Credit: Bob Barnett
At a booth at Stewart’s on a recent afternoon, Andrew Anderson, fresh from coaching the Stissing Mountain High School junior varsity baseball team, was visibly excited for his new role as director of Pine Plains Summer Day Camp. As students entered the shop for an after-school snack, he greeted each one with a fist bump. “I already know the kids who are coming into camp,” he said. “I feel that I have the town’s backing, too — they really want me to succeed.”
On March 21, the Pine Plains town board approved recreation director Brian Coons’ appointment of Anderson as both assistant director of recreation and director of the summer camp at a combined salary of $10,000.
Anderson has a million ideas. He wants to bring in a fly-fishing group to teach kids to “tie flies and maybe even get in the water and cast a little bit.” He might invite a waste management company to teach campers how to recycle properly. He’s also considering a shooting club, under tightly controlled conditions. “I’m all about safety, that’s number one,” he said. “But we want kids to get out of their comfort zones, to try something new.”
Above all, Anderson plans to build on the camp’s successes, including popular programs such as story time with the library, the “Big Kahuna” slide, the talent show and traveling presenters. That’s why the first person he turned to when he applied for the position was Jen Chase, who started the camp in 2007 and retired as director last year.
“Andy’s got really good energy and that’s where you have to start,” Chase said. “He reached out and I told him I’d help in any way I could. I’ve shared all my documents with him, but I also reminded him that this is what I did — there’s a huge opportunity to take this in a new direction, to try new things. I’m looking forward to seeing what path this goes down. It’s a new journey for the camp. I think it’ll be great.”
One motivation for Anderson is to make the camp experience as active and healthy as possible for all ages. “I want the kids to be moving,” he said. “I’m almost 40, and if I’m moving more than you, that’s a problem. I want them to take naps when they come home to their parents, which will make the parents’ lives a little easier too.”
He’d like to inspire kids to improve their eating habits as well. “I want good nutrition, that’s a personal thing,“ Anderson said. “I want the kids to drink water, stay away from the Gatorade and juices and sugars.” Camp children currently bring their own lunch and snacks, he explained, but he wants to pursue grants to allow for the provision of free, healthy lunches.
Working with Coons, Anderson will also seek grants to expand the playground, even put in a swimming pool so that “if you have to shut down the lake for some reason, you’ll still be able to let kids learn how to swim.” he said.
Anderson’s commitment to fitness has roots in his own history. “I probably walk 15 miles a day,” he said. “I’m always moving.” He was a sophomore in high school in Delhi, N.Y, during 9/11 and turned down three college scholarships to join the Marines in 2003, at age 17. He was deployed to Fallujah in Iraq, eventually became a scout sniper, and had three combat tours over 10 years, which took him to Afghanistan, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Japan and to several countries in Africa. He saw danger and violence, but also reveled in humanitarian missions.
When he was honorably discharged in 2014 as a sergeant, Anderson was 27, with two Purple Hearts, tinnitus and a traumatic brain injury. He moved to Milan around 2012 — where he still lives and is raising four children — and worked for several years for Con Edison. But it wasn’t a calling. When a position as teacher’s aide opened up in the Pine Plains Central School District five years ago, he applied and got the job. Soon he was also volunteering as a coach for baseball, football and basketball, and then he took a summer job as assistant recreation director.
He had found a new way of life after the military: “I love children, I love working with children. Kids became my new alpha.”
Anderson is already deep at work getting camp ready. He’s interviewing and hiring camp counselors and will soon turn to enlisting junior counselors. He’s visiting other area camps to see how they operate. He’s using his managerial experience to streamline the systems and started an online payment system on the camp’s website.
Anderson looks forward to hearing from parents, especially once camp starts. “I love constructive criticism,” he said. “I want to ask, what do you guys think? Do you want an earlier start time, or a later pickup? If this camp can be better, I want to make it better.”
The 2024 camp season is open to Pine Plains children who will be entering kindergarten to eighth grade in the fall. Camp is open for six weeks, from July 8 through August 16. Each week is $125. Enrollment is limited to a little over 100 children. If there are openings available after Pine Plains residents have applied, applications will be available for children from surrounding towns. Camp registration is available on the Town of Pine Plains Recreation Department page: https://www.pineplains-ny.gov/departments/recreation-department/. (Questions can be directed to: summercamp@pineplains-ny.gov.)