in loving memory...... John Konowitz (1945-2022)

The Adirondack Scholarship Foundation is saddened by the passing of John Konowitz. The Konowitz family has been a fixture at Pok-O-MacCready Camps, spanning nine decades and four generations. John was a camper, counselor, section head, waterfront director and long-time consultant and advisor to the camp. BELOW: Read a tribute from Ken “Squeaky” Herz: John’s former camper, co-staff member, and friend for over 50 years.
We at the foundation welcome the opportunity to honor John’s legacy by helping to send kids to Camp. Annually, several dozen kids are given scholarships to attend camp and for 2022, 29 children from northern New York have applied for financial aid.
You can honor John, and help send kids to Pok-O, by contributing to the Adirondack Scholarship Foundation in John’s name. Money donated in John’s memory will go towards helping “local” children - from John’s beloved North Country - attend camp.
Thanks for your generosity as together we help the children of the North Country, just as John did for his entire life!
We at the foundation welcome the opportunity to honor John’s legacy by helping to send kids to Camp. Annually, several dozen kids are given scholarships to attend camp and for 2022, 29 children from northern New York have applied for financial aid.
You can honor John, and help send kids to Pok-O, by contributing to the Adirondack Scholarship Foundation in John’s name. Money donated in John’s memory will go towards helping “local” children - from John’s beloved North Country - attend camp.
Thanks for your generosity as together we help the children of the North Country, just as John did for his entire life!
Facing the Sun

I knew John for over 50 years.
John was the consummate coach, and he didn’t discriminate. By that I mean, he taught me to do a lot of things in my life, and I learned some things not to do.
We played golf together a lot, sometimes just he and I, sometimes with Jo, and sometimes with others. We played in cold weather, really cold weather and snow. The ground sometimes so frozen we had to improvise and use pinecones as tees.
Comedy was a huge part of our relationship on and off the course, he loved to tease me, and I loved it too.
He never gave up on me, but he was firm and direct when in my younger days he was not happy with what I was up to. I came to really love John.
My favorite thing he taught me was always to face the sun when you are teaching a group outside. You can take away anything metaphorical that you want from that, but put simply, so kids don’t have to squint, and they can listen and learn better.
That’s how I’ll remember John, always facing the sun.
- Ken Herz, January 30, 2022
John was the consummate coach, and he didn’t discriminate. By that I mean, he taught me to do a lot of things in my life, and I learned some things not to do.
We played golf together a lot, sometimes just he and I, sometimes with Jo, and sometimes with others. We played in cold weather, really cold weather and snow. The ground sometimes so frozen we had to improvise and use pinecones as tees.
Comedy was a huge part of our relationship on and off the course, he loved to tease me, and I loved it too.
He never gave up on me, but he was firm and direct when in my younger days he was not happy with what I was up to. I came to really love John.
My favorite thing he taught me was always to face the sun when you are teaching a group outside. You can take away anything metaphorical that you want from that, but put simply, so kids don’t have to squint, and they can listen and learn better.
That’s how I’ll remember John, always facing the sun.
- Ken Herz, January 30, 2022
From left: John and Jim Konowitz at Pok-O reunion golf tournament, 2014… Leading a group of Pok-O Intermediates up Mt. Colden, 1967…. With Jack Swan, 1969