1989... Thirty Years Ago... The Jened Experience
30 years ago. As I prepare this morning for another week at the Oklahoma Youth Leadership Forum, I make sure I’ve packed the memories of 30 years ago at Camp Jened. Thirty years ago, this summer (1989 for those who dislike math as much as me), was as one of the best summers of my life. Thirty years ago, during the fall semester of college, I had switched my major to Special Education. As the school year progressed, I wanted to do something different and yet I still wanted to work at summer camp. My college hosted a “Camp Fair,” and invited summer camps from the US to our campus to recruit camp counselors. There were a few that attracted me. I remember one that offered air conditioning in their cabins. I visited with a few of the camps there, especially Camp Jened in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. The Camp Director, Gary Baker, was there personally. We visited for a while and the more he talked, the more intrigued I became. I did have to c...