Authentically Worthwhile

Did you know we have a Better Authentic Recipe™ for becoming a Worthwhile Man developed over 116 consecutive years of running camp?

Hanging behind my desk is a rough, hand-typed quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I’ve never noticed. Until this year after Andy and I watched Brené Brown’s “The Call to Courage” special on Netflix where this quote is a keystone to her presentation. Andy pointed out that Roosevelt’s words have been watching over me for years. It reads:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

There are many things I love about this quote as it applies to a summer at Highlands. Heck, it even uses the phrase “who spends himself in a worthy cause.” As a place that puts supreme value on being “Worthwhile,” this quote radiates the Highlands Way. 

At camp, boys are challenged at every stage. From the time they’re tearfully dropped off, to nervously waitering their first meal, to unsteadily playing basketball for the first time, boys are tested. They are inherent “doers of deeds, large and small.” 

The successes and failures of your boys at Highlands are their’s alone. He repelled blindfolded at the low-ropes course. That’s Tyler’s achievement. He shot a bullseye at archery and built a really cool shelf in the wood shop. Those are Leo’s wins alone. But the triumphs are easy. 

What about he “who errs, who comes short again and again”? When John drops the football during a scrimmage? Or Jacob loses his temper with his cabinmate and says something he’s not proud of? That’s all their defeat, too.

I’m guilty of it. Making life easy for my kids. I advocate for them, I attend all the things (well, mostly), I proofread vocabulary at 10:30 the night before it’s due (shakes fist at sky). But that’s what makes camp so important. You. Aren’t. Here. To. Help. Them. 

Boys and young men are desperate for ways to differentiate themselves, especially during adolescence. Individuation is critical to developing into a healthy adult. That’s why teenagers do all kinds of ill-advised things – they just want to prove they are NOT their parents. They’re looking for a unique community and for validation, but in order for it to work it has to be authentic. Enter all today’s ills: drugs, recklessness and the underbelly of the internet. Ugh.

But at Highlands, we’ve got a Better Authentic Recipe™. Our counseling staff (of whom exactly 100% are returning this year!) are expert facilitators of the ol’ individuation process, although, I doubt that’s what they’d call it. They allow your boys the space and opportunity to “fail while daring greatly” in the words of Roosevelt. And it’s not just by learning skills in baseball or canoeing. The real impact comes after persevering through tough days on the trail, overcoming homesickness, making new friends and being a little bit uncomfortable on a cold afternoon. When the days and activity credits (ACs) are counted up at the end of the season, your boys are a better, more worthwhile version of themselves.

Highlands Better Authentic Recipe™

1 part self-reliance
1 part courage
1 part willingness
1 part screen-free, pristine, north woods environment 

Mix together in a 116-year-old vessel lined with support, experience and leadership. Add a dash of a loon’s call. Dip in Plum Lake 2-3 times. Repeat.

Moms, dads and all the caregivers out there – don’t kid yourselves. You’re also daring greatly by letting your boys come to camp. It’s not easy to let them go for 3, 4 or even 7 weeks. But you do. And we thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the process on their path to manhood. 

We asked our Cub head counselor, Kent Overbey to do a rain ceremony to keep the weather at bay, and it worked. Yesterday’s predicted thunderstorms held off and today’s forecasted rainy drear has been replaced with a damp, warm, overcast day. 

The morning started off with our safety talks and general getting-to-know-you tours around camp, but by mid-morning, the boys were at their activities. We’ve already started snapping photos and are posting some goodies on our Instagram Story (grab your favorite millennial to help you if you don’t know what this means).

The first couple of days of camp are transitional – even for boys who have been here for years, they can be tricky – new friends, old friends, getting back into the swing of things. Lois makes this a little easier on all of us by stacking the deck when it comes to meals. Today’s menu consisted of pancakes for breakfast, chicken tenders for lunch and supper will be homemade turkey soup and sandwiches. Did you know Lois has cooked for us for more than 30 years? She’s in charge of all the meal planning this year and helping her out in the kitchen are Car, Becky, Becca and Caroline. We are so thankful for this team! 

Other things going on around camp:

• We have two resident eagles that are stalking a family of merganser ducks
  in the boating bay – stay strong mama and baby ducks!
• We’ll pass out shirts to the boys tonight so they’ll be ready for Sunday Assembly 
• Trips are already going out – hiking in the Porkies and more coming right up
• Wednesday afternoon is Division Day and we’ve cooked up some new things for this summer, stay tuned for updates on that stuff

I ?CH,

Tracy B.

 

We’re zooming into 2019! Here are some things you can look forward on the ol’ internet….. 1. A new website….soon! You’ll be able to more easily access the information you need, but you’ll still have access to the great stuff you’ve grown accustomed to – photos, online registration, etc. 2. We scored big with a special delivery from our 1964 camp photographer, Robert Esposito. Dozens of beautiful, previously unseen photos will delight you on our social media. Make sure you follow us on Instagram to keep up. 3. Keep your eyes peeled for lots of new videos on the Camp Highlands YouTube page. We can’t wait for our 116th camping season, which is less than 150 days away on this cold January 28 afternoon. Stay warm out there, folks!

Camp Highlands is more than a camp. It’s an institution. It was founded in 1904 by a University of Chicago lab-school principal charged with giving boys a “real wilderness experience.” For more than a century we have had the honor of watching boys grow and learn, struggle and persevere, play and explore.

Boys throw balls on the same fields as Heisman trophy winners Jay Berwanger and Nile Kinnick. They paddle the same waters as Senator William Proxmire and Ambassador George Kennan. They perform on the same stage as playwright Archibold MacLeish and actor Bruce Dern. While we celebrate those great men of the past, we believe that every Highlands camper is capable of greatness.

Camp Highlands is more than a camp. It’s an institution. It was founded in 1904 by a University of Chicago lab-school principal charged with giving boys a “real wilderness experience.” For more than a century we have had the honor of watching boys grow and learn, struggle and persevere, play and explore.

Boys throw balls on the same fields as Heisman trophy winners Jay Berwanger and Nile Kinnick. They paddle the same waters as Senator William Proxmire and Ambassador George Kennan. They perform on the same stage as playwright Archibold MacLeish and actor Bruce Dern. While we celebrate those great men of the past, we believe that every Highlands camper is capable of greatness.

Camp Highlands is more than a camp. It’s an institution. It was founded in 1904 by a University of Chicago lab-school principal charged with giving boys a “real wilderness experience.” For more than a century we have had the honor of watching boys grow and learn, struggle and persevere, play and explore.

Boys throw balls on the same fields as Heisman trophy winners Jay Berwanger and Nile Kinnick. They paddle the same waters as Senator William Proxmire and Ambassador George Kennan. They perform on the same stage as playwright Archibold MacLeish and actor Bruce Dern. While we celebrate those great men of the past, we believe that every Highlands camper is capable of greatness.

Once Mike and I turned the pages of our December calendars, camp was almost always on our minds.
We wrote about, made calls about, and constantly thought about every detail of the coming summer. Who will be able to return? Who won’t be able to return? (Oh, shoot!) Possible new campers, and campers referred to us by our camp families were always so appreciated! Andy and Tracy are the ones that have camp on their minds. How lucky all we Bachmanns feel, to have camp be such an important part of our daily lives.
One of my jobs at camp is planning the menu and ordering the food for our meals. A favorite meal for everyone is our Sunday Dinner following our Sunday Morning Assembly. Turkey and all the trimmings are a tradition every Sunday at camp. Yum…!! It makes me hungry just to think about that! Most days, when you walk to the middle of Junior Hill, you can catch a whiff of the mouth-watering smell of turkey and freshly baked yeast rolls. That has everybody ready for the bugle to blow, and Lodge bell to ring for dinner.
People often ask me how many turkeys I order each week for that Sunday meal?
The answer is 8, 21 to 24-pound turkeys. The cooks put the turkeys in the ovens very late Saturday night. The next morning the Lodge family arrive at 9:00 AM, ready to pull the meat off the bones. Those turkeys are put in a warming oven and then separated into piles of white meat and dark meat and the broth is poured over the meat to keep it moist. Oh my….it is so good! We always make a little extra so that we can use the turkey in one of the other camp favorites…

Tracy, has asked that I share one of our favorite Camp Highlands recipes. This one is great for chicken or turkey that maybe you have leftover in your refrigerator or freezer. This recipe was given to me years ago by my dear Western Springs friend, Ann Shay. Her children and grandchildren came as campers and their family came for more than 13 years for Friends and Family camp. During camp, the campers and staff members when passing me on the path will say, “Sharon, when are we having turkey tetrazzini?” It is so good!
Easy Turkey Tetrazzini
I put this recipe in a 9 x13 pan, but you could also use a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
When I make this at home, I purchase a roasted chicken at the grocery store and put all the meat in my casserole. Bake it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until it is bubbly. It will serve 8 to 10 people.

8 oz. thin spaghetti, broken in half
Chicken broth
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 c. of milk
2/3 c. of mayonnaise
1/2 c. of celery diced small (optional)
2 c. of cooked chopped turkey or chicken
1 can diced mushrooms drained
2 T. of pimento (optional, for color)
2/3 c. of Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, divided
Cook the spaghetti in chicken broth. ( I add some water)Drain well. Mix the mushroom soup, milk and mayonnaise until well blended. Add celery, turkey or chicken, mushrooms, pimento and half of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Put the rest of the cheese over the top toward the end of the baking time.
Valentine’s Day is coming. Mmmm…this would be a great dish to try! I hope you will enjoy this. If you do, we’d love hearing from you on how it turns out.
I hope that your summer calendar includes a visit to Camp Highlands this summer. Maybe you will be driving your son to camp? Maybe you will be able to get away at the end of camp to come for the Family Picnic and the Program that follows. Maybe, you will come and stay at the Highlands Lodge during the camping season, or at the beginning or end of camp? Maybe your family will stay after camp is ending for a few days or a week of Friends and Family camp? Whatever you and your family can arrange…I hope Camp Highlands will be on your minds for your son, and your extended family and friends. I believe more than ever, a summer, or part of a summer at Camp Highlands is a wonderful place for a boy to be. I hope this day finds you and your family well and enjoying this unusually cold winter. I’m glad that I can be in Gainesville, FL for four months. It has been very cool here too, but no complaints from me, I love hearing the birds chirping away outside my bedroom window in the early morning, and…..oh my, it is SO NICE to feel the warmth of the sun, even on a chilly day!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your families!
Sending love from Gainesville,
Sharon Bachmann

A note from Tim Bachmann:

Did you know the Monilaw family hosted a scaled down version of Friends and Family in the 1930s and 40s? It was not promoted; it was just their friends and family, mainly from the Hyde Park and University of Chicago neighborhoods. This summer of 2017 Friends and Family was new and fresh. How fun, considering that this was the 50th F&F season (since 1968).

Friends and Family has evolved, with alumni being the largest contingent. In fact, every boys’ camp cabin but three held an alumnus this summer. It was the largest ever showing and a harbinger of things to come. In addition to alumni, there were personal friends and ’perennials’. Several families with kids at an optimal age to get their “feet wet” in advance of boy’s camp or nearby girl’s camp joined in the fun.

And boy did they get their feet wet, seeking out and holding in their curious young hands various snakes, frogs, toads, crawfish and salamanders. It was a fascinating phenomena, enhanced dearly by the generous and patient E.O. Wilson trained Harvard zoology major, and now wildlife painter, Brad Davis, an alumnus from the 1980/90s.

 

After some coaching from Dr. Brad on where to obtain a particular creature, the kids consistently came up miraculously full handed. Brad would then hold court as professor, teaching all children (and drawn in adults) everything notable: how to hold it, its formal name, behavioral patterns, special adaptations, diet, habitat, and so forth. Perhaps the largest ever bullfrog was briefly coddled (one assumes to the dismay of the animal). But, before any lasting harm was done, the fun-to-hold-being was released with great care.

One such student of Dr. Davis, a young Luke Keeley, was so enchanted by the cornucopia of wildlife, that he was compelled to ditch his family entirely, joining the Davis clan at all hours  (except sleep) in constant pursuit of the ample fare! His parents both lamented and rejoiced in the abandonment as complete joy was found!

For the rest of us more subdued nature lovers, there were record numbers of bald eagles, loons (six  on the east end of Plum Lake alone), owls, woodpeckers, white tailed deer, turtles, butterflies and meteors.

Meanwhile, others engaged more vacation like camp pursuits. Star Creek was up, and offered a deeper paddle than ever, before running into the inevitable downed trees and beaver dams. There were more barefoot water skiers than ever (at age 46, and 51!). It smacked of a ‘Staff Ski!’ if Shane Overbey hadn’t just had shoulder surgery, he would certainly have entertained us with some backwards barefoot. Next year, Shane!

Some lounged on the raft and hung out at the all new Senior Pier and towers. It was the place to be as always during the warmer days. Sailing, kayaking, canoeing, golfing at Plum Lake Golf Club, tennis, archery, adventure, crafts, softball, frisbee golf, and Capture the Flag were all enjoyed as always. And for the first time, a Camp Highlands four-mile wilderness loop along the gorgeous shores of Star Lake was tramped, starting and finishing behind Freeland Field. Thanks to Jim DiDomenico and Brian Boos for blazing and marking this wonderful new trail with lovely CH trail makers. This loop is going to be a great addition to CH forever and ever! Wow!

 

For cooks night off, many descended on the Sayner Pub for its jovial north woods setting and famous pizza. Word had gotten out to the alumni whose families own summer cottages in the area, and for a moment there it could have been 1989. The establishment was wall to wall Highlands! What a reunion, and what a blast!

There were a few very tolerable if not enjoyable stretches of rain – one of them, peacefully, at night. The other led to the offering of a rain hike on the east side of Star Lake, an adventure that entails hopping in a camp van and driving around Razorback and the northwest side of Star to get to the trailhead. The soft rain soon cleared and the wet, green forests enchanted, with spots of sun here and there. A pit stop at Stillwaters was enjoyed on the way home. Talk about relaxing!

It was remarked, “I didn’t realize how much I needed this.” I believe that the moment one enters the indoors, that optimal natural flow begins to wain. Yes, it is not simply being in the wilderness that makes us feel good. We enjoyed not flooding our eyes with the blue light of the screen, and getting away from the workaday pursuits modern life demands of us.

Highlands is not the Peninsula Hotel (although, camp lies on a peninsula) but is more relaxing than the Peninsula Hotel. For, only in the quietude of the wilderness can the human body regain its natural flow, and not just for an hour or two a day. 24 hours is best. During sleep, the thinner the layer between you and the outdoors, the greater the impact. 

So, we reveled in life as it should be. Immersed in the beauty of Plum Lake and Vilas County, we came down, fitfully at first. More and more each day, we napped and slept like buzzed out logs – not necessarily knowing who or where we were when we awoke! Yes, sleep can get very, very deep at camp. We turned our faces towards the sun and wind and water and woods and relaxed. Not at once, but gradually, those with the longest stays obtaining the deepest levels of revitalized health. Being in the lake itself, a refreshing curative. Am I sounding middle aged? I sure don’t feel like it when I’m swimming in Plum Lake!

And so I found myself, after all had left Camp, still walking from Mom’s house down to Cabin 2 to sleep – like a wild dog. I had all of camp to myself. Eerie, you say? No, not at all. I love it. The cry of the loon; the black sky with a billion stars; the sound of the wind in the trees; and water lapping on the shore. These are the sights and sounds of eternity – something I’m not connected to as much anymore and that therefore are more valuable to me. I cherish them more than ever in this rapidly changing world.

It’s September 7th, 2017: the 3rd anniversary of Dad’s passing. It seems hard to believe. We miss him so much. On the last day of boy’s camp, right before Banquet, Andy dedicated ‘Reflection Point’ as a place to remember him by. It is so nice there now – behind the clubhouse overlooking the lake – atop the hill. What a view. It was his favorite place to reflect on life – and what a life it was. The new swings and boulders and landscaping. It turned out so well. How pleased and grateful we are to have this place. It is directly connected to the Clubhouse and the fire pit below, the place where Harry Gillet first set foot on the property back in 1904. What a spot to be connected to the place so many have loved over the past 114 years and love today.

Hope to see you next summer! Mom, Andy, Carol, Lukas, and I will be waiting for you! 

Save your Spot
You can save your spot now by filling out our online enrollment form. Please note that because of popular demand, we’ve created two sessions – first session (Saturday – Wednesday) and second session (Wednesday – Saturday) or join us for the full week!
Photos
We took several great photos of you and your families. You can access those photos by going to the Camp Highlands Gallery and entering in the password: camphighlands – enjoy! A big thanks to Tim Bachmann for taking the helm as resident photographer!

A special thanks to our wonderful staff. It was a beautiful contingent. The men and women that raise their hands to stay on for F&F are always, always THE BEST. This summer was no exception, with David Kuesel, Shaun Trenholm, Johnny Zokovitch, Seth Fox, Tucker Nienhaus, Madi Kugler, Charlie Yokom, Ethan Williams, Matt Stepanich, and Phillip Seubert staying on to share the old place with us, and help us enjoy ourselves. Not cooking for a week! Because: Chef Lois Craig  was joined by Carly Notorangelo, Natalie Trujillo, and Lex Smith. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

I was recently talking with a father of one of our campers. He shared how his son was receiving a LOT of pressure to attend the summer clinics of his chosen sport. The coaches were holding out starting position offers like bait, and head-shaking shame if this boy chose a path different from the one they were suggesting. Fortunately for us, the boy (and family) didn’t take the bait.
We have staff here who still remember when Division I athletes would come to Highlands. Our program director remembers how during free time, these athletes would pull out every heavy object at camp to haul around Senior Row. Meanwhile, they were also leading trips through the wilderness of the north woods; teaching boys the importance of hard work and perseverance in achieving one’s goals; and modeling for them the honor dignity of being a well-rounded human being. Not just an all-star athlete.
This father I was speaking with said the decision for their family was an easy one. “My son is not going to be a professional athlete. So skipping the summer sessions should not feel like he’s sacrificing a career. Five, ten years from now, none of that stuff will matter. THIS matters.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Better, Worthwhile, Highlands,
AB

And just like that, second term has started! Drop off was a bit damp, but you’ll be happy to know that today the skies are clear, the lake is gorgeous and the boys have a great northern Wisconsin day ahead of them. Today’s schedule includes safety talks in the various areas of camp and swim tests. After that’s complete, the guys will get to it with activities.

We’ll start uploading photos to the gallery this evening, but in the meantime, don’t forget to check out the Instagram Story – it’s where we’re doing a lot of posting this year. You’ll love it.
As a side note, Andy and I will be living out your reality, as we drop our middle daughter off at her camp this morning. I’m full of jitters – a mix of excitement and heartache – you guys might know a thing or two about that! Even after five years of going to camp, she gets excitedsadnervoussuperhappy on drop off day. This is one of those profound concepts that Michael Thompson talks about in his book, Homesick and Happy – the idea that we can have simultaneous conflicting emotions. You can be completely thrilled to be having an amazing time at camp AND also feel really sad missing your family. Can you tell I’m trying to talk myself into having the right attitude about today’s excitedsadnervoussuperhappy drop off?
And on that note…
I ♥ CH,
Tracy B.

Happy Independence Day, we had an awesome time here at Camp Highlands yesterday. After lunch the individual divisions grouped up for their “Division Day.” Cubs took the busses into town to Jim Peck’s and pizza, Colts made PVC marshmallow-shooters, and Juniors and Seniors yutzed around camp, playing on a giant slip-and-slide and cooked out. The weather was wonderful. At 9, all of camp loaded up on busses to head into Sayner to watch the amazing fireworks show. Our caretaker also happens to be the fire chief and reserves a VIP location for Highlands every year. The boys reportedly hung out in “cuddly piles”! Ha! And did you check out this video of the eagle that was swooping around camp yesterday?! Amazing!
Here’s what you need to know about the final days of camp:
Wednesday: Stunt Night…our infamously famous talent(less) show. 7:15 p.m.
Thursday: Kerchief ceremony in the evening.
Friday, July 7: Parents are invited to arrive at 3 p.m. to hang out, watch the football tournament, meet your child’s counselor and bunkmates. Please sign in at the water carnival or the office to get your name tag when you get to camp, thank you! Picnic supper is at 6 p.m. followed by our final banquet festivities which conclude around 8:30 p.m.
You are free to take your son after the banquet, please communicate that with your son’s counselor and with the office.
Boys depart camp Saturday, at 8:45 a.m. on the bus back to Chicago. **If your child disembarks in Madison (1 p.m.) or Rockford (2:15 p.m.) PLEASE contact the CH office.
If you haven’t updated your travel information in your parent log in area, please take the time to do so. If you still need to RSVP to the final banquet, you can do that by emailing us at camp. THANK YOU!
It’s going to be a great week!

Several cairns have popped up around camp. At it’s most basic, a cairn is a pile of stones. But cairns have meanings other than *just a pile of rocks. Cairns mark the trail for our guys hiking across Isle Royale right now. Cairns can be found on the beaches of Lake Superior, possibly denoting a place or a time of significance for somebody. And at last week’s Sunday assembly, I talked about how our honor camper qualities and our camp motto can serve as cairns or wayshowers for us in our time at Highlands—and beyond. Now, we’ve got all these rock piles around camp. Which I love.

It’s a nice reminder that these guys aren’t just running around, tossing Frisbees and balls, paddling canoes and kayaks, sailing or skiing across the lake, or jumping in to the chilly waters for kicks. It shows that they’re also taking to heart the things that make camp so worthwhile. They’re recognizing that the words, “if he will, he can” aren’t just words; they’re goals accomplished, new friends made, new experiences tried. They’re building their own little way showers, using the stones of experience and opportunity to become a better, worthwhile, Highlands man. And they’re doing it all with a big ol’ grin on their faces.

Better, Worthwhile, Highlands.
– Andy
And now for some general updates…
We’re heading into our last week of first term, if you can believe it! Our trippers start to return this weekend – the Seniors have been hiking on Isle Royale and Pictured Rocks, sailing on Lake Superior and canoeing in the Boundary Waters. Juniors have been hiking in the Porcupine Mountains and will all return by this afternoon. If your kid is anything like ours, trip stories will trickle out over the coming year – it’s one of my favorite things about Camp.
Today’s theme day is Hobbit Day! The weather is gorgeous this morning – sunny, clear and calm. A great day for waterskiing. Tuesday night we’ll head into Sayner for the fireworks show, Wednesday night is Stunt Night, Thursday is the Kerchief Ceremony and then….we’re on to Friday and the final picnic and banquet!