Staff Spotlight: Willie Goodman

Willie (L), future Panther

We've got another counselor who will be celebrating their Big Ten at North Star this summer...Willie Goodman. Currently a student at Highland Park High School, Willie plays on the HPHS varsity hockey team. At camp, we make good use of Willie’s skills as a hockey and ultimate Frisbee instructor. He can also be found on our waterfront, helping our campers on waterskiing and wakeboarding. Willie will be attending Middlebury College in the fall.

More about Willie:

Favorite tv show: Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best place you've ever traveled to: Israel

Sports team(s) that you root for: Chicago Blackhawks, Michigan Wolverines

Favorite camp meal: Indian Fry Bread (not sure if thats with our without bear in the hole)

Favorite spot at camp: The Water Ski Docks

Favorite all camp/special program to do at camp: Capture The Flag

  

Earliest camp memory or notable camp memory: Having Andy Shlesnky as my J1 counselor

If you had a super hero power, what would it be: Super Speed

Best Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten: My college acceptance from Middlebury

Preferred chicken nugget dip: Buffalo

Staff Spotlight: Olly Cayless

Olly is a man of many talents!

Our International staff members bring so much to camp. We work hand in hand with a few different agencies who recruit, interview and place staff at camps across the country. NSC alum Brad Holland worked for many years with a company in his native Australia and about a year ago he move on from that. After leaving, however, he did some consulting work with the placement agencies and in this role, he sent us one last profile for a prospective counselor named Oliver Cayless. Brad hit the nail on the head on that one!

Olly returns to North Star for summer #2. Traveling all the way from the UK, Olly hails from Brecon in Wales. Back home, Olly is a student where he studies sports and exercise science. At camp, we put his talents to good use as he spends much of his time as a climbing wall and windsurfing instructor. On top of that, he is a certified canoeing and kayaking instructor. We’re lucky to have Olly back!

More about Olly

Favorite tv show: Top Gear (British version) or Scrubs

Best place you've ever traveled to: New Zealand

Sports team(s) that you root for: WELSH RUGBY TEAM!!!!! (he seemed pretty emphatic about that one)

Favorite camp meal: Beef with the fried potato ball things (I am guessing he means latkes) taco salad, anything by the squirty chicken kievs.

Favorite spot at camp: The Council Ring

Favorite all camp/special program to do at camp: Glen's Game or Espionage

Earliest camp memory: Driver Greg stopping at Dairy Queen on the way back from the airport just after stopping at Jimmy Johns and him being surprised that we weren't hungry. Notable camp memory: My first Friday night service with full camp

If you had a super hero power, what would it be: To be able to fly

Best Christmas present that you've ever gotten:  Socks

Preferred chicken nugget dip: BBQ Sauce

Olly Cayless, lumberjack in training

Staff Spotlight: Zach Blumenfeld

Zach "Blumy" Blumenfeld, life guard and game show wiz

Its hard to find a guy with as much spirit and enthusiasms as Zach "Blumy" Blumenfeld and we're thrilled that he's going to be returning for his ninth summer. Blumy's also a pretty smart guy. Its not every day that we have a counselor who has to leave early to go on Teen Jeopardy... and its not every day that we have a counselor who has to come late to camp because he need to go meet the President.

Both of these were the case with Blumy. A few summers ago he was on Teen Jeopardy, romping his opponents in the first episode. When he was interviewed by Alex Trebek, Zach told him all about his Pine Manor Canadian Trip... of course he forgot to mention North Star. Last summer Zach was selected as a Presidential Scholar representing the State of Illinois. This earned him a trip to Washington D.C. and a chance to meet President Obama. At the last minute the President was called away. Zach is currently a freshman at Vanderbilt University and, at camp, instructs fitness training and swimming.

More about Zach

Favorite TV Show: Top Chef. So intense, and the food looks amazing.

Favorite vacation spot: Aruba. Ninety-five feels like eighty with that cool tropical breeze.

Sports teams: Vanderbilt Commodores (should be my team), Stanford Cardinal (still my team), Chicago Blackhawks and Bears

Favorite camp meal: Saturday night BBQ Chicken with Rice Pilaf and Martha’s Bread. While Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup and Assorted Pizzas are fantastic lunches, there’s nothing like sitting in a circle on the grass on a warm Saturday evening and eating your chicken, rice, and Martha’s bread with friends. Plus, Martha’s Bread is the best.

Favorite camp place: The blob, although the fishing boat docks and the Council Ring are not far behind. It’s an amazing spot to hang out and have a nice conversation while getting a tan (with sunscreen, of course). If I ever made it to 20 years I would want the blob to be named for me (Blumy’s Blob has awesome alliteration).

Favorite all-camp program: Friday Night Services. I can almost feel the ghosts of campers and counselors past every time I’m at the Council Ring, and of course the music and stories are great. Mike Storms’ rendition of “Taps” gives me chills every time I hear it. Of all programs, the Friday Night Service by far encapsulates the spirit of North Star the most, and every year my appreciation for it only grows.

My first North Star memory: I stumbled off the bus on my very first day as a camper (in 2004) with my keyboard under one arm, a pillow under the other, and my backpack on my back. I was pretty embarrassed, and I remember the tunnel of counselors saying, “Woah there” or some equivalent. Needless to say, things have improved since then. Interesting fact: this was how I opened my (college) Common Application essay.

Super Power: teleportation. Cool AND practical.

Best Hanukkah present: Jonathan Toews jersey. He is a role model for hockey players and non-hockey players alike.

Preferred nugget dip: BBQ sauce. Tastes amazing on anything.

Zach's aspirations include doing the Canadian via innertube

Staff Spotlight: Andy Rodheim

It's Andy "Crazy Legs" Rodheim. We're not exactly sure where the nickname Crazy Legs comes from...some insist that if you ever watch Andy run, it will make sense. Currently a sophomore at Northwestern University, Andy is very involved in the AEPi fraternity as the rush chairman. At camp,  Andy instructs tennis and also drives ski boats. He also makes sure that our youngest campers are taken care of as he returns as our Junior Village Director. Andy returns for his 10th summer (also known as the Big Ten... its kind of a big deal).

Its "Crazy Leg's Rodheim!!!

More about Andy: 

Favorite TV show: Sports Center and Law and Order

Best place you've ever traveled to: Israel

Sports team(s) that you root for: Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Northwestern Wildcats

Favorite camp meal: Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Fries, Bug Juice, and of course, the firecracker popsicles for dessert

Favorite spot at camp: The Council Ring

Favorite all camp/special program to do at camp: Glenn’s Game… Just Kidding. We’ll go with UN Day/

Pow-Wow Day.

Earliest camp memory: I still remember the first night in the summer of 2003, and having hamburgers and fries for dinner. It’s the best. 

If you had a super hero power, what would it be: To Fly

Best Hanukkah present that you've ever gotten: A little background. I collect bobbleheads and have over 200. For the longest time I’ve wanted a Michael Jordan bobblehead. Finally, a few years ago, my parents got mean old school, Michael Jordan bobblehead!

Preferred chicken nugget dip: Barbeque Sauce, no question

 

Very few people know that Andy's life long goal is to drive a big yellow bus!

Staff Spotlight: Jeff McCormack

Over the coming weeks, we are going to take some time to introduce you to all of the great staff members who are going to make the summer of 2012 so great. It goes without saying that everyone from our counselors to our kitchen staff are instrumental in creating a successful summer. We start our staff spotlight with the Big Dog, Jeff McCormack

The Big Dog, Jeff McCormack, North Star's CIT Director

Sometimes things don't go as planned, and it was a situation like that that landed Jeff at North Star. Jeff's grandparents ran Pine Crest, a resort that was on Spider Lake, and Jeff used to hang out there during the summer. He was spending one of his summers there when one of our Israeli counselors had to leave camp because of family issues and one of our counselors, Jon Biedermann suggested to Leb that we see if Jeff was interested in filling in. Well, Jeff has done much more than that, as this upcoming summer will be his 17th at North Star.

At camp, Jeff now serves as the director of our Counselor in Training program. He started out as a cabin counselor and fishing instructor and over the years rose up the NSC ranks, working first as a Village Director and now as our CIT Director. He also brought one of his passions to camp, disc golf. Jeff suggested the idea to Leb and what started out a a few disc golf baskets and a collection of discs has grown to a disc golf course that goes throughout much of camp and is one of the most popular activities at North Star.

During the rest of the year, Jeff resides in Westminster, Co with his wife, Kim and their son, Lake, both of whom also come to camp. We'll profile them later on. Jeff is a special education teacher and . Some other (not so) little known facts about Jeff... he played college football at Western St. in Gunnison, CO and he used to wow everyone during staff shows with his ability to crush a full, unopened can of soda.

We're thrilled to have Jeff back and we know that our CITs are as well!

The January 2012 Siren is Online!

The January Siren is online. While we're proud of the literary masterpiece that is our opening welcome, we know that for most, the campers especially, the good stuff starts on page two. Here you'll find our first installment of returning staff. We are very excited to introduce the young (and not so young) men and women who are going to make North Star's 68th summer so great. Since the Siren went to press, we have received commitments from additional returning staff, so keep an eye out for our February newsletter which will have more returners, our 2012 class of Counselors in Training, and several new staff that we've hired over the last few weeks.

Enrollment continues to be strong, and you'll see the latest new and returning campers who have enrolled. We still have spaces remaining in some of our age groups, depending on session. If you know of anyone who might be interested in sending their son to North Star, let us know by completing the "Refer a Friend" form. We will be at camper recruitment events in St. Louis and Detroit over the coming weeks and will also be traveling to Atlanta and many other cities. We'd be happy to schedule home visits with prospective campers. As always, we appreciate your support and we know that our best salesmen and saleswomen are our camp families.

Forty years ago I stepped off the plane in Minneapolis and drove three hours to North Star. When I got there I thought that I had arrived in heaven and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I still think it's one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Three summers later, while working as a counselor, all the other guys were very busy trying to impress the beautiful new nurse. I waited and waited, and 8 years later that beautiful nurse became my wife. Sue "da Nurse" has been by my side ever since.

Well, two kids and a grandchild later it became time to step aside to ensure the continuity of the North Star Community.  Andy arrived on the scene as a young camper and as he "worked" his way through the system it became obvious to Sue and I that he has the same love, care and compassion for North Star as we do. More importantly, his emphasis on the campers and ensuring a safe and nurturing community would leave Sue and I with a sense of peace that North Star will be in good hands for future generations.

We announced Andy’s position as co-director in August with the goal of transitioning the ownership to Vickie and him. The speed at which we were able to complete the transaction is a testament to the comfort we feel in his ability to continue the wonderful camping traditions that were started by Lou and Renee Rosenblum in 1945.

The transition is now complete, and Sue and I want to be the first to publicly congratulate Andy and Vickie and wish them the best of luck and good health in their careers as camp owners and directors. We hope they have as much fun as Sue and me. We hope they have as many wonderful relationships with kids, counselors and parents as we have enjoyed over the past 40 years.

Sue and I will be there for years to come to lend our help and support. We're looking forward to the initiatives and great ideas that we know will come with the enthusiasm and love for camp that they bring to North Star.

The North Star is shining brightly, we're proud to continue with Andy and Vickie.

We also want to wish the entire North Star community a Happy and Healthy New Year. We are looking forward to the North Star’s 68^th summer in 2012!

Carry on,

Leb and Sue