, July 2, 2011, about 30 MKN campers showed up at the steps of Kruger Lodge to go visit their sisters and cousins at our sister camp, Camp Danbee. The brothers and cousins filed onto the bus, excited to see their family members. When we all arrived, everyone got to go off with their sister, exploring the great sites Danbee has to offer. After a little while, everyone went to a specially designated area next to the dining hall to get something to eat. The MKN boys and Danbee girls enjoyed sandwiches and cookies before filing back onto the bus to return to Mah-Kee-Nac. The BrotherSister field trip was a success once again, as it is every week.

day to day It’s hard to think of any day at Mah-KeeNac as “ordinary;” it’s a zany place where anything can happen at any time. If you had to describe a typical MKN day, it would be program. On most summer days, campers enjoy six periods lead by our exceptional coaches and instructors. At Mah-Kee-Nac, we believe that each child has unique interests across a wide spectrum of activities. So, our program options are appropriately well-rounded. Campers have access to our holistic variety of activities either during AM instructional periods (three days in a row or as PM electives).

SpORtS

Program, like everything we do, is based on the Mah-Kee-Nac way. For starters, we let campers choose the majority of the activities they take on their schedule. Additionally, our program options (split into three categories: sports, adventure, and creativity) help campers work on being their best selves. Sports On the sports fields, our campers can set goals for improving skills and learning all about teamwork. We think athletics are a great way for campers to become more confident during the summer. Adventure Taking on a challenge on the ropes course, on a hike, or on the waterfront is a great way for campers to take safe risks, test their limits, and boost their confidence! Creativity We want campers to raise their voice! Our creative program options allow campers to think about what inspires them and what they want to convey. What a great MKN opportunity!

Our athletics programs are where it all begins. We have exceptional college athletes and coaches instructing our MKN athletes. With lots of drills, scrimmages, and opportunities for competition (see next page), Team MKN comes out on top! We offer: archery, baseball, basketball, conditioning, fitness, football, gaga, golf, lacrosse, roller hockey, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

ADVentUre

From individual challenges to team building activities, our adventure options provide amazing opportunities for MahKee-Nac campers. We offer: campouts, canoeing, cycling, fishing, high ropes course, hiking, kayaking, knee boarding, low ropes course, nature program, rock wall, sailing, slalom skiing, swim instruction, tubing, wakeboarding, water polo, waterskiing, waterslide, water trampoline, windsurfing, and zip line.

creati Vity

Mah-Kee-Nac campers are a creative bunch, and our activities off the sports fields are as fantastic and as popular as our athletic programs. In most of these areas, campers decide how they want to express themselves and they work on projects over the course of a few program periods to get it just right. As with most things at Mah-Kee-Nac, our creative projects range from the traditional to the unique and hilarious. Check out the picture to the right of Harris with his very own jet pack (built in woodshop and customized in the art studio). We offer: arts and crafts, digital photography, guitar, model airplane, model rocketry, newspaper, live radio and campcasting, and woodshop. 57

mixing things up As the last page showed, Mah-Kee-Nac offers a fantastic well-balanced array of program options in a very organized schedule. But, we don’t want you to get the wrong idea about us. Mah-Kee-Nac is LOUD, full of excitement, and anything but routine.

First, we’re all about making ordinary moments extraordinary. Why not chuck a cake through the dining hall rafters or over the chimney on someone’s birthday? Also, check out some zany costumes, ridiculous amounts of paint, and crazy photos.

This spread is about the extras that complement our program schedule and really make MKN the awesome place that our campers and counselors know and love.

There’s no such thing as a “typical” Mah-Kee-Nac day. Our schedule is full of special events, intercamps, tournaments, and trips to mix things up.

We’re not afraid of a funny costume...

And it wouldn’t be a Mah-Kee-Nac birthday if a cake didn’t fly through the air!

...or a little paint!

intercamps anD tournaments

We offer all of our campers the option of participating in our packed schedule of competitive games with local camps.

As anyone can tell from walking into our fieldhouse or the main office, we have earned quite a bit of trophies. Our teams are very competitive, but of course working together as a team is more important than winning or losing.

trips OUt of camp

As much as we love our time at Mah-KeeNac, sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to get away for a little while. We take a bunch of trips during the summer, including day trips (below) and overnight trips for our senior campers. This summer, we took lots of trips including: Six Flags (see pictures on pages 30 and 45) Ski Bousquet Catamount Laser Tag (article on page 80) Go-Karting Basketball Hall of Fame The Norman Rockwell Museum Jiminy Peak Bromley (an exciting full-day all-camp trip during week 7, see pictures to the right) Manchester United Game (see page 44) Pittsfield Colonials Game Movies

2011 highlights

MUSIC AND FUN: cARnIVAL DAY

Carnival this year was amazing! To start, we had absolutely incredible weather. Additionally, we featured live music from a fantastic local band (who also joined us to provide some tunes on visiting day). The midway was full of exceptional booths, complemented by inflatables and the infamous food court.

The day ended with a raffle on the midway, some pump-up music, and smiles on every Mah-Kee-Nac face!

LARP madness WELL, THIS WAS TOTALLY SENSATIONAL. Like so many of Mah-Kee-Nac’s amazing programs, LARP day started with the sentence “wouldn’t it be ridiculous if we...” And we did. Several hundred foam swords and costumes later, we had an absurd day filled with lots of fun! This is what’s so incredible about Mah-KeeNac. Everyone got into the crazy fun! The pictures speak for themselves. You really need to see this to believe it!

2011 highlights

CAMP SInG

voiceof: Scott Gelb (bunk 18) This past Thursday night was Camp Sing! ` As always, the event did not disappoint. It started out with a few kids from each tribe showing the plaque they worked so hard on all week. The plaques looked very professional and were well liked by many. Then our hosts, Greg Leonarczyk and Sam Allen, began the cheer portion of the competition, in which dance moves and loud chanting meant fun for everyone. After all of the cheers were finished, every tribe sang a song. For the Senecas, their traditional Whacky Mah-Kee-Nacky left all of camp in tears from laughter. All of the songs were very impressive. Regardless of how great each and every song was, only one tribe could be crowned as the winner of the 2011 MKN Camp Sing. But then, the actual winners were annoucned! For the cheer, the junior winner was the Apachequois and the senior winner was the Cheyennes. For the song, the junior winner was the Mohicans and the senior winner was the Cheyennes. Overall, the Cheyennes came out victorious as the winners of the 2011 MKN Camp Sing! Go us!! Hopefully this is the start of an awesome streak and we take the crown again as Cherokees in 2012!

visiting day FOLLOWED BY THE FAMOUS SHAVING CREAM WAR!

All In the Family: Generations at MKN

Mah-Kee-Nac has been around for a while -that’s why we’re so good at what we do. I mean, since 1929 we’ve been a big deal in the summer camp industry. With that said, it’s not a huge surprise that a lot of our campers have fathers who are MKN alum. We caught up with these duos (and trios) on visiting day to snap a quick photo. Take a look at them here...what is more awesome than looking at Mah-Kee-Nac across generations??

2011 highlights

staff Vs. seneca football game

voiceof: Jake Rosenbaum (back) So the last time we were supposed to do this game, it was actually a ploy for Green & White breakout. This time it was for real though, and it was great. Led by head coach Alex Cohen, the boys from the house came out of the hockey shack with the smoke machine running, ready to show MKN what they were made of. In the first quarter, the Senecas took on TJC. Dave Farrell was sacked by Todd Goldstein on one of the first plays, which brought the spectators to their feet. The Senecas ended the first quarter in the lead, thanks to a touchdown reception by Ben Clark. In the second quarter, the LSR counselors came out flat against the Senecas. Evan Awner defied gravity by leaping over Craig Poole and into the end zone, giving the Senecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lead at the end of the first half. During halftime, campers from TJC marched onto the field for a touchdown celebration contest, which got everyone excited for another half! In the third quarter, the Senecas matched up against the Leprechaun Bowl champs. The Senecas came out firing with an early TD bomb but LSR answered back with a touchdown pass from Alex Glehan on their next possession. The Senecas responded with a late touchdown reception by Brandon Wright. In the fourth quarter, the Senecas battled the tough USR staff led by Levar Willis. The Senecas were looking to score the game-winning touchdown, but unfortunately failed to do so! A last-second desperation pass fell incomplete and Quinn from the staff team was given a celebratory water cooler bath.

programmy awarDs for excellence

What an awesome new tradition for this summer! At the end of week 6, we brought everyone together in the field house for the PROGRAMMY AWARDS! Each program head distributed awards to a handful of campers to congratulate them for excellent work, improvement, attitude, etc. in their program area. Lots of gold-painted items were distributed, as well as some cookier prizes (like the wooden watermelon pictured!).

banquet: a safari- themeD adventure

Safari shades, animal cutouts, and a delicious meal set the stage for an awesome last night of MKN 2011.

Everyone had a blast during the meal, spending the last evening with their friends and counselors who they had grown to be so close to all summer. In an unanticipated twist, some music came on and the formal banquet became an all-out dance party! It was an awesome time for all!

wrapping up: cLosing ceremonies

After banquet, we headed down to the field house for a really amazing ceremony.

Members of each tribe put an item into a beautiful wooden box (made by Justin). These items will be given to the members of that tribe next year (campers one year younger) at opening ceremonies. It is everything the guys will need for tribal success! Afterwards, each bunk shared several photos with all of camp that they deemed to be the most memorable. It was funny, sentimental, and a great way to end a great summer. 65

green & white

voice of: Gavin Adler (bunk 13) We were all called down to watch the Seneca vs. Staff flag football game. All of a sudden, a piece of caution tape fell out of an airplane followed by three skydivers! One with a green flag, one with a white flag, and one with a green and white flag (for the always appreciated Team O). The third skydiver also had a fog machine attached to his shoe. Next, Team O separated us by bunks and gave us VIP passes, which said either The Love Grenade (a mash-up of Al Green and Green Day) or (a mash-up of Barry White and Whitesnake). Once everyone entered the hockey rink, there was a DJ battle accompanied by a breakdancing competition. Following that, everyone split into their teams and we got the first event, a ropeholding marathon around camp, started. Green had the lead for a while and the head coaches Levar Willis and Sam Allen pumped the team up and got them ready. The white team had Bart Barnard and Barry Finder as their two coaches. After the big marathon, Team Green was in the lead by 2 seconds. On day 2, we had bicycle drag races, water balloon fights, swimming competitions, and much more. Then, during lunch, there was a karaoke contest! Team Green went into the rope burn with two and a half second head start they had accumulated over the course of the day’s events. Once the rope burn began, the Senecas were off to the races, gathering wood and starting their team’s fires. In the end, it was Barry Whitesnake who came out as the winning team of MKN’s Green & White 2011!

olympics AIR

EARTH

FIRE

WATER

For some awesome Olympic articles, see pages 94-95! Team

BAHAMAS WATER Barack Bahamas

MONGOLIA EARTH POKEMONGOLIA

NEPAL AIR Nepalian Dynamite

MALDIVES WATER Maldival Knights

AUSTRALIA FIRE Aussie Osbourne

NAMIBIA FIRE NAMMA BIA!

ARGENTINA EARTH Argenteenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

ANDORRA AIR Andorra the Explorer

Place

Head Coach

Decathlete

Joe Kruger Winners

Benjamin Redhead

Evan Awner

Jacob Beyer Sam Brandeis Jeremy Goldstein

Frank DiPasquale

Zach Jayson

Ben Rifkin Michael Wrubel Jack Bushell

James Foley

Josh Coven

Zach Erber Weston Cooper Harris Freedman

David Bexon

Eli Aurbach

Alec and Cole Geller Steven Conway Ben Jaron

James Crook

Ben Clark

Zach Kornblum Andrew Saunders Brian Leff

Rory McFarlane

Jake Rosenbaum

Henry Pinilis Luke Siegel Sam Kay

Neil McIntosh

Todd Goldstein

Griffen Rakower Jared Rosen Spencer Katz

Chris Day

Zach Goldman

Scott Rappaport Jason Magid Zach Goldman

Our beloved daily newsletter, MKN Today! is a great way to keep informed about all of Mah-Kee-Nacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zany going ons. We encourage campers to write articles as well, and express themselves and their opinions in print. This section contains all of the gems produced in the 2011 MKN newsroom.

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RAiSe Your voice

kruger lodge invasion! Walter Synalovski Walter has been with Mah-Kee-Nac since last August and was excited to get crackin’ since day one. He has an infectious spirit and he wears his love for Mah-Kee-Nac’s core values, traditions, and culture on his sleeve. Way back in the day, Walter met Joe Kruger (who is of course MKN’s founder). He heard many of the stories about the Mah-Kee-Nac Way and the values that we live every day at camp. Walter is a man of many idiosyncrasies and expressions, and you can’t go a day without hearing him say “it’s not rocket science.” He’s talking about the Mah-Kee-Nac way, treating other people well and embracing all of the personalities that comprise this amazing place. MKN is a place that is true to Joe Kruger’s vision from years ago -we stand for inclusion, respect, and teamwork. And all the while, we have a great time! It is exciting to welcome Walter to the MKN community and to show him what it’s like to be in a place that he has heard about for years!

Tracey Singer Our new assistant director, Tracey Singer, has been working full-time for MKN since last fall. She brings a wealth of experience in camping, and has not spent a summer away from camp since she was 3! Tracey (a licensed social worker) is best described as a go-getter. She heard about MKN through the grapevine and thought that our traditions, culture, and atmosphere were amazing. She made it her mission to start to work here and we’re incredibly happy to have her! Hopefully she uses that determination to live out her dream to eat at every restaurant in New York City (she’s a self-described foodie). It’s a bit unlikely, but Tracey isn’t afraid of a challenge. In addition to food, she is a big fan of bungee jumping, sky diving, etc. Of course, her passion for living life to the fullest and overcoming fears fit right into the MKN culture!

new for 2011 Your team in the MKN Today! newsroom is excited to share highlights of the new additions for this summer. In addition to what’s pictured here, we also re-surfaced most of the courts around camp (basketball, tennis, hockey), added a speaker system in the dining hall, and replaced the backboards in the field house. Also, the media center has a fantastic new roof, staircase, and siding (it’s cushy, for serious). Top it off with a lot of painting... and camp looks incredible! A big thanks to the pre-camp and maintenance crews for getting it all together! 1: Water Slide! This slide is incredible and you should drop what you’re doing (RIGHT NOW) and go for a dip. I mean, you’re going to need a lifeguard, but you can sort out the logistics. 2: Music Room ROCK OUT, MKN!! Our new music program (housed in lower senior camp) has been hugely popular. We have drums, guitar, and a guarantee for a great time! 3: Rocketry The rocketry program has really taken off this year (I’m really sorry, I had to). The program is run out of the Art Studio, and Josh (our resident rocketman) is really excited to work with the campers. You’ll surely hear the launches throughout the day. You may try not to, but I’m sure you’ll look up! 4: GAGA pit Is it hard for you to get “Bad Romance” out of your head? We understand. Check out the GAGA pit in lower senior camp -- a popular destination during freeplay AND program periods! The pit is kept under control by Evan Birenbaum (Lord Gaga) with assistance from Tracey (Lady Gaga). 5: Tennis Villa Club Med, back off. The MKN Tennis Villa and Waterfront* Oasis was named Travel Magazine’s Berkshire destination for the millennium. Here, our tennis players can relax in style with a full array of shade, seating, and music. Add to it an optional zen escape in the tennis shed, and you have a recipe for a sensational tennis program period! *May be up to a five minute walk to water. 73

program heads Program is the heart of Mah-Kee-Nac. Most days of the summer you can find campers and counselors enjoying six action-packed program periods. So, check out the leaders of each area! We are proud of these incredible program heads and are sure they will make your summer fantastic!

Ruairi:

Dave:

*Missing: Evan (GaGa)

Brittan:

Greg:

lacrosse

Justin: hockey

aquatics

Josh:

tennis

James:

art 74

woodshop

baseball

Dan:

Barry:

Quinn:

Levar:

media

Tom: basketball

Bart: football

ropes & adventure

Dan:

Nick: music

Alan:

fitness

archery

soccer

golf 75

five years of clean Toilets? NO PROBLEM! Walls? NO PROBLEM! Seeing a trend? Clorox disinfecting wipes are perfectly capable of cleaning 100% of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac messes. From tables in the dining hall, to leaves on junior field - if it can’t be done with Clorox, IT CANNOT BE DONE! We have some great news to report. This summer, Clorox wipes mark their FIFTH YEAR as an MKN staple! So, as you can see in the adjacent picture, we have awarded the wipes the prestigious fiveyear jacket in true MKN style. And I mean style...this jacket was meticulously cleaned by members of the maintenance crew with...you guessed it...CLOROX WIPES! We sat down with the wipes (known as ‘Lox to friends) to get a sense of the feeling in the Clorox wipe community about reaching this prestigious milestone. First, the wipes expressed gratitude to Mah-Kee-Nac, saying that “few people fully appreciate how versatile we are. Most people think these wipes can just be used on kitchen counters and the like, but Camp Mah-Kee-Nac has singlehandedly kept us on the shelves for the last five years. We’ve heard stories of MKN wipe usage indoors, outdoors, and on the doors themselves. The list is almost endless; showers, vehicles, shrubbery, walls...” A key staff member who preferred to remain nameless said “I use Clorox wipes for a quick bath on-the-go, even when my hands are covered in paint from working in the art studio all day.” But Mah-Kee-Nac’s relationship with Clorox wipes has not always been the best. The wipes said, “for a while we felt intimidated. Those yellow Lysol cans were creeping in on our territory and we felt that MKN’s loyalty was in question. But really, what was happening was we were just seeing the Mah-KeeNac way -- they were attempting to be as inclusive as possible to give all cleaning products some time to shine. 76

Ultimately, though, the Clorox wipes strive to be MKN’s exclusive sanitary product. In true Mah-Kee-Nac style, the wipes have been working to be the best they can in hopes that we will abandon the Lysol spray once and for all. The scientists at Clorox have been working around the (pristinely polished) clock and are confident that their new low-streak formula is sure to remedy Clorox wipes’ relatively few shortcomings. The scientists said “the new formula is a welcomed addition to the Clorox family, designed specifically for our favorite customer -- Camp Mah-Kee-Nac.” In fact, MKN orders such a quantity of the wipes that Kevin places the bulk order every year in early August for the following summer. It is reported that our Clorox wipe ordering alone has created over 400 jobs in the last 5 years and has been cited by President Obama as an incredible recession-reducer. Thanks for reading...now be sure to wipe your table!

click it or ticket New

Mah-Kee-Nac is well known for it’s incredible equipment. Of course you’ve seen our impeccable hockey rink, perfect tennis courts, and gorgeous art studio. We’re here to let you know how deep our commitment to fantastic equipment runs. We present: Freezer Guard 87X. This is so much more than a freezer door. It’s a topnotch import from the Antarctica tundra. It is so shiny, pristine, new, and air-tight that the kitchen staff had to attend a special weeklong orientation detailing the way it must be treated and operated. The number 1 rule: CLICK IT! It cannot be left to shut on it’s own, it must be lovingly shut by pulling out the handle and waiting to hear a CLICK. Bob has installed multiple hidden cameras to make sure that everyone abides by the rules. If you have a few minutes, please say hi to Freezer Guard 87X and welcome it to MKN!

Returners may recall a bit of a controversy last summer between the tribal leaders and the kitchen staff (see the MKN Today! entitled “Dropping the Cake, or Dropping the Ball?”). The issue was that a remarkable amount of cakes tossed for MKN birthdays were landing in the rafters or on the floor. The dining hall was plagued by disappointed birthday boys and shamed tribal leaders. The tribal leaders accused the kitchen staff of using inferior equipment, claiming the trays on which the cakes sit were not well suited to the cake tossing tradition.

Old

As the adjacent article shows, Chef Bob is very serious about his equipment. He worked tirelessly throughout the off-season to provide MKN tribal leaders with a platter more suitable for air travel. He didn’t accept all of the fault, though. He said “seriously, these guys just show up at camp and expect to be able to toss the cake! I mean, work your way up. Practice! Gosh, start with a cupcake!” Regardless, Bob made the trek from Kansas City to Lenox with one mission: Happy, 2011 MahKee-Nac birthdays. He sampled dozens of trays, subjecting them to a rigorous aerodynamics test at a local BMW factory. Those that made the cut were adorned with a cake and hurled by Bob himself in the MKN dining hall. He sprinted across the newly polished floors attempting to catch each cake he had tossed himself! This madness was attempted in blackout conditions without lighting, temperatures reaching 115 degrees, the list goes on and on. Eventually, he picked the winner, a shiny gold tray that he assures MKN Today! is up to the tossing task. Let’s see our 2011 completion percentage! 77

the mah-kee-nac bounce It’s not a dance move. It’s about as unique to Mah-Kee-Nac as Greg Leonarczyk himself. A Mah-Kee-Nac bounce is the name for that crazy spin a tennis ball is known to take on our clay tennis courts. The ball, originally seeming to be that perfect distance from you, is suddenly either right at your side or feet away! The bounce is wild, unpredictable, and certainly keeps all MKN tennis players on their toes. The Mah-Kee-Nac tennis program has tried for years to understand the cause of this crazy phenomenon. Finally, the answer was discovered. It turns out that Coach Jon’s booming voice (from any location around camp) creates reverberations throughout the entire ground. Sometimes, when a tennis ball hits the ground at just the right time, Coach’s vocal fortitude takes over and the ball doesn’t have a chance. The tennis player unquestionably ends up making the face similar to that of the camper pictured to the right. The Mah-Kee-Nac bounce is one of those things that is so specific to MKN. Accordingly, tennis counselors are sure to provide all campers with a detailed overview of the bounce. Mah-Kee-Nac tennis players are therefore completely prepared for the bounces. Though this is helpful, we have encountered some problems with the Berkshire Camp Athletic Ministry (a very rigid organization). In many tournaments, the Mah-Kee-Nac of a zany bounce towards the completion. In fact, bounce was said to give MKN an unfair home-court advantage. several years ago Brad Pennington (an MKN camper) Numerous matches have been decided in MKN’s favor because defeated a Camp Winaukee player at the end of a tiebreaker after a neck-and-neck match. The last point? You guessed it, a zany Mah-Kee-Nac bounce got the better of Brad’s opponent. Witnesses described the cheerful camaraderie, a massive celebration, and they also claimed to see Coach Jon in the immediate vicinity. It has been rumored that Walter (previously working at Winaukee) developed his interest in Mah-Kee-Nac in order to learn more about the bounce. MKN Intelligence crews are weary that Walter may be gathering intel for Winaukee to better their chances of victories on MKN’s hallowed courts. So, of course, if you suspect any tennis-related espionage please be sure to report it promptly to the proper authorities. Game, set, match! 78

the plight of the mkn bugle It’s a miracle that the campers and counselors of MahKee-Nac have been able to wake up, raise the flag, or transition from period to period over the last week or so. You can hear discussion about the mysterious disappearance of the bugle around every corner at camp, so MKN Today! decided to jump to the rescue and figure out what’s going on. I watch a lot of CSI: (well, obviously not the Miami one, because it’s terrible), so I feel that I am more than qualified to conduct this investigation. The first thing to think about is other strange things that occurred around camp at the time that we became de-bugled. The first thought that came to mind: Jane Wasserman. Jane arrived right after visiting day to work with Katie in the office. Doing what you ask? Answering phones, delivering messages, organizing the mail and camper calls, and...WAIT...RINGING THE BUGLE! This cannot just be a coincidence. So, I turned to the only informationfinding software more powerful than CampMinder... GOOGLE! Turns out Jane Wasserman is currently employed by ESPN in their espionage and monopolypreservation department. I can only conclude that ESPN does not approve of our transition back to traditional bugle calls, as we had used the Sports Center theme song for years. Jane was sent to camp as a mole to

destroy our bugling abilities and presumably to somehow reintegrate the ESPN hymns back into everyday MKN life. Like those at most camps, Mah-Kee-Nacers are very dependent on the bugles and the PA system for instruction and direction. As the photo below shows, there has been a bit of confusion. We are certainly an adaptable bunch, though. Kevin has been regularly using the vuvuzela to change the periods and Eric has used a kazoo (one of his must-have backpackable items) to provide music for flag raising and flag lowering. Is Jane Wasserman an evil mastermind? Check the photo. Did Peduzzi make the bugle sounds by herself before Jane’s arrival using some secretive method? Or maybe the headphone jack on the iPod we use for the bugles just stopped working...

mah-kee-nac treats An Ode to Fribbles

By: Jacob Hait (Bunk 22)

Laser Tag

By: Gregory Stiefvater (Bunk 28)

On Wednesday, June 29, the Algonquin tribe journeyed to Saratoga, NY for an afternoon of laser tag. Equipped with high-tech plastic guns, vests, and cheesy code names, they were fast-forwarded in time to the year 2058, and aliens had taken over the world.

Fribbles are truly delicious treats known to both MahKee-Nac and the rest of the world. Fribbles are magic milkshakes of some awesome sort that congratulate campers on a job well done when going to intercamps. They come in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coffee, and my new favorite, Oreo. All these flavors congratulate the athletes’ successful job of participating in various athletic contests held at the other camps. The cold, delectable taste of a Fribble rushing down to one’s stomach cools one’s athletic juices and preserves them to be used until the next intercamp. All in all, Fribbles are a Mah-Kee-Nac symbol that will remain a Mah-KeeNac symbol for years to come, as long as they taste good…which will be for years to come. Fribbles, I love you.

The Algonquin soldiers were divided into two armies designed to eliminate the aliens, as well as one another. As the match began, the two teams started running through the futuristic plywood course, ducking around corners and capturing towers in order to save earth from the alien invasion. Countless laser shots were fired and the intensity of the game was felt by all of its participants. It was only when the loudspeaker announced, “Players the round is now over, please proceed back to the lobby” we remembered it wasn’t even real! Once in the lobby, the campers received their individual statistics (ranking, tag percentage, etc.) and enjoyed playing a wide selection of arcade games, while the other groups ventured into the laser tag arena. After four rounds of epic laser carnage, the campers went to Friendly’s to fill up on milkshakes and ice cream before they made the final journey back to Camp Mah-Kee-Nac.

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beauxhawks voice of: Perry Dornbush (Mohawk)

Who said Mah-Kee-Nac is just an eightyear experience? These campers turned counselors are really a spectacular group, great with the campers and very fun to be around. The crew demonstrate something that we feel so strongly about: Mah-KeeNac is with you long after Seneca year! The Braves (Jacob and Ben) were Senecas in ‘10, and the Mohawks were Senecas in ‘09. Together, this group of awesome individuals is naturally called the “brohawks.” We caught up with all ten of them to snap a quick picture and ask them to share a brief quote with the MKN community. You can see the results on the adjacent page. We’re happy to have them on our staff! Of course, they are not strangers to camp, the routines, the layout, etc. Most importantly, though, they each know and demonstrate the Mah-Kee-Nac way. Going forward, we are happy to expand this amazing program. It will include community service trips and a lot more activities for our beloved brohawks! 82

When I received the official letter from Walter in March, I contacted as many members of the Seneca ’09 crew as I could (phone calls, texting, Facebook, smoke signals, etc.). We talked it over and eventually eight of us were on board! In April, I drove up to White Plains, the winter home of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, to meet up with Kevin and Walter. My talk with them helped reassure that I was making the right decision. They said that their reason for creating such a program was so that former campers could be able return to camp and utilize their experiences to improve the camp community and preserve the MKN Way. A week before camp started, at the end of June, I got to be a part of one of the more unique, behind-the-scenes parts of camp: staff orientation. The amount of work the staff puts in just so that camp can be ready to go once the campers arrive was something that I had never really taken time to appreciate when I was a camper. As the summer went on, I realized just how much the staff really does in order to ensure that each and every camper has a fun and safe experience at MahKee-Nac. All in all, my Mohawk experience was great! It truly opened my eyes, allowing me to see how much work and effort goes into making each summer at camp more spectacular than the rest. I hope that in the summers to come I can use my knowledge gained from both the time I was a camper as well as a counselor in order to help make summers in the future more memorable.

Dennis:

“I’m spreading Bieber fever!”

Matt:

Ethan:

“I think I’m a better baseball coach than coach jon is. I also think I have better hair. I rule.”

Harrison:

Ethan:

Perry:

David:

“Yeah I got these sunglasses just for this photo shoot. What’s wrong??”

“My secret hobbies include playing the “You know drums and designing who else took summer camp my picture for their logos.” records?”

Dan:

Jacob:

“See this tree? This is about as much as I’ll do ‘outdoorsy’.”

“I think I have a better commercial voice than James Earl Jones.”

“Cheezy quotes are beneath me.”

Ben:

“So what I gave myself a “Petrie here made me feel ridiculous nickname? H-Pizzle for life.” more like staff.”

art & media exhibition One of Mah-Kee-Nac’s coolest traditions. At the end of every summer, the media center gets pimped out for an exposition of the most bourgeoisie proportions.

WMKN Summer Playlist 1: LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem 2: Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On 3: Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP - We No Speak Americano 4: The Black Eyed Peas - The Time (Dirty Bit) 5: Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song 6: Adele - Rolling In The Deep 7: Swedish House Mafia - Save The World 8: Cee Lo Green - Forget You 9: Katy Perry ft. Kanye West - E.T. 10: Britney Spears - Till The World Ends 11: Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory 12: Wiz Khalifa - Black And Yellow 13: Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull - On The Floor 14: Selena Gomez & the Scene - Who Says 15: Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight 16: Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo - Give Me Everything 17: Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner - Written In The Stars 18: OneRepublic - Good Life 19: Katy Perry - Firework 20: Far East Movement ft. Ryan Tedder - Rocketeer 21: Diddy Dirty-Money ft. Skylar Grey - Coming Home 22: Kanye West ft. Rihanna - All Of The Lights 23: Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me 24: Train - Hey, Soul Sister 25: deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire - Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff 26: Flo Rida ft. David Guetta - Club Can’t Handle Me 27: Darude - Sandstorm 28: Journey - Don’t Stop Believin’ 29: Rebecca Black - Friday 30: Robin Sparkles & Jessica Glitter - The Beaver Song

Mah-Kee-Nac is all about offering the best of instruction on and off the sports fields. When campers play in intercamp games and bring home trophies from tournaments, their friends and peers are there to share their success with them. The art and media exhibition gives campers who rock out in photo, radio, art, rocketry, and woodshop the chance to share their creative masterpieces with the rest of the Mah-Kee-Nac community. The event comes complete with food, drink, and fun!

paws off the mkn logo! Like all iconic brands, Camp Mah-Kee-Nac has experimented with a plethora of logo concepts. These include a Michiganinspired block M as well as the more recently used “MKN” with “Camp Mah-Kee-Nac” functioning as an underline for those who just couldn’t grasp the abbreviation. But where did the paw come from? We set out to find the visionary artist and realized we didn’t have to go far. Perry Dornbush, the media-teaching Mohawk legend, is actually the creator! During his days as a camper, he was reading the 2003 Mah-Kee-Nac Totem and stumbled upon a brief article in which the bear beat out the hawk, the eagle, and the dog to become the official mascot of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac. He felt that camp needed to

embrace a single symbol. One day at lunch (inspired by a chicken nugget surrounded by five french fries), he started drawing. Starting with the swirly one (pictured above), the paw evolved into it’s current beauty. After a few e-mails to the director, the bear paw design made its way onto the hat prior to the summer of 2008. And the rest is history. The transition from the standard M to the paw was widely accepted. So much so that a member of the MKN accounting staff (preferring to remain nameless) asked for permission to use the logo as a tattoo! We think it’s really cool that a camper’s creativity and vision of MKN evolved directly into our very widely-printed logo. That’s what this place is all about!

WHY DO yoU THINK THE PAW IS OUR LOGO? Ryan:

Jay:

Jared:

Noah:

“I keep “I think of hitting people Koalas having in the chest. Isn’t summers full of the paw there for personal growth!” high fives?”

Robby: “I think the paw is tickling campers and counselors to ensure a summer full of smiles and laughter! Oh, you silly bear paw.”

“Perry is my hero.”

Ross:

“It keeps out “It’s open and paparazzi so can’t hold an Ryan can get all the umbrella...because it best MKN photos.” doesn’t rain here.”

Greg:

Jack: “It’s saying hands up Mah-KeeNac! Or is it Mah-Kee-Nac hands up? Who knows.”

“Joe Kruger

always dreamed of a peaceful and fun-loving bear. The rest is history.” 85

mkn behind the scenes Today’s story is all about some awesome people who do incredible things for MKN from a bit behind the scenes. First up is Iuliia, a 4th year superstar in our kitchen, from all the way in the Ukraine.

So, let’s get started. Iullia has dreamed about coming to America since she was 11. Why you ask? Because she was obsessed with the 90s boyband *NSYNC. If you check out the picture below, it seems that her age-old dream has come true! Fantastic. In the kitchen, she is second in command to Chef Bob. They love working with one another, and she has had the opportunity to come back in different capacities each year. This year, she is the breakfast chef. Iuliia loves camp because every day is different, she’s always on her toes, and she enjoys the challenge of cooking for so many people every day. So, if you see her be sure to say hi, thank you, and maybe sing a few lines of Tearin’ Up my Heart. We have the lyrics pre-printed in the media center.

These next two know all of Mah-Kee-Nac’s dirty laundry. This is Laura and Vero, our incredible laundry-doing duo. Every day they jump aboard the Silver Fox (the grey laundry van) and head off camp to do all of the laundry for the day. This is quite the large task, and we are of course so grateful and appreciative that they do it for us! In return they ask for one thing -- less NASTY SOCKS!! They both said that they’re having a blast at camp, and that doing laundry together has been fun (lots of funny happenings, jokes, etc.). But, just the socks. Come on, guys! At home, Laura loves volleyball and her dog coco. She thinks that he would be the best of friends with Twinkie. Vero is in school, loves playing soccer, and fighting with her brother. Though they’re loving the MKN life, both Laura and Vero mentioned that the Western Massachusetts Salsa scene leaves something to be desired... 86

to infinity and beyond hakan infinity

n volka

a mart

misael

nacho

Iuliia

Eduardo

gabby

sophie

If you only go in the dining hall during mealtime you are missing out on one of Mah-KeeNac’s most incredible treasures. The kitchen is staffed by some of the most awesome and hard-working people in the entire world. Of course they prepare all of our meals and snacks (and tell campers that they can’t have the Chipwhiches they swear they’re promised). Of course it doesn’t stop there, we bake all of our own bread and pastries and cook almost everything we use from scratch. Add to those lofty ambitions that we have a bunch of perfectionists up there, and you’ve got a recipe for an honest day’s work!

suri

Karsen

The crew is primarily from Kansas City where they are students of Chef Bob during the year. They join him at camp for the ultimate in “I think I want to be a chef when I grow up” experience -- cooking for all of MKN for the summer! And they take it in stride. The rest of the crew hails from all over the world. They each have said that they’re having a blast experiencing America, and think the MKN kitchen is the place to be. We agree -- they’re full of laughter, always down to lend a helping hand, and are just a fantastic presence. Chef Bob is the man in charge up there, and he is on top of the menu and ensuring that everything that comes into camp is allergy-approved. Karsen runs the kitchen during pre- and post-camp, and this year he has stepped up for week 7. As you can see from the picture, it’s safe to say he’s a total basket case! 87

this? for man and mankind? Who is this small step for?? Everyone knows the media center (BJFCFAMPACE) is sensational. It has the best program head, staff, location, view, and - of course - STAIRCASE! The new stairs leading to the M-Sizzle are a delight (although the slide proposed to run alongside them was nixed by our construction crew). The only thing that boggles the mind is the bizarre tiny step! Affectionately called “the awkard step,” this piece of wood has raised a lot of eyebrows. Is Walter attempting to recruit MKN campers in munchkinland? Is it a test of the media staff’s agility and coordination? Did someone borrow Jack’s tape measure and fail to return it? If you know the answer, please inform a member of the staff immediately! We’re curious!

Who is this giant leap for?? I actually happened upon this site yesterday while walking to my room. Tracey had locked herself out of the Brown House and took, well, a GIANT LEAP through the window. What could be so important? Perhaps she was looking for her stack of business cards or was late for her mid-afternoon tea with Julie. This entire occurrence was absolutely hilarious, and I was fortunate that my media instincts (MINSTINCTS) kicked in and I captured it on film. The question that remains: was her giant leap for all mankind?? All I know is that we have an assistant director equipped with the gifts of grace, coordination, and a real sense of humor! Not to mention a fervent desire for a life filled with laughter... and tendonitis! 88

julie’s angels julie

janet a teres

Our 5-person machine in the health center is exceptional. Since they’re located in the corner of camp we’re worried that people aren’t completely aware of all of their shenanigans. So, we’re here to enlighten everyone about the keepers of the Gold Bond. A typical day in the health center goes something like this: The nurses (fishing tackle case in hand) start it off at the table outside the dining hall distributing breakfast meds. The meds come pre-packaged and individually wrapped to ensure accuracy. They are wrapped in some plastic and get popped off of a big sheet. This means two things. First, we never make med mistakes. Second, these nurses are so great at measuring the pills out that they have aquired random skills. For example, Teresa enjoyed a movie last week. During the previews in the pitch black theater she was able to inform a woman three rows away that she had 4 M&Ms left in the bag. The woman, thinking she had closer to 15 delicious treats left was incredibly grateful and she re-stocked before the movie started.

ruth

natalia After breakfast, the health center turns into “Club HC” as campers and counselors seeking to see the doctor descend on the building. One day, the campers were so antsy to get into the club that they weren’t waiting on the porch. At that moment, Ruth took the porch with both of her hands and flung it off the building and onto the ground. You may have noticed Jack and his crew re-building it over the last few days. After breakfast, Julie has a few spare minutes for herself. She spends it doing her favorite thing in the world, playing on the walkie talkie. Many of you know that Julie plays on a traveling team in New Jersey, where she and her friends play massive games of hide and seek in public places communicating and strategizing with the radios in hand. Next up is lunch. The med brigade travels to the dining hall again. The nurses take a few minutes to have lunch and, as with all meals, Janet soaks all of her food in Epsom salt (and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing). “Just like with feet, you can never have too much Epsom salt” she told us. Natalia agreed, but she prefers her food to be lathered in sunscreen.

keep mkn dancing! You’ve seen it. And if by some horrible accident you haven’t yet...you will. The boys of MKN really enjoy the line dance that exists for We No Speak Americano. Now, of course, we are paying homage to an elaborate masterpiece of choreography that took master dancers months to create. Considering that second session has just begun, it seemed like a good idea to give the entire community a bit of a walkthrough of the steps. These two excited lower seniors were happy to give us a demo and we’re certain it’s all you need to know! So, next time you hear it playing, get off your feet and dance like a pro!

x2 x2 x2 90

why we kept plastic spoons A few days ago Chef Bob pulled the leftover plastic spoons out of storage for the Algonquins. Why? Well, Alex (football and cycling counselor extraordinaire) put together an awesome game of assassin for the group. Accordingly, the Algonquins have been walking around camp armed with spoons for days, and this odd occurrence has prompted many questions. We’re here to explain the game and put the rumors about an ice cream social around every corner to rest!

Each Algonquin “agent” received the following letter: YOUR LICENSE TO KILL HAS BEEN CLEARED. YOUR MISSION IS TO LOCATE AND ELIMINATE YOUR TARGET WITH UTTER SECRECY. NO ONE MAY KNOW OF YOUR PRESENCE, NOR MAY YOUR TARGET BE AWARE THAT HE IS ON A KILL ORDER. YOUR TARGET IS AT A SMALL CAMP IN LENOX MASSACHUSETTS KNOWN AS CAMP MAH-KEE-NAC. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR MISSION. As the pictures show, many Algonquins added some bling to their plastic spoons to make themselves either more intimidating, more zany, or somehow less vulnerable to attack. Here are the rules of the game: Kills MUST be performed with a regulation-length plastic spoon on the front of your target’s body NO ONE can SEE/HEAR/BE AWARE of the kill The game begins after breakfast and ends at the start of evening activity You cannot kill anyone exiting a bathroom or shower You cannot form an alliance You cannot tell ANYONE who your target is OR your kills BIG open areas are off limits After a kill: tell your assassin your target, who becomes your assassin’s next target (keep your spoon to appear to be in play) AND report all kills to Alex, who is keeping a master list 91

a slogan for mkn today! Louis:

“The best daily news in MKN history!

Manny:

Harris:

Chris:

“NEWs? More like OLDs!!”

“Great pictures, broken spell check.”

Jake:

Barry:

Jake:

“Somebody needs to buy Barry a watch!” “Bringing you “24 hours a yesterday’s day, but 24 news tomorrow!” hours later.”

Simon:

“Umm...I have a correction to make...”

“Blah blah always late typos blah blah.”

Scott:

Matt:

“Weather more accurate than going outside!”

“Why be ready or prepared for evening activity?”

Charlie:

“Where typos NEVER get in the way of the news!”

did you know? Your daily dose of facts from MKN Today! In MA, It is illegal to go to bed without first having a full bath.

Blueberry jelly beans were created especially for Ronald Regan.

Bill Gates designed a traffic control system for Seattle when he was only 15!

A Boeing 747’s wingspan is longer than the Wright bros 1st flight.

The sloth moves so slowly that green algae can grow undisturbed on it’s fur!

The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds.

The calorie was quantified in Judd Hall at Wesleyan University! The cruise liner QE2 moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The average lifespan of a US dollar bill is 18 months. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than the rest of the day. Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously. The green and white hummingbird is a real thing.

The United kingdom consumes more cans of baked beans than the rest of the world combined.

The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.

The sting from a killer bee contains less venom than the sting from a regular bee.

About half of all false teeth have some form of radioactivity.

It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs. Manhattan Island of New York City was purchased for $24 from the Algonquian Indians in 1624. A survey reported that 12 percent of Americans think that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. Every year, kids in North America spend close to half a billion dollars on chewing gum.

Theaters in Glendale, California can show horror films only on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Ostriches (not often taken seriously) can run faster than horses, and the males can roar like lions. The duckbill platypus can store as many as six hundred worms in the pouches of its cheeks. In 1875, the director of the US Patent Office sent in his resignation. He claimed There was nothing left to invent.

The sun is 330,330 times larger than the earth.

The shoestring was invented in England in 1790. Prior to this time all shoes were fastened with buckles.

A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court.

New York was the first state to require the licensing of motor vehicles. The law was adopted in 1901.

Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the mornings.

A fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.

Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.

There is a word in the English language with one vowel occurring six times: Indivisibility.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

Dart boards are made out of horse hair.

The Olympic Motto Citius, Altius, Fortius means Swifter, Higher, Stronger.

It is illegal to hunt camels in the state of Arizona.

The Olympic rings represent the major regions of the world (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania).

Slinkys were invented by an airplane mechanic who noticed a secondary use for an engine part.

The first known biathlon took place between two Norwegian guard companies in 1767.

TYPEWRITER, is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.

The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

The word “queue” is the only English word still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.

It took engineers 22 years to design the zipper.

The original game of Monopoly was circular.

Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings.

Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland when she was 6 days old.

Barbie’s full first name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

olympic matching game Can you match these coaches to their team’s country? A few campers came up with this awesome game during their Totem periods. Each year is listed with the head coach and their team’s final standing. Can you name the country that each head coach represented? Answers are printed in the black boxes.

7) Paul Tannahill

8) Toby Maher

1) Pat Waugh

2) Keith Robbins

3) Tom Bodily

4) Greg Leonarczyk

5) Keith Vinci

6) Ian McKenzie

7) Chad Winton

8) Mike Weidmann

1) Andrew Murray

2) Jenn Wilkins

3) Alex Tregunno

4) Casey McCormack

5) Chad Winton

6) Soosh Patel

7) Jimmy Mancuso

8) Kyle Wiffen

1) Dan Ospina

2) Ed Williams

3) Sarah Carroll

4) Dan Davies

5: Peru, 6: Samoa, 7: Yemen, 8: Luxembourg

5) Dan Field

6) Josh Yorke

1: Oman, 2: Ivory Coast, 3: Madagascar, 4: Canada

7) Lachlan Aspinal

8) Ben Schein

1) Danny Pollard

2) Brent O’Brian

3) Martin Grant

4) Jack Woodhead

5) Chris Kelly

6) Sam Allen

7) Ali Carpenter

8) Andy Braemar

1) Ross Webb

2) Dougie Taylor

3) Jack Woodhead

4) Chris Spencer

5: Uganda, 6: Gabon, 7: Colombia, 8: Micronesia

5) Dan Alderton

6) Sam Sirmons

1: Indonesia, 2: D.R. Congo, 3: Kiribati, 4: Sao Tome & Principe

7) Elee Wakim

8) Pete Hollier

5: Barbados, 6: Malta, 7: Mauritius, 8: Fiji 1: Iceland, 2: Bermuda, 3: Jamaica, 4: Tonga

6) Jordan Petrie

1: Venezuela, 2: Solomon Islands, 3: Morocco

2010

5) Neil O’Connor

4: Mexico, 5: India, 6: Austria, 7: Panama, 8: Sweden

2009

4) Tom Bodily

1: Philippines, 2: Nicaragua, 3: Norway 4: Guyana

2008

3) Cully MacDonald

5: Tuvalu, 6: Botswana, 7: Bhutan, 8: Ecuador

2007

2)Nick Lauletta

1: Iceland, 2: Bermuda, 3: Jamaica, 4: Tonga

2006

1) Jake Muhlbeier

5: Barbados, 6: Malta, 7: Mauritius, 8: Fiji

2005

olympic articles Olympic Breakout

By: Simon Osmont (Bunk 23)

Coach Jon walks into the dining hall with followers all dressed in black with ski masks on. Is this another fake out or is it finally the moment weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all been waiting for? Breakout this year was the best my friends and I have ever seen. As we walked out of the dining hall, we followed the line of black clad figures walking with determination towards the waterfront. As we arrived there, Coach Jon and his supporters formed a line and waited, but for what? Soon we found out as divers surfaced from the water and handed coach two metal boxes, all the while a helicopter circled overhead, shining a light down at us. We then made an about face and headed to the main road out of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac to find a World War 2 era M8 Greyhound Armored car armed with two 50 caliber machine guns and a 37 millimeter gun. We then marched up the hill to an epic show of fire breathing, twirling, and throwing. As we pried ourselves away from this awesome show of daring wits, we finally arrived at the upper baseball field, where we saw an amazing light show, followed by an awe-inspiring movie showing the power of the four elements of nature. Finally, or so we thought, we would be shown our teams, but we were only informed of the countries representing each of the four elements. Representing fire was the blazing outback of Australia and the scorched sand dunes of Namibia. Representing water were the wet islands of the Maldives and the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas. For earth, we had the steppes of Mongolia and the plains of Argentina. Finally, representing air, we had the wind-swept Himalayas of Nepal and the majestic Pyrenees of Andorra.

Olympics End

By: Steven Conway (Bunk 19)

We were all tired from a long three days of Olympics. We all entered the field house excited to present our song, cheer, and banner. We were all sat down until they called us for the banner. For the banner, Maldives got 3rd, Argentina got 2nd, and Nepal got 1st. After the banner came the cheer. For the cheer, 3rd was Argentina, 2nd was the Bahamas, and Maldives took 1st place. Next was the song. Argentina got 3rd, and tying for first was Maldives and Mongolia. My team, Maldives wrote their song to Hey Soul Sister by Train. After the song was the annual Joe Kruger award presentation. This award is given to the participant with the best sportsmanship on each campus. After the presentation, they gave us the final standings. Argentina was the team to come out on top and with that, the 2011 MKN Olympic Games came to an end. Olympics was so much fun and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to do it again next summer!

Next, we were led down to the tennis courts and sat down by bunk. One by one, someone wearing a colored t-shirt ran to the courts and directed someone to the hockey rink. Once in the hockey rink, we did a small task and then went to get another teammate. Finally, we had everyone and were screaming our hastily put together cheers. We then filed out of the rink and went to the showers. It was practically impossible to fall asleep that night. So many questions were unanswered. What will we do tomorrow? How will I work with my team? All in all, an AWESOME Olympic theme started off with an absolutely incredible breakout! Let the games begin! 95

guess who?

Can you identify current Senecas and staff members from these Totem pictures?

ANSWERS: Top: Barry Finder ‘02, Coach Jon ‘04, Tom Bodily ‘05, Alan Rudolph ‘63, Middle: Josh Coven ‘05, Todd Goldstein ‘05, Evan Birenbaum ‘04, Colby Liemer ‘02, Bottom: David Solo ‘05, Jack Bushell ‘05, Dennis Levy ‘05, Greg Walbergs ‘04, Ethan Goldman ‘05

Perry Dornbush loves Totem SO much. He came back to MKN as a Mohawk just for the chance to teach it to current campers, so it’s clearly no surprise that he has an affinity for MKN’s scrawled vault. One of his favorite things to do is go through the old books and find pictures of current Mah-KeeNac-ers. So, he put together some of his favorite shots in this guessing game. Enjoy!

play that funky music... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to think about what staff members were like when they were camper age. Also, when you think about what influences peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices, taste in music comes to mind. That was the inspiration for this matching game. We asked these guys the top 4 bands they listened to in high school. You might be a bit surprised by the results! Can you guess who said what?

Ali Carpenter

Elee Wakim

the emo-clectic Meatloaf, Dashboard Confessional, Oasis, S-Club 7

the all over the place Reel Big Fish, Miley Cyrus, Marvin Gaye, Run DMC

the pop-punk, sans the punk Spice Girls, Limp Bizkit, Five, Eminem

Greg Leonarczyk

Barry Finder

the dark rocker Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Queen

the i heart the 90s U2, REM, The Cure, Madonna

the wannabe emo kid Something Corporate, Further Seems Forever, Cartel, Motion City Soundtrack

James Foley

Katie Peduzzi

the rocker Blondie, Pat Benatar, Led Zeppelin, The Clash

the angsty teen Sum 41, Blink 182, Will Smith, Nickelback

Ruairi Dolan

ANSWERS: The emo-clectic: T-Bod, The all over the place: Ruairi The pop-punk sans the punk: Ali, The dark rocker : Elee The I <3 the 90s: Greg Leo, The wannabe emo kid: Barry The rocker: Katie, The angsty teen: James

T-Bod

well, this is odd. This is one of those things that happens at camp every now and again. It might be how the planets are aligned, something in the water, or how good of a mood Katie Peduzzi is in...but occasionally things just go absolutely nuts. I was going to write about something completely different today (perhaps about another cleaning product or pooch). However, when I saw the array of crazy photos from yesterday I thought I’d share.

In fingermanland, apparently cops and robbers is a ticklefest? I think the Lenox police use different tactics. A toga. To a danbee social. There’s always that guy, I suppose.

Dressing to impress (?) at the social. They were sure to mention “The caution tape is a warning. so nobody can really be surprised.”

I think your pants are a little high. Brohawk tennis court tomfoolery. 98

Sailing partners.

we’ve got visitors Matt Podowski Matt joined us during weeks 3 and 7 to run lacrosse clinics for anyone interested. He played Division I LAX at Lafayette College and has been coaching ever since. He has an overall coaching record of 88-36 and is all-around incredible! He has worked at Boonton HS and Livingston HS (both in Jersey), and has won city & conference championships. Matt brought his family to camp. They all mentioned that they couldn’t get enough of MKN campers’ enthusiasm and love for lacrosse! What a great treat!

Ronny Romm What better way to end Carnival day than with an absolutely fantastic hypnotist?? Ronnie joined us all the way from Maine and took us on (as his website says) “an unforgettable journey into the human mind.” Well, it was something like that. With a number of our staff deep in hypnotic slumber, we saw ice cream licking, fish reeling, Beyonce dancing, and found some missing buttons! Amazing.

Penelope Is she a crane? Is she a heron? Who knows! All we can say for sure is that this graceful critter enjoys the MKN waterfront more than even our beloved Ed Williams does. Rumor has it her mother submitted an MKN 2011 enrollment application for her but she was unable to attend (because it’s an all boys camp). So we’re grateful that she trespasses daily and comes to say hi. I mean, it’s not Megan Fox, but at least we’re getting visits from one bird who lives on our lake! 99

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cuz modesty is overrated... Over the last few years there have been rumblings around MKN in regard to the Barry J. Finder Center for Advanced Media Programming and Camp Enrichment. We understand why, of course. It is of course hugely flattering to have a building named in ones honor. We want everyone around camp to feel included. So, we went around and asked people the following question: if the storage building next to the woodshop were to be named in your honor, what would you name it and what would it be for? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we got.

The Coach Jon A. Freehling smile center and boutique salon for grooming and effective selfpresentation.

The Greg R.D. Walbergs paradise and playground for plunging perfection.

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YOUR NAME HERE

The Andrea J. Buckley vault for the preservation and safe-keeping of all MKN articles. The James A. Foley library for relaxation, relaxology, and the study of hammocks.

The Gregory E. Leonarczyk epicenter of exceptional esoteric experiences.

The Levar A. Willis cathedral for rampant screaming & appreciation and respect for the line.

The Kathleen M. Peduzzi musical institute, featuring the bugle orchestra and the telephone ringer symphony.

mkn trends The Mah-Kee-Nac video says that our campers leave MKN as better citizens of the world. This is clearly true, as are so many other nuggets of wisdom in the majestic film. For one, it doesn’t matter what you look like or what you wear here. This page is devoted to the multitude of trends that have permeated camp this summer. Do you think MKNers rock these “styles” in the real world as well?

Scott’s creepy haircut.

Ben’s 80s pop music video look.

The over-tired counselor.

D.P.’s statement socks. Barry, Katie, James: Team wellies.

Dan’s woodsman rat tail with attached shell.

Neil’s perma-life jacket.

Greg’s...well...Gregness.

Lisa’s camp mom pack.

Dougie’s “Scottish” look. 101

mah-kee-nac’s majestic fleet

COME ON DOWN! Whatever your vehicular needs we have them at WALTER’S WHEELS. Buses? We have three! Massive vans? Three! Not only does Camp Mah-Kee-Nac ride around in style all summer, we love and adore our vehicles. I mean, we’ve NAMED most of them. I prefer big bunny (#3), but certainly everyone has one MKN driving machine they just can’t get enough of! 102

twinkie, twinkie, little star If you haven’t heard about him yet, you certainly will. Twinkie is the beloved pooch of one Mr. Walter Synalovski and his wonderful wife, Kim. Some parts of this wonderful canine might be more well-known around camp than others, but we’re certain that Twinkie is completely remarkable in all senses. For starters, Twinkie is the only male at camp who is exempt from Coach Jon’s exceptionally strict facial hair policy. As is clear in these pictures, Twinkie wears his facial hair in a very edgy and post-modern style that is remarkably deemed permissible. Twinkie is certainly a quirky character. For example, the MKN photography crew said with complete certainty that Twinkie is the only member of the community more difficult to photograph than the Upper Seniors. More importantly, though, is how utterly obsessed with Twinkie Walter is. I advise everyone to take a peak out of their windows early in the morning

to catch our director take his morning stroll with Twinkie. They discuss the MKN calendar, program, and other intricate camp details. As you can see in the photo above, Twinkie is so up-to-date on all camp business that he is happy to pitch in for Walter whenever needed. In a very Wizard of Oz sense, perhaps Twinkie is the man behind the MKN curtain. It is in fact also rumored that Twinkie’s knowledge of computers and technology exceeds Walter’s! But who can say for sure...

103

my parents think... These lovely folks are of course with us for the wonder that is the Mah-Kee-Nac summer. After a few awkward phone calls from their parents, though, we realized that not all staff informed their moms and dads what it is they’re actually doing this summer. Here’s what some of them said...

Justin:

Stu:

Josh:

Steven: “I’m building the ark.”

Chris: “I’m a pro body builder in Canada.”

“I’m working for a total madman.”

Chris:

Matt:

“I’m training U.S. astronauts!”

Alex:

“I’m graduating from preschool!”

Laurel:

“I finally opened my very own tanning salon!” “I’m working at mah-kee-nac.” 104

“I’m teaching lots of art.”

“I’m taking summer ballet classes.”

don’t quit your day job I know it’s hard to imagine, but WHAT IF our beloved athletic director Coach Jon weren’t able to make it to MKN? How would he spend his summer? What other job skills does he posses? Take a look at this page, I’m sure you’ll find he’s quite multi-faceted!

A magician.

A tennis coach.

A hipster photographer. It’s ironic.

A police officer.

A milkshake man at a 70s diner.

A drill sergeant.

A stay at home dad. 105

thoughts when i say “america” The Mah-Kee-Nac staff come from far and wide, from all over the country and all of the world. On a day like the Fourth of July your team at MKN Today! thought that we should get a sense of what people in our community think about the land of the free (home of the brave, etc.). Before we asked the question on this page we did a sort of Jaywalking where we asked campers and counselors how the Declaration of Independence begins. NOBODY KNEW! For the record, it’s “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...” Anyway, viva America!

Alex & Ben:

Keegan:

“Wait, which one’s America again?” “The only people we can convince we’ve had tea with the queen.”

Rudy:

“Camp MahKee-Nac!!!!”

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Brittan:

Elee:

“Nascar, mobile homes, and McDonald’s.”

Frank:

Greg:

“Canada’s bottom hat.”

“Liberty and freedom. I own this flag. Actually.”

“Jersey Shore after camp? Anyone with me? Anyone??”

chimney: explain. This thing is more of a Mah-Kee-Nac landmark than Alan Rudolph. But most people don’t know much about it. Your trusty friends at MKN Today! went around camp to see if anyone knows what the deal is with this iconic structure. As a side note, the true story is that it was a part of the original MKN dining hall (that is no longer here). But, we’re sure you agree, the responses on this page are much funnier!

Mark:

Walter:

Toby:

“What chimney? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“As long as Joe Kruger put it there, I love it. He rocks.”

“Your thoughts go in and your dreams come out!”

Bart:

“Well, you see, the ancient Iroquois used it to communicate with smoke signals. To let each other know when dinner was ready.”

Tracey:

Tom:

Pedooz:

“Obviously we put it there to throw cakes over!”

(Insert bad Ireland joke, like “it’s where the Leprechauns live”).

“All I know is that chimney isn’t answering these constantly ringing phones. AHHHH.” 107

u o y see next er

! ouD

m m su

we know 2012 is gonna be

CAMP MAH-KEE-NAC 6 Hawthorne Road

Lenox, Massachusetts

rAise Your voice ! www.campmkn.com