Camp Airy
Encyclopedia
Camp Airy is a Jewish sleep away summer camp
located in Thurmont, Maryland
at the edge of the Catoctin Mountain
Park
. Boys between the ages of 7 and 17 attend for one to seven weeks, depending on their age and interest. Airy is a member of the American Camp Association
.
Down-hill camp includes a large gym, complete with basketball
courts and a wrestling
area. There’s also a 300,000 gallon swimming pool
, athletic fields, tennis court
s, a floor hockey
rink, and a ropes course
.
At the top of the hill, there’s a 550-seat dining hall where campers eat each of their meals. Nearby are the music pavilion and the post office. All of the sleeping cabins are also up-campus, and on the far western side is the outdoor theater which is used for performing arts and also for Shabbat
services.
Athletics are a critical part of any summer camp experience. Campers play baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, floor hockey, tennis, and volleyball. Many also participate in in-line skating, fencing and wrestling. The camp also has an archery range.
The performing arts department typically produces two plays in a summer, the first a musical production, and the second a comedy. In 2009, the campers of Camp Airy performed Fools
starring Zach "Lucky" Richman, Marisa Bernstein, Kevin Sullivan, Josh Lerner, Jason Lynn-Framm, Alec Framm, Sam Rubin, Alissa Maryn, Josh Rubenstein, and Zoe Bulitt. The show was also Directed by Nick Graves and Kelly Jo Scott and was assistant directed by Daniel Tepper, Brian Chabrow, and Alex Schulman. In addition the shows tech staff include Steven Lederer, Steven "Bear" Eig, Ben Heyman, and Gabe Finkelstein. The show Peter Pan
was performed by Camp Louise. There are also opportunities for people who play musical instruments or enjoy singing to perform.
In the fine arts department, campers are offered activities in ceramics, painting, silk-screening, copper enamel, hemp and beads, photography, and wood working among others.
Recently the camp has begun to add non-traditional features such as a skateboard park, Scuba diving, paintballing, and go- carts..
, meaning that milk and meat are not served at the same time and nothing that is explicitly non-kosher (such as pork) is served. Traditional grace after meals is also recited on Saturdays.
Shabbat
is observed at camp with short services on Friday night and Saturday morning. A special day is created to provide a change of pace during the remainder of Saturday. This “day of rest” creates a certain rhythm that helps punctuate the camp experience. Shabbat concludes with a Havdallah service at night.
The Order Of The Leaf is an alumni organization made up of all staffers who have served for three or more years. Its purpose is to allow these individuals to keep in touch with one another, and also raise money to support the camp. Several so-called "camperships" are supported by
Leaf that allow children whose parents cannot afford the camp to attend at reduced cost.
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
located in Thurmont, Maryland
Thurmont, Maryland
Thurmont is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,588 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the northern part of Frederick County , approximately ten miles from the Pennsylvania border, along U.S. Highway 15...
at the edge of the Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
Park
Catoctin Mountain Park
Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge that forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains...
. Boys between the ages of 7 and 17 attend for one to seven weeks, depending on their age and interest. Airy is a member of the American Camp Association
American Camp Association
The American Camp Association , formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501 nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and similar camp programs.ACA runs an accreditation criterion for camps...
.
Facilities
Located on 450 heavily treed acres, the camp is located 60 miles (96.6 km) north of Washington and 62 miles (99.8 km) west of Baltimore.Down-hill camp includes a large gym, complete with basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
courts and a wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
area. There’s also a 300,000 gallon swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, athletic fields, tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, a floor hockey
Floor hockey
Floor hockey is a family of indoor hockey games, usually in the style of ice hockey, that are played on flat floor surfaces, such as a basketball court. As in other hockey codes, players on each team attempt to shoot a ball or puck into a goal using sticks, usually with a curved end...
rink, and a ropes course
Ropes course
A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or only a few feet above the ground...
.
At the top of the hill, there’s a 550-seat dining hall where campers eat each of their meals. Nearby are the music pavilion and the post office. All of the sleeping cabins are also up-campus, and on the far western side is the outdoor theater which is used for performing arts and also for Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
services.
Programming
Airy offers many traditional summer camp activities including Athletics, outdoor living, swimming, performing arts and fine arts..Athletics are a critical part of any summer camp experience. Campers play baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, floor hockey, tennis, and volleyball. Many also participate in in-line skating, fencing and wrestling. The camp also has an archery range.
The performing arts department typically produces two plays in a summer, the first a musical production, and the second a comedy. In 2009, the campers of Camp Airy performed Fools
Fools (play)
Fools is a light-hearted romantic comedy by Neil Simon, set in the small village of Kulyenchikov, Ukraine , during the late 19th century....
starring Zach "Lucky" Richman, Marisa Bernstein, Kevin Sullivan, Josh Lerner, Jason Lynn-Framm, Alec Framm, Sam Rubin, Alissa Maryn, Josh Rubenstein, and Zoe Bulitt. The show was also Directed by Nick Graves and Kelly Jo Scott and was assistant directed by Daniel Tepper, Brian Chabrow, and Alex Schulman. In addition the shows tech staff include Steven Lederer, Steven "Bear" Eig, Ben Heyman, and Gabe Finkelstein. The show Peter Pan
Peter and Wendy
Peter and Wendy, published in 1911, is the novelisation by J. M. Barrie of his most famous play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up...
was performed by Camp Louise. There are also opportunities for people who play musical instruments or enjoy singing to perform.
In the fine arts department, campers are offered activities in ceramics, painting, silk-screening, copper enamel, hemp and beads, photography, and wood working among others.
Recently the camp has begun to add non-traditional features such as a skateboard park, Scuba diving, paintballing, and go- carts..
Religious aspects
Although Airy is a Jewish camp, most of the activities are not religious in nature. The meals are kosher styleKosher style
Kosher style usually refers to food that is not kosher, but is a type of food that could be produced as kosher. Generally, kosher style food does not include meat from forbidden animals, such as pigs or shellfish, and does not contain both meat and milk. In some U.S...
, meaning that milk and meat are not served at the same time and nothing that is explicitly non-kosher (such as pork) is served. Traditional grace after meals is also recited on Saturdays.
Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
is observed at camp with short services on Friday night and Saturday morning. A special day is created to provide a change of pace during the remainder of Saturday. This “day of rest” creates a certain rhythm that helps punctuate the camp experience. Shabbat concludes with a Havdallah service at night.
People
One of the most prized assets of Airy are the people who work there. Many of these people are referred to as “Lifers”. For Airy, this includes persons such as Rick Frankle, Doctors Danny and David Framm, Larry Cantor and Mike Schneider. While some of these "Lifers" are no longer a part of the daily running of Camp Airy, most can be found "on the hill" each and every season. Rick Frankle is the current Director of the camp. Joining him in 2010 was Assistant Director Scott Black, a former camper, CIT, and counselor.. Each year, 60-70 percent of the staff returns for another summer.The Order Of The Leaf is an alumni organization made up of all staffers who have served for three or more years. Its purpose is to allow these individuals to keep in touch with one another, and also raise money to support the camp. Several so-called "camperships" are supported by
Leaf that allow children whose parents cannot afford the camp to attend at reduced cost.