Yes, we have been at Timbercrest for over 25 years now. We did have one hiatus in 2007 when the camp went through a major revamp and occupancy certificates were late in coming, so….the YMCA was kind enough to let us use Camp Onyasha on Chautauqua Lake with very short notice. It is a gorgeous camp with a beautiful log lodge overlooking the lake. Timbercrest was home, and the next year we returned to continue our program. Many of the activities of Wolf Creek are still being done today. Mr. Molyneaux’s canoes are supervised by Dave Waugh with a few kayaks thrown in the mix. Mr. Smith’s archery area is now equipped with compound bows and 3-D targets. Mr. Piatt’s compass class is still a tradition, but augmented with GPS units and still taught by Mr. Piatt. Amy Enos still sees that a letter gets home from camp. and yes, The Pit and the Pendulum is still the Wednesday night movie! The Ecology Book still has many of the original pages with some deletions and additions. Most would recognize it as similar to their own.

We continue to rely on additional support staff from a variety of sources. You may recognize some of these volunteers: Vicki Greene Schmitt, Gary Swetland, Gene Rogers, Steve Hadzicki, Dave Shelc, Jim and Bernice Pierson, Boyd Fitzsimmons, Tim Panus, Dan Carrier, Pam Dominski, Alex Cole, Catt County Alcohol and Substance Abuse group, Josh Haynes, Mike and Chrissy Matz, Charlie Backus, Sierra Beaver, Jean Bantelman and more to come…

Andy Molyneaux, a senior counselor in 1991, returned for a second full week of camp in 1996 - working as a roustabout. In 2019, 2 new presenters spent the day as camp staff. Mr. John Ruska (Mr. Piatt's HS English teacher and coach) presented programs on NYS blue birds. He later helped us establish a bluebird trail around camp. Mr. Steve Burtz, a local arborist, spent the day instructing on the use of "keys" for tree identification.

We continue to compete in the kickball tourney, and campfires burn most nights with Amy Enos at the front in Mr. Molyneaux’s place. “Junior Birdmen” and “Amster, Amster, dam, dam, dam,” “Sam, the Lavatory Man,” “Wishy Washy Washerwoman” are still favorites, old and new! I have been fortunate to move into the job description of storyteller - spinner of tall tales which are mostly true including Pete Molyneaux’s “Golden Arm.” Do you remember “Albie Closser,” “The Water Ghost of Duesenbury Mansion” or “Boss Hog and the Zippo lighter?” We still do a pizza pig-out on Thursday night and Camp Olympics on Friday before we leave.

How fortunate we have been to think of the hundreds of kids who have safely spent a week at camp and returned with most of their body parts intact. The safe returns are not an accident and much prep goes into health and safety. Our waterfronts are always supervised by certified guards and directors. Thank you so much Jim Molyneaux, Mary Kay Gethicker (Erhardt), Linda Scott, Chris Hadzicki, Dave Waugh, Beth Colligan, Chuck Hild, and most recently, Libby Stanton for making sure we always had water activities. The first aid/meds responsibility have become full time and have been for quite awhile. Kudos and recognition to so many of you who gave of your time and expertise: Mary McCoy, Jean Feely, Sally Kayes, Laurna Kellog, Rick Scheiterly and Dr Becky Scheiterly, Penny Milne, Joy Wojciechowski, Joyce Stuckey, Wendy Eaton, John Eaton (camper, senior counselor and nurse) and Angela (Martin) Emley (almost a full-time staffer now, ten years and counting). Your TLC over the years has touched us all.

You can see the success of this adventure is truly a community effort. It does take a village to do whatever… I would also like to acknowledge a few of the corporate operations in the area that have been such a part of our success: Olean Wholesale, Mahar Service Stores, Bernie Baldwin’s River Valley Farms, Reid’s Food Barn, Wendy’s and the local McDonalds, and Slocum Archery. I should also mention our school cafeteria and transportation department for all the contributions they have made with their expertise and willingness to help. No lost luggage either, at least not on their part!

Fifty years are complete and the 50th was another success.! The week was typical of most camp weeks as we had weather, campfires, classes, great food, memorable times and so many activities. New staff this year included Paula Brooks, former camper, who was in charge of the kitchen and meals. Her biggest challenge was keeping husband Bill in check and busy ! Jason Luther is the new 6th grade math teacher and had a fine year in the classroom. Outdoors at camp was even better. What a great addition to our staff of dedicated teachers. We were not sure about our last staffer, camp nurse Angie Emley, not new but dealing with some healing of her own. What an inspiration to us all !

Our 50th was celebrated with a few presentations, wonderful memories and cupcakes for all. We established a new bluebird trail on the grounds using houses built by this year’s 6th graders. Each was laser printed with PCS Ecology Camp, 50 yrs 1969-2019, a product of our new STEM lab facility. Thank you Lynn Corder ! 

Guess no one expected the year after our 50th, 2020, to become a lost camp year.  COVID-19 was the culprit that took the potential memories of a lifetime from the class of 2026.  We tried to come up with alternatives, but schedules and opportunities did not permit.  Like too many other losses we will try to put this one behind us.

I would like to mention at this point the gratitude we have for those staff members who have kept this program viable and moving, especially the directors.  After the retirements of the Jims, Dave Waugh took over as director.  Dave handled the job in “Waugh” fashion and kept us going.  Dave’s early and tragic death left us leaderless.  Mikki Cole, 6th grade science teacher, stepped up to the numerous responsibilities of the position handling the job beautifully.  Her recent retirement in 2022 opened the spot one more time.   Seems 6th grade science is a good fit as Jason Luther moved into the role.  Jason just completed his first year as director and things went well except for the weather.  These individuals did not work alone so I mention the name Amy Enos (Kuzak).   Amy was never a director per se but served as a “co-director” to Piatt, Waugh, Cole and Luther.   She has been of great service to the Ecology Program and has the distinction of being the 2nd longest tenured staff member to serve the students of PCS at camp!  Thank you to all who have been a part of this program’s success!

I must mention with sadness at this point the recent loss of an original camp staffer and 6th grade teacher, Mr. Marv Smith.  Marv was on the first trip to Wolf Creek and continued until he retired in 2002. Much of Marv’s time at camp was spent at the archery range where he supervised hundreds of would be “Robin Hoods.”  For that reason, we have designated the range “The Mr. Marv Smith Memorial Archery Range”.   A bit of a side note:  None of this year’s campers knew of Marv as they weren’t even born until well after his retirement 20 some years before.  However, we did take a picture at the newly named range with any camper who had a parent, or grandparent or both at camp before.   Forty-eight campers are in that picture from just this group.   What a tribute!

In the first three years beyond COVID-19, camp has survived, morphed a bit but kept the flavor of the original outings.  2021 saw a “staycation” at the school.  We met for flag ceremonies at the circle, ate breakfast together in the Jean Feely facility, and filled the days with action.  Groups were kayaking on the river, traveling to Stoney Brook SP for hiking and swimming, doing various lessons from their Ecology booklets.  Our evenings were filled with dinner, guest speakers, and traditional night activities.  The movie “The Pit and the Pendulum” was viewed yet one more time, campfire songs by Amy with skits and more songs were entertainment and fire ended with one more of Mr. Piatt’s “true” stories!  The campers did not sleep over but returned to school the next morning for a repeat of the day before.   Our senior staffers were not assigned groups as in the past but were a great help in supervising and aiding in the care and feeding of eighty 6th graders!   No volunteer was turned away and the list is too long to mention each.  A sincere thank you to all who had a part in making our 51st a success.   A special thank you to Mike Mohr.   Mike was a former camper with skill in metal fabricating.  He presented us with a beautiful steel fire ring, a total surprise.  The ring has scenic cutouts and PCS Ecology around the circumference.  It is gorgeous when backlit by a campfire!   Another local name that should be mentioned here is Cory German.  Mr. German has been very generous in seeing that our wood supplies for these fires has been plentiful.  He even delivers!

2022 found us back at Camp Timbercrest for a full week of camp fun and activities.  It was a return too long in coming.   Some returning staff included Paula and Bill Brooks in the kitchen, Jean Bantelman, roustabout for the week and Kip Morrow at the chicken pits and pizza ovens for our pig out!   We have had two new faces in the nurse’s cabin over the last two years.   Renee Diebler and Val Caskey, both experienced and recently retired nurses, provided excellent medical care to our 6th graders.  We still miss Angie Martin in that spot, but these ladies have stepped up and served us well.   (One in 2022 and one in 2023)

Some of the memorable moments of this first year back would include the capture and release of some huge largemouth bass (more than one), the discovery of a Gaga Pit (you have to see the game to know the game) and the retirement of Mrs. Mikki Cole.  We had a surprise party, and every camper and staffer had a T-shirt to celebrate the day.  She promised to return for the week next year!

Heading into the Luther years saw the addition of two new staff members.  Sixth grade teachers (husband and wife) Scott and Kassie Bauer joined us for the full week.   It was actually Kassie’s second trip to Timbercrest as she is a camp alum (she’s a Miller)!  They have been a very welcome team to both our regular teaching staff and camp contributors.  2023 brought about a few new twists to the program: a double elimination kickball tourney, week long Olympic events and all campers in nicer digs (campsites with metal storm flys and yurts!  Flush toilets and hot showers were the order of the day.  We did miss the fish hike and slip- n- slide but we filled the time with many other activities.  Classes in blue bird house const., orienteering, GPS geo caching, archery, boondoggling, kayaking, fishing, arts-n-crafts and our forever letter home are still the mainstay of our teaching days thru Thursday.   Mr. Luther’s rookie year was a good one despite the rain.    Watch out 2nd fifty, we’re coming for ya!   Oh yes, Mrs. Cole and Mr. Piatt both came back.

      We recently celebrated the 55^th anniversary of Ecology Camp.  Guess this would be a good time to update the current status of that activity.  There are a few changes, but basic format has been successful and continues to provide long lasting memories to students and staff.  Our biggest change has been moving our Olympic competition to Thursday afternoon.  This gives much needed time to fitting in land and water events with kickball finals after dinner.   Friday morning pack and leave is so much easier.

     We still begin every day with a flag ceremony and breakfast.  Our class schedule starts at 8:30 and runs through the morning followed by a rec period and lunch.   Quiet time is for all to relax before a couple more afternoon classes. Many of the class topics are carryovers from our very first years.     Students rotate through activities like orienteering, fishing, canoes and kayaking, boondoggling, archery, and assorted outdoor recreational activities.  These activities are supplemented with topics like birdhouse construction, bee keeping, snakes and insect presentation, taxidermy and hunting presentations.  

     We continue to encourage guest instructors and presenters.  Professor Von Scales, Chad Edwards, has educated us in the area of insects and snakes!  Alex Cole and beagle Molly, Chad Faulkner and Kip Morrow are becoming longtime regulars.  Kip brings in the chicken and a crew of family and friends to prepare a long-standing tradition of bar-B-Q .  This year the Morrows provided the chicken as a donation to help cover rising food costs in the kitchen.  They would like to challenge other families or groups to consider other meals for financial sponsorship.  The students are responsible for a $30 fee to help with expenses that are basically covered by a variety of school budget areas.  Costs continue to rise!

     Local help is still appreciated as exampled by Mike Layton with his donations of bait to keep our fisher folk active for a week.  We also received a ping pong table for our recreational use from former camper, Scott Piatt.  It was well used and busy every rec period.  These are just a couple examples of the type of long time support we have had from the community over the years.  It was and is greatly appreciated.

     Staffing continues to be fairly consistent with 6^th grade teachers as the mainstay, Jason Luther, director, Amy Enos, senior member, Kassie and Scott Bauer, sort of new-bees and great additions to this group.  Other support staff include Anne Mitchel, Norm Glover, Charlie Backus, Dillon Burton, Kathy Studley, Lynn Corder, Brian Crawford, Amanda Luther, Monica Pascucci, Mikki Cole, former director and yours truly.  Some of this help was for the day but many stayed for longer periods. Paula and Bill Brooks continue to provide expertise in kitchen while Val Caskey served as nurse for all of us. I hesitate to do these lists as someone is almost always left out.  My apologies to those. Need to give special thanks to Cassie Bauer for her extra efforts in becoming proficient with the GPS units and establishing 10 geocache locations for the campers to track down.  

      We did have a large contingent of senior counselors who are the mainstay of many supervision needs, especially during recreational times and campsite times.   This year’s group was up to the challenge and served their duties very well. Our special thanks to each of them.

A special thank you is in order for our Tech department at PCS, specifically Wan Leong and Mike Torrey.  They have been instrumental is seeing that this history is maintained online for the community to access.  I just give them the stuff and they make it appear!

Much like dessert at camp, I have saved the best for last. My task is not yet complete and I will continue to make an effort to see that all of the senior counselors are listed in this history. Without the willingness of such great young adults we could never have attempted such an undertaking. They are certainly part of the village and a big part of this history.