Director's Corner - May 28, 2025
Wednesday, May 28
Start Me Up
If you start me up
If you start me up, I'll never stop
If you start me up
If you start me up, I'll never stop
As Operational Staff Week winds down, I’m amazed just how much work happens before the summer truly begins. With over 300 acres, over 50 buildings, and more equipment than we can count, this week has been all about getting camp ready from the ground up.
Under the leadership of Richard Fohr, our site manager, and Abdiel Robles Cruz, back for another summer managing a kitchen crew of nearly 30, things are moving. We’ve opened the kitchen, cleaned cabins and buildings, and tackled all the behind-the-scenes tasks that make camp function. It’s a lot of manual labor, but it's the kind of work that brings people together and sets the tone for the summer. And yes, we’ve still got work to do, but we’re getting there!
Of course, it’s not all work. We’ve had plenty of classic camp moments already: get-to-know-you games, Israeli dancing last Friday night, a round of Bingo, and the ever-important trip to Walmart. (Where else can you buy pool noodles, duct tape, and laundry detergent all in one run?)
This week has also been about training and preparation. The full time team reviewed emergency procedures, including our comprehensive Emergency Response Plan, something we update every year in coordination with local law enforcement. We’ve walked through storm safety drills after a little midweek rain, and tested our security systems, which includes security gates, cameras around camp with AI, and we also worked with our armed guards to ensure everyone and everything is ready to go.
All of this is about ensuring camp is safe, welcoming, and ready for every camper who’s about to arrive. We don’t expect emergencies, but we prepare for them. That’s just part of how we take care of our community.
And yes, there’s been great food, too. Some early favorites: lasagna, blueberry pancakes, pizza lunch, and a beautiful Shabbat dinner that made everything feel like camp.
Operational Staff Week may not come with color war cheers or talent show laughs, but it’s where the summer really begins. It’s where intention meets action, and the magic starts to take shape.
Congratulations to Jill Rivkin who answered correctly that Billy Joel sang “You’re My Home.”
Can you name the artist behind “Start Me Up”? Email your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com, and I’ll give a shoutout in the next post.
Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael
