Boiberik Reunion 1998

Letter to Omega from Michael Golub (EE72)

August 12, 1997

George Kaufman, Chairman of the Board
Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
260 Lake Drive
Rhinebeck, NY 12572-3212

Dear Mr. Kaufman,

In the years that you have been with Omega, I'm sure that you have come to appreciate the special tranquillity and beauty of the land on which the Institute rests. I would also guess that your relationship to the environs is enhanced by the joyful experiences and memories that accumulate, year after year, as Omega continues to grow and thrive. There are hundreds of people for whom that land is equally special- these are the "Boiberikaner," the people who made Camp Boiberik their home at some time during the camp's 50-year tenure on the banks of Long Pond.

Some of us return periodically, either to visit, or to take advantage of the enlightening courses offered at Omega. But, to date, we have not returned as a group, to revisit that small region of the Hudson Valley that played such a special role in our youth.

I am writing today to ask you to consider hosting a Boiberik reunion weekend at Omega. There are many potential benefits of such a gathering.

  • For Boiberik alumni, this would present a chance to congregate in a place where virtually every vista, every structure, and every path triggers a host of powerfully evocative memories.

  • It would also expose Boiberikaner to the extraordinary transformation of the "camp", stimulating interest in Omega course offerings.

  • In addition, the gathering would present an opportunity for the Omega staff to meet the people who had a deep connection to the area before the Institute planted its roots.

    I am confident that, if your staff agreed to such a reunion, we could bring together over 200 people. This, of course, raises a financial issue; in addition to being an oasis of spiritual exploration, Omega is also a business. In opening your doors to Boiberikaner, you would, in effect, be sacrificing a portion of the tuition proceeds that the Institute generates every weekend. In light of this consideration, would you be willing to open the Institute one week earlier in 1998, making the Boiberik gathering the predominant focus of this "pre-season" weekend?

    I realize that this is a "major" request. However, as my wife (who recently organized her own camp reunion) put it, "To have a Boiberik reunion anywhere but Omega would be crazy."

    I will call you in the near future to discuss the possibility of bringing this Boiberik reunion to life.

    Sincerely,

    Michael Golub, MD


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