For the LOVE of Camp: Being Thankful for 3 Generations of Camp Relationships
Written by Director Rhonda Goodman
As we gather around the table for the Thanksgiving holiday, our family of course will reflect on everything we are thankful for this year. It may seem obvious, but the Goodman family has always been thankful for our experiences at camp! In addition to creating personal memories and everlasting friendships, the past three generations in the Goodman family have met their significant others at summer camp. Call it fate or just coincidence, the camp experience teaches more than just life skills…it can change your life!
It all started in 1946 with Rhonda’s parents, Laurette & Nat, who met while working as counselors at a residential camp called Stissing Lake Camp in Pine Plains, New York. Laurette had attended Stissing Lake as both a camper and counselor and Nat had just come out of service during World War II. On the first day of orientation for the boys’ side of camp, Laurette and Nat were introduced and they never looked back. They enjoyed traditional camp activities that summer like swimming in Stissing Lake and canoeing. The combination of the summer mountain setting and working together as counselors created a perfect environment for a long-lasting relationship.
Almost 30 years later in 1975, camp games brought Rhonda and Mark together at Camp Kent in Kent, Connecticut. While it was Rhonda’s first year as an Arts and Crafts counselor, Mark had established himself as a long-standing, Camp Kent legend everyone knew only as “Goody”. As the Athletics Director, Mark had coordinated an early summer evening activity of “Counselor Hide and Seek”. With her supernatural hiding skills, Rhonda won the activity and as a reward, was treated to a coveted Carvel chocolate shake by Mark. Even though it was 3 decades later, Rhonda and Mark shared many similar camp activities as Laurette and Nat! Their passion for camp led them to create Rolling River Day Camp, where they could continue to spread positive camp experiences to future campers.
Rhonda and Mark’s daughter Ali was fortunate to be one of the first Rolling River campers in 1993. Ali moved up the ranks as a camper, CIT and then counselor. It was while working in the Navigator Division in 2003 that Ali met a new assistant counselor named Matt. Approaching the ‘boss’s daughter” may have been intimidating for others but not for Matt! Ali and Matt attended many on-campus and off-campus “RIVA” events together and their camp friendship ultimately blossomed into romance. Ali and Matt are looking forward to the next step when they get married in the Spring of 2015.
For the past 70 years, the natural environment of working in a camp setting was conducive to forming “lasting friendships” in the Goodman family. Being able to witness each other in genuine situations and working towards common goals promoted many important skills that went beyond just having fun. As our growing family reflects on the life-changing benefits of camp this Thanksgiving, who knows what the future holds for generations to come!
