
Camp Inc.’s Chief Camp Officer (CCO), Josh Pierce shares news from the road as Camp Inc. is officially inaugurated into the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s [FJC] Incubator II program in New York. Camp Inc. is the Boulder JCC’s new Jewish specialty overnight camp for 7th – 12th graders interested in business and entrepreneurship set to start serving campers in summer 2014. The FJC Incubator II is supported by the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Avi Chai Foundation.
10/22/12 Tarrytown, NY
Day one of the FJC Incubator II was a total success. The day started with a drive to the Tarrytown Estate in Tarrytown, NY with the other JCC affiliated camp director, Josh Steinharter of the San Francisco based JCC Maccabi Sports Camp. We arrived at the Tarrytown Estate to its incredible splendor with endless trails, historic buildings, and hundreds of rooms on what seems like thousands of small levels each 4 or 5 stairs apart. I’ve gotten lost twice already.
The incubator began in the late afternoon with introductions and icebreakers involving the directors from all four of the Incubator II camps (Isaac Mamaysky and Lisa Kravitz of Camp Zeke, Eric Lightman of URJ Six Points Science Academy, Josh Steinharter of JCC Maccabi Sports Camp, and me from Camp Inc.) and staff from the FJC (Michele Friedman, Jay Frankel, Scott McGrath, Adam Weiss, and Melissa Levine). All participants shared the same excitement and honor to be a part of the program. It became clear that each camp director has a lot to offer the group and are very willing to share their ideas, plans, and current struggles.
Evening was greeted with a wonderful cocktail reception for Incubator Cohorts I and II as well as 30 other stakeholders including JCC Association staff, Incubator mentors, FJC executives and board members, and representatives from the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Avi Chai Foundation.
A graduation ceremony was held for the Incubator Cohort I and the camp directors from this Cohort shared a fantastic closing presentation, which included Colorado Camp Director Eliav Bock of Ramah Outdooor Adventure.
Tomorrow, the real work begins as we will start to discuss financials, Jewish vision, and site specifics while hopefully not getting lost in the maze of the Tarrytown Estate.
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