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Face The Nation – A Webinar: Security and Safety for a New Age

Face The Nation - A Webinar


2017 brings a new set of security and safety challenges with it.

Join our expert panelists, John Clader, Jeremy Fingerman, Gary Kimball, Alan Cooper Esq., Paul Goldenberg and Ken Kramarz, moderated by Lisa Champeau. Join us and learn how to prepare your camp for security issues in 2017.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

  1. Resources available to prepare for and react to terrorism, including bomb threats
  2. Security at camp and during off-site travel days - for Day Camps and for Resident Camps
  3. Pre-summer engagement and awareness with local law enforcement, with special attention on staff training week, opening days and visitors days
  4. Communication Protocol with parents, social media, contact lists & press - Proactive and Reactive

Fill out the form below to register.

About the Panel

Jeremy Fingerman

Jeremy Fingerman

President and CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp
Jeremy J. Fingerman joined the Foundation for Jewish Camp as CEO in 2010 after a highly-regarded 20+ year career as CEO of Manischewitz and in Consumer Packaged Goods, beginning at General Mills, Inc, then at Campbell Soup Company, where he served as President of its largest Division, US Soup. Jeremy spent many wonderful summers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin as a child where he discovered the joy of Judaism and made lifelong friends. He started his Jewish communal work in high school, serving as international president of United Synagogue Youth. He since served on many philanthropic boards including Jewish Federation, Israel Bonds, American Friends of Magen David Adom, and currently serves as vice-president of his synagogue, Congregation Ahavath Torah. Jeremy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Columbia University and an M.B.A. in General Management from Harvard Business School. He lives in Englewood, NJ with his wife, Gail, and two children, Zalman and Esther.
Lisa Champeau

Lisa Champeau

Moderator
Lisa Champeau joined Wayne Memorial Health System, Honesdale, as its Public Relations Manager in 2003, after a successful career in journalism. She worked as an award-winning TV newscaster in New York City, Baltimore, Scranton and Binghamton. In addition, Lisa has published articles in The Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Magazine, Barron’s and for several online and on-air media outlets, including HBO and National Geographic Television. Born in New York, Lisa graduated from Northwestern University and went on to graduate school at New York University to pursue an MFA. In the 1990s, she spent one year “on sabbatical” from journalism, working as a communications director for an international relief agency, a job that took her to Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Haiti and Poland.
Alan Cooper, Esquire

Alan Cooper, Esquire

AMSkier General Counsel, Claims Director
Alan B. Cooper has spent most of his legal career representing childrens camps and travel programs throughout North America. An honors graduate of Georgetown University School of Law, where he also served as an Instructor, he was a prosecutor and lead Trial Attorney for the Pike County District Attorney’s Office before joining AMSkier in 2000. Since that time he has advised hundreds of camps, as well as schools, religious organizations and insurance professionals in all areas affecting the camp industry, including incident management, interaction with local law enforcement and community relations.
Gary Kimball

Gary Kimball

Camp ALERT Network, Executive Director
Since 1997, Gary Kimball has led a national crisis response service for AMSkier Insurance that has helped hundreds of children’s camp directors, private school owners and youth travel programs prepare for and respond to crises affecting their populations. These crises have ranged from abuse cases and natural disasters to public health threats and loss of life. As Executive Director of AMSkier's Camp ALERT Network, Gary serves as a camp public relations expert to help with media, parents and virtually any kind of communications needed.
Paul Goldenberg

Paul Goldenberg

National Director at Secure Community Network and member of the United States Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council
Mr. Goldenberg built a distinguished career as a highly decorated criminal justice executive with extensive and broad-based experience in a wide variety of high profile and politically sensitive government, corporate and NGO environments. Mr. Goldenberg played a key role in setting domestic and international policy for the legislation and investigation of hate crimes, community conflict and combatting violent extremism. He is well known for his record of resolving numerous high profile and confidential matters for government and international human rights organizations. He established community policing, hate crimes, and CVE related programs for transnational agencies, many of which were adopted by governments in North America and Europe. Mr. Goldenberg led the nation’s first full- time State Attorney General’s effort focusing on hate crimes and domestic terrorism. As a highly regarded homeland security expert, he provides strategic counsel on national and global security affairs to international NGO and government agencies.
Ken Kramarz

Ken Kramarz

Camp Director, Attorney & Incident Preparedness Expert
Ken Kramarz, Director of the Tawonga Institute, is an attorney, lecturer, and expert on Incident preparedness and response. Ken served as the Executive Director of Camp Tawonga for thirty years and also served as San Francisco's lead trainer for Community Agencies Responding to Disaster. He has led successful responses to a wide range of incidents including earthquakes, wilderness fatality, search and rescue, power failures, rattlesnakes and medical emergencies.
John Clader

John Clader

Police Lieutenant
John Calder retired as a lieutenant in the Pennsylvania State Police. He was also Station Commander of the Pike County, Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania State Police barracks. Clader served as the Crime Section Supervisor here and was also a member of the Special Emergency Response Team. A native of Milford, Clader enlisted in the State Police in 1988. Following his training at the State Police Academy, he was assigned to Troop N, Fern Ridge. As he progressed through the ranks, Clader also served at stations in Troop R, Honesdale and Troop R, Bethlehem. He was promoted to corporal in 1996 and to sergeant in 2008. He is currently the Director of Security at Wallenpaupack Area School District.

Register Now!

AMSkier Brackets For A Cause

AMSkier Brackets For A Cause


BRACKETS ARE CLOSED FOR NEW REGISTRANTS,  BUT DONATIONS ARE STILL BEING ACCEPTED!

_________________________

This March, put your game face on and join the AMSkier All-Stars pool while raising funds for honorable causes, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of New Jersey and a charity to be decided by our winner!

Our goal is to raise over $2,000 and AMSkier has already contributed $250! The total raised will be split equally between the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of New Jersey and the charity chosen by our winner. Donations will be made in the winner's name and she or he will also receive special edition AMSkier apparel!

The process is simple!

  1. Fill out the form below.
  2. After registering, you will be directed to our pool. You will also receive a link via the email you provide to join our bracket group, so you can join our pool at your convenience.
  3. Play brackets!

Registering is $20 plus a nominal registration fee.

Get off the bench, join in on the competition and do something good for a cause!

Fill out the form below or click here to register.


World Cancer Day | Portrait of a Friend’s Experience

Spencer Williams - World Cancer Day
Spencer Williams

World Cancer Day | Portrait of a Friend’s Experience

Cancer affects all of our lives, whether through a friend or family member or because we’ve had cancer ourselves. That’s why we’re supporting World Cancer Day, which aims to inspire others to take action as communities and as individuals. Cancer is a diverse disease, and it affects everyone differently too. Today, we zoom in on a close friend of the AMSkier family, an active community member, a lover of basketball and a Cancer survivor.

Spencer Williams is fun, upbeat and positive. He’s the kind of person that makes others feel welcome in social situations and is well-liked by everyone that meets him. A few years ago, Spencer noticed that something wasn’t quite right. He went to a local doctor and was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. After going through Crohn’s disease treatment for about a year, and not feeling any positive change, Spencer decided to get a second opinion from a Crohn’s Disease specialist. Listen to his personal recollection of his experience.

(Audio Summary: Spencer learns that he does not have Crohn’s Disease, but that he actually had stomach cancer.)

Spencer continued, noting how stomach cancer isn’t normally screened for in the United States. Because of this, stomach cancer is not typically found in the early stages. Spencer attributed his early detection to the biopsy done by the specialist and his thoroughness.

When Spencer was diagnosed, he experienced what he described as an “eerie calm” after hearing the news as well as some anger, confusion, and frustration later in the process. Like many people, Spencer wanted to know what might have caused his cancer. According to his doctor, his cancer was not caused by genetics or environmental factors; certainly a mind-boggling concept for anyone who likes feeling they have some amount of control over their health.

Spencer had a total gastrectomy, which eliminates the stomach as a holding cell and connects the esophagus directly to the small intestine.

When asked about his support network, Spencer had some valuable pieces of advice that he learned from a friend who went through something similar. Here is a clip of what his friend Bob told him, and what Spencer now tells others.

(Audio Summary: Assemble a small team of close friends and family. Help them understand your needs as you go through this process and put yourself first.)

Since Spencer’s total gastrectomy, he goes back and gets tested every 6 months. Fortunately, he has had a clean bill of health for a couple years, and we wish and hope that this good news continues. Spencer will tell you that having had cancer changes you and tweaks your outlook. Listen to his reflections below:

We hope this moment with Spencer gives you some insight and perspective when it comes surviving cancer as an affected family member, friend or as a cancer patient. Although cancer alters your life, it doesn’t need to take over your life. Spencer is so much more than a cancer survivor. Recently, Spencer participated in Coaches vs Cancer, helping to raise over $5,000 for the Northeastern, PA chapter.  He’s also still the upbeat, fun-loving, outgoing person he has always been. In an effort to do better in our cancer prevention efforts as a community and as individuals, please visit World Cancer Day’s website.

 

 


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Eat, Sleep, Play

Eat, Sleep, Play

Webinar

 

In partnership with Wayne Memorial Hospital

Busy people often put their health on the backburner in an effort to save time.  However, for those of us living in this incredibly fast-paced world, a focus on wellness couldn't be more important for productivity. Nutrition, appropriate sleep, exercise and enjoying moments of play are all important ingredients to your overall health and quality of life. Learn real strategies on how busy people can balance family life and work life while staying healthy. If you don't put your health first, who will?

Meet The Panel

Linda Vose

Linda Vose

Registered Polysomnographic Technologist
“Sleep is biologically necessary for life.” – 2005 inaugural issue of The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, US National Library of Medical Science, National Institutes of Health Linda Vose is a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist at Wayne Memorial Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center and has more than 13 years of experience in sleep medicine. She recently received certification in Clinical Sleep Health (CCSH) as a Clinical Sleep Educator to enhance patient care with education and to promote the importance of good sleep habits to the community at large. Linda is also a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) who worked primarily in home-care respiratory medicine before entering the field of sleep medicine. For the webinar, Linda will address “Sleep Deprivation and How to Fix It” with what she refers to as “proper sleep hygiene.” Linda works under the supervision of pulmonologist Sean McVeigh, MD, who is board-certified in Pulmonary Medicine.
Lisa Champeau

Lisa Champeau

Moderator
Lisa Champeau joined Wayne Memorial Health System, Honesdale, as its Public Relations Manager in 2003, after a successful career in journalism. She worked as an award-winning TV newscaster in New York City, Baltimore, Scranton and Binghamton. In addition, Lisa has published articles in The Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Magazine, Barron’s and for several online and on-air media outlets, including HBO and National Geographic Television. Born in New York, Lisa graduated from Northwestern University and went on to graduate school at New York University to pursue an MFA. In the 1990s, she spent one year “on sabbatical” from journalism, working as a communications director for an international relief agency, a job that took her to Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Haiti and Poland. About the upcoming webinar: “I’m looking forward to fielding questions and hearing answers from experts on three of my favorite subjects,” says Lisa, “Eating, sleeping and playing!”
Joshua Heath

Joshua Heath

Outdoor Adventure Manager
Joshua Heath is a native Mainer and has 16 years of outdoor experience. He has worked for state and local parks in Maine for several seasons. He ran an adventure based aspirations program for middle school students prior to join the Outdoor Adventure team at The Lodge At Woodloch, a destination spa in 2010. Josh holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Park Management from Unity College in Unity, ME. Josh spent his childhood in the western Maine Mountains, so it is just comes natural to spend his time enjoying and learning about the forests of northeast Pennsylvania. He has become very fond of forest bathing and fly fishing. He really enjoys a Japanese style of fly fishing known as Tenkara. He enjoys ice fishing, snowshoeing, camping, canoeing, geocaching, gardening, and making maple syrup. He spends as much of his free time with his two children exploring the outdoors and introducing them to the natural wonders it can offer. He has a job that lets him play most of the time and a passion for it!
Erin Tiffany

Erin Tiffany

Dietitian-Nutritionist
Since 2006, Erin Tiffany has been guiding others through the jungle of nutrition and food science. As a Clinical Dietitian, Erin has worked at Baylor and Geisinger, educating and training hospital staff around the country, participating in research and managing patient diets. Erin's work and research has been published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association and she currently teaches group nutrition education with an emphasis on healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Iowa State University, is a Registered Dietitian by the American Dietetic Association, a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician and a Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist (LDN), by the Commonwealth of PA Department of State. As a mother of two and a professional, Erin knows the struggle of balancing wellness practices. She is excited to share her expertise in "Eat" during AMSkier's "Eat, Sleep, Play" webinar!

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Snowmobiling – You’re Not Invincible

Snowmobiling – You’re Not Invincible

snowmobile_isntaThere’s nothing quite like snowmobiling. Roaring through the freezing cold in a snowy winter landscape on a powerful machine makes drivers feel invincible. The spirit of adventure and challenge found on a snowmobile is riveting, but the thrill may end in a lot of pain or worse.

There are stories upon stories of close calls and deaths as a result of snowmobiling accidents. In many of these stories, it’s clear that the worst could have been prevented if some precautions were taken. Make sure to stay safe and warm by implementing these five tips into your snowmobiling routine.

  1. Be familiar with the area.
    Before riding, take some time to learn about your location. Identify potential hazards like frozen lakes, fallen trees, rocks, and other objects hidden beneath the snow.
  2. Maximize visibility.
    Heavy snowfall can greatly decrease visibility, especially at night. Wear glasses or goggles and make sure that your headlights are functioning. Remember that the headlights of other riders can be blinding, so always drive cautiously at night.
  3. Dress to stay warm and dry.
    A helmet, mask, jacket, gloves, boots and tall socks are necessary for spending hours outside. Be strategic and find gear that is water and windproof, and avoid cotton and other clothing materials that retain moisture.
  4. Carry a repair kit and other gear.
    Be prepared for the unexpected with a kit that contains spark plugs, tow rope, and other tools. A cell phone and first aid kit are also essential, and a flashlight, map and extra pairs of socks and gloves may come in handy.
  5. Go out with other riders.
    Don’t be a lone wolf. You’re always safer sharing the experience with other experienced riders. Before heading out, it’s always important to let friends or family know where you are going, how long you expect to be out, and anything else you’re planning.

Don’t let carelessness and unpreparedness ruin your fun this winter. Putting these tips into practice will help you to be prepared, prevent accidents, and make the most of your snowmobiling experience!

Having an uninsured snowmobile can also ruin your winter fun. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your snowmobile or similar.


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