We’re back with another blog for our “20 questions” series. Read on below for our interview with C.I.T. Director Brian Rybak.

 

Question #1: What are your goals for summer 2018?

Brian: “To train the future leaders of Camp George and to become a bigger part of the Camp George family.”

Question #2: What’s your life motto, or philosophy you live by?

Brian: “Family is not an important thing…it’s everything.”

“If it doesn’t challenge you…it doesn’t change you.”

Question #3: All time best camp memory?

Brian: “My C.I.T. summer in 1992 at Camp Northland/B’nai Brith.”

Question #4: What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Brian: “As a kid I wanted to become a doctor. I ended up becoming a Physical Education teacher, because I wanted to have a role in the development of our future leaders and have a positive influence on as many people as I could.”

Question #5: What was/is your biggest accomplishment?

Brian: “While I have had many accomplishments of which I am proud, the greatest accomplishment of my life is becoming a father of 2 beautiful girls and marrying my best friend!”

Question #6: What are your favorite hobbies?

Brian: “I enjoy reading, playing most sports, particularly baseball, water activities like swimming and sailing, and word puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords. And most of all spending time with my family!”

Question #7: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Brian: “Since I have not had the opportunity to travel much in my life, there are many places I would like to visit, but as an Archeology major in university, I have always wanted to travel to Macchu Picchu in Peru to see the Incan ruins. I would also love to visit Europe and I would definitely love to go back to Israel (I went on the Birthright trip in February 2001) and spend more time seeing this beautiful country and discovering more of my heritage.” 

Question #8: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?

Brian: “Spiderman has always been my favourite superhero, since he seemed like your typical nerdy teenage boy, had a great sense of sarcasm, amazing powers and a great sense of responsibility. However, if I could have just one superpower, it would be to have healing powers so I could help others who are suffering.” 

Question #9: What camp staff inspired you the most? How did they inspire you?

Brian: “During the summer of 1989, I was a 13 year old camper at camp Northland. My C.I.T. that summer, Jon Sussman, without question had the most positive influence on me. Since I am the oldest child in my family, he was my surrogate “big brother”, and treated me as such. When I finally entered high school, he was also a student there helped me feel more comfortable than most grade 9’s usually do. He also encouraged me to join the Rugby team, which became a huge part of my life growing up. I am still friends with him to this day.”

Question #10: What’s your favorite Jewish holiday and why?

Brian: “Passover has always been my favourite holiday! From the seders, which are among my favourite meals of the year, to watching “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston every year, Passover was always my favourite holiday!” 

Question #11: What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?

Brian: “My favourite sport to play has always been baseball/softball, but my favourite sport to watch is definitely hockey!”

Question #12: Do you collect anything?

Brian: “I have always been an avid collector of different things! Growing up I collected stamps with my Zaidy (I still have them). Then I collected comics for many years (still have those too). As I entered my teens I began collecting baseball and hockey cards, and actually amassed a fairly valuable collection. Today, I collect sports memorabilia, including autographed photos, baseballs and bats, hockey pucks and sticks, etc. I only wish I could afford to add more to my collection.”

Question #13: Have you ever had a surprise party (that was an actual surprise)?

Brian: “My wife surprised me for my 40^th birthday 2 years ago. She blindfolded me and took me Paintballing (for the 1^st time in my life) where my family and friends met us. It was an amazing surprise!”

Question #14: If you could eat your favorite food now, what would it be?

Brian: “I pretty much love almost all food, especially if it is spicy!”

Question #15: If you could invite four famous people to dinner, who would you choose and why?

Brian: “I would invite Charles Darwin, Lou Gehrig, Abraham Lincoln, and Jackie Robinson. Darwin because he was the author of “On the Origin of Species” of which most evolutionary theories are based from; Gehrig, because he was a great player who struggled with a terrible disease, yet was a class act throughout the entire ordeal; Lincoln for his abolition of slavery and his skills as a masterful orator; and Robinson for his amazing struggle to break the “colour barrier” in baseball during a very difficult time!”

Question #16: Do you have a pet? 

Brian: “I have a dog named Malibu. She is a Bernese Mountain/Labrador Retriever mix. I also have a cat that we adopted 1 year ago named Luke (even though I am not a cat person!)”

Question #17: Do you have any siblings? What are they like?

Brian: “I have a younger brother and sister, both of whom are teachers like me! My brother also teaches Physical Education and my sister teaches an Autism Spectrum Disorder class. We have all spent many years attending camps, both as campers and staff.”

Question #18: Does your name have a special meaning and or were you named after someone special?

Brian:“My Hebrew name is Natan, as I was named after my great-grandfather. My English name, Brian, was chosen by my parents after they watched the movie “Brian’s Song”, about a Chicago Bears football player, Brian Piccollo, who displayed incredible strength and courage as he fought cancer. My parents loved the name and the values that he represented.” 

Question #19: What was one new experience you tried that was completely unknown or uncomfortable to you at the time you tried it?

Brian: “I went zip lining just outside Victoria, B.C. I had never been zip lining and these trees were approximately 150 – 200 ft. tall, so I was understandably scared. But it was one of the most fun experiences of my life, and I have since gone zip lining several times at other locations! One of my goals is to go to Costa Rica and zip line through the jungle alongside monkeys and other wildlife!”

Question #20: What is your proudest camp moment?

Brian: “I would have to say that my time as the L.T.P. Unit Head at another camp for 4 summers led to my proudest camp moments! Each year when I saw some of my former campers grow into outstanding staff, and eventually even Head Staff, I could not be prouder!”