[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17264]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL W. SHERMAN

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend and 
congratulate Michael W. Sherman upon his retirement as executive 
director of YMCA Camp Woodstock, located in Woodstock Valley, CT. Mike 
has been humbly shaping the lives of countless children and young 
adults in Connecticut's ``Quiet Corner'' since 1987, and he will leave 
his position after 24 years of service. He has dedicated his life to 
making Camp Woodstock a safe and fun place for our kids to learn how to 
respect one another's differences, become leaders in their communities, 
and be good stewards of our environment.
  A gifted storyteller, Mike is known for his boundless creativity and 
enthusiasm. As his friends will tell you, when Mike speaks, people 
listen; and he has masterfully used this talent to inspire a very 
special culture at Camp Woodstock, embodied in its ``CHoRR'' values of 
Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. A truly remarkable man, 
Mike Sherman's contributions to the growth and success of Camp 
Woodstock, along with his unwavering commitment to helping young 
people, are his enduring legacy.
  During his tenure, Mike has helped transition Camp Woodstock to year-
round programming, reaching out to community leaders throughout the 
State and deepening ties to the YMCA of Greater Hartford. Camp 
Woodstock now proudly hosts the Discovery Center, which brings together 
children from urban and suburban schools to learn tolerance and 
celebrate diversity, and Moderate Voices for Progress, which teaches 
conflict resolution skills to young Israeli and Palestinian adults. 
Mike has also taken a special interest in helping disadvantaged youth 
in Hartford, championing special youth outreach and conflict resolution 
retreats throughout the year. Over the years, he has led volunteers in 
raising nearly $1 million in financial aid so that less fortunate 
children throughout the State could experience the ``Woodstock 
spirit.''
  Mike's most important contribution to Camp Woodstock has been his 
keen ability to recognize and nurture the human capital that makes Camp 
Woodstock so unique. Mike embraced a long tradition of campers growing 
up to become counselors and expanded on that concept by developing the 
leader-in-training and counselor-in-training programs for young adults. 
Also, under Mike's skillful leadership, Camp Woodstock has boosted its 
recruitment of international staff and has forged special relationships 
with YMCAs in Russia and the Dominican Republic.
  Amid the tranquil pines of Woodstock and the calm shores of Black 
Pond, that have remained unchanged for generations, Mike has overseen 
the renovation and restoration of Camp Woodstock's facilities, 
including nearly all of the cabins, bathhouses, the Program Lodge, and 
the transformation of a beloved old barn into a program space 
containing an arts and crafts center, theater, and state-of-the-art 
indoor climbing wall. Mike's leadership has enabled Camp Woodstock to 
expand, as well, with the construction of a new climbing tower, the 
Roskin Lodge, for youth leadership training, the Lakeside Dining Hall, 
and, most recently, New Yurt City, a special living area for older 
campers.
  I am honored today to pay tribute to Mike Sherman and wish him and 
his loving wife Susan all the best in their well-earned retirement. 
Mike has made Camp Woodstock a far better place; and, although he may 
be leaving as executive director, his lessons, like his stories, will 
live on for years to come. It is with great pride that I recognize such 
a distinguished leader, educator, and outstanding citizen for his 
service to Connecticut and the Nation.

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