Surprise Lake Camp

Surprise Lake Camp is a non-profit sleepaway camp and is located on over 400 acres in Cold Spring, New York (approximately 60 miles north of New York City). The mission of Surprise Lake Camp is to "provide a high quality Jewish camping experience where children and young adults will be safe, have fun, and grow as they engage in programs and activities that enable them to learn values and skills that will help them lead fulfilling lives and be assets to their communities."

History

Surprise Lake Camp was founded in 1902 by the Educational Alliance to provide a summer vacation for Jewish boys from the tenements of Manhattan's Lower East Side. In its first season, it had six tents for 25 campers and five counselors. In 2006, Surprise Lake Camp had over 500 campers (boys and girls) and over 200 staff members.

Surprise Lake Camp maintains a large outdoor performance complex named after the entertainer, Eddie Cantor. It is capable of seating the camp's entire summer population and is used mostly for performances, Shabbat and other annual ceremonies.

From youngest to oldest, the units are named, Mountainview Boys ages 7-10, Mountainview Girls ages 7-10, Idyllwood Boys Age 11, Journey's Way Girls Age 11, Frontier Boys age 12, Highlands girls age 12, Timberline Boys age 13, Boulder Hill/Lakeview Girls age 13, Sherwood Boys age 14-15, Merrylane Girls age 14-15 and Work Program Boys and Girls age 15

=Former Campers and Staff=Among SLC's first campers was Eddie Cantor, who, upon achieving success as an entertainer, became one of the camp's most ardent supporters. For over 100 years, Surprise Lake Camp has continued to serve thousands upon thousands of young people, many of whom have achieved prominence in their chosen profession. The most successful former campers and staff include:
*Eddie Cantor
*Neil Diamond
*Joseph Heller
*Larry King
*Nancy Lieberman of the WNBA
*Walter Matthau
*Jerry Stiller
*Neil Simon
*Gene Simmons (of KISS)
*supermodel [http://www.haylynncohen.com/ Haylynn Cohen]
*former New York Knicks trainer Mike Saunders
*former New York Attorney General Robert Abrams

=External Links=
* [http://www.surpriselake.org Surprise Lake Camp website]
* Surprise Lake Camp is also the parent organization of the Teva Learning Center: [http://www.tevacenter.org The Teva Learning Center]

* SLC is also part of the: [http://www.acacamps.org American Camp Association]

* [http://www.clearwater.org Hudson River Sloop Clearwater]

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