Dear Parents,
Gorgeous weather the past week--just the reverse of last week, and
our spirits are soaring. We had a busy busy week, and 35 boys are
setting right now up at the Porcupine Mountains on a wondrous
three-day overnight trip which includes one contingent that is
backpacking along a 14 mile route, while the other group is working
out of a set site, swimming in Lake Superior, and just enjoying the
marvelous view of Northern Michigan. When I left you in my last
newsletter, we were about to compete against Camp Arrowhead in three
softball games and a basketball game. They were really tough ones,
and by the time the smoke had cleared, we had split two and two, so
Ill settle for that. Monday we were on full schedule and the
weather was so beautiful that we were able to really move on the
waterfront area, and our Timberbat Waterski team practiced for two
shows they were going to put on this weekend. Our tennis and archery
teams also worked out for forthcoming meets. That night we had a fine
movie with peanuts and cokes and the boys enjoyed the movie a great
deal. Tuesday night was Blue & White Night and the White team
picked up enough points to make the score closer between the teams.
On Wednesday we had our Cruiser Day, and it was extra special for
many of the cabins as they visited a number of interesting places and
really had chance to do things as a cabin group. That night we had a
two-pronged social with Camp Chippewa for Girls. Our older boys
visited them, and their younger boys (I swear that's what it says...BG) came to our camp. We ran out of paper and pencils for
boys to take down names and addresses of the girls. Their director
called me later to tell me how much they all enjoyed the social.
Thursday has to be considered our busiest day of the year---listen to
this itinerary. In the morning we held regular activities, but in the
afternoon, our Timberbat Waterski team and all our horseback riding
members ate early lunch, and then traveled to Camp Chippewa for a
horseback riding Gymkhana. As the riders competed, the skiers worked
together with the better skiers of the girls camp for two hours, and
then both groups put on a simultaneous ski show ---it was great. We
won the Gymkhana and were most pleased....Meanwhile, our Junior and
Intermediate softball, tennis and archery boys traveled to Camp
Interlaken for an Athletic contest , While our Seniors met Camp
Interlakens older group. They beat us at their camp, but we
swept all events at our camp so the entire afternoon was a thrilling
one in which our entire camp was occupied one way or another. The
evening program was to be an organized free play with boys doing
riflery, riding, etc, on a relaxed basis. But our radio station had
picked up some electrifying news---President Nixon had called for a
special TV viewing to make an important announcement. The air was
filled with rumors about possible resignation, etc. and we felt that
it was important for our campers and staff to listen and view such an
occasion, so we quickly set up a television set, hooked the sound
into our speaker system and all gathered around the set. When
President Nixon actually announced his decision to resign, it sent a
chill through my body, and we all buzzed with the news. Many
counselors took the occasion, as they put their boys to bed, to
discuss the implications of the resignation and the effects of
Watergate. It was a moment when we got a little bit away from our
Shangri La Here at Timberlane. The next morning we viewed the
inaugaration of President Ford.
Friday was again a busy day--I might add that through t the past 10
days we had been having a series of cabin overnight trips and they
were magnificent. One cabin took along a motorboat, set up tents and
spent the day on Lake Tomahawk; skiing, camping out at night, sliding
down a sand pit slide and just generally having a ball. Parents
Weekend was now coming up and we spent lots of time making sure that
camp was scrubbed and ready for our visitors. We knew that there
wouldnt be a lot--- maybe 25 families, but we still wanted to
be ready for them. Oh yes, on Thursday morning we announced the picks
of the leaders for our forthcoming Pow Wow Day to be held on Tuesday,
Aug. 13th. It will be grueling six days for the leaders because they
will have to pick their teams, study the events, place their men in
events, work on songs and cheers, have boys make signs, put on war
paint and just work, work and continue to work....but its a
great experience in growth and development for young boys as they go
through this ordeal of being Pow Wow leaders of various
tribes....Back to Friday...Five of our young waterskiers were going
to Camp Kawaga to compete in their 1st invitational waterski meet.
The boys got up at 7:30 A.M. ate breakfast and went to the meet. They
did an outstanding job and engaged in trick-skiing, barefoot-skiing
and all types of specialized events; and when the day was done, Camp
Timberlane had captured 2nd place amongst the teams. It was a
wonderful day for the boys. Meanwhile, 35 boys and staff members
loaded our equipment, boarded a bus and van, and headed for the
Porcupine Mountains for a three-day trek as previously described.
D-Day was approaching--it was near 7:00 P.M. on Friday evening--the
parents were about to enter camp. The sky was blue and who could ask
for better weather...But the weather report for the following day was
terrible--80% chance for an all-day rain and to continue for three
days. What would I do--visions of indoor progressive game parties,
bingo with the parents, and other horrible thoughts were on my mind.
But I slipped into my clean shirt and pants, put deoderant on after
my annual shower, and greeted the parents. It was so much fun to go
out and greet parents when their kids just bubbled over with how much
they loved camp and how they wanted to come back next year. It makes
greeting parents so much easier. The kids took their parents all
around camp and later we held an outdoor program near our barbecue
area. We had the parents and campers all sit on benches, and a
near-catastrophe started as too much weight (beef) on one bench
caused it to collapse and my heart also. No damage though and the
program continued. We sang songs, and then I had Andy Bleiden of
Louisville, Kentucky do his series of imitations of Ed Sullivan,
Elvis Presley and other well-known personalities. He wowed the
audience...And then I did something different...I have a camper from
Bogota, Columbia, and he approached me Friday morning and asked if he
and two other boys could perform at the evening program---well, I
asked him what the act was, and he showed me one of the funniest
midget acts Ive ever seen, so I gave him the O.K. Brian Lifsec,
(Our Bogota boy-an American), Phil Perlson, and Andy Blieden put on
the act. I then had Jim Meyers sing a few songs which set the mood
for my talk, and it was on Nixon, and what the whole series of events
that had occurred might mean to our campers. I tried to show them
that problems can come to each of us if we dont tell the truth
when something happens and we try to make excuses. I think it
registered on the boys and parents. We followed it up with a moving
Key Log ceremony, and soon the evening was over.
The next morning dawned with dark gray forbidding skies, a sweating
director and lots of trepidations...Oh, Lord I prayed,
dont let it rain--please....it looked, bad,
however....We woke the boys up, cleaned the cabins after we ate, and
the parents flocked in...The weather held up and the boys had lots of
fun. We let all our boys, (even those whose parents werent at
camp) participate in all the activities, and it was a great day. I
tried out a new type of Coke machine that gives you a choice of four
flavors and we gave out Cokes, or other soda, free to all boys whose
parents werent at camp and sold Coke to parents, and their
sons. It was a big hit....In the afternoon we had a ball game with
the dads, and they were so good they massacred the kids. The
Timberbats put on a fine ski show under windy conditions, and before
we knew it, the visitors weekend was over. The minute the Timberbats
finished their show, the heavens let loose and it poured the rest of
the evening. This morning is Lazy Breakfast, and in fact it has
already started as I have walked into the lodge and boys are
scurrying around with eggs, bacon and all the trimmings. We go into
3rd and 4th activities this morning, and then we will have a series
of clinics this afternoon with boys working in all kinds of
activities on a specialized learning basis. Tonight well have a
picnic dinner and then have Blue & White competition. Our riders
will visit a big riding rodeo at Eagle River this afternoon.
Meanwhile, interest is starting to build up for Pow Wow Day, and at
dinner tonight well start to hold our first major Pow Wow
Meetings.
Monday is regular schedule in the morning, but a big all-camp Track
and Field meet will be held in the afternoon. At night its
going to be a big Treasure Hunt and again a series of Pow Wow
meetings will be held all day. At 7:30 A.M. on Tuesday morning boys
on horseback (bareback) will invade the cabin areas, and Pow Wow Day
will officially be on. Its probably the greatest day of the
year; the camp is split up into 4 tribes, and every boy will compete
in contests that will try young boys souls. Well let you know
how it came out in our next newsletter. At night well have
barbecued chicken and corn, and it should be a great meal. Then
well be having a nice campfire with songs, stories and the boys
will be waiting for H.H. to tell them a big ghost story, so I
cant let them down. Wednesday is Cruiser Day and well be
having another social with a girls camp. (I cant tell you who
its with, or the boys will know the secret) Thursday is the
final day of testing for awards and the boys will be busy all day
working for awards. At night well have our final Blue &
White competition and the winner will share in a big giant
party....Friday well start our packing, and activities will be
carried on all through the day. I forgot to mention that on Thursday
the Timberbats will put on their final show of the year. Friday
evening will be a long and meaningful program---we will sing songs,
have a story and present our Camper of the Year Award. Finally, we
will wrap it up by having each boy take a candle mounted in a paper
dish---and slowly walk with it to our swimming area, make a wish and
let the candle drift out on the lake. Well all watch it glide
out and usually they all drift together in a long chainlike effect,
and suddenly the realization will hit that camp is over for the year.
What happened to the days, the voices and all the things that make
camp life so wonderful and meaningful?
On Saturday morning, some boys will be awakened early and will start
the trip to Rhinelander, Wisconsin to board their plane for the trip
home. Others will leave via charted buses, and some will be picked up
at camp... Our Indianapolis group will be the last one to leave, and
when theyre gone, Ill feel lonely as heck. But I will
plan to visit each of you during the Fall and Winter months; and it
is your word-of-mouth that helps us to recruit new campers, so any
help will be appreciated in later months ahead in terms of helping us
to line up new campers. Remember, the boys will be leaving for home
on Saturday, August 17th and I have sent out information about flight
times or bus times. The luggage will accompany the boys home. Again,
what a great year---its been so much for me--thanks to all the
parents for the wonderful comments during the visiting weekend. One
more newsletter and then Ill rest....Love to all of
you.-----
Regards,
H.H.