Recro Mikan

I was there from 58-63, my last year as a junior counselor. I was pals with Marc Sokol, Woody Knopf, Marc Imowitz, Morris Pechwasser. Trying to remember others. I remember Hoffenberg and Robbins as the cool counselors. Over my years as a camper I had Bernie Isaacs?, Ira Binderman as counselors. Still trying to remember the rest. Learned how to harmonize and had a wonderful time.

Stu Nifoussi

I was at recro from 1955- 1963. I was a jc with Stuart Niffoussi, and hav actually been trying to find him. There is a Mikan recro group. They are at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/camp_mikan_recro/, in case you are interested.

I was a camper at Recro for about 5 years and a counselor for several more, circa 1954-1962. Jerry Spitzer was head counselor while I was there, Duke Miles` moods were read by whether he was smoking a pipe (a good day), cigar (standard day), or cigarette (bad day). We had our hands inspected before going into the Mess Hall, where color wars were declared between two counselors who got into a fight. Plenty of other memories--Apache Races, Maneuvers, moonlight swims, upper hill and lower hill bunks, eerie vendago stories embellished by counselors at lights out, canoeing on Lake Cohasset, socials at Mikan, wondering about Woapak--the girl scout camp across the lake--and so on. Be great to hear from anyone who stumbles onto this site, though it appears to have gone dormant. So many folks I remember fondly . . .

Steve,
I remember you well. You were a year ahead of me. You played a good guitar and had a really good voice. I remember you singing `They call the wind Maria", "Wasn`t that a mighty day?" and "Drill ye tarriers drill".
I posted some pictures from the summer of 63 on the facebook site,"I went to Camp mikan-recro"

Hi Steve (Wax),

I do indeed remember you (all right, this wasn`t my name in 1961 when you were my counselor - stuff happens in life...big smile). Of the 9 summers I was at Recro (`57-`65) the summer with you was the best of all. And to Andy Ravick, you`re also remembered with much fondness.
Cheers,
Ina Claire

I`ve got to admit, I`m surprised to be remembered, let alone with fondness. What was your name back then?

Hi Andy!

I trust that you`re well and that the years have treated you kindly. We both played in `The Nightingale.` I think that was in `61?

I`m pretty security conscious so I`ll set up a new email addy so we can communicate. I`ll post it here tomorrow or Sunday.

Regards,
Ina

Gladly, My e-mail is andytherav@yahoo.com

Camper,JC,C 50`s - 60. Great Life experience

I went to Recro during the fifties and Early sixties, i was A jc in 1963, and I do remember Louis Orenstein. I bunked in the kitchen boy`s cabin that year.

I was there 51`-53. Great socials, color war and having the ability to make choices.

There is currently (June 2013) an exhibit at the Rockland County Historical Society about the sellep away camps in Harriman State Park.

I was a Recro camper 1961-63. Steve Wax was my counselor and I would love to get in touch with him.

Try this link to the Recro/Mikan yahoo group.

To subscribe all they have to do is address an email to
Camp_mikan_recro- subscribe@ yahoogroups. Com

Also they can go to http://groups. Yahoo.com/ group/camp_ mikan_recro/ and click on the JOIN NOW button.

Hi Bennett! Good to hear from you. I can be reached at praecisio@gmail.com What are you up to nowadays?

I went to Mikan as a camper from 1949 to 1958 and as a counselor from 1959 to 1961 or 62. Lenoff was my maiden name. I remember Ronnie Rubnitz, Beth Brodkin, Jessica Walter, Rhea Targum; Doris Bedell; Mrs. Guttwilig; Duke Miles; Jerry Spitzer; Nicky Gordon; Recro`s color war; Janet who put her leg through the old dining room floor; Princess Ida; Luke Bragg. Would love to hear from anyone at Mikan during those

My sister Beverly was a friend of yours from Lillian Wald and from Mikan. I was friendly with your brother Les, in the neighborhood, at Recro (We were together in "Alice and Wonderland". I was the March hare, I forgot what he played.) and in High School.

I was a camper from 1961-63. I recall Jerry Spitzer running the camp like a military base. No showers, bathing in the lake, washing our own clothes, counselors permitted to use corporal punishment, dumped out of bed if you slept through reveille, thrown into the lake of you refused to participate in instructional swim. Wierd stuff for a Jewish Federation camp.

Andy,
I was sitting here wondering if you were related to Beverly Ravick and now I know you are!!! This is actually the first "social network" I have joined. I am delighted to hear from you. I will tell my brother, Les, about you. How is Beverly? I remember camp fondly and am convinced that I am who I am today because I lived in a low income housing project, on the Lower East Side, went to day camp, and went to Mikan. Almost all my memories are fond. I decided yesterday to Google Camp Mikan. Thank you for your reply.

If I remember correctly, Jerry Spitzer was not Jewish and Duke Miles certainly wasn`t. Recro was run much more strictly than Mikan was. There certainly would be no campers in either camp if it existed today. We didn`t even have windows or en suite bathrooms. Wasn`t it great!

I went to Camp Mikan as a camper in 1967 and 1968 and in 1969 I was a waitress. Loved the camp. Many memories. Would like to hear from the waitress or kitchen staff from 1969 if you are out there!!!!