Camp Kewanee

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Camp Kewanee was a summer camp located in Parksville, NY (in the Catskill Mountains) (not to be confused with Camp Kawanhee for Boys which is pronounced the same). Most of the campers came from the Greater New York area, about 2 hours away. It was open through the summer of 1976. It was originally owned and operated by Allen and Jinx Manasee from the 1950s until some time in the 60s when it was sold to Judy and Mike Musiker and then "Aunt" Esther and "Uncle" Ruby Cohen.

Kewanee was very much a traditional summer camp in the area offering a variety of sports, arts and crafts and drama/music. They ran the Kewanee Invitational Tournaments (KIT) - a Volleyball tournament and a Basketball Tournament with other area camps. Campers were in the age range, more or less, of 6-17, including Counselors in Training (CIT's) and Waiters. Staff members were usually college students (bunk staff and/or specialists) and professional educators (group leaders, head counselors, etc.).

The camp posted a magnificent view of the Neversink Resevior, a 3 - Hole Golf Course, a small lake for boating, horse stables, minature golf, numerous tennis courts, a large Field House, swimming pools, and the best tetherball courts between Parksville and Liberty.

Aunt Esther was made famous by her daily cry: "Anybody Want?, Anyboday Need ?" as she offered prune juice for those campers who needed a little daily assistance.

Kewanee was part of an era in which Jewish summer camps flourished in the Catskill Mountains. The Catskill's Borscht Belt era has long past but the area is still popular with Orthodox Jews because of the availability of services important to the community such as religious services and kosher food. The property that once was Camp Kewanee is now a summer camp for boys of the Hasidic Jewish sect.