Headed Out of Town? Pack your NSC Tee!

As schools come to an end for 2013, we know that many of you are looking forward to a few weeks off. For some that may mean some time to relax at home, catch up on shows that have been on the DVR for a few weeks, and hang out with friends. We know that many of you are headed out of town, off to visit family, spend some time in the sun, or hitting up the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. 

Whatever your plans are, have a great winter break!  For those of you headed out of town, first and foremost, we hope that your travels are safe and without much hassle (yes, easier said that done). Have a great time wherever you go and make sure you end 2013 and start 2014 in great fashion!

One more thing... When you're packing your bags, don't forget to bring along your favorite NSC Tee! Winter break is the perfect time to send us along your NSC Gear Pics from all over the globe. We love seeing our campers sporting their NSC clothes, whether its on a ski hill in Colorado, in front of an International monument or even in your living room. Make sure to get a pic and send it along so we can share it with the rest of the NSC family. 

Here's how you can share your NSCGearPics with us

- Email it to office@northstarcamp.com

- Post it on facebook and tag North Star in the pic

- Post it on Twitter or Instragram and tag @northstarcamp and #NSCGearPics

We'll make sure to share that pic with your camp friends and add you to our NSCGearPics album. We've got a great collection of pics from campers, staff and alumni and we are looking forward to seeing lots of new cool pics from your adventures, whether that adventure is across the ocean or in your own back yard.

Have a great winter break!

NSC Winter Pics

Post by North Star Camp.

Wanegan Bowl 2013 - It's the Big Ten

For most, Thanksgiving week is a time to get together with family and friends, eat a lot of food, and perhaps take advantage of Black Friday sales. A lot of people have a traditional "Turkey Bowl", an annual football game played at a local park with friends. At North Star, we're proud of our "Wanegan Bowl", which has become a yearly rite for many in the Chicago area.

Some history... Ten years ago NSC Alum Brian Glickman came up with the idea of getting a group of camp folks together the day after Thanksgiving for a game. Instead of football, however, we decided on a camp game called speedball (a combination of football, soccer and basketball). The first year we got a small group together and played in the snow at West Ridge Park in Highland Park. Anyone that is of Pine Manor age or older during the previous summer and is a current or former camper or staff is encouraged to come out and play. Over the years we've seen the group grow to nearly 60 split between four teams.

We are looking forward to continuing the Wanegan Bowl for many years to come. We're even considering splitting into a "Seniors Game" and "Juniors Game" for the benefit of those who are a few more years removed from their camp days. The game is a great time for camp folks to work off some Thanksgiving excess, but also to see camp friends and enjoy the company of other members of the North Star family.

A speech we had to share

Noah Sherman had many NSC campers, counselors and alumni in attendance as he became a Bar Mitzvah. Here is an excerpt as he spoke about his Torah portion and how it tied to his experience at camp:

To me a place is holy, not just because other people say it is. If you feel that a place is special, and that it is a place where you can relax and be yourself, then why can't we call this place holy too? Sharing a place with someone, perhaps, can make the place holy. So what does holy really mean? The word holy is defined to be something connected to God or religion. But what defines a holy place to you? For me, a place that has special events or memorable moments can be holy.

The Sherman cousins at Noah's Bar Mitvzah

One special place for me is North Star camp. The special place there is the council ring. It sits on top of a hill, and the sun sets in front of you, over a lake in the distance. Every Friday night we walk up to the council ring, to have a service. But the service isn't specifically holy in the strictest definition of the word. For me, this place is holy, because of the beautiful sight of nature, and all the memories from past years. The council ring brings me joy, because the whole camp gathers together, and peacefully sits. We listen to beautiful songs, readings, and stories about friendship, and sportsmanship, and reflect on our own values. The Hebrew word for holy is Kadosh. This means set aside, special or unique. The council ring is set aside for Friday night services, up the hill, and away from the every day parts of camp. To me a place like this, where you can stop, gather, and reflect is holy.

Great job Noah!