Being a guy at Long Lake by Marc/Geoff

 "WE KNOW LONG LAKE IS GREAT FOR THE ARTS,  BUT WHAT ELSE IS THERE FOR BOYS?"

Hi guys, welcome to Long Lake Camp for the Arts.  We have a great history of providing the best summers for girls and guys aged 10 to 16.  At our camp NO ONE TELLS YOU WHAT ACTIVITIES YOU HAVE TO DO or who to hang out with.  Unlike other camps we do not heard you around camp in packs, making everyone participate in the same activity.  You choose your daily schedule with our help and guidance. Long Lake Camp is world renowned for its arts programs, what's  not so widely know is just how much fun Long Lake camp is.  You don't need any artistic abilities to have the best summers at Long Lake Camp.  Take Marc and Geoff for example, neither of them have any appreciable talents in acting, dancing, film making or playing an instrument. But this does not stop them from trying new activities like taking part in a musical,  learning to climb, producing a movie or being a part of a Jazz band. 

YOU CHOOSE YOUR  DAY......

So let's talk to two of Long Lake 's most enthusiastic campers, Marc and Geoff.  Marc is the camps owner and head guy when it comes to pretty much anything.  Geoff is best known for his lightning ice cream runs at night and affection for cowboy hats.  Marc and Geoff would be the first to admit that they are not particularly talented artist, actors, musicians or dancers but they relish coming back to camp year after year to try new things, most importantly making new friends. 

Let's start with you Marc, 

     NO ONE TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO...... 

-"Hi Ya Gang",

  "You know there is so much to do at Long Lake , you simply can’t do everything in one summer.  The good thing is that since all of us choose WHAT WE WANT TO DO, the stuff that we really want to do is usually no problem, then in our spare time we can try new things.  Geoff and I have a lot of fun at Long Lake , but both of us kind-a-do non artsy stuff each summer.  Although Geoff really rocks on electric guitar- to be honest I have no talent at all.  If you have talent Long Lake is a great place to meet new people and try new stuff and have fun with you talent's but if you are like me and don’t do much or any art stuff Long Lake is the very best place to be.  Just as long as you don’t want to do a lot of killer sports stuff.  ".

      "So what does a guy like me do?  Well first lets start with the ATVs. I will admit that I am into anything using a motor. The ATV's have got some real spunk at Long Lake Camp ,  they are simply great.  First just learning how to drive is good thing,  learning how to drive correctly is even better, then  racing around a track is so much fun.  If  you demonstrate control, you could take a ride through  our miles of private camp roads which is very cool.  You'll be shifting gears, going through deep dirty puddles and splashing everyone behind you.  I love to ride on the quads at least one period everyday, sometimes two.   In line with my love for motors I also go down to the waterfront and take campers out on my fast boat everyday.  I love to ski and wakeboard too, which is open everyday at Long Lake Camp. If its windy out, a bunch of us get together and take out the super fast HOBE CAT (Catamaran).  There is nothing like getting one of the pontoons to lift off the water and you feel great sailing on one pontoon trying to hold it all together so you don’t tip over.  Our video/film department is great too.  I love making music videos of happy people just having fun with each other at camp and then showing them on Friday Nights".

       START A ROCK BAND.....

        "I really enjoy playing tennis on one of our four courts, I try to play during the week when ever I can. I hear Geoff is really good- one day we will play each other.  In the sculpture/woodworking shop they design and make real working rockets.  I used to teach this at camp when I was a counselor and I still like to make a really powerful explosive rocket.  When my rockets are on the launch pad I really don’t understand why people tend to take 20 steps back!  I always look forwards to the last few periods watching the rock bands jam outside behind the dining hall. They always have so much fun and sound great.  Geoff and I were in the musical 'Tommy' together this year, each having a very small part.  Next summer I would love to be in a play again, I really enjoyed myself and I really had a lot of fun with the cast,  loving the 'electricity' back stage and on.  Thanks to everyone by the way that helped me along back stage.  For a beginner it was so nice to know that everyone wanted to help me and helped to make it fun".

" I love my summers with all of you at camp, I count the days leading up to camp during the off season.  I am the luckiest guy in the world to be with you each summer  and the best staff.  Each summer gets better and better, I thank each one of you who have come to camp very much and hope you are doing well.  I am looking forward to meeting old friends new guys this summer. If you choose Long Lake I promise you will have the most wonderful time of your life.  What we do here is unbelievable, the people you will meet  are the very best." -Marc Katz, Long Lake Camp Owner .

                                                                         TRY NEW THINGS......

"So Geoff  our English ex-patriot who married a Texan and now lives in New York (who is 31 years old, but after talking to him you might question that!) , tell us a little about what camp means to you".

            "I would say it starts with breakfast, mmm breakfast, my favorite meal of the day and I love the choices I get.  For me it should be toast  juice and a lot of strawberry jam (American translation, jelly).  I absolutely love coming to Long Lake Camp every summer.  It really is an amazing place where you get the chance to try so many new cool things, meeting and making friends with people from all over the world. I have been  coming here for over ten years and am just as excited today as I was the first time I got of the yellow school bus  that dropped me off.  Camp has changed a lot in those years, all for the better.  I believe the benefits I have felt  from coming here are the same you  should expect to achieve".

  LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD....

     "When I first came as a young man I was not very confident, had successful acne and was rather shy.  It was great to know that there were others just the same, looking to make new friends as well.   When I first came to camp I really could not play guitar very well, but after a few great lessons I improved greatly and even got the opportunity to perform "Hotel California" on stage at one of the performing arts nights.  I have taken part in many camp activities pretty much as a camper would.  In my ten years  I have learned how to play guitar, been in 3 rock bands, learnt piano, trombone and a little singing, helped build carnival floats, experimented with oil painting, made jewelry, printed t-shirts, designed web sites, canoed, sailed, hosted my own radio show, played tennis, basketball, kubb, golf, fencing, Frisbee, tetherball, launched a rocket, had a speaking role  in "Tommy",  danced in the ballet "Romeo and Juliet", gone on trips to amusement parks and beautiful waterfalls,  directed a movie  and the most important, made many great friends. Camp has helped me develop personally and emotionally.  I am now a confident person who enjoys meeting  people from all different backgrounds and characters".

    MAKE NEW FRIENDS......

      "Being a guy at camp is wonderful as you are surrounded by guys with the same interests and aspirations as you.  You will make life long friends who in later life will be there for you.  Being at camp lets me to really become the best person I can.  I do not have all the stresses of the real world.  At camp I am able to focus on only positive aspects of both myself and others in a beautiful and nurturing environment.  My favorite times at camp last year were the impromptu events. The simplest yet the most popular events are when Gino and Giuseppe's Pizza van roles around camp at night delivering extra large cheesy Pizza's.  We get all the local Pizza joints  within a 50 mile radius to make us 50 pies and have them delivered at 10pm to then get handed out.  Our Pizza van is a golf cart and Gino and Giuseppe are none other than Marc and Geoff in rather poor disguises.  Although Pizza is a humble  food the effect on a bunk of boys is incredible.  Once word spreads around camp you can hear excited chattering and expectation fills the air.   The feeling this simple act bestows upon us is amazing.  To give a gift is the best thing in the world.  Gino and Giuseppe also own a "Gelato" (ice cream parlor) store.  On warm evenings  you will find our two Italian food comics scurrying around camp with handfuls of ices and vanilla sandwiches." Geoff Burnett, Co-Director.

  DISCOVER THE BEST PART OF YOURSELF .......

    "Long lake holds a special place in our heart for the guys and their amazing contributions to camp.  So please come and join Marc and Geoff  for a summer and discover for yourself what a great place it is"