Monday, February 27, 2023

Ep 91 Jim Westberg - The one and ONLY "Iggy"

 

In the 70s

Today


Jim Westberg came to Mowglis in 1965 from East Longmeadow Massachusetts. His parents had been introduced to Mowglis by the Punderson family. At Mowglis Jim was soon known by the most unique nickname: "Iggy" a moniker by which he is still lovingly referenced. Listening to the podcast you will discover the source of the nickname. Jim went on from his camper experience to being on the staff and years later he would serve on the Holt-Elwell Memorial Foundation's Board of Directors.

Listen here: https://feeds.podetize.com/PEw9KmCDF.mp3











Tuesday, February 21, 2023

David Cummings - Blending Medicine, Science and Public Policy to Change the World

 


Dave came to Mowglis in 1967. He moved up to Toomai a year, probably because he had been in Cubs for two years and Mr Hart didn't want him to be bored with the routine of the youngest boys. He stayed in Toomai a second year to allow his pals from Cubs to catch up with him. He was in the Den of 1974

Listen here:

He was on the staff as well but spent July during the summer of 1978 hiking in the West - the Tetons and Yellowstone - with Rob Werner and Steve Turnbull, two fellow graduates with whom he has been lifelong friends.

He remembers a lot of the trips from his years as a camper and of course squads but he has particularly fond memories of a trip he took with the Jr. Staff - a real opportunity to feel like they had a new sense of control of their destiny.

A tennis champ in Akela and Den - Scott Frantz was his nemesis on the court - and Scott prevailed in Pather.

Dave Lived in the "long-lost" Little Den during his Jr. Staff years and tells a great story of Mr. Phil listening in on a conversation between David and Rob Werner and only letting them know of his presence when one of them remarked that it would not be good if Mr. Phil heard this conversation, to which Mr. Phil announce he'd been listening the whole time!

Mowglis instilled a love of the outdoors that. took him eventually to mountaineering. Ultimately he climbed the Matterhorn, Mount Blanc and other challenging mountains.

Ultimately, before and during college (Dartmouth college and Harvard Med school and MIT) he began developing a career in research and after college has reached the pinnacle of a career as a Physician-Scientist. After a stint in Population control and research, (he even had a cover piece in "Nature" magazine), He has been, for many years now, an international leader in the field of metabolic surgery as a means of addressing metabolic disorders like diabetes. In fact, he has helped to transform GLOBAL policy in this area, setting the new standard across the world for diabetes and metabolic surgery.

Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gvdjxfIh5lE

David E. Cummings, MD
Professor of Medicine
Senior Investigator, UW Medicine Diabetes Institute
Director, Weight Management Program, and
     Director, Gender Diversity Clinic,
     VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Vice President, Global Diabetes Surgery Taskforce  
University of Washington
Box 358280 (mail stop 111)
Seattle, WA  98195
   


Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Ep 90 Sergio Covarrubias: Mexico's Gift to Mowglis

 Sergio Covarrubias: Mexico's Gift to Mowglis



Sergio came to Mowglis from Mexico (City) in 1980 and immediately captured the hearts of both boys and staff. He began his Mowglis years in Akela 1980, Den 1982. He has had 3 sons attend Mowglis as well.

It appears that he was the first Mowglis boy to come all the way from Mexico but many more would follow, a lot of them from his extensive group of family and friends. He came with little English but picked up the language quickly, and the traditions - The Mowglis Way - as we say, that he came quickly to love. He had never hiked before and his flat feet made it a bit of a challenge but soon came to love hiking and camping as well.  In recent years he's come to be a bi-national presence in the business community and with Mowglis. 



This image was actually captured on Sergio's Washington Squad Trip!



Monday, February 13, 2023

EP 89 Henry Coons: Leader, Teacher, Lifelong Mentor

 Henry Coons: Leader, Teacher, Lifelong Mentor

Henry Coons is nothing if not consistent. Henry came to Mowglis in 1965 in Akela and he was in the Den of 1967. His brother Tim came the same year. Barry Beal was his nemesis on the Tennis court but off the court they were great friends, they even dressed as husband and wife for the old Fancy Dress Ball. Jim Hart, Jim Van Schaick, Peter Berking, Steve Punderson were among his friends. Henry says they were the best when they were good and the worst when they weren't! He thinks a comedy movie might be in order about the group, and I agree.



Henry spent a lot of time at the waterfront, getting his White, Red, Green and Brown ribbons, as well as the Orange, Yellow. Needless to say he was Greybrother. Brother Tim vowed he would be Greybrother as well - and he was. Henry was a member of the Mount Washington Squad and has hiked Washington since with his old friend Billy Ray who came to Mowglis as a counselor for one summer in 1974. Henry and Billy had an exercise routine together that was designed to prepare them for the football season.

On racing crew in 1967 he was part of a moment in Mowglis history. Henry was on the racing crew and brother Tim was the Cox. In the Blue boat Barry Beal rowed and his younger brother was the Coxswain.

Henry loved being a member of the staff after his graduation from Den and enjoyed working with the boys. He marvels at the ability of Smitty to feed the Mowglis hoards day after day for 8 weeks. He loved Smitty's spirit and his gentle nature.

Kipling remains one of his favorite authors and he memorized the "A Legend of Truth" for his students when he was later teaching at Avon.

His life after Mowglis began with four years at Mullenberg College where he played both football (defensive halfback) and baseball (Center and Rightfield). The majority of his career, after some fun, but short-term, gigs, was largely spent at Avon Old Farms School where he rose to the position of Director of Alumni Affairs and made the cover of Avonian Magazine, with a large "Fond Farewell" inside spread, when he announced his retirement. Henry laughs and says it was a "slow news time", but it's clear that was not the case.

Now living in rural Otisfield Maine, within sight of the Presidential Range.

Henry says that the only good thing about Covid was that hiking became

4 grandchildren and three of his own children.



A Legend of Truth - The Kipling Society

Apr 14, 2004— Publication. This poem was first published as an introduction to the story “A Friend of the Family” in Debits and Credits (1926).

A Fond Farewell: Avon Old Farms wishes "Good Hunting" to Henry

In the Summer issue of the Avonian is a piece about Henry's induction into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
(Pages 26-29)







Saturday, February 4, 2023

EP 87 Bruce Ferguson: Living His Best Life the Mowglis Way

 


Bruce Ferguson
Den 1982

Part entrepreneur, part philosopher Bruce Ferguson is living his best life in his hometown of Darien, CT where he grew up. Bruce recently joined a group of his fellow Dennites for a zoom reunion in addition to his reunion this past summer on the shores of Newfound Lake.

At Mowglis Bruce was a fellow of accomplishments - including his very sophisticated contraband stashing strategies. He jokes that it was a summer-long game of cat and mouse with the counselors, who had just as much fun at the game as the boys!

Listen here:





President at FergTech, Inc.
Colgate University

Darien, Connecticut, United States Contact info