In our Alumni Spotlight, you can get to know your fellow Camp Woodstock alumni (or get to know them better!). We know your time at camp provided unique opportunities to learn and grow, and our Alumni Spotlight shows that impact while letting you reminisce alongside the community. Would you like to be featured or nominate someone to be featured? Email jackie.orlowski@ghymca.org
In this issue, get to know alum, Ned Furtney, who continues to make an impact on Camp Woodstock!
What different roles did you hold at camp?
My first summer at camp was 2002, beginning as a camper, progressing to Leader in Training, Counselor in Training, Junior Counselor, Senior Counselor (twice) and finally Waterfront Director in 2013.
Did you have a favorite or most memorable year at camp? What made it so great?
My favorite year at camp was when I was Waterfront Director. Nothing can compare to 10 weeks on Black Pond each and every day. My favorite memory from that summer was a Chaos skit on the waterfront. We told all of camp it was a 4th of July celebration, but then the Reaper rose out of a canoe by the floating dock, and I’ve never heard a sound as loud as camp cheering that day!
What are you doing now and how did going to/working at Camp Woodstock help you get there or inspire you in that direction?
Currently, I am an Advanced Analytics Consultant for Liberty Mutual. In so many words, I analyze for trends across the book of business and
make recommendations based on what I find. Recently, I have been involved with monitoring inflation and the impacts to our property policyholders.
Camp has been instrumental throughout my career. Every day, I put the lessons I learned at camp to work. I interact with a diverse group of analysts across my projects, which makes teamwork, as well as each of the CHoRR values incredibly important. Additionally, the opportunity Camp Woodstock gave me to grow as a leader has helped me greatly across many different projects and committees I engage in at work.
How have you stayed involved with Camp Woodstock since your time as a camper and on staff ended?
I have stayed involved in Camp in a few different ways, but primarily by supporting the LIT program every year. Twice a summer, I lead an interactive presentation about the importance of Skits and Creativity with my good friend and cabinmate in cabin 5, Dimitri. I have also recently performed some analytics around the Parent Survey to evaluate Camp Woodstock’s strengths, and what we can improve upon. The Annual Campaign is really important for Camp Woodstock to make sure that every kid can go to camp, so I also donate to that every year.