Gary Winick

It was hard enough to learn about the death of Marc Winick in late December 2010 — and then, just three weeks later, hearing about the loss of beloved boys side camp mother Natalie Checkla.

Today, we learned that Gary Winick lost his lengthy battle with brain cancer on Sunday, February  27. As one blogger/reporter on Twitter put it, “Too late to make the Oscars tribute, but way too early. He leaves behind a legacy of supporting indie film and NYC.”

Gary left the world a great film collection.  During the summers of 1974 through 1977, he created many memorable Ma-Ho-Ge scenes with the Alamar “ensemble” that were about friendship, sensitivity and humor.

May he rest in peace with brother Marc.

–Rich Klein

Note: The Internet is filled with stories and tributes. Here’s a nice story from The New York Times.

Gary, in center with jean jacket, in 1976 or '77 - L-R: Bruce Gutenplan, Barry Weintraub, Richie Greenspan, Jeff Roseman, Gary, Robert Nelson, Adam Israel and David Relkin - 1976, Camp Ma-Ho-Ge

Very sad to report that Marc “Wild Man” Winick died of a heart attack on Tuesday, December 21. He will be be missed by all his friends from both Camp Ma-Ho-Ge and Camp Alamar. May he rest in peace and our heartfelt condolences go out to the Winick family. Here’s a small tribute to our friend. You can add your thoughts here, here, and on the two Ma-Ho-Ge groups on Facebook.

Marc Winick at Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, circa 1976

Ed Shumsky, the man with the clipboard and pencil, with an often scratchy but booming voice heard at Twin Lake, Ma-Ho-Ge and Echo Lark, died on May 27, 2010. He was adept at catching and throwing softballs as he was at catching campers on raids and throwing them a curve ball, when they thought they had him fooled. He taught us how to execute a pickle play, to “turn the hips” while rounding first so you gained momentum to get to second base, to go to the opposite field with power, and how to lay down a successful bunt. He could manage a hundred kids on the boys side, know so much about each of them, and still run his Peach and Grapefruit Leagues like clockwork. Oh..and he also turned his numerous softball teams into inter-camp champions time and time again.

He was busy — but never too busy to help a kid in need. He was strict but he was caring. He was a bundle of energy, an amazing athlete, and you knew where you stood if you did something wrong.

Twin Lakers, Mahogeans and Echo Larkers won so many games on the field under Ed’s superior coaching. But those of us who knew him, know that his many life lessons — about attitude, about teamwork, about sportsmanship (except for his mighty elbow he’d throw you on the basketball court), about integrity — made us winners off the field as well. These were lessons that remain with so many of us, who are now the same age as he was in our memories.

Ed’s devotion to camp and his friendships with campers/counselors/staff went beyond the summer. I’ve heard for example that there were steady pickup basketball games in Syosset, NY that were organized and hosted by Ed for years. Mike Kera, a counselor who followed Ed from Twin Lake to Ma-Ho-Ge, said Ed was the single most influential figure in his life after his own father. You’d be hard pressed to find a better compliment.

Ed: Rest in peace..in God’s Country..and know that you built a Field of Dreams that has your name on it.

Ma-Ho-Ge Reunion, May 2009

Here’s the new video interview with Milt Sirota from August 15, 2009 in Forestburgh, NY (about 15 miles from camp) and also featuring Carol Sirota and former camper Stuart Salenger. Sirota, a longtime assistant principal at Forest Hills High School in Queens, NY, was head counselor at Camp Ma-Ho-Ge in Bethel, NY from 1956 through 1977, when the camp was sold.

ANAWANA INVITATIONAL TOURNEY, 1966

Stay tuned for more video from my interview with Milt and Carol Sirota and former camper Stuart Salenger.

Rich Klein (1969 through 1977)
silverlake@mahoge.com
www.mahoge.com
www.catskillcamps.com

Bethel address:

P.O. Box 184
19 West Mitchell Street
Smallwood, NY 12778

Join our Ma-Ho-Ge group and Catskills Intercamp Games group on Facebook
Join the Camp Ma-Ho-Ge networking group on LinkedIn

One goal for the Ma-Ho-Ge site –as well as the catskillcamps.com site — is to do videotaped interviews with former campers, counselors and staff and start posting memories on these sites. Technology has made it easy for all of us to turn on the webcam, make short recordings and upload/share/email them out. So if you’d like to do a video for these sites, please keep it under two minutes so we may get a wide variety of submissions in coming years. Thanks to all for your continued support and have a great summer.

Note: Here’s a link to the blog that’s connected to www.catskillcamps.com.

Forty years later, all Mahogeans can celebrate our connection to Bethel and Woodstock.

That’s why we are having a a dinner and a movie in Manhattan set for a Saturday night in late August or early September so we can see “Taking Woodstock” which premieres August 14. The movie is about Elliot Tiber who wrote the book of the same title. Tiber’s parents owned the El Monaco Hotel in White Lake
and he was instrumental in bringing the Woodstock Festival to Bethel and changing history. ( I’ve invited Mr. Tiber to join us and, depending on the date, he said he’d try to make it.)

The movie’s official trailer via YouTube can be seen here.

Ma-Ho-Ge is expected to get some ink in an upcoming book on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. The book is already listed on Amazon.com and should be in stores June 15.

The Camp Ma-Ho-Ge Group on Facebook now has 105 members and is proving to be a great way not only to find old camp friends but to keep up with each other’s lives. It costs nothing to join so those of you on the sidelines, please get in the game and join the party.