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TL’s Russell Horowitz Attains Pathfinder Status with a Waterfront Pavilion Project

By Adair Arbor and Jarod Wunneburger

“Going big” on epic challenges is part of Timberlake’s culture and its legacy. Nowhere is this element more plainly seen than in its ratings system, which allows campers to choose to pursue bonus challenges in various activity areas to test their skills. At the very apex of the traditional Ratings system is the mystical, nearly unachievable level: the legendary Pathfinder. About once a decade, a brave, dedicated camper reaches this goal, and this year, we are proud to welcome Russell Horowitz to the TL Pathfinder level!

What does it take to achieve Pathfinder? To start, it takes dedication from practically day one. To be eligible to become a Pathfinder, a camper must first achieve every other rating possible in every single activity area. With six activity areas and a beginner, intermediate, and expert rating possible for every activity, this is a years-long commitment. “The camper really has to set out to take this on as a nine-year-old,” says Jarod “W” Wunneberger, Timberlake director. 

Once moving through all of the ratings, the potential Pathfinder must complete an epic capstone project that serves the community. These projects are ultimately anonymous--not signed or noted in any way—and they are often very important elements of Timberlake’s infrastructure that thousands of campers go on to enjoy. A few examples of Pathfinder projects at TL include the stairs in Ken’s Lodge and Ziggurat, the seating in front of the Upper Lodge. 

Russell Horowitz, now 15, was one of those extra special campers with his eyes on the prize from the start. He came for full summers, committed to completing every rating. Back in summer of 2022, he spoke to W about his desire to complete his Pathfinder project, and the planning began. W suggested that what camp needed most was a waterfront project. Russell and his dad came out last May to walk the property with Jay Kullman, Sustainable Resource Director, and they settled on a plan to create a waterfront pavilion. 

Russell came out in June to get started with his project while summer staff were still in training. Over the course of the summer, he disassembled an unusable cabin at the edge of the lake and transformed it into a covered platform with no walls to provide a gathering space for waterfront time. 

Jon Schoder, an F&W alumnus, served as Russell’s guide this summer in his pursuit of Pathfinder. Schoder rearranged his whole summer in order to be on-site, in Russel’s cabin, as his mentor and coach, helping him work through road bumps and schedule work times. 

Russell poured his heart and soul into his work, all summer long, through storms and a major flood and through the norovirus outbreak. By the end of the summer, he was left with only one final step: to attach metal roofing, which was on backorder. Timberlake celebrated his major accomplishment as a community in a beautiful closing ceremony, and he made plans to come back to camp for a day in November to finish the roof. Schoder some Timberlake staff, and campers joined him on November 10th to work and celebrate as the final pieces were placed: the old cabin plaques from the original Wolves cabin. 

Now, during general swim, campers will be able to come together in the pavilion as they dry off from a dip in Woodward Reservoir. It will be a great rainy day space, which we learned this summer is crucial! Opportunities for future ratings-related projects will be opened because of the pavilion as well, like building furniture for the gathering space, or adding more intricate woodwork to the railings. 

We are so proud of Russell for staying committed to his goal through extra-challenging circumstances, and so thankful to John Schoder for serving as his advocate and cheerleader. Russel’s hard work and dedication will now continue to serve the Timberlake community for many years. 

Russell now joins the very short list of legendary TL Pathfinders! 

Other known Pathfinders include: 

Philip Berkman

Benjamin Botvinick

David Edward

Marc Hempel

Julian Jonas

Michael Lowenthal

John Palmer

Philip Resor

Michael Warburton

Daniel Wolfson (who visited TL this summer!)

Dear Farm & Wilderness Community,

The heart of Farm & Wilderness has always been our connection to each other AND to the land, water, and wildlife that surrounds us. This summer served as a poignant reminder of just how vital these connections are to our well-being. We are not separate from the natural world; we are an integral part of it. This truth has never been more apparent, and it underscores the significance of the work we do at camp and in our conservation initiatives.  

Perhaps you have read the Surgeon General's spring report on what has now been named “the loneliness epidemic”, and the healing effects of social connection and community. While growing up has always had its challenges, kids today are more likely to feel weighed down by the weight of the world. Farm & Wilderness aims to be a place where our young folks can shed some of that heaviness--reconnect with themselves, make new friendships, and forge deeper connections with the natural world.

When reading through camper feedback this summer, it was striking how often they--or their parents or caretakers--cited the opportunity to build friendships as the most valuable part of their time at camp. In a world where making meaningful human connections has become harder to do, at camp there's time and space to form and nurture relationships.  

Our 200+ staff members play a pivotal role in making camp happen under any and all circumstances. Their resourcefulness, adaptability, and resiliency make camp happen. Our staff model these vital life skills for each other and our campers, who, in turn build their own skills.  I watch this happen every day of camp.

The Great Flood of 2023 and the norovirus outbreak during Session 2 this summer reminded us how interdependent we are (and not just on Interdependence Day!). While our camps themselves weathered the storms and flood, the public and private roads, trails, waterbodies, and local businesses we rely on to make camp happen were damaged--some beyond repair. 

Operating camp seamlessly is far from a given. It requires dedication, hard work, and a collective effort from the F&W community--our staff, camp families and campers, alumni, and neighbors and friends. I find inspiration in the resilience of our community and our shared passion for joyful play, purposeful work, and rugged outdoor  living.

At its quarterly meeting in early November, our Leadership Team and Board of Trustees made the incredibly difficult decision to pause summer programming at Flying Cloud and Red Spruce Grove for summer 2024. Acknowledging the complexity and fragility of our operations is crucial to ensuring quality, sustainable camp programs in the future, and this decision was part of that process. Over the coming months, a team of stakeholders including FC/RSG alums, staff, and trustees will be working together to relaunch these programs in alignment with our goals and values. You can learn more about this decision and share your feedback with us here. 

As we look to the future, I want to thank our community for its active engagement. I encourage those who love Farm & Wilderness but who may be loving us from afar to move on in!. Consider returning as a seasonal staff member, sharing a special skill as a staff "guest star", offering philanthropic support, or recommending our camps to other families. Together we can continue to provide transformative experiences for young people and foster a deep connection to the natural world. Let's move forward with hope, resilience, and the belief that what we do makes a difference.

With gratitude and optimism,

Frances McLaughlin, Executive Director, Farm & Wilderness

NPR Shines A Spotlight on the Unique Role of Boys' Camp in Fostering Healthy Relationships

By Adair Arbor and Jarod Wunneburger

Months before camp, Timberlake Director Jarod “W” Wunneburger received an important email. It was NPR, and they were looking for a boy’s camp to participate in a story about male friendship. In the context of rising mental health issues in teen boys, and an uptick in violence perpetrated by young men, NPR wanted to explore the special role of summer camp and how it facilitates healthy relationships in young boys. 

Among many potential camps, Timberlake was ultimately chosen to be the focus of their story.  

“I’ve got this idea that TL’s focus on boys and non-binary campers facilitating relationships—being okay with hugging, being okay with silence, the no-competition culture we have—all of those things are pretty special and pretty rare,” says W. “NPR choosing us is an indicator that we are doing something unique and valuable here.”

F&W negotiated extensively with NPR to make sure this project would be a good fit, with appropriate boundaries and the use of small cameras and mikes to make filming as unobtrusive as possible. Clear lines were set around privacy, including no filming of silent meeting, in intimate spaces like kybos, and setting up a hand signal that kids and staff could use to politely say, “Please don’t film me right now.” 

Together, TL and NPR chose a theme and key moments to feature. They decided to focus on Rangers, the 14-year-olds at TL, who are making the most of their last summer at camp, working through some “senior year angst”, and on the cusp of a major transition to high school. 

During staff training, the NPR director, producers and camera person came out to get to know the staff and start building real relationships with no cameras in sight. They helped out with chores and became part of the TL community for a few days. During camp, they did the same with campers—joining in on meals, swimming in the lake, and just observing life at TL without any recording devices. “It was important that they were really part of camp, not just interlopers coming to film and then leave,” W explains. “They invested in really solid relationships with kids and staff so that the cameras didn’t impact the experience as much as if they had just shown up to film.”

The parts that they did film were poignant. They interviewed some of the Rangers, their counselors, and W twice. The second time they caught him off-guard on departure day with the simple question, “What does Timberlake mean to you?” “I cried,” he said, “but I won’t tell you what I said, because I’m hoping folks will tune into the documentary and find out!” He laughed. “What’s so amazing about the whole thing is that we as an organization have been working strategically on how to share the story of F&W and Timberlake with the wider world. This could go out there and reach an audience of folks who aren’t familiar with F&W, who might realize because of this that we are the camp their son or non-binary child needs—that’s pretty powerful, at a time when it feels like masculinity is being redefined. I believe Timberlake has a role to play in that, as an antidote to the Andrew Tates of the world. They are going to redefine masculinity as something harmful if we let them. TL is a place where we can define masculinity positively and fight against that toxicity. I feel pretty strongly about that.”

We can’t wait to hear their story!