By Barnett Goldman, Summer Assistant Director

There is no better feeling than getting to see the love, joy, and excitement of camp through a child’s eyes, especially when that child is yours. Although this is the first summer at Crane Lake Camp for my family and me, it is not our first time at sleep-away camp. My daughter and my son were practically born and raised (well, barely because one is 8 and the other is 5) at camp. All my daughter can talk about is summer camp. She is so excited to be here, and I am so thrilled for her. Every day I get to experience something not many people get to in their lives, watching their child grow as a person at camp. I hear the stories, the triumphs, the failures, and the new connections that my children have made and I would not change that for the world.

For 12 months out of the year, I get to hear all about camp and the amazing things that are expected to happen. We constantly are talking about what clothes we need, what colors we should get extras of because of certain events, and the unexpected adventures of the bunk. Not a day goes by where we do not talk about camp.

There are times it can be hard balancing the life of a dad and the responsibilities of an assistant director, but it comes with the territory. My children and I have worked very hard from day one to understand that not all children are lucky enough to have a parent here, and sometimes I have to be a parent to them as well. Fortunately, my children are very good about it and now that they are older, sometimes it is me that is looking for the attention instead of them. I get to live the best of both worlds under one single bubble, the assistant director and dad. I am so glad that my children are able to get an experience that they will never forget. I wou

ld not exchange it for anything. Their happiness, and the happiness and joy of all the campers and staff, is the best Father’s Day gift a dad can get.

Barnett Goldman is very proud and excited to be joining the Crane Lake Camp family this summer as the Summer Assistant Director. He currently lives in Westwood, NJ and is a 3rd grade teacher during the school year. In addition to teaching full time, he teaches in two high school supplemental programs in New Jersey and coaches various sports including soccer, basketball, and softball. Although this is his first year with Crane Lake, Barnett has spent the past 27 years working in camps, with the last 9 of them as Assistant Director at Camp Laurelwood. Barnett is extremely thrilled to help the Leadership Team make this summer the greatest for the staff and campers at Crane Lake.