Kutsher's Camp Anawana
Encyclopedia
Kutsher's Camp Anawana in Monticello, New York
, was a summer sleepaway camp
overlooking Anawana Lake. Camp Anawana was owned and operated by the Kutsher family in partnership with Jack Landman, Red Karbel, and Jack Siegel from the early 1960s until the summer of 1992. (It did have several owners prior to that including the Kahn family). The camp colors were blue and orange. Right now, the area where the sports fields and bunks were is not used but the lake area is used by Kutsher's guests as "Club Anawana" - an area where they can partake in a variety of water sports as well as other sports such as street hockey and basketball. The Kutsher family also owned (until 2005) the Kutsher's Sports Academy
. The family still owns Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club
which served as the inspiration for the movie Dirty Dancing along with Grossinger's even though the movie was filmed in North Carolina
.
For many years, the directors were Jerry Parker, Red Karbel, Jack Siegel and Jack Landman. The camp had a sports orientation and sponsored the Anawana Invitational Tournament (AIT) for both basketball
and volleyball
. There was also a Biddy Basketball
Tournament for younger boys. Tribal War was a weekly early evening activity for all but the oldest campers. Campers were divided into four teams (Green, White, Blue and Red) and there were coed athletic events divided by age group. Monday night was Movie night. There were plays produced for each age group, Girl's Sing, intercamp competitions (over the years, camps we played included Camp Roosevelt
, Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, and Camp Kewanee) and Color War. The last 3 days of camp showcased Awards Night, the Prom and a banquet followed by a lakeside candlelight ceremony. Another favorite event was to attend the Maurice Stokes
Game - an annual exhibition of professional basketball players held at the Kutsher's Hotel
or the sister camp Kutsher's Sports Academy
.
The camp should not be confused with a Boy Scout
camp of the same name in Pennsylvania
or with the camp in the early-1990s Nickelodeon cable TV show
Salute Your Shorts
.
Anawana was well known in the Catskills for its athletic abilities. During the 1960s and 1970s, Camp Anawana and
Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, in nearby Bethel
, enjoyed a great sports rivalry. Ma-Ho-Ge was regularly invited to the Anawana Invitational Tournament in basketball
and Anawana regularly participated in the Ma-Ho-Ge Invitational Tournament in softball. These hotly contested tournaments were in addition to Inter-camp games at least twice every summer with each camp visiting the other.
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
, was a summer sleepaway camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
overlooking Anawana Lake. Camp Anawana was owned and operated by the Kutsher family in partnership with Jack Landman, Red Karbel, and Jack Siegel from the early 1960s until the summer of 1992. (It did have several owners prior to that including the Kahn family). The camp colors were blue and orange. Right now, the area where the sports fields and bunks were is not used but the lake area is used by Kutsher's guests as "Club Anawana" - an area where they can partake in a variety of water sports as well as other sports such as street hockey and basketball. The Kutsher family also owned (until 2005) the Kutsher's Sports Academy
Kutsher's Sports Academy
It is amazing!Kutsher's Sports Academy is a summer sleepaway camp in Monterey, Massachusetts for children ages 7-17. It was originally "conceived and developed by Milton and Joseph Kutsher and legendary basketball coach Clair F. Bee in 1968." The Kutsher family owned and operated the academy...
. The family still owns Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club
Kutsher's Hotel
Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York, is the last of the Borscht Belt grand resorts ....
which served as the inspiration for the movie Dirty Dancing along with Grossinger's even though the movie was filmed in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
For many years, the directors were Jerry Parker, Red Karbel, Jack Siegel and Jack Landman. The camp had a sports orientation and sponsored the Anawana Invitational Tournament (AIT) for both basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. There was also a Biddy Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Tournament for younger boys. Tribal War was a weekly early evening activity for all but the oldest campers. Campers were divided into four teams (Green, White, Blue and Red) and there were coed athletic events divided by age group. Monday night was Movie night. There were plays produced for each age group, Girl's Sing, intercamp competitions (over the years, camps we played included Camp Roosevelt
Camp Roosevelt (Monticello)
Camp Roosevelt on Sackett Lake in Monticello, New York, was a summer sleepaway camp. Its colors were grey and blue. At one time, it was owned by Charly and Mary Winston...
, Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, and Camp Kewanee) and Color War. The last 3 days of camp showcased Awards Night, the Prom and a banquet followed by a lakeside candlelight ceremony. Another favorite event was to attend the Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes was an American professional basketball player in the 1950s, whose career was cut short by a debilitating injury...
Game - an annual exhibition of professional basketball players held at the Kutsher's Hotel
Kutsher's Hotel
Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York, is the last of the Borscht Belt grand resorts ....
or the sister camp Kutsher's Sports Academy
Kutsher's Sports Academy
It is amazing!Kutsher's Sports Academy is a summer sleepaway camp in Monterey, Massachusetts for children ages 7-17. It was originally "conceived and developed by Milton and Joseph Kutsher and legendary basketball coach Clair F. Bee in 1968." The Kutsher family owned and operated the academy...
.
The camp should not be confused with a Boy Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
camp of the same name in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
or with the camp in the early-1990s Nickelodeon cable TV show
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
Salute Your Shorts
Salute Your Shorts
Salute Your Shorts is an American comedy television series that aired on Nickelodeon from 1991–1992 and in reruns until early 1999. It was last rerun on Nickelodeon GaS from July through September of 2003....
.
Anawana was well known in the Catskills for its athletic abilities. During the 1960s and 1970s, Camp Anawana and
Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, in nearby Bethel
Bethel, New York
Bethel is a town in Sullivan County, New York, USA. The population has been estimated at 4,532 in 2007.The town received worldwide fame after it became the host of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, which was originally planned for Wallkill, New York, but was relocated to Bethel after Wallkill withdrew.-...
, enjoyed a great sports rivalry. Ma-Ho-Ge was regularly invited to the Anawana Invitational Tournament in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and Anawana regularly participated in the Ma-Ho-Ge Invitational Tournament in softball. These hotly contested tournaments were in addition to Inter-camp games at least twice every summer with each camp visiting the other.
Notable alumni
- Gary Baum - Director of Photography, The Class. Also worked on Will & GraceWill & GraceWill & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
- Risa Benson - has performed in off-Broadway productions, cabaret, TV, commercials, and film
- Matthew Zachary Greenzweig (aka Matthew Zachary) - Musician, Public Health Activist
- MatisyahuMatisyahuMatthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
- Hasidic Rapper, performed on SNL and Jimmy Kimmel Live, among other places - Neal ShustermanNeal ShustermanNeal Shusterman is a popular and successful American author of Young Adult literature.Shusterman was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Even from a young age, Shusterman was an avid reader. At age 8, Shusterman sent a letter to E. B. White, informing him that he believed Charlotte's Web...
- author and screenwriter. He credits his time at Anawana with being the impetus for his career as a young adult author. - Jeff Slevin - Composer
- Lynn Starr (Weissman) - professional singer; has worked with “name” acts such as Alan King and Pat Cooper
- Lance Jones - Australian Outdoor Educator and Youth Worker, credits his time at Anawana for several major Australian awards for camping and outdoor education. Executive Director of COMREC Australia Pty Ltd, nowadays Barrister and Legal Academic.