Closing Up Shop

Camp is a quiet place this time of year and it's always very sad when Sue and I begin packing for the trip home. We've truly enjoyed our paradise in the North Woods and have spent time biking, fishing, sailing and golfing for the past month and a half since camp ended.  We've also spent time gardening and I've reseeded the softball and parts of the athletic fields  hoping the fall rain and winter snow will create enough moisture to grow grass in the bare spots that were created as a result of the 7 year drought we've had. Speaking of the drought... it's over and the water levels in Spider Lake are almost back to normal. You frog hunters will be glad to know that there is water in Sue's slip and frog hunting should be awesome next year.

Tomorrow we head for Tucson by way of Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park.  We just hope we don't run into an early winter blizzard and we'll try to keep Phoebe from chasing Grizzly Bears and Elk.

We always hope it's raining and cold when we leave making it easier to say goodbye to camp.  But not this year, it's spectacular fall weather and the leaves are turning beautiful shades of red and yellow. I've taken some pictures to show you how beautiful camp is this time of year. We'll honk as we leave and be doing the same thing many of you do when you leave camp for the summer. We'll be counting down the days until we can return.

Carry On,

Leb

Help the Scholarship Fund

Camp for All Kids (CFAK) is applying to the 2011 Highland Park High School Charity Drive and needs your help. CFAK is the organization that is responsible for sending most of the North Star scholarship campers to camp.

No matter where you live, if you have brothers or sisters, relatives think cousins) or friends who attend Highland Park High School please talk to them about Camp for All Kids and why it's so important to you and how it has had a hugely positive impact on the North Star community

You also might want to tell them that:

• Camp for All Kids sends kids to camp who couldn't otherwise go to camp.

• Camp for All Kids provides renewable camperships so that kids can return to camp each summer.

• Camp for All Kids adds diversity to 5 camps - North Star, Birch Trail, Chippewa Ranch Camp, Kamaji and Timberlane - all of which have campers/staff members who attend Highland Park High School.

• Since 1992 Camp for All Kids has made camp possible for almost 1000 kids.

Obviously, if you attend Highland Park High School, we hope you'll talk up Camp for All Kids to everyone at HPHS!!

Later this school year all the Highland Park High School students will have a chance to vote for the 'cause' they think is most deserving. Choosing CFAK will provide the summer camp experience for campers who otherwise would not have the opportunity.

If you need more information, visit the Camp for All Kids website at www.campforallkids.org.

Thanks for your help in supporting Camp for All Kids by spreading the word to Highland Park High School students!!

The September Siren!

The September Siren is out! Over 100 campers have already enrolled for 2011.  Register Now to save your spot!
Read the Siren Here

Back to School Project

Even though he's now back at school in Tampa, FL, Spencer S. is still thinking about camp.  Check out his "1st week back at school" project.

NSC Council Ring Recieves Improved, Expanded Seating

Hayward, WI (Reuters) - Unveiling the first major off-season camp improvement, North Star has announced that the Council Ring has seen several of its half log benches replaced. The work, which began towards the end of the summer of 2010 has been a multi-stage process, first seeing several of the seats in the South Section (Junior Village) replaced. Following some organizational discussions it was decided that the North Section would also receive additional seating, with one bench being added to each row, increasing capacity in this section by 33%.

The work on the J-Village section was completed earlier this week, while simultaneously work has been ongoing in the North Section (Senior Village). While capacity here will remain roughly the same, replacement was extensive. Following removal of existing benches, supports were replaced, ensuring level seating with optimal sight lines towards both the Council Ring Fire Pit and speaker's podium.

According to Chief Engineer and project foreman Thomas Brokaw of Hayward, the benches were replaced with a rough hewn half log of the poplar variety while supports were treated 6'X6'. Brokaw stated "what a guy could do is take some poplar and peel the bark. Once the benches are in place we'll put some linseed oil and clean it up. It'll be good enough for who its for." Brokaw confirmed that all of the materials came from local suppliers, furthering North Star's commitment to utilizing Hayward area businesses.

Further investigation revealed that this expansion and improvement was part of North Star's long term goal of better utilizing the Council Ring. With the nearby LCO landing big names for their concert venue, its no surprise that North Star has gone in this route. Acts traveling to the area include Great White, Bret Michaels and Ted Nugent. According to property owner Robert Lebby "The Council Ring is one of the preeminent campfire circles in the Northwoods, if not the country. We've been closely following the Wrigley Field model. Following their success with the Winter Classic, not to mention Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel and Elton John, we're confident that this is the right direction." Lebby would neither confirm or deny a pending deal with popular recording artist James Taylor to headline the potential opening concert. Previous national acts to appear at North Star include singer/songwriters Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Wendy & Willy Welch (wrote "Right Field"), and The Billys.

Lebby was also unwilling to comment on a rumored deal to sell Council Ring naming rights. A source familiar with the deal, but preferring to remain anonymous stated that several local and
national companies have expressed an interest in some sort of naming rights deal. "While compensation has dropped drastically since the Citigroup/Mets deal, there is no reason that the Council Ring shouldn't be able to fetch North Star a nice deal. North Star should be able to net a long term deal or they could opt for a sorter term deal and negotiate a new deal when the market has recovered." Amongst the companies rumored to be interested are LP Lumber, Stihl Chain Saws, Jack Links Jerky, UHaul and Crazy Creek outdoor chairs.

There is no proposed work to the East Section (Intermediate Village) of the Council Ring, which has been upgraded in the past few years. Mr. Lebby has confirmed that the upgrades will not impact seating regulations which allows campers and staff to bring Crazy Creek (type) chairs to the council ring for all events, however on Friday nights everyone must sit on benches.

Editors Note: While not April Fools Day, this clearly is a joke. The Council Ring has been expanded and benches have been replaced, however there are no plans to convert the Council Ring to a concert venue, nor are there plans to sell naming rights. Alumni should NOT contact Leb with offers to purchase Council Ring naming rights.

2011 Early Enrollment Discounts

Register now for the Summer of 2011!

You can SAVE OVER 10% ON TUITION by taking advantage of our Early Enrollment Incentives.

Click here: http://bit.ly/cUAHEe or click "Registration" in the upper right hand corner to get started.

All Is Quiet in the Northwoods...

Amazingly it has already been a week since camp ended. After the campers left, we had a great week of Post Camp with over 20 families. Now as they scatter around the country, camp is growing quiet. Even the animals have noticed as they have started to take camp back for the winter.

We truly had an awesome summer! Over the last few weeks we have been receiving word from parents and campers alike letting us know how much they enjoyed and learned from their time at North Star. We’re always thrilled to hear from our camp families in any capacity, and it is always rewarding to hear the positive outcomes for the summer. Most of all, we want to thank you for trusting us with your sons. We often boast that we have the nicest campers in the world, and we mean it. So thank you for making the decision to have them spend the summer with us.

Now it’s on to the Summer of 2011! As we winterize the facilities here, we are well underway with our planning for a great 67th camping season at North Star, and we hope that you will again join us. We already have enrollment open for 2011 and already have many families on board, both new and old. We know it’s still early, but we are offering discounts for enrolling before September 1st, so take advantage now! Deposits are fully refundable until November 1st, and we offer Cancellation Insurance that allows you to protect your tuition payments beyond then as well. You can Register Online at www.northstarcamp.com. If you have any questions, please give us a call up at camp at 715-462-3254.

Thanks again for a great summer. We look forward to an awesome Summer of 2011!

Leb, Sue, Dan & Andy