Andrew Zwarych
Participants of the 2014 Ski Camp.
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Every December for the past 60 years, the Plast fraternity Burlaky has run a Ski Camp, mostly in upstate New York. Starting on Christmas Day and ending on New Year’s Eve for the past 26 years, Plast scouts arrive ready for five full days of skiing at New York state’s beautiful Gore Mountain, the week chock full of activities traditional to the camp.
This year was a special one given that the camp celebrated 60 years of successfully bringing together our community’s youth of passionate skiers from near and far. Eighty-five campers traveled from various parts of the states, as well as from Canada and even Ukraine.
The camp was founded in 1954 by the Pershi Stezhi sorority and the Vataha Burlakiv fraternity of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, as explained by Gogo Slupchynskyj, an attendee since the first camp through 2008. He explained that Bohdan Kurylko of the Burlaky chose Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, N.Y. (near Lake Placid), as the location of the first camp. It hosted 15 boys and 10 girls, and cost $25 with the exclusion of meals.
The location of the camp has moved around to Okemo and Killington, Vt., Easton Valley, Lake Minnewaska and West Mountain in N.Y.; it crossed the Canadian border to Mont Tremblant in Quebec; and it even went overseas to Breuil-Cervinia in Italy. Since 1988, the Plast campers have skied at Gore Mountain. And the camp’s home base has been the Landmark Motor Inn in Glens Falls, N.Y.
The camp is steeped in rich tradition, says camper Olenka Tytla, a fifth-year attendee, “every year is kind of formulated by tradition… I think that’s the reason that people keep coming back, because it is so tradition-oriented.”
This sentiment is echoed from camper to camper, and evidence of this is in the rush to get accepted to Ski Camp due to its popularity and limited space. Every fall, when the memories and excitement of Ski Camp are inevitably rekindled, everyone desperately awaits the release of the registration forms. This year was no different; the whispers began at the start of October. When those forms were finally released on October 15, there was a rush to print them, a rush to fill them out and a rush to the post office as acceptance is “first come first served.”
According to camp administrator Danylo Zacharczuk, this year’s waiting list had a whopping 25 people on it, out of the 110 who applied to be campers. The camp can accommodate a maximum of 85 campers, 20 counselors, and five head counselors, totaling 110 people.
Andrew Zwarych
Ski campers on the slopes at scenic Gore Mountain.
So what is it that makes this camp so special? It’s been months since our last “rozkhid” (the Plast order for scouts dismissed). By mid-October, all we are thinking about is when we will be called to our next “zbirka” (assembly). For most of us, the last Plast camp that we participated in was in the early summer months. There is a yearning to be together again and to continue living by the Plast ideals.
Most Plast camps take place in the summer, so Plast scouts are used to roughing it in tents and covering themselves in bug spray and sunscreen. Ski Camp uniquely takes place in the snow, and attendees worry more about getting their hats and gloves on for zbirka than they do their sunglasses. Mr. Zacharczuk says, “the children have the ability to sleep in beds, watch TV, they have hotel rooms, doors… I would consider this is much more of a vacation camp for the kids.”
Although this camp differs from the others, it still exists to uphold the same Plast ideals. According to Mr. Slupchynskyj, “In Burlaky ideology there is a great desire to enlighten and positively teach Ukrainian youth.” This mission has been passed down and upheld through the 60 years of Ski Camps. Mr. Zacharchuk explains, “we do still keep to the ‘plastovi zakony’ – the rules of Plast – and we do try and have the kids have entertaining and educational times together.”
A day at Ski Camp starts with a zbirka at 6:45 a.m. for the opening of the day and breakfast. All the campers then collect their ski or snowboarding boots and load up the buses. After a 50-minute ride, the campers line up at a small hut at Gore to get their skis or snowboards, which stay locked up overnight. Lessons last two and a half hours, after which campers are free to ski with friends. At 3:45 p.m., buses are reloaded, and the campers head back to the Landmark Inn. After a little bit of free time and dinner, the evening activities begin.
One favorite entertaining tradition that is celebrated at Ski Camp is the “Povola Koza” or “Slow Goat” game, explains fifth-year attendee Oles Rakowsky, “We have a series of cow bells that we have to give off to people without their knowledge. In the morning… whoever has the bell, gets a costume to wear the next day at the mountain.” Costumes range from tutu’s to a raccoon mask and body suit, with no gender discrimination. Lesyk Firko, a fourth-year attendee says, “I was never the slow goat so that’s good, I’ve got to keep that up.”
Another adored (and messy) tradition is the building of gingerbread houses. The kids are split into teams of four and are given materials to create their masterpieces. Each team must present its house, and the judges decide the winners. It is activities like these that give the campers opportunities to socialize and make new friends off the slopes as well.
It is clear to every attendee that this camp is unique. Here lies the reason why people keep coming back, generation after generation. For me personally, hearing all of the stories from Mr. Slupchynskyj, who is my great uncle, made me long for the day I could attend. Seeing his artwork grace the camp’s forms, badges, pins and T-shirts, is a true testament to how much history this camp encompasses.
It is now our generation’s hope, desire and responsibility to continue another 60 years of snowy magic.
Ruta Odulak, 16, is a junior at Nutley High School, where she is a staff writer for the school newspaper, The Maroon and Gray.