The staff at camp has been extremely varied this year. Many old-timers left after last year, namely Bob Heilbronner, Ed Fried, Josh Taxman, Barry Schulman, and Carl Bassewitz. They had decided to leave after 13 years for some of them, to pursue their career interests. Aside from Assistant Director Gary Gorchoff, Program Director "Shoppe" Doner, John Marks, Jim Goldstein, Bill Fried, Pud and others, the staff this year goes back only a maximum of about ten years. Many people were brought in new this year, such as Bill Bauman, Dean Schramm, and Bill Betian, to fill the places of those who left.

Saul Sodos, Glenn Fisher, and Grant Linsky are all back as staff members after skipping a period of time between camper and staff member. TIMBERLIFE talked to Grant about this transition:

“I first came to Timberlane in 1967, when I was ten years old. I found out about the camp through some kids I knew in Rockford, and Harold then brought the movie to our house. Marty Drapkin was my S.C. in Dakota cabin, and I remember people like Bruce Wynn (Timberlane’s first Min-Aqua Bat), Steve Shields, and John the cook, who lived in what is now the office. I really felt like an outsider because I was a newcomer, with no friends, or people that I knew here. “That first year I took Archery, taught by Norm Wolf, Riding, and Tennis, taught by Jerry Hawker. Rob Growth taught me how to ski (after trying for 3 weeks, with no boom back then), and I also took Golf. My very impatient ski instructor we Larry Grossman, he still yelled a lot. Steve Safer, Nick Belinke, Norm Wolf, Jerry Hawker, and the Gardener brothers were there that year to make my summer more enjoyable. As I look back, I see myself as innocent, and naive about the workings of the camp and the staff. What I still can’t get out of my head is hearing the draft numbers being announced over the P.A. systems. Most of the counselors were college students, so they had high numbers. I don’t remember anybody specifically having to leave.

1969, My third year: “I was in SIox cabin again with Grossman and the Gardener brothers. I went on the Canadian that year, led by Mark Faiwell. I also made the Timberbats again. My best friend was Joe Shneider, who, myself and Scott Goodman canoed together with.

“I noticed an attitude changed this year. I was still naive about the staff, but was familiar with how and why the camp functions the way it did. Most exciting was watching the astronauts land and walk on the moon, we saw that on television in the lodge. I was also friends with Denny Kravitz, and we would call home together to talk to our Rabbi about our Torah portions for our upcoming Bar-Mitzvahs.

“I came back in 1970 3 or 4 days late, due to school. I was a partial P.A. then, with Larry Altman as my S.C., Craig Ukman as my J.C., and Jack as my C.I.T. All three were useless, as far as I’m concerned. Shawnee was the Faiwell house, and that was the year that Dan Hirsch lost an arm in camp’s only water skiing accident. Todd Chapman and Rick Kagen were in my cabin. I was getting more and more disappointed with camp, and decided not to come back in 1971.

“I talked to ‘H’ that winter, and he told me of some of the improvements made at camp, and convinced me to come back to camp. So I was back in 1972 as a C.I.T. I left after three weeks, however, disappointed with the things I expected to see, but failed to (such as resurfaced tennis courts). ‘H’ and I divided, angry at each other. I left bitter and let down, and never thought I would be back.

“I did visit in 1974, 1975, and 1977, although for not more than an hour each time. Finally, after seeing "Meatballs" this winter, I decided to give Harold a call, to try and get a job at a camp, not necessarily Timberlane. He told me of selling it to Mark, to which I was extremely surprised. I called Mark next, and we both remembered each other. He agreed to hire me as a swim and ski instructor. I came up to camp and found out, much to my surprise and enjoyment, that I was the Waterfront Director. Few names were familiar to me when I got up here, but I did remember Saul and Pete Kaufman. I did know Sally Fried, Bill and Ed’s sister. I feel I know a lot more of the functionings of Timberlane, and am impressed with it. I am at an excellent vantage point for throwing in my ideas for improvements that could be made, and I am no longer the innocent camper that I once was. This is my most intense year at Timberlane, with U.N. Day and all. I’ve noticed a slight “deja vu” in areas like the ski dock, the Timberbats, KTIM, and the Whaler’s swim. To sum this all up, I have noticed a philosophy, attitude and awareness change in myself and the camp.”