Jay Jacobs
Experience An Adventure
Celebrating his 41st year at the helm of Timber Lake Camp, a seven-week sleepaway summer camp in New York, owner and director Jay Jacobs says the magic he felt when he was a camper is still there.
“It’s the camaraderie, the friendships and the things you end up experiencing at camp that you never thought you’d do,” he says.
Serving ages 7-16, Timber Lake Camp sits on a stunning mountaintop surrounded by 500 acres in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Campers come from all over the country and the world.
The co-ed camp, with separate boys’ and girls’ campuses, offers a wide variety of activities. Waterfront activities include a massive waterslide along one of the camp’s two lakes and a water trampoline. Adventure courses include ziplining, a climbing wall and a high-ropes course.
Athletics classes range from flag football, soccer and gymnastics to roller hockey and golf. Long-running popular electives include radio, television and sports broadcasting.
“We have waterskiing and boating, fishing, cooking, theater, macramé weaving and painting,” Jacobs says.
All that is in addition to the fun of sleeping in cabins, participating in special events and making lifelong friends.
Jacobs and his wife, Mindy, director of the girls’ campus, are active and present in the day-to-day life at the camp.
What sets Timber Lake apart is the camp’s culture and core values that teach children how to have fun and learn in a positive and respectful environment.
“Our STARFISH program stands for sportsmanship, tolerance, appreciation, respect, friendship, integrity, sensitivity and helpfulness,” Jacobs says. “Those are the virtues we promote all summer long, whether on a ballfield or in daily interaction. Our camp mission is to teach children the skills of making and keeping friends while building their self-esteem, self-confidence and resilience.”
To make it a seamless transition for campers from South Florida, Timber Lake arranges flights for campers out of Palm Beach International Airport. Staff members meet them at the airport and join them on the flight.
Out-of-state and international campers arrive a day early to get acclimated and meet one another. This year’s camp will be held June 27 to Aug. 15.
Timber Lake Camp is located at 354 Timber Lake Road, Shandaken, New York. For more information, call 845-688-2266 or visit timberlakecamp.com.
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