Monthly Archives: October 2014

Alumni News

John “Flash” Flaschner

This past June over Father’s Day weekend, I had the opportunity to travel with my son, Robert (Flash), to Dyersville, Iowa – the actual setting where the iconic “Field of Dreams” was filmed, for the movie’s 25th anniversary celebration. Robert and I have watched the movie dozens of times over the years; it’s our favorite and one that we have fond memories of watching together. So to actually be standing on the field in Iowa, alongside Kevin Costner and watching Robert play in a softball game on that very field, was extremely surreal.

At the end of this truly memorable weekend together, I dropped Robert off at Robin Hood for his seventh summer and first as a first year aide with the Lancers. Being back at camp made me think about how similar the experience of seeing the movie set come to life is with going back to RH and “re-living” so many extraordinary experiences. My legacy with Robin Hood began in 1927 when my grandfather was with Andy when camp was founded, and the best summers of my life were spent in the White Mountains. I made many lifelong friendships, and am proud to have grown up with Woody, DC and Sol, and we remain friends to this day.

Sitting in the grandstands, the smell of the boat house, seeing the daddy long-legs under the canoes, walking into the office will make you feel as if you’ve never left this special place. While the traditions of camp are exactly the same, you’d be amazed to see how great the Realm looks today. If you haven’t been back to camp since your own days, I urge you to consider making the pilgrimage sometime soon.

For all of us alumni, Robin Hood is our Field of Dreams.

Emily Schorr and Andrew Arnot

Like all Camp Robin Hood alumni, The Realm holds a very special place in our hearts. And, as the alma matter so accurately says, it’s the friends from camp and lifelong bonds that mean the most to us.

When camp brought us together during the summer of 2006, both Andrew and I had close-knit groups of camp friends. Because of our relationship that group has grown not only in size but also in strength, and a significant contributor to this is living in New York where there is a “solid crew” of Hooders. We’ve played on a CRH volleyball team (shard rules apparently don’t exist outside of The Realm), held Sunday staff meetings at a local bar, and organized a charity softball game in Central Park where the proceeds were used to send two kids of a fallen veteran to camp. We’ve even attempted to recreate classic camp meals like uterus chicken and oreo mush. These activities and events have, and continue to bring together generations of CRH alumni in a fun setting where spouses and children can meet and become part of the camp family.

In addition to participating in out of camp activities, being able to come up for Green & White every summer is something Andrew and I are fortunate to be able to do. Spending a few short days each year in The Realm is a privilege we look forward to year after year and seeing the REALM sign on Ossippee Lake Road and turning into camp is an indescribable feeling that we’re sure many of you are familiar with. Not only does Green & White connect us to the current campers and staff, it allows us to relive the memories we’ve shared with friends and also create new ones.

We are so lucky to call Camp Robin Hood our home, and even luckier to share such a great group of friends that feel the same way.

Hello Robin Hood Alumni!

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Summer 2014 has officially come to a close and we wanted to keep you updated about all the excitement in The Realm.

This summer we had a record number of campers from across the world attending camp. Each group meshed together perfectly and we could not have asked for a better turnout.

Every day at camp was jam packed with activities. This summer, each camper had the opportunity to participate in 3 weeks of intensives. The goal of intensives is to provide each camper with the ability to both participate in an activity that he/she enjoys on a daily basis and to become more capable and confident in the chosen endeavor. Campers who participate in scholastic extra-curricular or recreational programs benefit greatly from this instruction.

Robin Hood partnered with our alumni base to provide free camp for children of veterans. We want to extend a big thanks to everyone that attended Green and White in Central Park and helped make this possible. The kids had a wonderful first summer and we hope to see them back next year.

A highlight of the summer was heading to Ogunquit Beach with the entire camp. Staff and campers swam in the cold water, played on the beach, and enjoyed delicious food on the boardwalk.

The 2014 Color War was a huge success! We had over 45 alumni join us throughout the week and judge the neck-to-neck Green and White race. In the end, the Green Heroes were victorious with a 249 point lead over the White Mafia. Sam Jonas, Mel Cohn, Emily Howard and Ben Castleman were outstanding Staff Captains and will be great additions to the Most Honorable Judges.

After a fantastic summer, we are already in the planning stages for a major camp expansion. As we write this letter, workers are seeding the parking lot in preparation for a second camp quad. There are also plans drawn up for an expansion of the Arts and Crafts Shack and Senior Waterfront. We are also renovating three bathrooms in Girls Camp with the addition of four showers. To top it off, there may even be a great surprise for the red garage… details to be revealed at a later date.

We feel fortunate to have had so many alumni visit camp this summer. We loved going through old yearbooks, locating past and present RH campers, and hearing about the memories formed at camp. Our campers truly appreciated the kind words alumni shared with us in the Dining Hall. We are blown away by the impact Robin Hood has had on each and every one of you. Again, we are just the gatekeepers of Robin Hood – this is YOUR camp. Please continue to come back and share your memories with us.

Best,

DC and Woody