SUE WEISS

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Carl Meltzer's Letters to the Editors of The New York Times

What wonderful memories Carl must have had! GERSHWIN MUSICALS; Written In Indelible Ink (June 7, 1992) CELEBRITIES; Memories Of Another Era (October 30, 1994)

Roy Chernock hailed as "One of the most respected coaches in the nation"!!

And "A real runner's runner." Read the entire article from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Oct 3, 2006) [click here]. Awesome!

Monty Python Tryouts.........???

Nope. Before there was Monty Python's famous drag routine, there was the 1962 Waiter's Revue. This may look like Janet, but it's not. It's Judd, with some support from one of Janet's bathing suits. I am not sure that Janet ever knew that Judd borrowed it. The real question is.....did he ever return it? We'll have to find out the answer to this burning question at our next gathering! As with all photos on this page, click on the photo to get the full screen version. Another 35 or so negatives have been found. They will be posted over the next few days on the photo site.

Oh, The Hardships of Camp!

It wasn't easy being us! Our parents sent us away to camp at age 12 (or younger) for the entire summer. We got saddled with all sorts of chores, and had to work hard to earn our stripes as CITs and Junior Counselors. Here is a rather graphic photo of the hardships we had to endure in our own version of Stalag 17, known as Cherokee Lodge, back in 1960.

"New" Photos Found

First, it was the lost episodes of the Honeymooners. Now it's the lost Chic-a-lac photos! I found several rolls of black and white film, with negatives that have never been enlarged or printed before today. Check out this crew on the steps of the Main House, from 1962. I will be posting these new photos to the web site over the next day or so, as I scan them and brighten them up. Look in newly created 1962 album for new shots. There are even a few new group shots from Rocky which span several years ........here's Chicsville 1964. I didn't go back to Chic-a-lac in 1964........what a mistake!

Uncle Mortie's Belated Birthday

A group of us got together on Sunday morning, October 15, 2006 for a surprise (and it was!) belated birthday party for Uncle Morty. A great time was had by all.....our brunch didn't end until just before what would be considered dinner time. Photos of the event have been posted on our Camp's photo web site. Follow this link http://photos.yahoo.com/camp_chicalac. When you get there, click on the album entitled "Mort's Birthday" to become "enlightened" as the what took place.

UNCLE ROY - CHIC-A-LAC'S OWN EVEREADY BUNNY!

He just keeps on going and going... And he has a marvelous press agent. Check out this piece from The Palm Beach Post, Oct. 3, 2006. GO ROY!!!

THE CATSKILL INSTITUTE and "CAMP LIFE"

For many years, when we searched the web looking for any reference to Camp Chic-A-Lac, all we found was a reference to “Crystal Springs Hotel (later Camp Chic-A-Lac)” on the web site of The Catskill Institute, which was created and developed by Prof. Phil Brown of Brown University (yea!). After the dinner at Papa Ciro’s I revisited the site and found, among a myriad of other resources, a link to a series of remembrances, entitled “CAMP LIFE”, written by Alan Stamm. They are touching and heart-warming, and so accurately portray many of my memories and feelings of my summers at camps, especially Chic-A-Lac, and the influences that those months had on me. If you haven’t recently visited the Institute site, please do so. It contains a wealth of wonderful information. And please be sure to read “CAMP LIFE”. If you'd like to add a note, please do so by clicking on the “comments” box below. ENJOY!

New Photos Posted on Camp Photo Site

Hey All! New color photos on the web site. Click on this photo for the full-screen version. photos.yahoo.com/camp_chicalac. This link will take you there. Photos like this one, and many others. Check them out in the "Camp 1963" album. These slides have been hiding for 40 years. I didn't remember taking them. Remember the All Day Hike to Swan Lake? You will! Enjoy. More black and whites to come from all years....new ones!

FROM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED!!

DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN? [Click here for more information]

"WHO IS THAT?" CONTEST # 3

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And what is the make, model, and year of the car?

Peter, Paul and Mary Concert -- August 5, 2006

Having posted a blurb on April 24 about the Peter, Paul and Mary concert at the Westbury North Fork Theater on, August 5th, we waited until 11:00 am on August 5th before deciding to go (we like to plan ahead) and got two tickets. I told Susan that given that the median age of the audience was likely to be 63.4, chances were really good that we'd run into someone we knew, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone from camp. Glad to report that Happy Willens and his wife made an honest man out of me - ran into them in the lobby during intermission! The concert was both sad and exhilarating at the same time - sad because Mary has been struggling, so far successfully, with leukemia, and the remarkable fire and energy that the group had is not quite there any more, which is understandable after 46 years of entertaining and energizing 3 generations of fans. On the other had, for those of us who used to sit around the Playhouse and sing "If I Had a Hammer" during the summer of 1963, it meant we were seeing and hearing a true legend of American folk music, political and social activism, and children's entertainment. It was wonderful. There's a DVD they made of a retrospective that was originally broadcast on PBS called Peter, Paul and Mary - Carry It On: A Musical Legacy. You can find it on Amazon or Deep Discount DVD. If you are a fan, don't miss it. It contains so many of their songs and follows their extraordinary career - especially their activist efforts - from the very beginning.

NICE BACK !!

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CHERNOCK'S PUBLIC CONFESSION!!

In a letter published in the Palm Beach Post on March 30, 2006 under the caption "Head Counselor or Head Troublemaker", Roy Chernock, mistakenly thinking that the statute of limitations has run on panty raids, fesses up to his trangressions! Attorneys for the estate of camp owner Carl Meltzer are preparing a lawsuit to recover all of Chernock's salary, with interest.

CAMP CHIC-A-LAC IN NEWSDAY!!

Just by chance came across this article, dated July 8, 2006, about Corinne's sister, Cara (whose married name is Cara S. Trager - no relation to the Chic-a-Lac Tragers), and Cara's observations of the Chic-a-Lac years and our reunions on Newsday's web site. Click here to read it! You can then read Cara's original article about camp reunions by clicking here.

UNCLE ROY - THE AUTHOR - ON AMAZON!

Just came across this listing for a book called "Intermediate Hurdles For Novices" on Amazon. It's sold out (heard it was a runaway bestseller [sorry]), but maybe the author still has a copy. Anyone have a suggestion for his next work? I came across the Amazon listing when I found Roy'sname in the company of some world famous coaches at Famous Jews Interactive. What we don't know about Uncle Roy could fill a book... [sorry again].

UNCLE CARL ON EBAY!

Carol spotted this postcard for sale on Ebay. Rocky, his wife Lois, and Janet Weintraub Blake are trying to get more information from the seller. Anyone have any ideas?

If you'd like to see the original Ebay listing (but without the picture), click here. You can also enlarge the picture - and see the caption - by clicking on it. And you can leave any comments by clicking on the word "comments" just below.

CAPTION WRITING CONTEST #4

Before there was a Geek Squad, there had to be a Geek. [To suggest another caption, click on "comments" below. A new page will open where you can create the caption in the "Leave your comment" box]

CAPTION WRITING CONTEST # 3

Can anyone identify these people?

[To suggest a caption, click on "comments" below. A new page will open where you can create the caption in the "Leave your comment" box].

CAPTION WRITING CONTEST # 2

[To suggest a caption, click on "comments" below. A new page will open where you can create the caption in the "Leave your comment" box]

Mini Reunion At Dervish - April 2, 2006

Neil posted the pictures that he took at the lunch at Dervish Restaurant in New York on April 2, 2006. Here is a shot of those who got there on time: You can see all of Neil's pictures (and discover who was late) by clicking on: Dervish Reunion. Thank you, Corinne, for putting it all together! [PS: Compare the guy in the sunglasses and white shirt to the sleepy kid in the picture posted below. Oy!]

Hang In There, Joey!

CONGRATULATIONS, ELLIOT!!

Elliot Taub's huge victory as reported in the New York Daily News, March 9, 2006, Click on the link below to read the entire article as it appeared in the paper. ELLIOT'S DAILY NEWS ARTICLE

CAPTION WRITING CONTEST # 1

[To suggest a caption, click on "comments" below. A new page will open where you can create the caption in the "Leave your comment" box]

AT HOME WITH THE CHERNOCKS (Dec. 23, 2005)

Picture this: Walking up to the Chernock home in Royal Palm Beach with Susan and Gabe (my older son) just 3 hours after arriving in Florida, full of excitement and anticipation of seeing Roy and Ethel, and Debi and Neil, and being greeted with all the warmth and tenderness of this sign scotched-taped to the front door:

Ethel and Neil smiled and smiled while Roy kept Susan and Gabe totally mesmerized with photos from each one of his more than 1400 track meets...

It was a fun evening. I could have spent hours in Roy's office where he keeps memorabilia from his years as an athlete and coach - there are tons of photos, trophies, articles, and tributes from the kids he coached. And does he have stories! Roy has had and and is having one amazing career. We had lots of laughs. And Ethel and Roy are a great couple. Thanks, guys.

"Another Freakin' Reunion?" Maybe - but I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

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CHEROKEE 1958-59?

"WHO IS THAT?" CONTEST # 2

Corinne e mailed me this photo along with this note: Dear Bob, Maybe we could put this old picture (from 1958 or 1959--I'm not sure) up on the blog site as the 2nd picture that we could talk about. It was sent to me by Monty Brown--the brother of Sindy Brown, first cousin of Marcy Silverburg. Neil Sznitken is in the picture. If you think it would start new conversations, please put it up, if possible. Corinne