What is your role at camp?
This summer I will be a CIT and a lifeguard.
When was your first year at WEHC, and who or what brought you?
My first year at WEHC was in 2016, and the thing that brought me to West End was not only my cousin Max, but also my family has had a long-lasting tradition at the camp. My dad and his brothers all went for years, and they probably had one of the best West End careers you could say. My dad had said such good things about the camp to me before I first came.
Do you have a nickname at camp?
Yup, I do! My nickname is Zandy. There’s a little backstory behind the name. It started in 2016 when my cousin Max and I were at camp, and people called me Zandelman, and my cousin Mandelman. Now it’s just Zandy, short for Zandelman.
How many years have you attended as a camper and counselor?
If we’re counting House at Home, I’ve been a camper for 7 years. I’m starting my first year as a CIT this year!
What is your first memory of camp?
My first memory… Probably when Danny Walsh took all of us in 5B on the banana boat at 5 AM on a random morning, it was awesome.
What were your favorite camp activities as a camper? What camp activities are you most excited for as a counselor?
My favorite activities as a camper were the night activities, waterfront, Desert War, and of course Color War.
What is your favorite meal in the mess hall?
Definitely the banquet buffets.
What is your favorite camp memory?
Last year’s Gottlieb trip. How could I ever forget it? We went to the Portland mall, went bowling, played at the arcade, and watched a hilarious movie. It was a great way to end my career as a camper.
What is it that keeps you coming back to WEHC?
The friends, for the most part. I’ve been with my guys for 7 years now which is crazy, and I keep going back because we always have a good time together.
Can you share a funny story from or about camp?
When a random traveler on a raft drifted over to our waterfront, climbed onto the bongo, and did backflips into the lake!
What is a favorite Color War memory you have?
My favorite Color War memory was this past summer in High Senior Football. It was just so surreal to be playing my last Color War game as a camper, and the fact that we won the game was amazing also.
What is a life lesson you learned from going to West End House Camp?
I’ve learned lots of life lessons from WEHC, one of the prominent ones being that there’s life beyond technology. At camp, you’re not allowed to have any kind of technology, such as phones, computers, etc. Since none of us had technology, we had to find other ways to entertain ourselves; some of them being playing cards, and playing board games like monopoly. We’re on a daily schedule so we’re busy for most of the day.
Steve Lepler and Bill Margolin mean a lot to so many people, how have they had an influence on your life?
Steve and Bill have both had a prominent influence on my life. Bill is one of the wisest and smartest people I know, and ever since I started going to West End we became close. My cousin and I always woke up early in the morning and went with Bill up to the ball fields on his golf cart to pick up trash, chat, and of course, give him his favorite banana tic tacs in exchange for giving us a ride. Max and I always played chess with Bill as well, and he taught both of us how to improve at the game. Steve’s influence on my life has been great as well. No matter what was going on at camp, whether it be a storm, power outage, or whatever it was, Steve was always positive. He was never in a bad mood, and always had a smile on his face no matter the circumstance.
What does it mean to be ‘one of the boys’, and how important is that to you?
Being ‘one of the boys’ in my eyes means that you are in this community where you are accepted by everyone. In my first year at West End, I got to know everyone in my bunk literally within minutes, and we’ve all become super close since then. Anyone who goes to West End is one of the boys, and no matter who you are, you’ll always have friends and be accepted by everyone there.
Can you give an example of a random West End run in or connection you’ve had outside of camp?
Outside of camp, I play video games with my friends (and counselors) on Xbox. It’s great to keep in contact with everyone throughout the year so you can get caught up on whatever it is they’re doing.
Did we miss anything you’d like to share
Nope! I think that’s all.