Adam Densky

Host

Sleepaway Camp

May 13, 2013·75 visitors

Blake Ian

Cohost

Stage· 243 messages

May 13, 2013

Blake Ian · 2:00 AM

duuuuuude

Adam Densky · 2:00 AM

well hello

Adam Densky · 2:00 AM

glad to be a part of this tawk on one of my most favorite topics in the world

Blake Ian · 2:01 AM

You ARE the most serious camp VETERAN I know!

Blake Ian · 2:01 AM

Before we get started

Adam Densky · 2:01 AM

well i do have a solid 19 years of camping under my belt

Blake Ian · 2:01 AM

To any new users that may be joining us tonight... remember Adam and I can only see the comments that get voted up and become Overheard...

Blake Ian · 2:02 AM

and go to the "Who's here" tab to find other attending and LISTEN to them to see their comments

Blake Ian · 2:02 AM

ok so... CAMP!

Adam Densky · 2:02 AM

so yes, campj

Adam Densky · 2:02 AM

i have went to 2 camps over my 19 years

Adam Densky · 2:03 AM

16 at Camp Lokanda and 3 and camp Pontiac

Adam Densky · 2:03 AM

2 camps i would say that were extremely different than yours.......but almost identical in so many ways

Blake Ian · 2:03 AM

19 years of camp... you didn't want to let it go! Were you every officer in Color War??

Adam Densky · 2:03 AM

i was general at both camps

Adam Densky · 2:04 AM

one of the best and most exciting times

Adam Densky · 2:04 AM

its something i wanted since my first summer in 1988 as an 8 year old

Blake Ian · 2:04 AM

General! I hate you!

Adam Densky · 2:04 AM

general not 1 but 2

Blake Ian · 2:04 AM

1988 my first summer too!

Blake Ian · 2:04 AM

8 years old as well

Adam Densky · 2:04 AM

in pontiac i was actually a LT, COl, then gernaeral

Adam Densky · 2:05 AM

and in 1988 you never imagined what camp would actually mean to you today

Blake Ian · 2:05 AM

No idea!

Blake Ian · 2:05 AM

but...

Blake Ian · 2:05 AM

I wanted to start actually by remembering a specific moment of every summer

Blake Ian · 2:05 AM

which was getting on the bus!

Adam Densky · 2:06 AM

that would be something......and that was always the greatest time

Adam Densky · 2:06 AM

and then finding out what bunk you were in as you were getting to camp

Blake Ian · 2:06 AM

How exciting was that day every summer, when you hot on the bus and you knew that for the next 7 weeks you would be on your own with awesome people that you didnt see the rest of the year

Blake Ian · 2:07 AM

and yes getting off the bus and finding out what bunk you would be in

Adam Densky · 2:07 AM

that was the best.....even my first summer i rem just saying later to my parents getting ready for what lies ahead

Adam Densky · 2:07 AM

obv not knowing that i would become a teacher after college just so i can continue to go back to camp

Adam Densky · 2:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Michael Hauptman

“FAKE OUT FAKE OUT WE WANT A BREAK OUT!”

Blake Ian · 2:08 AM

Seriously I was actually shocked at how little fear I had at 8 to climb aboard and just say peace to being taken care of and living with my family all summer

Adam Densky · 2:08 AM

no FAKE OUT mr. Hauptman

Adam Densky · 2:08 AM

this is the real deal

Blake Ian · 2:08 AM

Speaking of fake outs... let's explain for the uninitiated

Adam Densky · 2:08 AM

did you go to camp wiht your family

Blake Ian · 2:08 AM

At the end of every summer was Color War

Adam Densky · 2:08 AM

ahhhh the fakeout

Blake Ian · 2:09 AM

and they would have Color War break out! Where someone would drop from a helicopter in a star wars uniform and let you know what the teams were and who was with who...

Adam Densky · 2:09 AM

Its funny how exciting color war was back in the 80's & 90's

Blake Ian · 2:09 AM

but before that sometimes they would have a Fake Out and make up ridiculous teams

Adam Densky · 2:09 AM

believe it or not, Things have changed

Blake Ian · 2:09 AM

oh really??

Blake Ian · 2:09 AM

whats changed?

Adam Densky · 2:09 AM

i have been part of the fakeout many times

Adam Densky · 2:10 AM

the kids have changed.........

Adam Densky · 2:10 AM

growing up in camp is nothing like iit was when we were kids

Blake Ian · 2:10 AM

You mean because of the comforts and safety they get now?

Adam Densky · 2:10 AM

that and the way alot of it is run.

Adam Densky · 2:11 AM

i mean i know 1 camp that has AC in the bunks

Adam Densky · 2:11 AM

when i was a kid and wanted air id have to give up 2 canteens to have someone wave a fan on me

Blake Ian · 2:11 AM

Hahah

Blake Ian · 2:11 AM

yeah AC in the bunks is absurd

Blake Ian · 2:12 AM

Speaking of which... I definitely did NOT go to the typical camp, even for the 80s/90s

Adam Densky · 2:12 AM

and now with the tech era kids can FaceTime at night

Adam Densky · 2:12 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“RAID!!!”

Adam Densky · 2:12 AM

right, i went to a "top 5"

Adam Densky · 2:12 AM

but before we discuss camps, the RAIDS

Adam Densky · 2:12 AM

o the beauty those were

Blake Ian · 2:12 AM

RAIDS!

Adam Densky · 2:13 AM

many many first came on raids

Blake Ian · 2:13 AM

8 years old... walking a mile across dirt roads to the girls side with a flashlight

Adam Densky · 2:13 AM

the best was when your 11 and you try and stay up til 2am to meet the girls

Blake Ian · 2:13 AM

the first time I slept in a bed with a girl was on a raid

Adam Densky · 2:14 AM

amazing now, RAIDS do not exist

Adam Densky · 2:14 AM

kids get thrown out of camps if caught in opposite sex bunks

Adam Densky · 2:14 AM

and if caught out at night they get furlowed

Blake Ian · 2:15 AM

so sad... my counselors coached me on raids

Adam Densky · 2:16 AM

coached......i used to go with them when they visited the counslar

Adam Densky · 2:16 AM

i mean when i was a GL i would go out and bring my campers with me

Adam Densky · 2:16 AM

i tried to give my campers the same experience i had as a kid

Adam Densky · 2:16 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“I think I might have had had more fun as a counselor than a camper”

Adam Densky · 2:17 AM

Jordan, it is very close and i can agree

Adam Densky · 2:17 AM

but those bonds you forged as a kid are almost unbreakable

Blake Ian · 2:18 AM

unfortunately I was NEVER a counselor... I went from the youngest kid at camp to the final bunk, the teen boys and then the unthinkable happened!

Adam Densky · 2:18 AM

many of the kids i grew up with in camp i can see walking in city and have hour long convos.......there is always something about camp that will always keep us together

Blake Ian · 2:18 AM

I think this is a good time to tell my sad sad story of Camp White Oaks.... May I?

Adam Densky · 2:18 AM

Blake, what happened

Blake Ian · 2:19 AM

The day before Visiting Day, the MIDDLE of the summer and usually one of the most exciting nights all year

Blake Ian · 2:19 AM

your parents are sleeping in seedy motels somewhere in town, getting ready to come see you in the morning

Adam Densky · 2:19 AM

hahahha seedy motels.......

Blake Ian · 2:19 AM

and we all get called out to our porches by our head counselors...

Blake Ian · 2:20 AM

Mike Rosen, my head counselor that year,as well as my first... and my favorite counselor ever...

Blake Ian · 2:20 AM

looks at us all and says "Camp is closing tomorrow, your parents are all coming to take you home tomorrow... This is not a joke... I'm so sorry"

Blake Ian · 2:20 AM

SHOCK!

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

Mike was at White Oaks since he was a camper too...

Adam Densky · 2:21 AM

that is crazy.........i dont know what i would have done

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

Can you imagine??

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

Well I'll tell ya what I did!

Adam Densky · 2:21 AM

something that i dont not even want to think about, very sad

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

at 12 years old I went with my brother who was in charge of water skiing... and we took out the speed boat!

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

and I drove! hahahah

Adam Densky · 2:21 AM

but makes the memories and time their more memorable

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

and that leads into this SPOTLIGHT!

Blake Ian · 2:21 AM

★ Spotlighted from Eric Goldsmith

“I've been fired from 3 different camp jobs”

Adam Densky · 2:22 AM

HAHAHAH, wait can you get fired the night before the camp closes?

Adam Densky · 2:22 AM

cause that is impressive

Blake Ian · 2:23 AM

Densky were you ever fied?

Blake Ian · 2:23 AM

*fired

Adam Densky · 2:23 AM

i dont know if you can say i was ever fired, but after 3 summers during my college years i was nto asked back

Adam Densky · 2:24 AM

this was not the camp i grew up at, i changed incollege to work at a different camp

Adam Densky · 2:24 AM

after getting a job as a teacher i went back to the camp i grew up at to run the CIT program

Adam Densky · 2:25 AM

unfortunately the camp recently sold ownership

Adam Densky · 2:25 AM

and with the sale went all of what Lokanda meant to me

Adam Densky · 2:25 AM

the traditions

Blake Ian · 2:25 AM

did you have a rival camp??

Blake Ian · 2:25 AM

White Oaks had Schodack!

Adam Densky · 2:26 AM

of course, there camp brook wood right across the lake

Adam Densky · 2:26 AM

the best were the raids to the otehr camp to steal their shirts

Adam Densky · 2:27 AM

but another rival was Timberlake, that was solely about the gordon cup which is the biggest hockey tournment in camping to date

Blake Ian · 2:27 AM

My niece and neph go to Timber Lake now!

Blake Ian · 2:27 AM

I went up there to visit... Tawk about your modern camps!

Adam Densky · 2:27 AM

and he knows all about hte gordon cup. If you are on that team you are treated like a god

Adam Densky · 2:27 AM

yes Timberlake is one of the nicests camp out there

Adam Densky · 2:28 AM

along with Pontiac and Lokanda

Adam Densky · 2:28 AM

I think Pontiac might be the nicest camp i have ever seen

Adam Densky · 2:28 AM

the 2 new owners who bought in 1995 turned that camp from 40 campers to 700

Blake Ian · 2:29 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“Why did it close?”

Blake Ian · 2:29 AM

Good question Jordan... I'm not sure anyone ever got a definite answer, we were told that the owner had a heart attack.

Blake Ian · 2:29 AM

but that wouldnt really explain a closing

Blake Ian · 2:29 AM

I was later told that the camp went bankrupt

Blake Ian · 2:30 AM

I was also later told that Saratoga opened that day and our owner liked to bet on the horses!

Blake Ian · 2:30 AM

hahaha

Adam Densky · 2:30 AM

that makes more sense then heart attack as any of the head counslers could have taken over

Blake Ian · 2:30 AM

so who knows!

Blake Ian · 2:30 AM

Maybe he had the heart attack when he lost all the camps money on a horse that day!

Adam Densky · 2:30 AM

indeed a sad story. have you been back to the grounds

Adam Densky · 2:30 AM

HAHHAHA

Blake Ian · 2:30 AM

I have not yet... I really want to, my bro and cousin have

Adam Densky · 2:31 AM

does anyone own the grounds now?

Blake Ian · 2:31 AM

Also a bunch of guys from my camp have gone to the store nearby that bought up all the totem poles from color war... they bought a few

Blake Ian · 2:31 AM

My brother and I have always wanted to make a Totem Pole

Adam Densky · 2:31 AM

that would be awesome to have in your back yard

Adam Densky · 2:31 AM

my camp never did totem poles

Blake Ian · 2:31 AM

What?!

Adam Densky · 2:31 AM

we had color war plaques

Blake Ian · 2:31 AM

no totems?

Adam Densky · 2:31 AM

no totems

Blake Ian · 2:32 AM

So let's tawk nicknames and scary stories

Blake Ian · 2:32 AM

first of all... The Ridgerunner!

Adam Densky · 2:32 AM

well im sure you know CROPSEY

Blake Ian · 2:32 AM

didn't have cropsey

Adam Densky · 2:32 AM

#1 camp horror of all time

Blake Ian · 2:32 AM

We had the ridge runner... the man who used to go out for a run at midnight who got killed and now still goes on that runnnnn

Adam Densky · 2:32 AM

wow when i was 10 the counslers created him

Adam Densky · 2:32 AM

listen to mine

Blake Ian · 2:33 AM

Adam Densky · 2:33 AM

so we had woods, like every camp down by the lake

Adam Densky · 2:33 AM

and our counslers woudl take us there after boating and tell us about how years before us a group of kids from camp built a house down there

Adam Densky · 2:34 AM

and one night on a raid all but 2 kids from bunk 10 were going to the house, and never seen again

Adam Densky · 2:34 AM

and on and on about this cropsey who was killed in the lake where he drowned

Adam Densky · 2:35 AM

it become so real when the counslers recreated the Lokanda Lion (a camp newspaper) explaining to hte parents what happened

Blake Ian · 2:35 AM

Hahah

Blake Ian · 2:35 AM

thats amazing

Adam Densky · 2:35 AM

needless to say none of us went to boating for a while

Blake Ian · 2:35 AM

We had The Brown House, which was just at the edge of the camp grounds... and was a house, which was brown!

Blake Ian · 2:35 AM

haha

Adam Densky · 2:36 AM

yea it was def one the only times i did not like camp

Blake Ian · 2:36 AM

and obviously haunted

Adam Densky · 2:36 AM

obv hanuted

Adam Densky · 2:36 AM

did anyone live there

Blake Ian · 2:36 AM

Yeah I think so... I believe people who worked at the camp at one point

Blake Ian · 2:37 AM

Nicknames!... We had an Animal and a Moose,

Adam Densky · 2:37 AM

i never had nicknames

Adam Densky · 2:37 AM

those beleive it or not were only given to campers who hard times and needed "special" things

Adam Densky · 2:38 AM

i fortunately just fit into camp

Blake Ian · 2:38 AM

What about lunch time chants? Did you use "Quiet, quiet, quiet please... dedicated to Adam and Jessica... where there's a baby there's a mess. Wherever there's an Adam there's a Jess!

Adam Densky · 2:38 AM

HAHAHA yes indeed

Adam Densky · 2:38 AM

but we hay ladi ladi laid, hey ladi ladi lo

Adam Densky · 2:39 AM

wheres theirs a lake theres a band

Adam Densky · 2:39 AM

where theres blake theres his hand

Blake Ian · 2:39 AM

LOL

Blake Ian · 2:39 AM

nice.

Adam Densky · 2:39 AM

ahhaha, wow that brings back memories

Adam Densky · 2:39 AM

every mornign after a raid night the whole camp new by the end of breakfast

Adam Densky · 2:40 AM

that is the one thing about camp, there were never secrets

Adam Densky · 2:40 AM

everyone knew everything about everyone and thats what was so special

Blake Ian · 2:40 AM

Yeah because you didn't have to see eachother all year!

Adam Densky · 2:40 AM

correct.....

Adam Densky · 2:40 AM

best moment at camp?

Blake Ian · 2:40 AM

Which brings me to my next point, and perhaps my last for the night.

Blake Ian · 2:41 AM

Wow, ok great question... let me think

Adam Densky · 2:41 AM

i know mine

Adam Densky · 2:41 AM

i prob have many, but this one is so near and dear

Blake Ian · 2:41 AM

youngest caper to complete (and placed 3rd!) in the mile run in olympics

Adam Densky · 2:41 AM

nice.

Adam Densky · 2:41 AM

i was olympic capt, so in our camp it was a camper run event and incharge of your team

Adam Densky · 2:42 AM

and during the apache really there is a high goal event

Adam Densky · 2:42 AM

which is like a half court basketball shot but there is only a hoop no backboard, and by me hitting that first and winning, we then won the olympics

Adam Densky · 2:42 AM

for a 15 year old was pretty awesome

Blake Ian · 2:42 AM

That's amazing

Adam Densky · 2:43 AM

with the entire camp wathcing

Adam Densky · 2:43 AM

believe it or not i still watch that video

Adam Densky · 2:43 AM

i wish i coud have said won color war as a general

Adam Densky · 2:43 AM

i lost both times by a combined 1.5 points

Blake Ian · 2:43 AM

ross

Blake Ian · 2:43 AM

gross

Blake Ian · 2:43 AM

Most watched movie repeatedly during evening activities??

Blake Ian · 2:44 AM

We watched Tommy and Meatballs at least 3 times a summer

Adam Densky · 2:44 AM

hmmmmmm, Ghostbousters was huge cause lokanda was mentioned during the staypuft scene

Adam Densky · 2:44 AM

but obv meatballs, as a general i actually used the it just doesnt matter speech

Adam Densky · 2:45 AM

very upset that some kids didnt know what i was referenecing

Blake Ian · 2:45 AM

Greatest motivational speech ever.

Adam Densky · 2:45 AM

EVER

Blake Ian · 2:45 AM

EVER.

Adam Densky · 2:45 AM

did you think it was better than wet hot american summer?

Blake Ian · 2:46 AM

Welllll hard to compare

Blake Ian · 2:46 AM

Wet hot is def an homage to meatballs

Blake Ian · 2:46 AM

and the entire era

Adam Densky · 2:46 AM

agreed....

Adam Densky · 2:46 AM

very few good camp movies

Blake Ian · 2:46 AM

but wet hot is one of the funniest movies of all time without a doubt

Blake Ian · 2:46 AM

def funnier than meatballs

Blake Ian · 2:47 AM

but you cant compare classic Bill Murray to anyone!

Adam Densky · 2:47 AM

of course not, and rudy the rabbit

Blake Ian · 2:47 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“MLB All Star game was always a big deal”

Blake Ian · 2:47 AM

Definitely Jordan

Blake Ian · 2:47 AM

we set up a big screen in the canteen and all watched it

Adam Densky · 2:47 AM

agreeed.......we used to have huge bbqs and watch the game on the big screen outside

Adam Densky · 2:48 AM

nothign better than star gazing. def one the things i miss most

Blake Ian · 2:48 AM

Oh man! fireworks by the lake with a chick in a sleeping bag at 11 years old

Adam Densky · 2:48 AM

AHHHH JULY 4th!!...

Blake Ian · 2:48 AM

I don't know if I'll ever enjoy the company of a girl that intensely again... : (

Blake Ian · 2:48 AM

hahaha

Adam Densky · 2:49 AM

hahahha

Adam Densky · 2:49 AM

one of the camps i went to was not allowed fireworks

Adam Densky · 2:49 AM

def took away something about camp

Blake Ian · 2:49 AM

I have a VIVD picture of getting twizzlers and peanut M&Ms for me and my little girlfriend and bringing them back to the sleeping bag before the fireworks started!

Adam Densky · 2:49 AM

yup and every summer had to be a different girl

Adam Densky · 2:49 AM

ahaahah

Blake Ian · 2:49 AM

hahah

Blake Ian · 2:50 AM

Aight bro... good Tawking about camp, let's come back here and continue another time soon.

Adam Densky · 2:50 AM

agreed as i can go on and on for hours

Adam Densky · 2:50 AM

camp tawk part 2 at a later date

Adam Densky · 2:50 AM

thanks all for listening

Blake Ian · 2:50 AM

Thanks for those who joined us live... and if you are stopping by after the fact... be sure to hit the TOP button in the top left of the screen to go back to the beginning!

Blake Ian · 2:50 AM

Tawk soon!

Adam Densky · 2:51 AM

enjoy

Adam Densky · 2:51 AM

and to all my lions a good night

Forum · 26

Forum· 26 comments

75 visitors

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 1:56 AM★ Spotlighted

RAID!!!

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:02 AM

Nineteen years?!

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:02 AM★ Spotlighted

FAKE OUT FAKE OUT WE WANT A BREAK OUT!

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:08 AM

i always had a little anxiety over the bed situation but it always worked out...top bunks were fun because you could fart on the person below you

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:12 AM

Theyve had AC in the bunks for a long time, but I do think there are a lot more creature comforts....i remember sleeping on cots, but by the time i was a counselor everyone had pretty nice wooden beds in new bunks

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:13 AM

i'm pretty sure everyone in this tawk had their first kiss at camp

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:13 AM★ Spotlighted

I think I might have had had more fun as a counselor than a camper

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:14 AM

I don't believe raids do not exist

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:14 AM

@jordan- it was definitely a *different* kind of fun

Eric GoldsmithMay 13, 2013, 2:19 AM★ Spotlighted

I've been fired from 3 different camp jobs

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:20 AM

Going through your visiting day food bounty was the equivalent Christmas day for Jews at camp

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:20 AM

Eric was def the counselor I wanted to have

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:20 AM

And lose

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:20 AM

haha

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:22 AM★ Spotlighted

Why did it close?

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:26 AM

This is all very "Indian Summer" the movie.

Eric GoldsmithMay 13, 2013, 2:26 AM

It closed bc the owner went broke

Eric HochmanMay 13, 2013, 2:28 AM

CWO representin'!

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:29 AM

Sorry, Trail's End was the nicest camp

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:29 AM

I played Gordon Cup hockey for many years as a goalie at Pontiac. Never won the cup but we made it to the semi finals once. Playing hockey at camp is definitely a special memory

Jordan SudyMay 13, 2013, 2:29 AM

And I'm not expecting to be OH with this crowd on that one

Eric GoldsmithMay 13, 2013, 2:29 AM

White oaks was the greatest camp ever period

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:33 AM

pssshh. no need to talk about cropsey...i've already heard about it

Michael HauptmanMay 13, 2013, 2:33 AM

(please don't talk about cropsey(

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:44 AM

Meatballs

Jordan BirnbaumMay 13, 2013, 2:45 AM★ Spotlighted

MLB All Star game was always a big deal