our mid hudson valley camps - marist brothers center · saint marcellin champagnat, founder of th e...
TRANSCRIPT
As we wind up our year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary year of the Marist Brothers and the
75th year of our Marist mission here in Esopus, it seems appropriate to dedicate this edition of the
MBCE Newsletter to our Mid-Hudson Valley Camps. Saint Marcellin Champagnat, founder of the Marist
Brothers, was a holy man who did ordinary things with extraordinary love. He is, for all of us, a true ex-
ample of “practical Christianity.”
The volunteers who selflessly provide the services needed to make our camps happen each summer,
do the same. The work of the camps is now done by more than 600 volunteers; men and women, lay
people and Brothers together, who work tirelessly on behalf of others. During this anniversary year, we
have re-asserted our call to journey alongside young people as did Marcellin and we have learned a
great deal about them. We know that they are generous of heart. We know that they want to contribute
to building a better world. We know that the MBCE continues to be a formative place for them.
Everywhere you look people share in the same mission. If you ask them why they do it, the answer is
simple: “We do it for the kids.” What a magnificent testimony to the generosity and dreams of young people! To a person, every one of our volunteers would agree that in the course of a summer they re-
ceive so much more than they give. And they give in abundance.
The children we serve live with disabilities, sickness and financial constraints. Their experiences here
during the summer provide them with memories of having fun and being loved. The relationships and
friendships built at camp can last a lifetime. What a wonderful way to spend a summer!
Our Mid Hudson Valley Camps
A Response to the Signs Of The Times
Marcellin Champagnat was a man who responded to the needs of his time. He stressed to the early
brothers the importance of reading “the signs of the times” and adapting to them. The Mid-Hudson
Valley Camp has served hundreds of persons with disabilities for over 40 years, and while we continue
to serve a diverse group of people its first focus was among the deaf community. What started out as a
single week summer session for children with hearing disabilities has blossomed into a nine-week
camp program that caters to many groups of marginalized children.
Our camps came to fruition as a response to the needs of young people. As times have changed, so
have our camps. As you read through this newsletter you will find that special attention has been given
to the new developments and advancements that have occurred. Seventy-five years later, the Marist
mission continues to adapt and to thrive and, most importantly of all, young people remain the focal
point of our mission.
The Marist Brothers’ Center at Esopus is a place where a Marist approach to ministry, formation, and service work together to evangelize young people and adults.
Mission Statement, Esopus 2017
Special points of interest:
Number of Campers
15-16 16-17
741 771
Number of Summer Volunteers
15-16 16-17
810 853
Fall 2017
Inside this issue:
Deaf Camp
In the late days of June, the property once again came to life filled with the voices of children as 68
campers arrived to begin the 2017 Season. The campers hailed from St. Francis School for the Deaf,
Brooklyn and Lexington Avenue School, Jackson Heights. Together they forged a new beginning for
Deaf Camp, one of the oldest camps in the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp roster. During the course of the
week all the children participated in our Outdoor Adventure elements. The campers took part in activi-
ties on the climbing wall, the low ropes Mohawk Walk, course, the Catwalk, the Cargo net.
Our Camps
Volunteer Honor Roll
Volunesia
Centrury Ride 2017
Note of Gratitude
2-3
4-5
6
7
8
Page 2
Camp Angels
Br. Declan Murray Memorial Camp
Special Kids 1 Camp
Adult Vacation
The Freshmen Class of Archbishop Molloy High School, 116 members strong, participated in this
year’s Bro. Declan Murray Memorial Camp. Events throughout the week instructed many of the new members of the Molloy community in the Stanner Tradition. A prayer service was held in our Marist
cemetery. Faculty members stood by the graves of Brothers who have served at Molloy, told their sto-
ries and gave witness to how those Brothers lives touched their lives and molded them into the peo-
ple they are today. The students also gathered together for a Mass on the south lawn of Payne Man-
sion followed by a cook-out at the Boathouse on the shores of the Hudson River. In addition to a full
program of activities on property, the students also participated in off property trips to enjoy White-
water tubing, hiking in Mohonk Preserve and the Wooden Wheel Arcade.
With a generous donation made by one of our camper’s families, Kids 1 transformed the Rock Room into a “Sensory Therapy” Room! The Directors planned for the room throughout the year and began to purchase equipment that would meet the special needs of our campers on the Autism spectrum as well as those with other disabilities. Our sensory room was a great addition for those campers who at times needed a space to diffuse excess energy and relieve feelings of frustration or anxiety. Campers were able to chill out and re-set their mood in a safe and relaxing space. The room, which is able to accommodate several children or an entire group at once, offered multiple sources of calming visual
and tactile sensory input. From cozy pillows to a soothing swing and bubble lamps, the calming effect
was measurable and enhanced the campers’ behavior and enjoyment of camp.
Camp Angels celebrated it’s 5th anniversary by adding another school to the pool of campers who populate this week. Queen of Angels, Ascension and Mount Saint Michael schools invited students
from Mount Carmel and their principal Ms. Valerie Savino to join in their week marked by a Star Wars
Theme. Throughout the week, the prayer services, activities, and even the meals, brought a focus to
the message given the campers that “The Force is always with them”! Outdoor adventure activities
offered a challenge to our campers to overcome the fear of leaving their comfort zones as they learned
that fear is the path to the dark side. There is no doubt that the week at camp gave these young Jedi
the confidence to go out and spread the message to galaxies far away that their experience in Esopus
has been a “Force for Good”.
The ghosts and goblins of Halloween visited our campers enjoying Adult Vacation camp this year! As
the week progressed more and more decorations and costumes appeared and special activities in-
cluded a trip to Ho-Bowl, hayrides, trick-or-treating, and a campfire. The talent show acts were both
spooky and fun, as our campers and counselors came up with some great ideas. The cool weather did
its best to scare our campers away, but they prevailed to enjoy some water aerobics with our life-
guards in the pool. At the end of the week everyone boogied-down in their costumes during the Friday
night dance. It was a truly spectacular week for both campers and counselors. Everyone is looking
forward to sharing Esopus together next year.
Page 3
Sacred Heart Camp
Sr. Pat’s Camp
Special Kids 2 Camp
Young Adult Camp
The Stormtroopers of Star Wars returned for the carnival hosted by the Parish Community of Saint
Helen to begin the week of Sr. Pat’s Camp. Seventy-two campers from Columbia-Presbyterian Hos-
pital enjoyed an evening of games and accumulated prizes as they went from game to game scat-
tered throughout the courtyard. Besides enjoying regular camp activities, the week included trips to
our local bowling lanes and the Ulster County Fair. For over thirty years the Light side has prevailed
over all those who contribute to this special week. May the Force continue to guide all those who
make this camp possible. Sr. Pat’s was also honored to be featured in the July/August edition of ‘New Jersey Catholic’ magazine—a story that highlighted how a week-long summer Camp can turn
into a career of helping others. The article even had a special preface by Cardinal Joseph Tobin!
The cast and crew of Young Adult Camp came together this week for the first ever production of
Esopus the Musical! We kicked off our week with some casting calls and performances from the
Dream Girls and Jersey Boys. The performances continued throughout the week, including an incredi-
ble rendition of the Circle of Life, an unforgettable recreation of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and an extra special visit from the Stars of Chikara Pro Wrestling! We danced and sang our way right
through to the end of the week where we celebrated the graduation of some very special campers.
While we were surely sad the week is over, we are already counting down the days until next year,
reminding ourselves that “there’s no place like home.”
The love for music was in no shortage as the campers of Special Kids 2 experienced The History of
Music and the chapel was transformed into a music arena! Each day at camp had a different genre of
music including country, rock and roll, hip hop, disco, and pop music. Every morning, the campers
listened and danced to music old and new from the genre of the day. After dinner, campers and coun-
selors teamed up to compete between in Name That Tune! Campers were treated to special perfor-
mances every night including a live rock and roll show from New Paltz Rock and “appearances” from well known musicians and bands such as Luke Bryan, The Spice Girls, Aerosmith, and Eminem. Each
camper grabbed an instrument and took to the stage on Thursday for their turn to be the star during
the Battle of the Bands. We closed out the week with our Pop Around the World Dance Party and an
exceptional fireworks display. The week was an absolute SMASH, and we can’t wait till next year.
How much fun can 90 campers from the Bronx have during a week at camp? The answer: "a ton." For us, It’s all about the campers. The Sacred Heart team aims to create positive lasting memories for its campers and the team delivered yet again as demonstrated by all the smiling faces seen throughout the week. Some campers learned how to ride bicycles and roller skate for the first time. A few caught their first fish at the pond, with one shouting "Yes" while giving a big fist pump as an exclamation point in celebration of her accomplishment. Twenty-two other campers swam 125 meters before running another 500 meters to complete the third annual Sacred Heart Biathlon. The campers also were able to enjoy yoga, dance lessons, magic classes, arts-and-crafts, cooking and various special events, including a campfire with 'Smores and spooky ghost stories, as well as a Medieval Times-
themed scavenger hunt during which they visited knights, wizards and a dragon.
Page 4
Alejandro Acevedo
Giancarlo Acevedo
Rebecca Albergo
Maria Aliberti Matthew Alioto
Deanna Aliperti Nicole Aliperti Danielle Allaway
Zachary Almonte
Andrew Alonso
Caitlin Alvarado
Kelsey Alvarez
Matt Amore
David Anger Julia Antignani Jeffrey Arlotta
Vincent Arlotta
Allen Asencio
Maryne Audige
Philippe Augustin
Christopher Autera
Craig Babcock
Christopher Baginski Emily Balkan
Justine Balog
Christopher Barbera
Lauren Barbera
Samiah Barrolle Ginger Basa
William Basa
Marissa Berrios
Tristan Bhiro
Chris Biginski Kaitlyn Biscotti Magdalyn Boachie
Mark Bodnar Nicolina Bolognese
Caelah Borkovec
Nolan Borkovec
Emil Borzdynski Karolina Borzdynski Kerrie Bowden
Caitlin Boyle
Mary Brady
Robert Brady
Patrick Breen
Alison Brennan Cathryn Brown
Victoria Brown
Coleen Brunhuber Karl Brunhuber Tommy Brunhuber Melissa Bustria
Br. Brice Byczinski Eros Cabrera
Desiree Calderon
Emily Calderon
Ashley Callagy
Conor Callagy
Michael Cannella
Nicholas Capitelli Katelyn Carcich
Xavier Cardriche
Matthew Carpentieri Averil Carr Brendan Carr Lauren Kelly Carter Jon Carvajal Conor Casey
Danielle Casey
Joseph Casillo
Edwin Casimir Jaclyn Castoro
Marissa Castoro
David Champlin
Tracy Charles
Jose Chavez
Trinity Chia
Moises Chiquito
Sonia Maria Cintron
Christa Ciuffo
Vincent Ciulla
Danielle Civitarese
Nicole Civitarese
Brendan Cloonan
Andrew Cobuccio
Liam Coen
Dean Colvin
Kim Colvin
Brendan Conroy
Br. Ben Consigli Lauren Costabile
Nicky Costabile
Paul Costabile
Patricia Costello
Robert Costello
Mitchell Cottrell Timothy Coutu
Corinne Crowhurst Ben Crowson
Su-Elene Cuevas
Francis Curley
Sean Curry
Aiden Davis Nicole Debonis
Fallon Delcastillo
Anthony Delponte
Tyler DeMicco
Maria Depalma
Erin Devlin
Charles Dewey
Caitlin Diaz
Lourdes Diaz
Ruben Diaz
Conor Dickson
Nia-Sophia Diez
Salvatore DiPaola
Christopher Disanto
Conor Ditroia
Robert Dittus
Stefano Dongo
Aidan Donohue
Ciara Donohue
Colleen Donohue
Liam Donohue
Thomas Donohue
Bryan Doran
Ryan Doran
Sean Doran
Drukk Dorgy Lama
Robert Doyle
Br. John Dunning
John Earle
Lucien Edme
Miriam Eisenmenger Mallory Elliot Amber Emmino
Michael Erario
Stephen Esposito
Monica Estrellado
Jennie Evangelista
Leanne Fahey
Meaghan Fahey
Franklyn Falby
Matt Fallon
Malachi Fauntleroy
Aidan Felice
Enrique Fernandez
Frankelly Fernandez
Joseph Ferrara
Rory Finn
Mackenzie Fitzpatrick
Madison Fitzpatrick
Emily Flanagan
Michelle Flemen-Tung
William Flood
Rebekah Forrest Lance Fotino
Anne Marie Frascone
Matthew Fret Ryan Gallagher Timothy Galligan
Andrea Gallus
Christina Gallus
Julia Gallus
Amanda Genna
Br. Roy George
John Luke Giannelli Marianna Giannelli Erin Gilbert James Gilhooley
Madeline Gillooley
Michael Gillooley
Niamh Girdusky
Sinead Girdusky
Dana Giuntini Jamie Giuntini Julia Giuntini Chrisel Gladson
Kyle Gniazdowski Felipe Gomez
Adam Gonzalez
Raymond Gonzalez
Luis Gonzalez Jr. Joseph Gorgone
Elizabeth Governale
Lyndsey Grier Christina Grimaldi Br. Peter Guadalupe
Giselle Guerra
Chris Gurski Nicole Guerrero
Diego Gutierrez
Ed Hackimer Laura Hackimer Maureen Hagan
Lauren Haggerty
Emily Hanczyk
Victoria Hanczyk
Carla Hanna
Kaitlin Hargaden
Br. John Healy
Patrick Heany
Dorene Hebron
Chris Heintze
Christopher Herbert Anthony Hernadez
Abigail Hipkin
Andrew Hliboki Br. Patrick Hogan
Luke Holbritter Christian Horan
Ashraf Hossain
Jia Cheng Huang
Brian Hurley
Christine Hurley
Anthony Infante
Carolina Jaime
Caroline Jaipaul Aaron Jarmusch
Woodley Jean-Louis
Daniel Jimenez
Kobe Jones
Wayne Jones
Christina Jordan
Molly Joyce
Jason Jurgens
William Kanellopoulos
Michael Kaponyas
Mid-Hudson Valley Camp Volunteer Roll 2017
The mission of the MBCE greatly depends on the generosity of heart which is so vividly displayed by our volunteers. And the
continued success of the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp is due to our very unique staffing policy. All persons who work at Camp do
so voluntarily. Motivated entirely by their interest in serving others, each staff member offers at least one week of service to
make the Camp possible. Many offer multiple weeks. Most student and young adult volunteers enjoy working at the Camp so
much they have returned to volunteer summer after summer. Some younger staff members have selected careers based par-
tially upon their experience as counselors at Camp. Staffing includes the services of administrators, nurses, adult supervi-
sors, teenage and young adult counselors, clerical staff, grounds keepers and the kitchen staff. The generosity and careful
attention of the staff have provided enormous benefits to the campers involved at greatly reduced operating costs. During the
course of the summer, there are more than 800 volunteer staff members. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the
following and applaud them for their generosity of heart.
Page 5
Kathleen Karsten
Kayla Karsten
Ryan Karsten
Evan Kearney
Ryan Kearney
Sean Kearney
Caroline Kelly
Clarie Kelly
Kathleen Kelly
Lauren Kelly
Donna Kim
Jackie Kimball Margaret Kimball Bridget Klein
Erin Klein
Sabina Kobinski Patrick Kohn
Gregory Korczak
Scott Kuhner Natalie Kurzyna
Aaron Laikram
Jordan Laikram
Salvatore Lana
Elizabeth Lanigan
Matthew Lavanco
James Lennox
Ryan Licciardello
Christine Llano
Kathleen Loftus
Joseph LoGiudice
Nina Lokar Elise Lontos
Luis Lugo
Olivia Lugo
Piotr Lukaszek
Jack Luzzo
Thomas Lynch
Natalie Macdonald
Robert Mackie
Vera Mackey
Adam Maldonado
John Maldonado
Lauren Maldonado
Jessica Mandeville-Noerling
Diana Maneri Maribel Mangual Elizabeth Maresca
Emily Maresca
Mark Martinez
Samuel Martinez
Maria Martori Andrew Mascis
Genevieve Matinez
Vanja Matkovic
Chris McCann
Kaitlyn McCleary
Brian McCormack
Ed McCormack
Patricia McCormack
Erin McCormack-
Herbert Kerry McCormack-Toniolo
Maximus McCreesh
Br. John McDonnell Vaughn McFadden
Nora McGloin
Aidan McGovern
Brendan McGovern
Jessica McGovern
Michael McGovern
Jackson McKiernan
Kevin McKiernan
Shannon McLoughlin
Charles McMenamin
Joseph McMenamin
Shane McMorrow
Cayleigh McMullan
Megan McNamara
Andre Medina
Carolina Medina
Colin Medwick Yaw Mensah
George Merritt Michelle Merritt Christopher Mesa
Colin Meyers
Anthony Milevoi Douglas Milstein
Stephanie Miranda
Paul Molnar Jennifer Moncino
Eryka Morales
Nicole Morales
Megan Moravek
Raymond Mukhailov
Rosemarie Mulligan
Elizabeth Mundy
Richard Mundy
Gracie Munoz
Julia Murphy
Meghan Murphy
Nicole Murphy
Thomas Murphy
Norman Myatt Mahdee Najjar Christopher Napolitano
Mary Napolitano
Br. Donnell Neary
Kelly Neville
Aimee Nevins
William Noerling
Mayra Nolan
Br. James Norton
Juliette Noonan
Danielle Nostramo
Shoma Noth
Br. Damian Novello
Br. Donald Nugent Marc Ochs
Brian O'Connor
Kathleen O'Connor Meghan O'Connor Robert O'Connor Lauren O'Donohue
Keith O'Hare
Kate O'Loughlin
James O'Neil Br. Daniel O'Riordan
Br. Owen Ormsby
Daniel Ortiz
Justyn Ortiz
Leiamarie Ortiz
Maiya Ortiz
Omar Ortiz
Robin Ortiz
Gavin O'Sullivan
Luis Paez
Luis Paez
Tomas Palacios
Samantha Paoletti Hannah Parente
Sarah Parente
Christopher Pasinski Thomas Passano
Jessica Pastore
Jaime Pavia Cruz
Emily Peckham
Deanna Pellegrino
Daniel Pena
Noel Perez
Victoria Perez
Annalisa Piccolo
Melanie Piendak
Sarah Pierre
Janessa Pietrucha
Austin Pizzella
Colleen Pochyly
Jordyn Porter Fernando Portilla
Br. Brian Poulin
Roberta Poulin
Mary Grace Power Dylan Powers Vito Prainito
Daniel Price
Deirdre Quinlan
Kevin Quiroz
Sarah Quispe
Jack Rajkowski Hailey Rama
Luis Ramos Ahsanur Rashid
Matthew Reda
Nicholas Reda
Daniel Regan
Sean Rein
Amy Reinwald-Earle
John Resker Sandra Rivera
Joanna Rizzo
Anthony Robayo
Antonio Rodriguez
Cassandra Rodriguez
Beverly Rogers
Mufasa Rogers
Viviana Rojas
Annaliese Roller Alyssa Roman
Elena Rossi Maryanne Rossi Jacqueline Rubino
Caitlyn Ryan
Sean Ryan
Sophia Sagan
Meesha Samuels
Karen Sanango
Alexandra Sanchez
Juan Santiago
Yesenia Santos
Lauren Saverino
Valerie Savino
Daniel Schiavone
Joseph Schiavone
Vincent Schiavone
Catherine Sciano
Lauren Sciano
Dominick Scicutella
Camille Sears
Sparkle Sellars
Ashley Sepulveda
James Sheldon
Andrew Siconolfi Jennifer Sidi Harmanveer Singh
Ryan Soranno
Sabrina Spataro
Jaclyn Spezzano
Connor Stankey
Erin Stapleton
Wayne Stelmach
John Sterbens
Tim Sullivan
Morgan Summers
Anita Swider Jessica Szymeczek
Nicholas Tauken
Joseph Tavera
Catherine Terranova
Nicole Teta
Nicholas Theocharidis
Emily Thurston
Molly Tiedemann
Gabriel Tineo
Allen Tobin
Victor Tomaszewski Claire Tomes
Kathleen Tomes
John Toniolo
Alexandra Torres
Julianne Tracy
Michael Trainor Robert Trainor Jason Trbovic
Connor Tsikitas
Anthony Tufano
Gabriella Turk
Jack Turner John Tyrie
Michael Tyrie
Cristine Urbanak
Opal Vadhan
Eric Valentin
Johnna Vargas
Daniel Vascones
Juan Vasquez
Winston Vasquez
Raul Vazquez
Alexander Velez
Stephen Velez
Henry Ventura
Andrew Visceglia
Janie Wade
Matthew Waldron
Grace Walls
Joanne Walsh
Mack Ward
Andrew Wenzler Ashling Whelan
Eileen Whelan
Kelly Whelan
Mikesha Withahachchi Jon Wlazlowski Patrick Wlodkowski James Woods
Jeannette Woods
Kieran Woods
Liam Woods
Patricia Wright
Mid Hudson Valley Camp Volunteer Roll 2017
Page 6
Mid-Hudson Valley Camp 2017
Volunesia: (noun) that moment when you forget you are volunteering
to help change lives because it’s changing yours…
to departure...
From arrival...
Page 7
Century Ride 2017: A Race towards Home!
2017 Century Riders
Philippe Augustin, Paul Boland, Alison Brennan, Pat Carroll, Bobby Costello, Dave Champlin, Tricia
Dimino-Pao, Mike Garvey, Brian Harrison, Tom Harrison, Evan Kearney, Sean Kearney, Mike Kennedy,
Paul Krishe, Tommy Madonna, Tony Maio, John Maldonado, Chris Mesa, Jake Morris, Marc Ochs,
AJ Power, Beverly Rogers, Damian Sciano, and Kelly Whelan.
Twenty-four Riders gathered with their support team in Central Park this year during the
early hours of the morning on Saturday, September 9th for Century Ride 2017. Together
they made the grueling 100 mile trip through the city, across the Hudson River and up
the steep hills of Bear Mountain towards their final destination: The Marist Brothers
Center in Esopus. All to raise money for the children of the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp.
They do it for the kids and to improve the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus so that we
can enhance the experience of all those who come through our doors.
Together they raised more than $30,000.00 to improve the
Marist Brothers Center at Esopus and the experience of
campers at the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp.
We applaud them all: our riders, support staff, reception
committee and Chair of the event, Joe McMenamin!
2017 Support Cars:
Joe McMenamin, Dan Regan, George Gundy, Dylan
Powers, Tim & Sabina Sullivan, Kevin Coughlin, Crisi
Molnar Pat Manning, Matt Lavanco, Brendan & Megan
Cloonan, Henry Ventura, AnneMarie Frascone and
Dom Scicutella
2017 Reception:
Kate O’Loughlin, Mike Cannella, Mike Trainor, Scott Kunha, Brian O’Connor, Mike McGovern, Molly Joyce,
Bobby O’Connor, Rosie Mulligan, Jenn Moncino, Leanne Fahey, Sabina Spataro, and Tyler Pereira
Esopus 2017….
I am almost sure
that in the Body of Christ
that we call the Church,
We have the power to
help each other’s dreams come true.
For in dark moments,
when light has hidden its face for a while,
We are the stars
meant to shine for each other
…and we do!
More than anything else,
I would like to remind you
That the dreams hidden within you
have the power to become gospel.
- Macrina Wiederkehr
Since the early ’70s campers have journeyed to Esopus to enjoy a week’s respite with their counselors at the Mid-Hudson Valley Camp
held at the Marist Brothers’ Center at Esopus. This summer was no different. More than 1,500 campers and staff members came “home” to Esopus during the nine weeks of the 2017 Season and someone
had to feed them!
This past summer more than 30 people gave a week of their time (and
some of them gave multiple weeks!) to assist in the kitchen and provide
meals for our campers, counselors and staff. We are truly grateful for
the gifts of generosity and service shared with us.
Our Summer Cooks
Mike Cannella, Br. Peter Guadalupe, Br. Roy George, Norm Myatt, Luis
Ramos, Chris Baginski, Tommy Brunhuber, Scott Kuhner, Br. John
McDonald, Henry Miller, Troy Miller, Matt Fallon, Br. John Healy, Br.
Brian Poulin, Roberta Poulin, Joe McMenamin, Erin Gilbert, Br. Dan
O’Riordan, Tom Donahue, Br. Brice Byczynski, Tim Coutu, Bob Mackie, Bill Basa, Ginger Basa, Br. John Dunning, Br. Damian Novella, Francis
Curley, Ryan Dilworth, and Br. Donald Nugent.
A Special Note of Gratitude