New Jersey's Camp Sussex Provided a Fun Summer Experience for All

Hard to believe I talk of Camp Sussex in the past tense, but our final summer season as we knew it was 2005. I am uncertain was is going to happen to the land, but it is apparently still in the hands of the Camp Sussex Board of Directors, headed by Brandon Steiner of Steiner Sports Marketing.

I started with the camp when I was around eleven. I loved it from the beginning. I'm still connected with the Alumni Association, and we still see each other on occasion. Nothing organized that I know of, just occasional run-ins with each other in the oddest of places. There are so many of us it's hard to miss each other.

Who could forget David M? The ping-pong champion of the camp? One of the biggest attractions was Alan M and his sister Andrea. But especially Alan. When I went to an Alumni meeting I thought someone was playing a hoax on me when I saw his name on the registrar.

The most remembrances of the camp happened in the early 1970s for me. I thought of it so highly I even shot a film there in 1973. Too bad no one I knew of drew any fine art. Those canvases would be much sought after by a lot of people right now.

There were so many people. How about Fred L. who brought up that 100 proof rocket fuel of his at the Allman Brothers Band laden parties? He wouldn't let anyone drink it straight; he made sure it was mixed with something such as orange juice or purple bug juice before he let any of us go near it.

There were so many antics happening at the Camp. How about the time the Francy brothers got mad at our head chef Alzie and buried his pots in the woods? Need I tell you those pots are still missing to this day. The meals were very good despite the still missing pots. I don't know if they were kosher, but I know there was no non-kosher food served at the camp. Perhaps the preparation was a bit skewed, so the ultra-orthodox wouldn't eat it at times.

The summer season was divided up into three sessions. Three weeks, three weeks, then the final two week teen trip. Although I had a car as I had then received my drivers' license for the first time, I used to love escorting the children up on the bus ride to camp. We all met at some location point, in or near a building in Manhattan. I don't remember where. Perhaps there were two procedures. And as campers they used to give us a list of necessities. Toothbrush, toothpaste, flashlight, raincoat, postcards with stamps in order to write home, dungarees, white pants and a blue shirt, a couple of bathing suits, a pillow, and a suitcase or trunk needed to carry these in. Oh there were a few other knick-nacks demanded for us creatures of comfort.

There were daytime activities galore. Archery, horseback riding, pioneering, ceramics, arts & crafts, softball, basketball (I wish I had taken more of that), tag football, swimming, boating, canoeing, theatre play, and a whole host of others.

Then when I was a camper there was the legend of "Cropsey" who was the nighttime monster. Sometimes as the story was being told right in the middle Cropsey burst into the bunk covered in gray sheets and make-up and needless to say it was all over at that point.

I must tell you that if you're a camp counselor yourself, the best way to put your campers to bed at night is to read to them. Just read anything. The Bible, a comic book, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Frost, anything. You will be surprised how fast your monotone will put them to sleep. No matter how hyper, they will be put to sleep. And you know how hyper young, talkative campers are. Before you start, you can even tip your hand and tell them "as soon as I start reading you are all going to be put to sleep in 15 seconds" and they'll all collectively laugh at you and doubt you. But in the morning you can remind them what happened.

You'd be surprised how many famous people came up through the ranks of our beloved Camp Sussex. To name a few Mel Brooks and Lousie Lasser. Gabe Kaplan as well. In fact, Gabe came up and did a photo op for the New York Daily News! When they had a Centerfold section this event appeared in it the next day. Also Alex Winter who plays opposite Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is an alumni of Camp Sussex. So is Rana Ross Of Blessed Memory of the all-female rock group Vixen.

So many memories, so little time. The parts I loved the most were down by the waterfront, on campus, off campus, outings to the Playboy Club in Vernon, New Jersey (what a word apart that was.) Herbie the Caretaker, his wife and his guns in every room of his house, his car, his dog. Also the Administration Building, the Social Hall, Wendy L and her brother Ed, Charlie, Eddie, Howie, John S, the Big Figs, Kenny K, Elise, Rhonda L, the Ox, Jimmy C, Hal B, Diane C and her brother Alan the photographer, Beverly B, Robert S, Wayne K, the entire kitchen crew and Jeffery Halpern. All you camp old timers know exactly what I'm talking about.

It's a different atmosphere today. Our beloved Camp isn't coming back. For instance there are streetlamps now erected on Route 565, our main access road. That alone ends any chance of things being the way they were ever again at Camp. We have great memories of Camp Sussex in our hearts, and that is where they are going to stay.