Our 56th Anniversary Year
Where Friends and Memories Are Made
May, 2008
Dear Echo Hill Parents, Ranchers and Website Visitors:
Camp time is only a few months away and we want to share some news about this summer that we think will really interest you.
- Camp is Full! For the second year in a row, our camp registration was basically full by the middle of April. We want to express our thanks to all those returning and new families for your confidence and support. If you’d like to be on our Waitlist, please register now, and we’ll contact you by early June if any openings occur. Though most of our families live in Texas, we also have registered campers this summer from Maryland, Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, France, Taiwan, Turkey, Germany, and Israel.
- ECOLOGY PROGRAM FOR 2008: This summer will mark the beginning of our “Greening Up the Little Green Valley” program. We are implementing more eco-friendly systems, including cleaner waste management at the ranch, energy conservation, ‘green’ product purchasing, and an outdoor ethic for campouts and backpacking that will enable a thriving ecological habitat on the ranch. We will have fun ecology projects for each bunkhouse, and our first Ecology Club, made up of campers who want to learn more and commit more of their time this summer working on these projects. We’ll offer a special “Green Honors” Patch at the end of the summer to members of the Ecology Club. Having the right staff to lead this kind of effort is really important, and we’re pleased to have Elliott Stixrud, recent graduate of the National Outdoor Lead ship School in Montana, a certified Wilderness First Responder, as well as a graduate in 2007 from Denison University to lead the ecology program.
- STAFF News for 2008: We are excited that Rosie De Soto will be returning for her 22nd year as Director of Food Services and Head Cook in the dining hall. Rosie’s daughters, Sherry Barona, and Diana Mendoza will also be back to assist in the kitchen. Mary Moseley, potter and ceramics teacher in Bandera, will be returning to run our pottery and ceramics program. Samantha Atlas, Licensed Practical Nurse, and Registered Nurse in December, will take over as Camp Nurse for the summer. Kevin and Rayne MacLeod will be joining us from Taiwan as specialists in children’s theatre, music and dance performance. Shelly O’Neal, Certified Sports Trainer, Graduate of Southwest Texas University, and third generation Echo Hill staff, will be back as Co-Wrangler, running our Horseback Riding Program and HBR Club. We are fortunate to have with us our long-time senior administrative staff, Steve Samet, Associate Director, and Chuck Hart, Wrangler and Facility Manager, and Zach Lefenfeld, who recently graduated from Boston University now in the role of Staff Coordinator. Of course we have over 50 counselors on staff, too many to mention here, and many of us have grown up at Echo Hill and become excellent members of our staff.
We look forward to a another, memorable summer of camping. See you in hill country very soon!
Greentrees,
Roger and Roz
Roger Friedman, Ph.D. and Roz Beroza, MSW
Executive Directors
965 Echo Hill Road, Medina, Texas 78055
ehanch@aol.com --- www.echohill.org
More than fun, more than skill – a way of life, Echo Hill
|