42Time Out New York Kids February 19–May 12, 2020

Camp GreylockA father and son recount

their time at the same boys-only camp.

By Oliver Strand

THEN AND NOW

WITH ITS BUCOLIC grounds, extensive sports and tight-knit community, Camp Greylock in the Berkshires is the quintessential summer experience.

As the camp’s 105th season approaches, father-and-son duo David, 41, and Zuma, 11, tell us about their sleepaway experience, from their favorite activities to the Fribbles they scored on the way home from winning games.

43 February 19–May 12, 2020 Time Out New York Kids

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

FOOD

SOCIALIZING

HIGH JINKS

HOW HAS GREYLOCK CHANGED?

“I have a recollection of bringing a double

tape deck with a box of ’80s rock cassettes:

INXS, Guns N’ Roses.”

“They always have pasta or chicken fingers or mozzarella sticks—stuff like that. It’d be cool if they ordered in.”

“I like roller hockey, basketball, baseball and tennis. I like home

competitions. When we win, we go to Friendly’s and get Fribbles.”

“We have socials. We’re going to have, like, seven next year.

I’m not like, ‘Let’s go!’ It’s okay. It’s not that exciting.”

“I skip periods sometimes and just chill in my bunk.

I sit there and eat candy from visiting day.”

“This year, I’m going to be on the senior side. You have more

freedom—you can shower whenever you want, choose what to

do during your periods and you get candy every two days.”

“There was a little bit of mischievous activity at times. The highlight would be to go down to the general store to

get a hoagie and a Gatorade.”

“The facilities have been upgraded, but it still feels pretty rustic. When I hear the stories my son tells, I’m confident that the ideals that were

instilled in us in the 1990s are on par with what’s going on today.”

“We do a tournament for a card game, Kent. We also play poker, but not for money, and

a ring-toss game outside that’s like throwing horseshoes.”

“I was a soccer player. When you left camp [for games], the highlight was stopping at Friendly’s for a Fribble. To this day I think about the Fribbles.”

“All I remember was pizza, soda and chicken wings.”

“One year, we put on Guys and Dolls, and we’d go to the girls’ camp for

rehearsals. I joined the show purely to be with the girls.”

David, 41ATTENDED CAMP: 1990–1995

What do you want camp to be for Zuma? “To this day, some of my closest friends are camp friends. My biggest hope is that my

son makes those kinds of friends.”

Zuma, 11ATTENDED CAMP: 2017–present

Do you get homesick? “No. My parents and I talk on the phone. I make one phone call a week. I miss them, but I’m not sad—I

don’t really think about them much.”

Camp Greylock 2020Camp Greylock’s upcoming season has sports, hiking, water activities and the arts—all in all, a well-rounded

experience for boys on a beautiful 300-acre lakeside retreat. Becket, MA (campgreylock.com). June 26–August 14; $13,000. Scholarships, sibling

discounts and transportation available. Ages 6–16.

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David, left, June 1992