Interview With
Fred Lorber
Camp Choconut has a long history. It’s one of the first organized camps in America, founded in 1896. The camp ran continuously through 1954. It closed for a short period reopening in 1961. S. Hamill Horne, a previous camper and counselor ran the camp for 25 years, from 1961 through 1985. From 1985 through 2005 another camp family from the area ran Camp Susquehannok for girls. With help from Mr. Horne, a group of former campers organized the Choconut Foundation, which was founded in 1986, reopened Camp Choconut in 2007. Currently, former camper and counselor Fred Lorber is the Camp Director.
The camp resides on 40 acres in northeast Pennsylvania on the banks of Lake Choconut, a pristine, spring fed, private lake. Surrounding the immediate camp are an additional 800 plus acres of private property that the camp is allowed to wonder through and utilize as part of its programming. The Camp is three and a half hours from Philadelphia and four hours from New York City. The closest city is Binghamton, NY roughly 20 miles north of Camp Choconut. Friendsville, PA is the nearest town.
Our camp philosophy is to grow the whole boy, establish a sense of self-awareness with one’s surroundings, and develop character in a safe, secure environment – all while having fun. We teach boys new skills. Skills that help develop one’s self-esteem, fulfillment in a job well done, success and accomplishment — skills a boy will require as he moves from boyhood to manhood, from Mom and Dad’s home to college and a life beyond. By using the skills learned at Camp Choconut and developing self-confidence and assurance in oneself, boys and young men find navigating through life and making difficult choices easier and more natural. Communicating with peers and adults is easier for them. Completing tasks, stick-to-itiveness, working a little harder becomes second nature. The Camp Choconut boy leaves camp each summer feeling confident about himself, knowing he has the skills to tackle the next year at school or the difficult time on a sports team, or problems at home with parents or siblings, or that neighborhood bully that just will not leave him alone.
Camp Choconut specializes in teaching outdoor living skills; pocket knife use and safety, hatchet use and safety, fire building techniques and safety, knot tying, shelter building, hiking and camping. All of this is done within our unique program and all while having fun. Our teaching is cumulative and the boys build upon the skills they previously were taught. The program works well with returning boys as they get to improve upon their previously learned skills and incorporate them into even more complex skills.
In addition to the teaching of outdoor living skills, the Camp Choconut summer is filled with swimming and canoeing, fishing and nature activities, wood shop and small construction projects, a variety of sporting activities, overnight hikes, multi-day hikes and more. In addition to all these exciting activities, Big Games are incorporated into the daily routine. Big games are camp-wide games that usually take up a morning or afternoon. Some can take a full day or more. The purpose of the games, besides having fun, is to teach the boys how to find their way in the woods and to develop a kind of teamwork not found in typical athletics. The most revered game of the summer is the Villa Hunt. The Villa Hunt is a three-day game of cops and rubbers or hide and seek played in the woods surrounding the camp. The Villa Hunt is based on the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa and his escapades. The Hunt began in 1916, a year before the United States entered the First World War and has been played at Camp Choconut every year since.
Camp Choconut runs two sessions, a six-week session and a concurrent four-week session. Both sessions begin on June 22. The four-week session runs until July 22nd and the six-week session runs until August 3rd. Our 4-week session fee is $3,950. Our 6-week session is $4,950.
As a camp accredited by the American Camp Association™, Camp Choconut is required to follow a set of guidelines regarding staffing. Most central to our staff is in the health facilities. Camp Choconut maintains an on-site health professional throughout the summer. Key staff are the cabin counselors. Generally, we have a camper/counselor ratio of 5:1 or 6:1 while at times it can be as low as a 4:1 ratio. Our selection process for new staff can be quite arduous. New staff are not only required to apply either online or off line, and must also present three written references either from professionals, teachers or clergy. In addition, for new staff 18 years of age or older, Camp Choconut is required to fulfill both a background check and sex-offender background check. We take staff selection most seriously.
Of all the questions asked thus far, this is probably the most important. As the Camp Director, I know how difficult it can be to put one’s trust in complete strangers to take care of one’s child. I understand the reservations some parents have of letting their child go away, to a new place, for up to six-weeks. It can be a very difficult decision. Each parent asks themselves the same questions, “Will my child be safe?” “Will my child have fun?” “Will my child be able to cope with being away from home or will he be homesick?” These are real concerns, and I do not take them lightly. First, allow me to say that I am always accessible to discuss any concern or issue a parent may have. And if I have a concern or issue concerning a child, I will not hesitate to contact the parent for further discussion. There is no doubt in my mind the Camp Choconut camper will have the time of his life while at Choconut. We take fun seriously. What we take even more seriously is the well being of the child. Our counseling staff goes through a week or more of training prior to the start of camp. This involves risk assessment and risk management as well as dealing with homesickness. In addition, each counselor is required to complete an extensive online training course developed by Dr. Chris Thurber, a board-certified clinical psychologist and father. Parents can read more about Dr. Thurber and Expert online Training at its Web site www.expertonlinetraining.com.Camp Choconut has a long history full of rich traditions and exciting new experiences. We find creative and entertaining ways to educate and challenge each boy, every day. We accomplish this through our Leadership Development program intertwined with our daily program. Its aim is to instill in each boy a sense of who he is in relationship to others; how his actions effect himself and others; to find the inner strength and desire to better himself; to develop a sense of empathy; to become a unique individual while becoming a better social citizen; all of this in a fun and safe environment.
Open enrollment begins December 1st of this year and runs through May 28th, 2013. We offer early enrollment discounts. For enrolling prior to January 15th we offer a 10% discount and after January 15th and prior to February 15th we offer a 5% discount. We also offer scholarships for those families that may require help with tuition.
Camp Choconut offers a unique experience. Its rich traditions, some over 100 years old, its time tested programs and its surrounding wilderness can offer boys and young men experiences that they will carry with them their whole lives. Our program is designed to offer each age group its own unique experiences. Younger boys go through a right-of-passage that older boys do not, middle-year boys are capable of learning new skills and go on longer hikes, while older boys and young men incorporate their age and skill set in ways that help push their limits a little and develop their leadership skills. All boys are provided with opportunities to achieve those small successes that help develop one’s self-esteem. Camp Choconut strives to close the gap between feeling lost and unsure of oneself in today’s world to self-confidence, self-reliance and integrity. By using the skills learned at Camp Choconut and developing self-confidence and assurance in oneself, boys and young men find navigating through life and making difficult choices easier and more natural. Communicating with peers and adults in his life seems easier for him. Completing tasks, stick-to-itiveness, working a little harder becomes second nature.
Parents can contact me, Fred Lorber, the camp director directly by calling (651) 338 – 3042. Parents may also go to our Web site at www.campchoconut.com. There they can read more about the camp as well as request more information or contact.
