Camp Che-Na-Wah 1923
Camp Baco 1951

Sol Amster, a New York City educator who was a co-director of the Balfour Lake Camp for boys (opened in 1919), purchased a property at the other end of Balfour Lake and opened a family camp in 1922. That winter he married Cornelia Schwartz, also an educator, and the following summer they opened Camp Che-Na-Wah for girls. "Mother Cornel" was a follower of Seton's Woodcraft Indians movement and Woodcraft rituals were an important part of camp.

Camp Baco opened in 1951 with about 50 boys by Sol and Cornelia Amster as the boys' counterpart to Che-Na-Wah. In 1954, Ruth Wortman (former head waterfront director at Camp Che-Na-Wah) and Mel Wortman (former head counselor of Camp Che-Na-Wah, and a New York City elementary school principal) became partners with the Amsters at Baco, and assumed full ownership after "Mother Cornell's" death.

In 1959 a former camper, Alice Sternin, with her husband Lester, became partners with the Amsters, and then on "Papa Chuck's" death in 1961 assumed full ownership. The Sternins sold the camp to the Wortman family in 1986.

Bob Wortman, son of Ruth and Mel Wortman, spent every summer of his life at Camps Baco and Che-Na-Wah. He met Barbara Press at Hofstra University. They were married in 1979 and together they continue to direct both camps. Ruth and Mel are still actively involved in the daily life of camp.

Greg Silver, a former Baco camper and grandson of Alice and Lester Sternin - former owners and directors of Che-Na-Wah - is the head counselor/program director at Baco. During the winter, Greg is an educator.

Jane Sindel. a former camper and counselor, was Che-Na-Wah's head counselor/program director for more than 15 years. In 2006, Jane became an associate director. Jane is also an educator during the winter.

Both camps have athletic directors and waterfront directors to manage daily programming.