Hello Canadensis…

First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful time with their family and friends during the holiday season.  And, since we have now officially entered 2013, we can start actually saying that camp is THIS YEAR!  Woo Hoo!

Next, I wanted to say how great it was to see so many of our campers and staff at our ANNUAL REUNION at Funtime America.  When totaling up the numbers, it looks like we had 300+ campers and 50 staff in attendance.  We know that many of you have very busy schedules so we really appreciate that you carved out some time for your camp family by joining us at this wonderful event.  Trying to get around the room to see as many people as possible, it was great hearing about what everyone has been up to since we last left camp in August.  At the same time, we hope everyone had a good time playing the games and going on all of the rides and amusements.  If you haven’t checked out the pictures on our Facebook page, click here.  Furthermore, it was so nice to hear that many of the campers in attendance planned other activities around the reunion such as lunches and even sleepovers.  As always, if you have pictures of these get-togethers, be sure to send them to us so we can post them.

As I usually like to do on this blog, I enjoy sharing what I have been up to in my time away from camp.  Back in December, Jaime and I kept up with our annual tradition of visiting one U.S. city every year.  This year, the choice was Atlanta, Georgia for a 5-day getaway.  While there, we visited the World of Coca Cola Museum and got to drink over 60 different coke products from around the world, spent a day at Stone Mountain Georgia for some outdoor activities, attended the Giants-Falcons game with Lower Boys Head Counselor Roy Kaplan (loved seeing Roy; the game I’d rather forget), went to the Georgia Aquarium and did some shopping in cute towns called Little Five Points and Virginia-Highlands.  It was a great trip!  Here are some pics…

On New Year’s Eve, Jaime and I went to see one of our favorite bands, Phish, to ring in 2013.  It was a blast!  Here is what our night looked like at midnight…

Like most blogs, I use this space to tell you about all of the campers I meet throughout the year. Here are some visits to tell you about.

In River Vale, NJ, I got to hang out with Jeremy Lesserson, who is currently in 6th grade and will be spending his first summer at Canadensis as part of our Freshman division.  In the winter, Jeremy plays in a basketball league and in the spring, he plays in a baseball league.  He also takes tennis lessons and plays the drums.  Jeremy is a big Mets fan, an avid baseball card collector and loves reading Sports Illustrated.  During football season, he enjoys playing fantasy football.  When I was at his house, Jeremy also shared with me that he is involved in fundraisers for his school.  This summer when he gets to camp, he is excited for all of the lake activities, including the water trampoline, the Summit, waterskiing and banana boating.  He also can’t wait for choosing his own electives, swimming in the pools and his trip to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Here is a photo…

In Montville, NJ, I spent some time with Lindsay Axelrad, who is also joining the Canadensis Family for her first summer.  Lindsay is in the 5th grade and will be an Upper Inter in 2013.  Lindsay is a big time soccer player for her team, the Montville Power, where she plays forward and midfield for the team all year round.  In the winter, she also is on a basketball team, the Montville Lady Broncos.  On top of all that, she does hip hop dance, loves to ski in the winter and enjoys cooking.  She also told me that she is starting a newspaper at her school.  This summer, she is really looking forward to the high ropes course and zipline and waterskiing.  Here is a picture…

In Bala Cynwyd, PA, I had a blast with the Rosenau Family, who will now have three kids at camp!  Julia (7th summer; Super Senior Girls) and Emma (4th summer; Freshman Girls) are happy to introduce their brother A.J. to camp for his first summer as part of the Lower Junior Boys.  Now in 2nd grade, A.J. plays striker on a travel soccer all year long for an 8 and Under team.  He also plays basketball during the winter months.  When not busy with those two activities, he also takes a hip hop class and plays the piano.  Now in 6th grade, Emma is playing in a winter basketball league.  In the spring, it will be onto playing both softball and lacrosse.  Emma showed me that she is always keeping in close contact with her camp friends on Instagram.  In fact, she told me that she wanted to give a shout out to the Girls of Bunk 12 from Summer 2012!  Julia, who entered high school this year, has been actively involved in Build On, which is a non-for-profit organization for building schools in third world nations.  She has been doing community service and fundraisers to help this great cause, putting in hundreds of hours of service.  For more about this, and to even make a donation, you can go to Julia’s webpage by clicking here.  In the fall, Julia played soccer on the high school JV team.  In the spring, she is going to try out for the school softball team.  Julia also wanted to give a shout out to her camp sisters of Girls Bunk 20 from Summer 2012 as well as to Jessie Thick and Dani Corradetti.  Here is a pic…

In Warren, NJ, it was great to be with the Cohn girls, Sydney and Darien.  Sydney is back at camp as an Upper Inter for her 3rd summer and is excited that Darien is coming to camp for her 1st summer as a Lower Junior.  Sydney, currently in 5th grade, is taking tennis lessons and starting to play in USTA matches, loves riding her bike and doing art projects.  Sydney told me that she likes nature as well.  She has also been into some of her favorite TV shows, “Toddlers and Tiaras,” “Dance Moms,” and “The X-Factor.”  Just recently, she also hosted a sleepover for all of her camp friends at her house.  In the blog, she told me to make sure to give a shout out to the Girls of Bunk 7 from Summer 2012.  At camp, she loves it all and once again can’t wait for the triple dare, waterskiing, the Summit, sailing, glass fusion, woodworking and soccer.  Darien, who is in 2nd grade, also takes tennis lessons, enjoys riding her bike and doing gymnastics.  She is also involved in hip hop dance and will be performing in a recital in the Spring.  Finally, she also loves nature and animals.  At camp this summer, she is looking forward to kayaking, the Summit, banana boating, swimming, the Art Shack and making new friends.  Here is a photo…

In Westfield, NJ, I got to know Ryan Borak a whole lot better.  Now in the 4th grade, Ryan will be part of our Lower Inter Boys division for his first summer at Canadensis.  Ryan is a boy with many varied interests.  He plays the trumpet.  He is entering his second year of wrestling.  He is a big Legos builder.  He loves to read.  His current favorite books are the nerds series by Tom Engelberger.  He loves to play on the Wii and WiiU.  His favorite games these days are Nintendo Land and Skylanders.  Ryan is also a member of his school’s student council, which ran a canned food drive for Thanksgiving.  Ryan also volunteered his time making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for victims of Hurricane Sandy.  When he comes to camp in 2013, Ryan is ready to try the quads and hondas, all of the lake activities, mountain biking, glass fusion and the Canadensis Today Show.  He is also looking forward to making new friends.  Here is a picture…

In Jericho, NY, I got to be with Mandi and Jamie Kurtz and talk about camp.  Mandi, in 4th grade, returns for her 2nd summer in the Lower Inter division while Jamie, in 2nd grade, will be at camp for her 1st summer as a Lower Junior.  Now in 4th grade, Mandi has been busy with her competitive dance team performing hip hop, jazz, lyrical, ballet and tap.  When she returns to camp, she will be excited again to try cooking, the Summit, banana boating, art, dance, gaga, gymnastics and glass fusion.  Jamie, who is in 2nd grade, also dances and is active with jazz, hip hop, tap and ballet.  Jamie also takes piano lessons, does gymnastics and is part of a Girl Scouts troop.  At camp, she ready to do glass fusion, go waterskiing and having fun with all her new camp friends.  Here is a pic…

In Merrick, NY, it was great to see Hannah Samuels, who will be at camp for her 1st summer as part of our Lower Inter Girls division.  Hannah, who is in the 4th grade, plays basketball and soccer.  She is also extremely creative and showed me several of her art projects, including a sculpture she made from the bon bell cheese wax packaging.  It was awesome and something I had never seen before!  Hannah is also a big animal lover and showed me her pet lizard Tootsie and her tortoise Tortellini.  Hannah plays the saxophone and enjoys snowboarding in the Winter as well.  In Summer 2013, she is very excited for activities like fishing, glass fusion and Color War.  Here is a pic…

Got some great pictures of campers e-mailed to me.  And, if you send me pictures, I will post them here…

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  I will be up to camp several times in the next few weeks and my next blogs will have some pictures of camp in the winter and will update new projects we are doing.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis…

So, I’ve been up to camp twice in the past week and it inspired me to blog to my Cyberspace Camp Family.  Being up at camp, even when it’s 40-degrees outside, is always a good time.  On the day after Thanksgiving, Jaime and I headed up to the Poconos as we are in the midst of our wedding plans and had to meet with our caterer to sort out the details of our big day, which is going to be May 11 up at camp.  Then, earlier this week, me, Eric and Neil headed up to talk about some facility projects we have in store for Summer 2013.  Right now, one of our big projects are updates on two bunks on girls side.  Another project in the works is creating a bigger area for our Senior Canteen.  Check out some pictures…

After Hurricane Sandy, we have received many inquires as to how camp held up.  Well, we are fortunate to say that we didn’t suffer any significant damage at all.  Camp braved the elements quite well.  In fact, camp looks great!  Our winter staff of Bob, Jimmy, Val and Jeremy have been working hard to maintain what we think is one of the most beautiful camping facilities.  We always appreciate the hard work that goes into the upkeep of the property.

And, even without the campers and staff, it is as if you are always there when I go up.  After seven summers at Canadensis, I can truly say that I can “hear the voices” of all of you when I’m up there.  No, I’m not going delusional (Ha Ha!).  It’s just that when I am up there, even in the dead of winter, I can picture CBL games on the Skin Diamond or tie dying going on in the Art Shack or a waterskier cruising around Lake Lenape.  And, as I picture these images in mind, I smile…a lot!  I guess it’s not too early to already start the countdown to Summer 2013!

Over the past month, it was great to see so many of our campers at the four different Canteen on the Fly locations in Pennsylvania, Westchester County and Northern New Jersey.  Anytime we get to see you is just awesome as we love to hear just how much you love camp.  We especially want to thank some of our staff that camp out to make the event extra special, including Robin Forti, Melissa Torban, Pete Tarnoff, Will Wekesa and Matt Manglona.  The campers were really happy to see you.  Our Long Island Canteen on the Fly, which was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy, will be made up in 2013.  Of course, we hope that we see many of you at our next gathering, which will be the Annual Camp Reunion on Saturday, January 5.

Things are really starting to pick up already in our plans for Summer 2013.  We have heard from a ton of staff that are planning to return next year.  In the upcoming weeks, we will start hitting college campuses and flying abroad to meet so many new staff that are looking to work at camp in 2013.  The process of assembling at talented team of 200+ staff to work at camp certainly is a challenge, but one will anxiously look forward to each year.  At the same time, we have started to plan our summer calendar, talking into consideration all of the wonderful feedback we received from the online summer survey filled out by campers and the exit interviews we conducted with staff.  As always, if you see or hear about anything good that would work at camp next summer, please let us know.

In the upcoming weeks, we will be sending out to our camp families the much anticipated copy of the 2012 Video Yearbook.  We will also be unveiling the Virtual Camp Tour on our website, which should be a cool enhancement to www.canadensis.com.  The camp tour has been a project that started last summer when we had a company come in and take 360-degree photographs of camp’s facilities.  The project is now in its final stages.  So far, it looks awesome!

Last week, I stumbled across this really funny commercial that I just had to share with all of you.  It is for a product called Campfire Cologne.  This is an actual thing.  That’s right!  For all of you that are just dying to walk around smelling like a campfire, this product is for you!  Check out the commercial (too funny)…

As is usually the case, some fun home visits to tell you about…

In Lower Gwynedd, PA, I got to hang out with Lower Senior Max Rapoport.  Max is now in the 7th grade and he has been busy with sports, playing football in the fall and basketball in the winter.  This year, his weekend calendar has been full with Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of camp and home friends.  Max will be back at Canadensis in 2013 for his fifth year honor jacket summer and can’t wait to finally be on Senior side.  Here is a pic…

In Tenafly, NJ, I got to see Freshman Boy Dylan Carruba, who will be back for Summer #4.  Now in the 6th grade, Dylan played on his fall baseball team, the Tenafly Tigers, where he played both pitcher and 1B.  Pretty soon, he will start wrestling season.  Over the past few weeks, he has seen several camp friends such as Jake Berlin, Harrison Keim, Max Kruman and Max Steele.  In Summer 2013, Dylan told me that he can’t wait to be up on “The Hill.”   He also let me know that after this football season, he is switching his NFL allegiances to the New York Football Giants (smart choice, Dylan).  Each year, we compete in a Nok Hockey game, where this year was the first time he beat me by a score of 21-18.  Here is a photo…

In Livingston, NJ, I spent some time with Jacob and Dylan Dennis.  Jacob is back for his 3rd summer and will be in our Upper Inter Boys division while Dylan joins us for her first summer as part of our Lower Juniors as she is in 2nd grade.  Now in 5th grade, Jacob just finished up his fall season for his traveling soccer team, the Livingston Lava, where he led the team in assists.  He was happy to report that his fall basketball team also were the season’s championship team.  Jacob has plans to see several of his camp friends very soon.  Dylan is currently taking a fashion course.  She is extremely creative, loves arts and crafts and has even been known to make homemade birthday presents for friends and family.  This summer, she is looking forward to the lake activities, like canoeing, fishing and the water trampoline.  She is also excited that she will get to share her brother’s birthday with him while at camp this summer.  Here is a picture…

It’s always great to receive photos from campers and staff, letting us know what they are up to.  As always, if you send them to me, I post them here on the blog.  Here are some camp get-togethers and news from our campers that I got this time around…

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  I will be back soon with more camp news and fun stuff!  By the way, if you are interested in being a guest blogger, put something together and I’ll post it here for everyone to read.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis…

We here at camp wanted to reach out to our camp family and make sure that you are all doing well after the events of the storm we experienced earlier this week.  If there is anything we might be able to do to help, please let us know. We understand that many of our camp families are without power.  We just wanted to let you know that our thoughts are with our Canadensis Families and Staff.  We wish a speedy recovery to anyone affected by the storm.

In areas that are still celebrating Halloween, we wish you a safe and Happy Halloween!  Here is some cool Halloween stuff I found for you to enjoy.

Some really cool Halloween pumpkin carvings…

Halloween Light Show – Gangnam Style…

Haunted Halloween Light Show…

Crazy Halloween Prank…

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

Once again, I am writing to you at the end of the work week and today I am feeling very nostalgic.  I think it is partly due to this new television show I have been watching on the Travel Channel called “Toy Hunter.”  The show follows a renowned toy dealer named Jordan who searches across the country for rare toys and collectibles from past decades.  In many cases, the items that Jordan finds are the same treasures from my childhood that I played with until no end from Star Wars and superhero action figures to games like Speak and Spell to the lunch boxes and thermoses I brought to school.  As I watch, I continually find myself saying, “I had that!”  So funny!  For more about the show “Toy Hunter,” click here.  And, here is one episode of this show.  I hope you like it.

On the subject of toys, here was one of my favorites when I was growing up…

My nostalgic feeling also comes from the fact that over the last few weeks, I have spent a lot of time with camp friends from when I was a camper at camp.  Still, to this day, many of my closest friends are those that I went to camp with.  As I think about it, it is mind boggling to realize that these relationships have been part of my life for over 30 years!  This always brings me back to my feeling about the magic of camp is that there is nothing quite like your camp friends!  Interestingly enough, this summer, a camp friend of mine e-mailed me a few photos from “back in the day.”  So, I finally figured that I would share these pics with my Canadensis camp family, completely realizing that I am setting myself up for a good laugh.

With this nostalgic feeling going around in my head, the music I have been listening to over the past few weeks can be dated back to my youth of the late 70’s and early 80’s.  When I was a kid, I can remember playing my records and spending hours just reading the album jackets while listening.  During this time, the cassette tape also started to become very popular.  Every Sunday morning, I used to make my breakfast and bring it to my room so that I could tape Casey Kasem’s Top 40 Countdown on the radio, which ultimately became the mix tapes that I would bring to camp!  The other day, I actually went into my closet to relocate these tapes (that’s right, I still have them…coincidentally, they are stored in an Adidas sneaker box).  As I sorted through the various mix tapes, a big smile came to my face.  These songs, although some of them are definitely considered super cheesy, were a staple of my childhood!  Here are a few songs to show you exactly what I mean.

Much like the current pop hit “Gangnam Style” by PSY where no one really knows the words, unless you speak Korean, in 1985, we had Falco’s hit “Rock Me Amadeus,” in which I still have no idea what these words are because I don’t speak German.  Hard to believe now that this was such a radio hit back then.

In 1982, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing the J. Geils band and their hit “Freeze Frame.”

In 1984, “Ghostbusters” was one of the biggest movies of the year.  And, the movie’s theme song was all over the radio and even spent several weeks as the #1 song in country.  As for the song’s singer, Ray Parker Jr., I don’t think I ever heard another song from him again.

OK.  So there is my walk down memory lane.  For me, some great memories!  And, hopefully for some of the older readers of this blog, a good nostalgic feeling as well.  Onto other camp stuff…

I found 2012 CIT Becca Altschul online the other day.  She and her friends have entered themselves in the VH1 Music contest where they had to submit their version of the Ingrid Michaelson song “Blood Brothers.”  You can find their version of the song and vote for them by clicking here.  Please show them your support and to help support the VH1 Save the Music Awareness program!  Voting ends November 1.  The winner will get Ingrid Michaelson to play at their school.  Very cool!  Good luck, Becca!

Got a great picture sent to me from 2012 Super Senior Lauren Gadol, who had her camp friends over as part of her Sweet 16 Celebration!  Here is a picture from the post celebration festivities as all of the camp friends slept over…

Also, this blog gets to report on some of the campers I have seen in the past few weeks.  For starters, I got to hang out with Drew Spielberger from Dobbs Ferry, NY.  Drew is now in third grade and is already excited for Summer 2013, which will be his second summer at camp.  He is currently playing left midfield on his travel soccer team, the Jaguars.  Very soon, he will also be playing his third year of travel basketball.  After camp, Drew told me that he and his family had a great trip the beach in Delaware!  He wanted to give a shout out to his 2012 Bunk 2 boys and his counselors Ethan, Tom and Sam and can’t wait to see them at the reunion.  Here is a picture…

In South Orange, NJ, I saw Ethan and Robbie Goldman.  Summer 2013 will mark Ethan’s third summer at camp as an Upper Inter while he’ll be joined by brother Robbie for his first summer in the Lower Junior Boys division.  Now in 5th grade, Ethan is involved with a lot of rock climbing at a local climbing gym, where he will be competing in upcoming bouldering competitions.  He is also playing soccer and the piano.  Ethan also showed me a robotics competition and challenge that he and his friends have entered, called the First Lego League.  You can check it out by clicking here.  Ethan is excited to see his camp friends throughout the winter and is excited for the reunion in January.  He wanted to say hello to his bunk mates from Summer 2012’s Bunk 8.  Robbie, who is in the 2nd grade, has been involved in Muay Thai Kickboxing.  When at home he likes to cook.  In fact, when cooking, it is common for Robbie to get the fruits and vegetables from his very own garden that he and his dad take care of.  Robbie also plays drums and is involved in the junior version of the robotics league.  In the spring, Ethan will be playing short stop for his baseball team.  When he gets to camp next year, Robbie is looking forward to all of the activities to do on Lake Lenape as well as the opportunity to once again spend the summers with his big brother.  Here is a picture…

Had to tell you about this!  I discovered a great new website that camp families are sure to make use of.  As we encourage camp friends to see each other throughout the year, parents often try to find drop off and pick up points between different locations.  After all, we certainly recognize that bunk mates could live quite some distance away from each other.  Well, there is now a website called meetways.com.  MeetWays was established to help people easily find a halfway point between two locations. So, if you’re thinking about meeting-up with a far away camp friend, MeetWays can help you find the perfect middle point.  To go to the website, click here.  Or simply go to www.meetways.com.

Finally, with Halloween upon us, I wanted to leave you with a few camp inspired Halloween costumes I found online.  If you have yet to find a costume this year, maybe you can go as…

Have a great day!  Have a great weekend!  Have Happy and Safe Halloween!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

Yes, I know.  I have been very delinquent on my blog posts.  Somehow, someway, time has escaped me and have neglected my Canadensis Cyberworld!  I am sorry and hope to make it up with this October Catch Up Blog.  After reading the following, I hope that all of you will be satiated (good SAT word for all you CITs) and will have had your fill of all things Canadensis and the happenings in the Life of Brian (a Monty Python movie title, by the way).

Over the past month or so, our Winter office has been getting back into the swing of things.  We want to thank all of the campers that completed our annual survey.  In compiling the results, we now have a 100+ page report of really wonderful feedback.  We use this information every year to continue to grow the camp program new heights each Summer.  It is such a wonderful tool for us to evaluate the summer from one year to the next.

And, by the looks of it, Summer 2012 was simply amazing for our campers!  We have already received so many incredible e-mails and phone calls from camp families, letting us know about their awesome experience.  At the same time, we have gotten word from a lot of campers and staff of planned reunions and get-togethers that have already taken place since camp ended or plan to take place in the upcoming months.

As for our own get-togethers, our Annual Reunion, celebrating Summer 2012, will be held on Saturday, January 5th at Funtime America in Cliffwood, NJ from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm.  This is the same location we had our reunion at last year and from your feedback, all the campers and staff that attended let us know that it was a great place for this event.  The facility is jam packed with games and rides as well as an eating area.  We hope that our camp families and staff will save the date on their calendars now.  Here was the online invitation that was just recently sent out…

Along with the Reunion, we are planning to once again have our Canteen on the Fly events in November.  We are still working out specific locations and times, but we will be hitting areas in the Philly suburbs, northern New Jersey, Westchester County and Long Island.  Be on the lookout for e-mails, letting you know when we will be in your neighborhood and ready to eat some ice cream.  We have also been working on a T-Shirt give-away for all those that attend.

As is always the case, if we learn of any get-togethers or special moments involving our campers or staff, we will post them here on our blogs.  In an effort to catch everyone up, here are some that were sent to us over the past few weeks / months…

OK.  So, the next one needs a little explanation.  As you may remember in a previous blog, Freshman Boy Eric Miller was the lucky recipient of Bruce Springsteen’s harmonica that was thrown to him by Bruce at show he attended earlier in the year.  Just when he thought this would be a memorable moment in his life, at a show after camp, things were taken to a whole new level.  If you’ve never been to a Springsteen concert before, it is typical for Bruce to bring up one lucky fan to help him perform the song “Waiting on a Sunny Day.”  Well, suffice to say, that lucky fan was Eric Miller.  Here is the video of which I am completely jealous of.  Ha Ha!

On a personal note (and sort of on a camp note), since camp ended, Jaime and I have been busy with our wedding planning.  Our date is set for Mother’s Day weekend.  Where you ask?  Well, we decided that Camp Canadensis was the most fitting location for this memorable event!  Jaime and I are excited that amphitheater will be the place where we will be making things official.  With Summer 2012 being Jaime’s fourth summer, she has felt very strongly connected to camp and she couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate.

Since camp ended, Jaime and I have also been getting in our fill of concerts…one of our favorite things to do together as a couple.  In the past few months, we have seen a ton of shows, including God Street Wine (an old favorite of mine from my college days), Bruce Springsteen (on his birthday, nonetheless), Ben Folds Five, Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler.  All good stuff.  Of these, Bruce was probably my favorite.  After a two hour delay because of lightning, Bruce played from 10:30 pm to 2 am.  And, like I said, at midnight, it was the Boss’s birthday, which made the show extra special.

Of course, my weekends have also been filled with the New York Football Giants.  Finally, Eagles fans, I will no longer mention the Super Bowl score from last season now that a new season is upon us.  Although the Giants are currently sitting atop the NFC East division, I will subtly remain quiet (for now) since the Eagles won our first meeting this season.  However, I hope to get revenge in the final week of the season.  As you may know, we love to tailgate in Lot L12 before every home game and I had the pleasure of seeing a few camp families stop to say hello and enjoy some BBQ.  Thanks to Ben Keim and dad Dan Keim as well as Noah Stern and dad (also, camp doctor) David Stern for stopping by and seeing us.  Speaking of football, it is great to hear that so many campers have used Fantasy Football leagues as a way of staying in touch through the Fall months.  How is your team doing this year?  Mine…not so good.

One final camp note:  this Friday, our Year-Round Crew will be volunteering at WHYY-FM (which is the National Public Radio station in the Philly area), taking donations for the station.  During the day, we are sure to be mentioned on air, so our Philly-based families should tune in!  If you call in to donate, there is a very good chance you will be talking to us.

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  I hope you now feel more caught up in the Life of Brian.  I promise to blog much more (and more frequently) in the months to come until Summer 2013.  As Group Leader Pete Tarnoff asks, “Is it too early to start the countdown?”

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis…

It’s been five days since the campers and counselors left.  I’m sad.  Here are some of the things I miss already…

* Dance Parties on the Amphitheater Stage before Morning Line-Up begins!

* Strawberry Shortcakes at Canteen!

* Girls divisions cheering and yelling to be called next in the Dining Hall!

* Junior and Lower Inter Boys playing their CBL games, especially the ones under the lights!

* Being continually asked by campers, “When is Color War going to break?!”  or “What are the teams this year for Color War?”!

* Hearing the score Giants 21, Patriots 17 at Morning Line-Up!  (Sorry Eagles fans.  Had to do it one last time!  I promise.)

* The sound of campers riding hondas and quads!  (Those new ATVs were so cool!)

* Camper siblings that happen to see each other and give a hug or high five!

* Tie Dye T-Shirts made in the Art Shack!  They were awesome this summer!

* Campers telling me they got up on water skis for the first time!

* Campers and counselors dressing up for Crazy Night!

* Seeing who got TAC Awards!

* Taco Tuesdays!

* Senior and CIT Boys playing in NBA games during 6th Period!

* GaGa games at Free Play!

* Surfboard Games at the Lake!

* Watching campers go down the zip line!

* Hearing J.Cal sing “Call Me Maybe”!  Could possibly be his favorite song of all time?!

* Seeing campers practice, then perform their MTV Night routines!

* The 2012 CITS!  They were awesome!  Thanks for a great summer!

Much more to be missed.  Already counting down the days until Summer 2013!  How many is it?

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

With what is likely my last blog from home, I tell you that I am ready to move up to camp!  In fact, I am packing up this week for my departure bright and early on Monday morning.  I can’t tell you just how excited I am!

This weekend, my friends throw me my Annual Bar-B-Krug party to send me on my way.  We will be grilling steak, burgers, hot dogs and have all the fixins before I have to say my final goodbyes.

Lots going on right now as we are almost a month away from summer.  Some of the big news to report is that the Group Leaders for Summer 2012 are all set.  Here they are…

Lower Juniors (campers completing Grades K-1-2):  Melissa Torban

Juniors (campers completing Grade 3):  Jen Romberg and Jason Dorf

Lower Inters (campers completing Grade 4):  Jess Seiler and Adam “Sausage” Shrager

Upper Inters (campers completing Grade 5):  Rebecca “Becky J” Jacobson and Pete Tarnoff

Freshman (campers completing Grade 6):  Rebecca Waxman and Max Hecht

Lower Seniors (campers completing Grade 7):  Brittany Kahane and Chris Lotz

Upper Seniors (campers completing Grade 8):  Alex Feigin and Mike Millinger

Super Seniors (campers completing Grade 9):  Amanda Miller and Jorge Esquivel

We are thrilled about this team of Group Leaders, who will no doubt set the tone for Summer 2012 and their respective divisions.  Combined, they have more than 100 summers of Camp Canadensis experience!  Wow!

Got news that the Girls of Summer 2011’s Bunk 8 had a get-together a few weeks ago in Cherry Hill, NJ.  They made shirts they are all wearing the first day of camp!  Plus, they made S’mores (of course), watched a movie and had a great time!  Here is a photo…

Group Leader Pete Tarnoff also shared with me a great graduation gift he received a few weeks ago.  Check this out…

A few home visits to report since my last blog…

In Lafayette Hill, PA, Pam and I made our way over to the Greens to hang out with Lower Inter Boy Jason and Freshman Girl Rachel, both who will be back at camp for their second and fourth summers, respectively.  Upon arriving, we were happy to see that each had invited a bunk mate over to make our visit even more special.  Also there were Jake Brownstein and Sabrina Snyder.  While there, we noshed on some delicious pizza and spent some time talking about all things camp.  All four continued tried to get Pam and I to divulge the Color War names for Summer 2012, but that wasn’t going to happen.  Here is a pic…

In Springfield, NJ, I spent some time with the Silversteins, Josh and Zach, both who are coming back to camp for their second summers.  Now in 5th grade, Josh will be in our Upper Inter Boys division while Zach, currently in 2nd grade, will be in our Junior Boys division.  Josh is currently playing baseball on his team, the A’s, where he plays left field, right field and second base.  He even told me that he scored his team’s first run of the year.  Josh, a big Mets fans, recently had his birthday at CitiField, where he even got onto the field as part of the Pepsi Party Patrol, shooting shirts into the crowd.  Last weekend, he performed as Gaston from Beauty and the Beast in the Front and Center Theater School’s revue.  Josh has been in a total of eight performances as part of his time there.  At camp this year, he excited for Dorney Park, the waterslides at the new pool and being back with his camp friends.  Zach is also playing baseball on his team, the Dodgers, playing an assortment of positions.  A few weeks ago, he turned an unassisted double play (somewhat of a rarity in baseball).  Zach is currently a green belt in the Black Belt Club at his karate school.  He also plays travel soccer for his team, The Springfield Racers.  In Summer 2012, Zach is ready for Color War and his camp friends.  Here is a photo…

Before I left for camp, Jaime and I spent last weekend at one of her favorite childhood places…the beach!  We went down with a few other couples to take in some sun, eat a lot of junk food and go on the boardwalk rides.  Here is a pic…

Finally, I couldn’t let this opportunity pass, but today was the day that the New York Football Giants (correction:  the World Champion New York Football Giants) received their Super Bowl rings.  Check them out!

And, the Giants were nice enough to make me a ring, too!  Look at my new bling!

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  Have to start packing.  Before you know it, I will be belly flopping in the lake all over again!

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Camp Canadensis!

Here is my Camp List, A through Z!

A is for Apples at Fruit on the Fly!  Of course, other days will bring peaches, plums, pears and even ice pops on the really hot days!

B is for Basketball on the Office Courts!  Who’s playing in the NBA, NCAA, WNBA and IBL Leagues this year?  I have to start practicing my jump shot.

C is Color War!  No one does Color War quite like Camp Canadensis!  When will it break?

D is for Dancing!  If you don’t know, I am always dancing at camp!  J.Cal once even made a video.  Ha Ha!

E is for Electives!  Elective choices for Summer 2012 will be sent out soon!  What will you choose?

F is for Friday!  Friday!  Gonna get down on Friday!  Can’t wait to hear that tune again at morning line-up.

G is for GaGa!  I’m sure the Gaga pits will be packed during Free Plays at camp.  Maybe I’ll even win my first game ever this summer?!

H is for Honor Bunks!  Will your bunk be collecting all the great prizes for being the cleanest bunk?

I is for i-Can Nights.  This is returning for its third summer for our Senior Campers.

J is for June 23!  The day when the buses will roll into camp!

K is for Kind.  One of the many words I use to describe the campers at Canadensis.  To prove it, we have out 366 TAC (Tagged at Canadensis) Awards last summer for Random Acts of Kindness.

L is for Lake Parties on Lake Lenape, one of the best private lakes in camping!

M is for MTV Night!  Can’t wait to see all of the creative routines you come up with this summer!

N is for Never Ending Fun!  The summer calendar promises non-stop activities all summer long!

O is for Outdoor Adventure!  The camping trips were one of the biggest hits last summer!

P is for the new Pool that is being built for Summer 2012 (with two waterslides)!

Q is for the Quality Staff coming to camp this summer!

R is for Reveille!  I bet you can’t wait to be woken up by the bugle call!  Ha Ha!

S is the Summit!  One of my favorite activities at camp!

T is for Taco Tuesdays!  One of my favorite meals at camp!

U is for U Know this is going to be the BEST SUMMER EVER!

V is for Visiting Day!  A time to show your parents all the great stuff you are doing at camp!

W is for Wednesday Special Days at camp like Carnival Day and Revolutionary War Day!

X is for 10!  As in ten year jackets!  Congratulations to all that will be receiving them in 2012!

Y is for Yoga!  A new activity coming to camp!

Z is for Zoogle!  Can’t wait to play again.  I’ve been practicing!

Okay.  That’s all of the alphabetical fun for now!  I hope you enjoyed.  Feel free to send us your Alphabetical Camp Lists!

I got some really great e-mails over the past few weeks that I wanted to share with everyone.  The first was from former camper and CIT Jamie Schneck.  For her high school photography class, Jamie had to prepare a photo montage, which must have had her thinking of camp as she incorporated alma mater lyrics from Summer 2011 in it.  Here it is…

Summer 2011 Counselor Michelle Goldberg was just recently published in the online newspaper, The Huffington Post.  The title of the article is “Why is This Generation Different From All Other Generations?”  To read it, click here .  Congratulations Michelle on a wonderful article!  I am sure this will be the first of many!

Some great home visits to report as well in this blog…

I met up with the Keim Family in my hometown of Montclair, NJ for dinner.  This summer, both Harrison and Ben Keim, of Livingston, NJ.  Harrison will be back for his second summer as part of our Upper Inter Boys division while Ben joins us for Summer #1 in our Junior Boys division.  Both boys have been busy all year long.  To start, Harrison, now in 5th grade,  plays forward and midfield on his travel soccer team, the Livingston Landslide.  Now, he is also in baseball season, playing pitcher and short stop on his team, the Mets.  Just recently, he even had two home runs over the same weekend.  He is also playing the trumpet in his town-wide band.  For Ben, currently in 2nd grade, he plays forward and striker on a travel soccer team, the Livingston Leopards.  He is also playing baseball on his team the Brewers, where he plays short stop, pitcher and first base.  He is a fan of the Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Giants.  Both boys in the winter ski black diamond slopes.  This summer, Harrison is looking forward to Color War and Dorney Park, while also reminding all Eagles fans (especially Pete Tarnoff) that the Giants won the Super Bowl.  Harrison also wanted to give a shout out to all of his buddies in Summer 2011’s Bunk 8.  Ben is looking forward to Dorney Park, Canteen and meeting a whole bunch of new friends.  Here is a picture…

In Plainview, NY, I met up with the Cohen Girls, Julia and Miranda.  Julia, now in 7th grade, is back for her 4th summer as part of our Lower Senior Girls while Miranda, now in 5th grade, joins us for her first summer in our Upper Inter Girls division.  Julia told me that she has been involved with her dance group, called “Attitudes In Motion,” where she has been practicing for a tap dance recital in the spring.  She just recently finished up her first year being on a CYO League volleyball team.  This year, she has also seen a lot of her bunkmates at a number of different bat mitzvahs.  She wanted to give a shout out to the girls of Bunk 12 from Summer 2011.  When I asked her what she is looking forward to this summer, she simply answered, “Everything!”  This year, Miranda has been involved in taking an acrylic painting art class.  I even saw some of her work.  It was really, really great!  Miranda also likes to ride her bike with friends and family and play tennis.  She also played in a basketball league this winter.  She told me that her favorite color is pink.  When she gets to camp, Miranda is ready to try the Art Shack, Jewelry, Tie Dye, Ceramics and Photography.  Here is a picture…

In Tenafly, NJ, I saw the Ginzburg Girls, Julia and Kasey.  Now in 4th grade, Julia will be in the Lower Inter Girls division for her second summer while Kasey, currently in 1st grade, will be in our Junior Girls division.  During our time together, I also got to meet the girls’ new hamsters, S’Mores and Marshmallow.  Julia told me that she has really been into fashion designing this year and can’t wait to be back in the Fabric Arts room at camp.  She wanted to say hello to all the girls from Summer 2011’s Bunk 3 and can’t wait to get to camp to set up her area once again as well as see all of the campers and counselors.  In 2012, she is ready to do a whole bunch of activities, including cheerleading, rocketry, glass fusion, needle art and photography.  Kasey can’t wait to also get to camp.  She told me that she is really looking forward to glass fusion, the Summit, zumba, cheerleading, fabric arts and meeting all of her counselors.  Here is a pic…

Before I finish my blog, I wanted to tell everyone about a great movie I saw recently.  If you haven’t heard about it or seen it yet, you should.  It’s called “Bully” and covers the serious topic of bullying at schools.  It is a documentary that follows many different children that were and have been the victims of bullying.  For more about it, check out the website, where you can even view the trailer, at www.thebullyproject.com .

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  Counting down the days until Summer 2012!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

I am writing this blog on a beautiful sunny day that totally has me longing for the summer to begin.  This past weekend was so nice that I had to delve into the deepest depths of my closet to find my stack of shorts!  Ha Ha!  I got to hit the tennis courts this weekend, too, to get back “in the swing of things.”  Pun intended.  All I’ll say is this…I need to get back into camp shape!  Summer is closing in on us, that’s for sure!  I even started to do my own annual camp shopping for Summer 2012 this weekend.  For me, that means trips to the Sports Authority for new sneakers and a visit to Marshall’s (one of my favorite stores) for some shorts and socks.  I am now ready to go!

Of course, if you need to be further pumped up, Jason “J.Cal” Calabretta made another Summer 2012 Promo video to get you excited.  Here it is…

In just a few weeks, Matt Unger will be moving up for good as he is a key component in making sure that camp is ready for everyone’s arrival.  Matt also is in charge of all of our preseason camp groups that come to camp.  If you didn’t know, when our camp isn’t in session, we use our facility to host other programs from schools to youth groups to other organizations.  Most groups come for a three-day period, but some stay for up to a week.  Many of these groups have been at Canadensis for close to 20 years, so they have a close bond with Canadensis as we all do.  Every once in a while, we will have a camper come to Canadensis with their school group, which is sometimes a little strange for them.  That is, they are up at camp with their school friends.

Matt was actually up at camp yesterday and took some updated pictures of the new Blue Pool that is being built.  They look awesome!  Here they are…

In mid-May, the remainder of our winter staff will head up to camp for good.  Having done this for so many years now, I really look forward to my move up to camp, but it is also met with some challenges.  Specifically, I try to use the next few weeks to see all of my friends and family before I go.  That is sometimes hard to organize with everyone.  But, I won’t see many of them again until September.  I guess that’s life in the camping biz.  Ha Ha!

Our Annual CIT Weekend up at camp will be on June 2-3.  This weekend has been a great opportunity for our CITs to begin their once in a lifetime experience as the camper leaders for the summer.  In addition to having the camp all to themselves, they will work with Head Counselor Cara Corradetti on their summer experience.  For more about this year’s CITs, be sure to check out Cara’s blog for a profile on each of them.  On June 3, the following day, we welcome all of our camp families for our Annual Open House.  We hope many families can make it to this fun day at camp!

Over the past few weeks, Eric, Pam and I have been meeting for hours at a time to develop the 6-Day Camp Week.  This is the rotation of activities that we use to make sure that the divisions get a wide range of activities from sports to art to water sports to outdoor adventure.  We also plan out all of the elective choices for the summer.  We start this process, which usually takes 3 to 4 full days, from scratch each year.  This allows us to take into consideration the camper surveys that are filled out at the end of each summer as well as all of the new activities we want to incorporate into the program.  On top of this, we have also been putting the finishing touches on the summer calendar, which includes all outside entertainers, trips, camping overnights, inter-camp games and evening activities.  For our Senior campers, we have also included the return of a Mystery Bus Ride for you.

In my last blog, I forgot to congratulate the winners of our 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament Brackets.  This year, our camper winners were Morgan and Haley Brettschneider and our staff winner was Max Hecht.  All three can expect a camp prize when they get to camp!  Congratulations!  I need to know your picking secrets for next year’s bracket.

In Montvale, NJ, I got to hang out with Alyssa Snyder, who is currently in the 4th grade and will be in our Lower Inter Girls division this summer.  Alyssa told me that she is in a dance group, where she is learning hip hop and jazz dance.  In the spring, she will be performing at a dance recital.  Alyssa is also involved in her school’s chorus which will be putting on a spring concert very soon.  When not performing, Alyssa plays defense on her soccer team, the Tigers.  Some of her favorite TV shows are Victorious and Pretty Little Liars.  She also let me know that she loves having sleepovers with friends.  At camp this summer, she is ready to try cooking, gymnastics, fabric art, tennis, dance, soccer and swimming.  Here is a photo…

In Armonk, NY, I saw Isabella Yallof, who will be in our Lower Inter Girls division.  Now in the 4th grade, she loves to dance…everything from hip hop and jazz to modern to ballet to acro.  Her hip hop and jazz company will also be competing in the upcoming weeks.  Isabella also loves to sing and act and has even starred in plays such as Charlie Brown, Peter Pan and The Sound of Music.  Isabella plays the alto saxophone and loves gymnastics as well.  Some of her favorite TV shows are Victorious, iCarly and Zoe 101.  She also let me know that she is a huge Justin Bieber fan and loves the game Movie Star Planet.  In Summer 2012, she is ready for tennis, archery, gymnastics, dance, theater, pool and lake parties and hoping that her bunk wins Honor Bunk.  Here is a picture…

In Wayne, NJ, I spent some time with Jake and Ella Rudd.  Jake is in the 3rd grade and will be in our Junior Boys division while Ella is currently in 1st grade and will be in our Junior Girls division.  Jake has a busy spring as he is playing both travel lacrosse and baseball.  In the fall, he plays football and soccer.  And, in the winter, he plays basketball.  This summer, he is really looking forward to all of the sports at camp, swimming, Color War, sleeping in a bunk and making new friends.  Ella takes jazz, hip hop and acro dance classes and will be performing at a recital in June.  She plays soccer and softball, too.  She likes to plant flowers in the spring and jump in the leaves in the fall.  She also loves having virtual sleepovers with friends.  At camp, she can’t wait to swim, go to the Art Shack and gymnastics, meet her new counselors and learn the Color War names.  Here is a pic…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve received a few terrific e-mails from camp families and wanted to share them with you.  First, I got an e-mail from the Pearlman Family in New York City.  As it turns out, it looks like we might have a star on our hands at Canadensis as Junior Boy Ozzie Pearlman just recently starred in a commercial for Verizon Fios.  Ozzie is the boy with the popcorn on his lap.  I was not able to embed the video, but you can check it out here:  http://vimeo.com/38142746. 

Got a great photo from the Stern Family, who was traveling during their Spring Break to San Diego, CA.  While there, they caught a San Diego Padres game, which happens to be my favorite baseball team.  Here is a pic…

Finally, it looks like some of our new Junior Girls had a sleepover recently.  Great to see that some nice relationships are being made even before the summer starts!  Here is a pic…

Well, that’s all of the blogging for now.  Back to work.  Things here are really starting to get busy!

Have a great day!

-Brian

Hello Canadensis!

If you are coming to Camp Canadensis this summer and haven’t seen the new “Are You Ready?!” video produced by Jason “J.Cal” Calabretta, you need to check this out right now…

After watching this, you have to be psyched for Summer 2012!  Or, as our CITs girls would cheer…P-S-Y-C-H-E-D!    P-S-Y-C-H-E-D!  P-S-Y-C-H-E-D!  LET’S GET PSYCHED!

On Sunday, March 25, our new campers in our Junior and Lower Inter age groups were psyched to be part of our New Camper Bowling Day in New Brunswick, NJ.  This annual event gives campers the opportunity to meet other new campers, participate in get to know you games, bowl and eat pizza.  The event was attended by more than 70 campers and their families.  What a great turnout!  You can see pictures of the event at our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/campcanadensis.  Of course, there will also be another opportunity for new and returning campers to meet at our Annual Open House up at camp on June 3.  We hope as many families as possible will be able to attend.

Speaking of Facebook, seems like everyone is loving the new Facebook Timeline format.  Still trying to get to the 2000 likes plateau.  Like us if you haven’t already.  Let’s get to 2000 before camp!

Things are still getting busier and busier by the day.  Matt and Eric have been back and forth to camp several times over the past few weeks.  They have been overseeing many of projects from the new pool to renovated tennis courts to renovated baseball / softball fencing and backstops to the new fitness center.  Pam and Cara are very busy with a number of staffing plans and scheduling for the summer.  Later in the week, me, Eric and Pam will be meeting at a top secret location to begin working on our 6-day master calendar for camper activities.  There are some plans in the works for some new activity areas including Zumba, Cheerleading and Jewelry (as its own activity).  We just recently received the first draft of the Pike County Athletic Inter-Camps and will be involved in a number of events where campers will compete with other camps in our area.  Here is a picture of some of the construction of the new Blue Pool…

We have also opened up our Tour Schedule for any families interested in Camp Canadensis for Summer 2013.  If you are looking to book a tour for this summer, please give us a call soon.  We are also returning this summer with our Tour and More Weekends for younger siblings and any prospective campers.  The dates are July 7 & 8 or July 28  & 29.  More info about Tour and More Weekend can be found by clicking here.  The past two summers, these weekends have been an absolute blast, allowing us to introduce the Canadensis experience to 40 campers each weekend!

As always, if you have some good ideas for camp, let us know by e-mailing info@canadensis.com.  As I mentioned in my last blog, we will once again have our campers and counselors voting on our drive-in movies for the summer.  If you have any good suggestions, e-mail us.

Some more great home visits to report about since my last blog…

In Cherry Hill, NJ, I saw Sammy and Paige Miller.  Sammy is back for his 4th summer as part of the Freshman Boys division while Paige returns for Summer #2 in our Junior Girls division.  That day, Sammy was competing in his basketball leagues championship game, which I got final word the next day that he won.  Congratulations!  Sammy is also beginning baseball season with practices.  Sammy can’t wait for camp and wanted to give a shout out to Boys Bunk 12 from Summer 2011.  Paige has been very busy with hip hop and lyrical dance competitions, rehearsals and recitals.  She also filled me in that she performed “The Nutcracker” over winter break.  Paige has also been playing basketball, soccer and lacrosse.  She, too, wanted to give a shout out to her bunk from last summer….Girls Bunk 2!  Here is a photo…

Also in Cherry Hill, NJ, I spent some time with Justin and Lauren Liebman.  Justin is back for his third summer and will be a Freshman while Lauren returns for her second summer in our Upper Inter Girls division.  Justin said that he desperately misses camp and is really counting down the days ’til summer.  He has been playing a lot of tennis lately and even told me that he is currently writing his own book, which he hopes to get published.  This summer, he is really looking forward to tennis and the Triple Dare.  Lauren is also excited to return and has been thinking about camp a lot these days.  She is excited to continue making great friends and activities like cooking.  Here is a picture…

In Merrick, NY, I met up with Lauren and Chase LaMagna.  Lauren is back for her 5th Summer Honor Jacket year and will be in the Upper Senior Girls division.  She is happy to introduce her brother Chase to camp, who is currently in the 7th grade and will be a Lower Senior.  Chase is very active in sports like baseball and basketball.  This summer, he can’t wait for all of the different activities at camp.  He also heard from his sister, that Color War is awesome at Canadensis!  Lauren is super excited for camp, too!  She has seen many of her camp sisters throughout the year at many Bat and Bar Mitzvahs.  She wanted to give a shout out to the Girls of Bunk 15 from Summer 2011!  Here is a pic…

In Allentown, PA, I had breakfast with Jenna Fromer, who is back at Camp Canadensis after a summer away.  Last year, she had an incredible experience traveling with her family to Israel, but is super ready and excited for another summer at camp.  Jenna, currently in 7th grade, will be in our Lower Senior Girls division.  This is her 4th summer at camp.  Jenna filled me in on all she is doing these days.  For starters, she plays on the middle school tennis team and is also taking tennis lessons.  She has been seeing many of her bunkmates and camp friends at a number of Bat Mitzvahs this year.  She recently traveled to Capetown, South Africa to see some of her relatives there.  She also filled me in that she is a big fan of the “Hunger Games” books and movie.  At camp in 2012, she can’t wait for tennis, the new pool and Bunk-O.  Here is a photo…

Here are some great photos that were sent to me over the past few weeks…

As a big music fan, I had to share this story and photos that were sent.  Freshman Boy Eric Miller went to the Bruce Springsteen concert last week in Philly with his family.  Turns out, they got right up to the front of the stage.  During the concert, Bruce Springsteen, after playing his harmonica on a song, threw it into the crowd.  Eric was the lucky recipient of this rock-n-roll memorabilia.  Check it out…

2012 CIT Rebecca Altschul sent me a great photo the other day.  Turns out, everyone at her school dressed in blue for Autism Awareness Day.  For Rebecca, this was not only a way to show her support for autism, but a great way to show off her camp colors.  Here is the picture…

This weekend, I also got to see camper Oliver Shaw and his band Going Dark play down at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.  Going Dark rocked the amphitheater at Camp Canadensis last summer!  The band has certainly reached new heights, releasing their first album in January, entitled “Play Your Game,” has opened up for both Big Time Rush and Sebastian Bach since the summer and has been on radio stations WDHA and WRAT.  Of course, while at the show, I saw Oliver’s sister Avery, who is so excited for camp!  She just recently had a sleep over with bunkmate Paige Miller.  Here is Going Dark’s new video for the single “Play Your Game”…

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  Summer is creeping up on us.  Continue to be P-S-Y-C-H-E-D!

Have a great day!

-Brian