Dear Parents,
I overslept this morning-- but I reveled in my sleep-- such beautiful
weather for Parents Weekend...Prior to Friday we had two very
cold days, and I had nightmares about parents coming to camp and
having to bundle up in overcoats-- I would look out on the lake on
Wednesday and Thursday mornings and steam would be rising from the
heat being given off by the lake and rising into the cool air. But on
Friday morning the weather had begun to warm up and when the parents
came into camp, we had a perfectly blue sky, a wonderful sun, and the
weather was letter perfect for the rest of the parents
weekend.
We worked so hard to get camp ready for the parents--- On Thursday
evening we had cleaned up the camp grounds by running our staff,
Program Aides and C.I.T.s on paper pickups, garbage runs, and
cabin inspections until the place shined. We had checked out the
campers clothing to see that they had clean clothes to wear--- as
usual a couple of emergencies cropped up. On Friday morning
thirty-two of our campers and staff members left for the Porcupine
Mountains and as mentioned, the weather was perfect--- part of the
group will break up into back pack expedition, and the other group
will be camping on the mountains, and visiting Lake Superior, and
trying to swim in the very cold water of the lake. I have had a call
from the trippers and the boys are having a glorious time on their
trips. At camp, we ran three separate inspections and by dinner time,
camp sparkled. Then the parents and other members of their families
came into camp, and greeted their boys. Everyone had a chance to see
camp, and we later had a beautiful outdoor campfire by our barbecue
area, and we sang, listened to a talk by Mark Faiwell, enjoyed the
music of Tom Callahan and Marty Lynch, and heard some words of wisdom
by some of our campers, and eventually heard a large number of
campers express their thanks for a great season via the key log
ceremony.
I might add that on Friday afternoon (and morning) , a number of our
skiers went to Camp Kawaga and competed all day in a giant ski
contest. We took 2nd place in the contest and our barefoot skiers
took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place which was the 1st time thats ever
been done. On Saturday morning the campers had three activity
periods, and in the afternoon our famed Timberbat Waterski team put
on a wonderful ski show. At the same time, some of our riders
competed at the Camp -Fiesta riding contest, and there were over nine
camps competing. Eric Spirtas, Jimmy Hiken, and Andy Dattel were
entered and Jimmy got a 4th place and almost got into the giant
finals. Andy was superb and took 1st place in jumping and won places
in other events and finally won 5th place amongst the many
contestants and all of us were very pleased by the results. The
parents took their boys out for dinner after the Timberbats put on
their show--- I might add that we served an outdoor luncheon on
Saturday afternoon, and it was mighty tasty. Dorothy Herlitz and her
kitchen crew had outdone themselves again. Many of your boys went
along with the parents who were at camp and who had invited them
along with their sons, and then Mark Faiwell and Billy Doner went to
work again to insure those boys who were left at camp that we still
loved them. He made 11 sheet pans of every type of pizza imaginable--
wow- what a fiesta we had -- it was pizza time, and everyone gorged
themselves-- we had cheese pizza, cheese and sausage, cheese and
sausage and mushrooms and onions, and lots of bad breath-- but filled
bellies. Mark was bedecked in an apron and glittering eyes, and I
kept adding up the bill , but it was worth it all as we sat down and
munched and munched. At night I ran the movie The
Moonspinners and we held it outdoors-- Full house for the
showing.
Today is LAZY BREAKFAST TIME, and I imported 20 dozen bagels to make
the breakfast even more fun to eat... Well also serve bacon,
eggs, omelets, toast, judge, cereal, milk and many other things...
but well sleep late and thats what its all about--
we need the rest...Then well be running our 3rd and 4th periods
in the morning. As a special treat for our Timberbats, Ill be
sending them to Tomahawk Wisconsin to view the greatest ski contest
in Wisconsin as skiers from all over the W.S.A. come to Tomahawk to
compete. Our boys will get a chance to see the best part of the ski
show and thatll be the jumping events. Congratulations to Brad
Herrold of our ski department who made the Minocqua-Bat ski team and
was notified of this horn on Friday evening. Its a rough and
tough battle to make the team, and this makes fives of our people
that have made it over the past few years.
In the afternoon, well be holding a series of clinics and I
know that the boys love to get involved in these clinics. Well
also send out a golf trip, and hold some archery and riflery contest.
Our porcupine the trip should return late in the afternoon, and then
well have an outdoor picnic dinner. Well be having a big
roast beef lunch ( our heavy meal this Sunday) and it should be a
great meal. Then its our 1st big meeting for our upcoming POW
WOW DAY to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 8th. During the past week, we
spent many hours choosing leaders for tribes in all divisions and a
head medicine man for each tribe. They were announced on Thursday
morning, and the boys were given lists of all available campers and
staff members and on Friday morning everyone was chosen on a tribe.
From then on, the boys have been placed on rosters and entered in
events for the forthcoming Pow Wow Day. But starting tonight after
Dinner, well really start getting into the spirit of the day,
and after every meal on Monday, the boys will be planning strategy,
and on Tuesday morning our riders will come whooping through the camp
riding bareback on the horses to awaken the boys, and well all
be getting up early and donning our war paint, and on Tuesday
its GO GO TIME and all hell breaks loose. Well let you
know how things come out in our next newsletter.
Tonight we've got a bar burner for the boys-- we are going to be
showing a FIVE STAR FILM called PATTON, and its a
five reeler, so show tie goes on real early and well be serving
shelled peanuts and cokes and the joint will be jumping all night. On
Monday morning our skiers will be visiting a girls camp and
theyll be joint together in a special dual waterski program. I
know that it will be a lot of fun and our boys will then have lunch
at the girls camp. At night well be having our blue and white
game contest and some of the events will be geared for the Pow Wow
games and will include Indian Ball, Plank Paddling and other related
contests. Tuesday night will be campfire night, and I might add that
after the Pow Wow Day, well have barbecued chicken for the boys
with roast corn and it should be a great meal. On Wednesday,
well have our last Cruiser Day and five cabins will visit the
Minocqua-Bat ski show at night. Other cabins will have their own
evening programs.
On Thursday morning well have our TRACK AND FIELD DAY PROGRAM,
and in the afternoon well be having a riding Gymkhana-- gosh
its unbelievable whats happened to the tie-- we
dont have enough of it. At night, well be holding a
special blue and white Treasure Hunt and the boys will be running all
over the camp looking for clues. I forgot to mention that last
Thursday evening we had our boxing and wrestling program, and John
Marks and Jim Goldstein and friends bedecked our recreation building
with the finest fighting ring that Ive ever seen complete with
spotlight, bell, and all the trimmings, and GRUDGE NIGHT was an
unqualified success. Mike Jacobs proved to be the star of the evening
as he came out slugging, and his fight was greeted with roars from
the moment it started to the moment it ended.
A cute note-- One of my kitchen girls sisters had been at camp
for about 10 days, and was planning to take a 7:40 A.M. bus home.
Mark Plattner had grown to like her, and wanted to say goodbye to
her, so he set his alarm for 6:00 A.M. but by mistake, he set it for
5:00 A.M. and when he got in front of her place, he parked himself on
the ground and waited for her. I was taking Claudia, (my kitchen
gals sister) to the bus depot, and when I got in front of her
place, poor Mark was almost frozen stiff-- I unpried him, and found
some frozen tears on his cheek. I took all of them to a restaurant,
and then got Claudia on the bus. I know that Mark felt much better
after he got some hot food down his gullet. Thats love....
DEPARTURE DATE FOR HOME-- SATURDAY, AUGUST 12th.-- Your boys will be
leaving for home on Saturday, August 12th and on Monday Ill be
sending out an itinerary for each of you. It is essential that you be
at your airport terminal or bus station to meet your boys. Well
have five of our staff members along with your boys going to the
Chicago airport, and well send along those boys going to other
cities and will make certain that they depart from the O'Hare airport
if they are going further in their flights. Food will be provided for
the boys on the trip, and their luggage will come along with them on
the plane. If there is any lost luggage, please let me know
immediately at camp, and the number is 715-356-6022.
Later, Ill be sending you a wrapup of the activities your boys
took at camp and breakdown of your sons spending money account.
Some of you have not sent in your payment for the airline
transportation for your boy, and I would like you to make a note and
please send in your payment today. I laid out over $35,0000.00 and
feel that you should follow through on your part. The boys will be
bringing home their awards, photo albums (if ordered by you) and
Timberlane jackets or other things that will be given to them at the
end of camp. We do all we can to make sure that the boys dont
lose their awards.
Mike Perlson keeps catching giant Northerns and Wall Eyes, and
hell been our best fisherman by far. Hats off to him..On Friday
afternoon-- the boys will keep clothing to wear during the day, and
awards will be given out after lunch and placed in the foot
lockers...Theyll be activities all day, and at night well
have our final campfire, with lots singing a story, and a giant
key log ceremony. Well also give our camper of the year award
and our first JON MOLASKY TRIPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
which was so graciously set up by Rob Schiller and his family. Then
well all light candles and set them out over the over the lake
while we make a wish. How can camp be almost over-- them out over the
lake while we make a wish. How can camp be almost over-- Ive
loved every minute of this year, and its been our best one yet.
Our boys will tell you so when they get home. Again, Ill write
you once more.
Love------
HH