Quite the Announcement

I am now handing this blog post over to our intrepid Camp Director, Jim Tavares.

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Many years ago during summer camp I sat around the campfire with my fellow staff members and talked about what I would do if I owned my own camp. That was over twenty years ago, but I still talk about it from time to time. I have been here at Lindley G. Cook for 15 years. In that time, I watched a number of young people meet at camp and become great friends, and I have even seen a few of them get married! 

I have watched Ben grow from a counselor to a Program Director. I have seen campers grow and become staff. And I have seen the program grow as a result. I’ve had as much freedom to form the program as any camp owner would have had. But it isn’t the same thing.

The old 4-H camp that I was the director of before L.G.Cook in Upstate NY

closed around 2005. It was bought a few years later, and the couple that bought it put a lot of work into it, but haven’t been as successful in running the program as they had hoped to. I have maintained a relationship with them, and shared my dreams of successes for this camp with them. 

They offered me the opportunity to buy their camp. This is a once in a

lifetime opportunity that I can’t pass up. So I will be leaving

L.G.Cook and starting my own camp program. Leaving here is hard, and I

have so many fond memories, but I am excited to have the opportunity

to create a whole new program from scratch, using all of the lessons

that I have learned over the past 30 years of summer camp. It will be a new camp program with an old camp heart.

I know I am leaving the camp in good hands, and many of the senior staff and Ben are stepping up to the challenge of continuing on what we all have created. I know that they will not only keep the program going, but take it to the next level. I will still keep in touch and help out as much as I can, and will contribute to the Campfire Council. I will keep in touch with everyone, and will continue to be a part of camp…just in a different role. 

It has been an amazing journey over the past 15 years. Much of what has happened here could never of happened without the love and support of many people. I want to personally thank all of you, and hope that you will continue to be just as dedicated to Lindley G. Cook 4-H Camp as you have been during my time here.

Thank you for the opportunity and the trust you have given me over the years. If you're ever up north in Lake Pleasant, NY, stop in for a cup of coffee and reminisce over the times we have shared here. I would love to show you the new (old) place.

And remember, as the camp song Linger says…”And as the years go by, I will think of you and sigh, This is goodnight and not goodbye”.

- Jim

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WOW. 

The title of this post was not lying, that was quite the announcement. 

I can't believe I had to hear about this for the first time on the Camp Blog! (Kidding. I heard about it slightly before the Camp Blog.) 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at the Camp Office. (And I'm sure this is something we'll probably continue talking about.)