WLPFamily Newsletter | Issue #12 - Summer 2022 by Woodloch

SUMMER 2022

NEWSLETTER

AUTUMN PREVIEW AND

Reunite this fall, at Woodloch

WOODLOCH.COM/REUNITE | 800.453.8263 OPTION #2 REASONS TO REUNITE AT WOODLOCH: Dedicated staff Experienced coordinators Accommodates any size group Guest homes, hotel rooms, suites

Various dining options Daily activity schedule Builds lasting memories!

HAUNTING HALLOWEEN WELCOME BACK

WATERSKIING

Taking a Break from Cancer through Respite PHOTO: TOM SCHELLING

Setting Summer

Just take a minute.

Welcome

It’s a prompt that is way harder to practice than to preach. It’s because we don’t have “a minute.” At least we think we don’t. We find ourselves filling every possible second with something - whether we’re choosing what to fill it with or are being pushed to. We’ve got our breakneck paced jobs, we’re pro-bono Ubers for our kids, we’ve got dinners to attend, dog sitting for the in-law’s… we could go on, and it’s fun to embellish sometimes. Then we’re also on our phones. It’s a part of life now. Our time is absorbed in full. This is what I observed while sitting on one of the many benches overlooking the lake. It was a beautiful summer day. The midday sky was that of a postcard with soft bright gradient of blue, a few big puffy clouds slowly passing from west to east. The robins seemed especially inquisitive this afternoon. It was a check-in day. People in the lake. In the pool. There were people everywhere, but it was not too crowded. Everyone was slowly walking from one direction to the next. As I just sat there, phone away, observing everything I could, I was listening to the conversations around me. What was most remarkable was that every single conversation was happy. “Did you have fun, dad?” The boy might have been 10 or 11. His dad walked beside him. “I sure did.” They had just taken a moment to go fishing. They hadn’t caught anything, but the smiles told the story. There was a family enjoying ice cream, seven of them. Grandpa was fumbling with his phone to take a photo of the moment together. They were all present. They only cared about one another, and they laughed along the way. From looking at one group to the next, everyone was happy… The dad’s weren’t yelling at their sons, the daughters weren’t pitching sass back to their moms. You could feel the relaxation. In a way, it was surreal. I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes. The editorial in the Woodloch magazine is talking about how great Woodloch is, understandable. However, it was genuine and honest. The broader point, that will become even clearer as you read this issue, is that time is precious and fleeting. It’s a reminder to all of us that we need to just take a minute, live in the moments. And in the prophetic words of the great Ferris Bueler, remember, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

The Woodloch Family

“Mimis and the Papas.” That’s my mom and my dad. And, um, we were a very competitive family. And when you scream and you shout for your family and you’re competing with all the other families, it’s just a great bonding time. There’s nothing but laughter. We came three or four years before my dad passed away, and he loved it, absolutely loved it. He was ultra competitive, he loved the games. We were always so close to getting the gold medal, but we weren’t able to taste sweet victory altogether. The following year we came back, and although my dad was sick, he knew that he wanted to have one last vacation here. He made it a priority. He wanted to see his grandchildren one last time on vacation because he knew they would need to make those memories. We had an incredible time. And that’s what my children remember, that time that they spent with their Papa here at Woodloch. Now, on our most recent stay we were here our family finally won the gold medal. I cried. It was that special to me to win this Woodloch gold medal for the first time in all the years that I’ve been here because my father never got the gold. Now I did; I got the gold and I got it with my family… for him. My children are going to remember the moment that we all won the gold that summer; that is forever part of their memory. I truly believe that the greatest legacy you can give your children are these memories you make with them and hold them near to your heart. I hold all the memories that we create together as a unit. As a group of six, those are what sustain me.”

#MyWoodlochStory

IT’S TIME TO FINALLY

“WAKE” UP! WATER SKIING RETURNS TO WOODLOCH AFTER NEARLY 3 YEAR ABSENCE

Stephanie Smith has been coming to woodloch for several years now, and these vacations have become an annual staple. Prior to his passing, Stephanie’s father would take the entire family away. This tradition continues and his legacy lives on in their vacations. Here’s Steaphanie’s story:

“My husband and I are very dedicated to our four beautiful kids. It’s really important to us that we give them a legacy of beautiful memories. Whenever we’re on vacation, we try to take a week out of our busy hectic life and dedicate those days to creating memories with them. And the best place that we know we can do that is at Woodloch. When you come here, everything slows down. So the little things don’t matter anymore, like what phone they have, what high end sneakers they have, or hottest clothing brands. What they want here is your time; they want to be with their parents. They want to have fun with you. This is a place where you unwind and you recharge. And in the process, you’re making memories with your family. The kind of memories that they look back on, and they think “my mom and dad truly loved us, they spent time with us, and it was a priority. We were their priority.” And when you come on vacation here, that’s what you get. You get a lot of time laughing, spending time on the beautiful lake. And that beautiful lake! When you wake up, it just calls to you. You have to get out there. And I get up early before the children, so I love to take out a kayak and do my workout outside. The beauty surrounds you the entire time. I think as a mom of four, you need time to yourself. And this place gives you the opportunity to have some quiet time and solitude to yourself when you need it, and all the family fun and action when you need that too. We started coming here as a family in 2008, but not every year; sometimes we just can’t make it. We’ve done a lot, even one year we had shirts made up. There were about 20 of us that came that year, and the shirts said

The sport (and some may argue, “art”) of water skiing is, and always has been, near and dear to the hearts of many Woodloch guests and staff alike for many years. Since 1960, water skiing has been not only a summer tradition for many but has also served as a right of passage for youngsters and Woodloch “newbies” alike. Every Memorial Day weekend, the waters of Lake Teedyuskung hum with the sound of speedboats, racing to pick up seasoned and rookie skiiers alike from the renowned “Teahouse Dock.” From there, staff members prep everyone with life jackets and offer some ﬁnal tidbits of advice. Succeed in making it up and be rewarded with two full speed laps around the 3 mile perimeter of the lake.

Shredding the lake has been a very proud tradition in the Woodloch family since the early days! So much, in fact, that the Kiesendahl Family (along with staff members) even once performed a stunt show across the lake. With Harry driving and his children John, Steve and Nancy in tow, guests were dazzled and delighted to see all sorts of tricks performed right before their very eyes. Woodloch celebrates and recognizes skiiers every year with their “ski club” cards. At weekly award ceremonies, guests who successfully took their laps receive ski cards, reaching different milestones along the way. Trophies are even given to those who have reached 25 consecutive years, with some folks boasting 50+ years of experience! Waterskiing at Woodloch is open to ages 13 & up and is offered Memorial Day through Columbus Day.

How to ski

HINTS TO HELP YOU CONQUER OUR LAKE 1. MAKE SURE YOUR SKI VEST AND SKIS ARE FITTED TIGHTLY 2. SIT IN THE WATER WITH KNEES BENT, SKIS UP AND BUTT DOWN 3. KEEP YOUR KNEES BENT, ARMS STRAIGHT 4. LET BOAT PULL YOU- DO NOT PULL ON ROPE 5. GRADUALLY LIFT BUTT OUT OF WATER UNTIL YOU ARE STEADY 6. KEEP KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT BUT “GO WITH THE FLOW” 7. HAPPY SHREDDING!

This is

Halloween The Boos are back in town...

The days are about to get shorter, the winds a bit chillier, and the grounds around Woodloch are certainly going to get a whole lot SPOOKIER. The Halloween season is one that has grown in popularity over the past few decades- especially at Woodloch. Whether you’re a fan of the “lighter side” of the holiday or are ready for a full-throttle fright fest, our team is amping up as we speak to bring a completely creepy experience to you this fall.

Tricks.. For those ready and willing to get right into the “spirit” of the season, look no further than a brand new “Scare Walk.” Souls brave enough to take a chance on our Haunted Forest will be whisked away to our Nature Trail, where they will face a labyrinth of horrors straight out of their wildest nightmares (and the Hollywood big screen).

A WINTER WELLNESS WONDERLAND THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH The new Snow Room at The Lodge at Woodloch, an adults-only luxury destination spa in the Pocono Mountains, is a beautiful marvel and the first of its kind at a resort in the United States. Designed to look specifically like the nature that surrounds us, the inside is reminiscent of a snowy forest.

“Our tradition of Halloween scare attractions began with our Haunted Hayrides in 1996,” says Joey Ranner, activities director. “What started as a few of our staff members jumping on haywagons with basic props and special effects has grown to include all sorts of terrifying backdrops, special effects, and a cast of almost 40 characters ready to scare your socks off.” Patrons bold enough to chance the experience will be rewarded with a dozen scenes, genuine frights, a couple of laughs: and as always, a hot cup of cocoa at the end of the night.

& Treats.. ...or, maybe you’re not so much of a Halloweener. No worries, we’ve got you covered! It all begins with the autumn splendor at Woodloch. Early October to early November brings spectacular displays of foliage to our Pocono Mountains canopy! With cool crisp days, it’s the last chance to enjoy some paddleboating or a scenic boat tour across the beautiful Lake Teedyuskung! Activities and events galore continue throughout the month with Halloween crafts and Bakery Wars, costume parties and parades, trick or treating and our “Boo-Lympics” featuring festive fall games for boos and ghouls of all ages to enjoy, pursuing that legendary Woodloch gold medal.

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The concept of a Snow Room stemmed from Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian priest from the 1800s who taught about the health benefits derived from the alternation between hot and cold. With its fusion of dry snow and cold air, the Snow Room offers a gentle and pleasant cooling effect. Cooling down is one of the most important processes in the sauna routine and should be done as quickly as possible. The body cools down gently from head to toe in the Snow Room at 14° to 23°F. Benefits of the alternation of hot and cold include blood vessel training (cardio vascular health), fat burning, detox, strengthening the immune system, pain relief, revitalization, stress reduction and more.

The fall is a truly special time to explore our resort, even if you’ve already visited in the summer or winter. Cooler weather is ideal for archery, go-carting, rock climbing and more before the winter cold sets in.

Woodloch’s Halloween festivities are offered on select dates in October and early November. Please call our reservations team for more details.

LEARN MORE AT THELODGEATWOODLOCH.COM

For Pete’s Sake... There’s nothing more important than time. Unfortunately, some of us are handed a clock that’s moving too fast…

nate their patients have reported improvements in the coping abilities of patients, caregivers and children post-respite.

It was over a decade ago when Woodloch and For Pete’s Sake first formed a bond that would continue to grow stronger year after year and with each respite traveler that came to the resort. The two organizations are in complete synchronicity when you get to the root of it all, bringing families closer together, giving people a chance to release and recharge. For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation provides an opportunity to pause the clock, encourage living in the moment, and cherish being together and present with family by quite literally “taking a break from cancer.” They enable cancer patients and their loved ones to strengthen, deepen and unify their relationships by creating unforgettable and lasting respite experiences.

Woodloch was on the preferred list of partner destinations that For Pete’s Sake had for many years. There were a handful of respite stays for a family, a couple, or a small group of travelers early on in the partnership, but that dramatically changed as the pandemic disrupted travel. Woodloch opened its doors as wide as it could to welcome as many FPS travelers as possible. Some of the other partners working with FPS were challenged and hampered by severe travel restrictions, limiting the destinations respite travelers could go. Woodloch found a way. Reimagining the respite in the face of Covid, the experience was enriched with new activities and an agenda that focused on the community within respite.

For Pete’s Sake pioneered respite for cancer patients, and 100% of the oncology professionals who nomi-

Nahomi was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at a young age of 32. She immediately went on very strong chemotherapy, and for many months, her family’s lives were focused on one thing: survival. Nahomi’s oncology team at John Theurer Cancer Center, New Jersey, nominated her family for a Travel Respite to Woodloch Resort so that they could spend time together and forget about cancer for a little while. “This respite has meant a lot to me because there has been a lot of quality time I’ve missed with my family because I wasn’t feeling well. During my treatment process it was like I lived outside of my own body, so I wasn’t really there for them. This trip has meant reconnecting, and spending quality time to be the present mom that I always want to be, and I always used to be. Thank you to the donors who provide these respites – it’s such a small expression for how we feel. This really does make a difference in our lives”

Nahomi

AT HOME

Scavenger Hunt Think you have what it takes to claim the Woodloch gold medal in one of our most competitive traditions? You better practice, practice, practice! Fortunately, we’ve got a great little warmup for you, courtesy of #WoodlochAtHome! Head outdoors to your backyard or favorite park, and see how many of the items below you can ﬁnd! Award yourself 10 points for every item you check off! Play along with Woodloch’s time limit (55 minutes) or play at your own pace! Good luck out there!

item list An oak leaf

A ﬂower

Something ﬂuffy

Something shiny

A maple “helicopter”

Something purple

A wood chip

A triangular rock

A feather

A “Y” shaped twig

An acorn

Something smooth

Ready to challgenge your mind? Check out

Puzzle-mania! Feeling a little winded from all of that running? No worries, puzzles are a HUGE part of working towards that Woodloch gold medal! Get a solid “practice round” of our academic challenge by tackling our “PuzzleMania” segment of the #WoodlochAtHome Scavenger Hunt - perfect for any gathering or family game night!

Woodloch’s

adventure PLAYGROUND

Over the past two years, For Pete’s Sake has supported, and Woodloch has welcomed, over 500 individuals including patients, caregivers and their families to respite at the resort.

NEW FOR 2022! The Adventure Playground brings excitement to explorers aged 5 to 12! Enjoy rope swings, balance beams, tight ropes, climbing walls, tunnel crawls and more! Open conditions permitting!

Unfortunately, there are many more cancer respite travelers out there needing to take a break from cancer. For Pete’s Sake is growing by leaps and bounds as word spreads about this great organization, and Woodloch is becoming a very important partner for its future. There are big plans on the horizon and in early 2023 we’ll all learn more about the next phase of this partnership. Stay tuned. Make sure to visit takeabreakfromcancer.org to sign up and keep in touch.

The FPS Respite Experience at Woodloch EFFECT I VE, EFFICIEN T AND SUSTAINABLE. Since June 2020, For Pete’s Sake has been primarily utilizing Woodloch Resort in Hawley, PA as its Travel Respite destination. Woodloch has been consistently named one of America’s best inclusive family resorts. Families that experience a Travel Respite at Woodloch report exceptional outcomes. With this model, up to 10 families travel to Woodloch during the same week, accompanied by an FPS facilitator. Families enjoy ample alone time, their own private accommodations, and optional daily activities led by our facilitator to unite all families in the cancer battle. This model has allowed us to plan FPS respites more effectively, budget more efficiently and provide a sustainable future.

MEET the

TEAM TESS MURRAY

Operations Manager

Autumn

AT WOODLOCH

HELLO MY NAME IS:

Tess HOW DID YOU START WORKING AT WOODLOCH? I grew up in this area but had never heard of Woodloch. After I started a family in the Philadelphia area, I spent time living and working in other places. I ended up coming back to this area in 1984 because I was raising two young children, and I wanted to be closer to the rest of my family. I knew someone in the kitchen at that time and they told me the dining room was better than the front desk because the girls at the front desk were stuck up! I interviewed with the dining room manager and was told I’d be a good fit for the front desk HA! I started there in December of 1984 and really enjoyed it. As it turns out, the girls were not stuck up. Over the years, I worked in many different departments including the dining room and the bar as well as serving as the purchasing agent here. WHAT IS A T YPICAL DAY LIKE? There is no typical day, and that’s what I like most about this job. Every day truly is different, and you never know what it’s going to be like. After 38 years, I still never get bored working here. In hospitality, I’m always meeting lots of new people . . . guests and staff alike! OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITE HOBBIES? I love spending time with my kids and grandkids! I also enjoy biking and doing yoga.

KEEP READING ABOUT TESS ON THE NEXT PAGE >>>

Follow that with family time spent splashing on bumper boats, racing with go carts, competing at the archery range, scaling the climbing wall, exploring the adventure playground and trails, and an evening paddle boat ride into the sunset. Pepper in three delicious and abundant meals, immaculate accommodations, and evening familyfriendly entertainment, and you’ve made magical memories with your family that will last a lifetime.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB AND WHY? My favorite part of the job is watching new staff members start here and see how they grow and develop working in a place where they’re really cared for. At Woodloch, employees are loved, nurtured, and encouraged to grow. It is wonderful seeing them become happier, stronger, and wiser people. And while it’s bittersweet seeing a team member leave to go to a different department or new job opportunity, we love celebrating in their success and watching them advance on to what is best for them. WHAT’S THE MOST INSPIRING PART OF YOUR JOB?

Warm, sunny days and cool nights are characteristic of autumn at Woodloch. From late September through October, sweater weather abounds. The foliage turns from stunning yellows and oranges to late fall browns and reds. A scenic boat ride around our gorgeous private lake is the ideal way to take in this view.

The most inspiring part of my job is meeting all of the guests. It’s amazing to hear their stories, whether they’re vacationing to celebrate something wonderful or they’re going through something challenging, and family is healing. Guests comment time and time again about how amazing our staff is. They genuinely seem to enjoy working here and doing what they do. Our hospitality is authentic, and you don’t find that everywhere. Guests become friends; relationships are built over the years, and you look forward to seeing them. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD WITH A GUEST HERE OVER THE YEARS? One night months after September 11th, I received a call from a guest who wasn’t happy at another local resort, and she wanted to stay at Woodloch with her family instead. I was able to get them a reservation, and I checked them in later that evening. I saw them over the course of the weekend having a great time. When they checked out, they gave me a small stained glass angel figurine. We used to sell them in the gift shop. They thanked me and told me what an incredibly special trip this was for them. They had three teenage sons and their two-year-old niece with them. As it turned out, their brotherin-law had been killed as a first responder in 9/11, and his wife had died of cancer, leaving the little girl in their care. They were so overwhelmed with emotion that they were able to have such a special vacation that everyone could enjoy as a new family unit. Another time, four ladies and 12 children appeared hoping to have dinner at The Inn when I was working one night. We were completely sold out and had no room to seat them; at the time, the downstairs level at The Inn was not being used a dining room. However, they really needed a place to eat so I spoke with the kitchen and dining room teams who said that they would prepare pizzas and chicken fingers for the group. We set up a table for them downstairs so that they could enjoy their meal together. I came to find out from one of the ladies that all of the children had been orphaned after 9/11. IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE THING, WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT WORKING AT WOODLOCH? The people - hands down! I love my coworkers, the Kiesendahl family, the guests. I feel so fortunate to have worked here all these years and have been exposed to things that I might not have otherwise. I have had the privilege of meeting guests and staff from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I have personally learned and grown so much since I started here 38 years ago.

...you can find it in

THE CLUB Culinary works of art await you at Woodloch Springs

The Country Club at Woodloch Springs is already a renowned golf course, recognized by Golf Magazine as “one of the finest courses in America. Visitors can also quickly discover a colorful and delicious adventure for their tastebuds, right here in our little corner of paradise! Check out some of the beautifully crafted and equally tasty features at Woodloch Springs!

Summer Berry Salad

Seasonal Smoked Cocktails

Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Locally-sourced Beef Burgers

Burrata with balsamic cherry compote, fresh basil, prosciutto, grilled crostini, aged balsamic, smoked EVOO

Tomahawk Steak

Matcha Tea Creme Brulee