36 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 

I

f the pandemic has played 
havoc with most business-
es, it’s thrown an oversized 
wrench into the works for 
summer camps. For those in 
Canada, like Camp Tamakwa, 
for whom U.S. kids are an 
important segment of their 
camper population, COVID19 
has been a major test.
It wasn’t long ago I thought 
I had seen it all in my 52 years 
at Tamakwa and experienced 
just about every possible sce-
nario that can happen at camp. 
That was until the pandemic 
hit and subjected Tamakwa to 
a new reality of how camp had 
to be conducted these past two 

summers. Of course, compared 
to how COVID-19 afflicted the 
entire world, most members 
of our Tamakwa community 
were fortunate to endure as 
they did. Talk about keeping 
perspective!

WHEN BORDERS CLOSED
In 2020, for the first time in my 
life since 1967, I couldn’t be at 
Tamakwa or, for that matter, 
in Canada, after public health 
authorities ordered all camps 
closed and the government shut 

the national borders. 
Despite my many years at 
Tamakwa, it still boggles my 
mind how labor-intensive it is 
to administer camp, particularly 
one as ambitious as Tamakwa, 
to achieve so many tangible and 
intangible goals. It’s ultimately 
about providing our campers 
and staff not just the best camp 
experience possible, but the best 
life experience. We must do 
everything we can so one of the 
best chapters in the book of life of 
our campers and staff will be their 
time at Tamakwa.
True to Tamakwa’s philosophy, 
we turned COVID’s negative 
situation into a positive out-
come. In 2020, with camp closed, 
owners Michael Budman and 
Diane Bald spearheaded a major 
capital improvement campaign 
to upgrade and replace many of 
camp’s facilities, infrastructure 
and equipment. 
As the 2021 season approached, 
we closely followed government 
updates on whether camps would 
be allowed to open and, if so, 
under what restrictions. With 

A Great Chapter in 
One’s Book of Life

Under unprecedented circumstances from COVID, Camp 
Tamakwa shows its real colors in overcoming challenges. 

VIC NORRIS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Where else in the world can you take a silly picture like this?

Tamakwa’s Senior 
Director Vic Norris 
and Camp Directors 
Leslie Hartsman and 
Jamie Kudlats, circa 
2003

COURTESY OF CAMP TAMAKWA

CAMP GUIDE

