Dear Parents,
Glorious, warm, sunny, soothing, ---weather--- Im so happy, we
are going full speed ahead and have been on the go since my last
newsletter, What a wonderful week weve had-- Our Senior
Softball team won the rubber match in their contests against Camp
arrowhead. Then we had a Riding Contest against Camp Red Arrow on
Friday and I waited for the boys to return--- we had lost 4 straight
years in a row---honk, honk, honk, beep, beep-- in came our cars and
the boys were straining at the bit to jump out and present me with
the beautiful riding trophy they had won as we swamped Red Arrow, 401
(thats 4-1)... I took a movie of the trophy presentation. Then
at night, our staff played Red arrow in basketball and last year they
had demolished us, so we were the underdog. It was a really rugged
contest and our campers screamed themselves hoarse as we scored a
real upset win 38-30. We have a good team this year in all divisions
and have the best overall camp record that weve ever had.
Today, we will be at Three Lakes, Wisconsin with some of our boys
entered in a big horse show in which Mike Rolnick, Joel Garten, and
some of our other riders will be competing. Were having most of
the boys in our riding program cheer on the boys and well serve
southern fried chicken during the lunch period of the horse show. On
Monday, we meet Camp Ohtanogan in an important riding contest which
measures ability in handling of horses, posture, etc. and not so much
on speed, etc. Our Timberbats will put on a special Waterski show at
a girls camp this Thursday evening. The reason Im up so
early this morning is that we sent our advanced Scuba Divers for a
two day trip to Lake Superior in which they will scuba dive at the
Madeline Islands, visit cultural areas, and camp overnight in the
area. It is an exciting trip and one that the boys have spent a great
deal of time planning for. We are out full force right now in our
tripping program and we have two canoe trips out on the river
comprising 18 boys, and cabin overnights are out each day at Pickerel
Lake. This has been the best tripping year we have ever had, and I
know that the boys have enjoyed their tripping this summer.
Last night we all watched the Packer-Bear football game debacle, and
the odds in advance made the Bears 3-2 favorites. A bet was made by
many of the campers on who would win and as a result, the bet will
have to be paid off by the losers getting bags of water dumped over
their heads by the winners. It should be a very nasty affair.
Tonight, we have movie night, and it will be a cinemescope showing of
SERGEANTS THREE and since it is so warm outside,
well be showing the movie outdoors using a system that we have
set up with an outdoor speaking unit, and well serve peanuts
and cokes. Tomorrow night is infiltration night, and the whole camp
will be overdressed for the affair with the guys trying to escape
through enemy lines clothed in extra outfits and hiding special clues
in their clothing attire. Tuesday night is campfire night, and we
have a special reading of the wills that were written by the boys
last year. We also have a guitar playing camper that should really
set the mood for the campfire. Last campfire night, I told the boys
Jack Londons story of For the love of a Man, which
is about a dog, Buck, who loves and is devoted to his master, and I
got so involved in the story that I suddenly could sense, as I was
telling the story, that each boy was caught up in the mood and was
spellbound by the tale, and as I came to the climax of the story and
the dog is trying to pull a 1000 lb. load in a special contest, each
camper was rooting for Buck and I know that they just loved the
story. So, this week, Ill tell another one and its so
good to get back to story telling. I might add that weve worked
hard trying to teach our boys to sing songs, and they are very good
at singing and seem to love it so much.
Special congratulations to our Timberlane Sailing group who finished
6th out of 14 yesterday in a sailing regatta at Lake Kewagasaka.
Sailing a sunfish in the race was Ron Bamberger and Ed Leifer, and
they did a great job utilizing the wind during the race... Remember,
SAMBO that dumb crow of ours---well, yesterday we had
quite a scare... Sambo was on the roof of a building when a paper bag
came brushing up against him from the wind--- he grabbed it., checked
it out, and it ended up around his head...in his confusion he got
entangled in the paper bag and came tumbling off the roof onto the
ground. A bunch of campers scooped up the bird and rushed him to the
infirmary where Mary Donavan, our nurse, looked him over. This dodo
bird had his head in a droopy position, and he seemed to be gurgling
like something was stuck in his throat. As Mary bent over to see if
he had a broken wing, the bird suddenly perked up, started to coo,
cuddled against Mary, pecked her on the cheek, stole our rectal
thermometer and scooted out of the infirmary, with a sudden cackling
cry of triumph, Sambo soared into the air and took his stolen goods
to his nest high up in a tree. This is the only crow with a rectal
thermometer....
I went to watch Jimmy Hiken swim yesterday, and he was trying out the
sidestroke. Every time hed stroke hed murmur, Bend
a tree--(then hed move his arms)--and then Hed
yell, Pick an apple, Put it in the basket. I
couldnt understand what he was doing, and I stopped him and
asked what he was doing, Well, it seems that his teacher had taught
him to think of these things as he was doing each phase of the side
stroke in swimming, and since he had trouble thinking of it when he
was trying it, he felt it would be easier saying it out loud, Imagine
what mixed company would think, if Jimmy would be saying these things
while swimming at a public pool or lake.
YOU THINK YOUVE GOT TROUBLE DEPARTMENT---Heres one for
the most expensive garbage run Ive ever had...It seems that
each day we send our garbage truck to the public dump to get rid of
the refuse. Well, the other day I sent out our garbage to the dump,
and I got a call asking me to call a tow truck service to retrieve
our Garbage truck...It seems that the boys were emptying
the truck and the signal was to back up the truck closer to the
dumping grounds. Well, the truck got backed up right into the dump,
and we ended up having to get at tow truck (cost---$25.00) to remove
the truck from the dump. Every time I see the staff members who made
this goof with the truck, I yell out BACK IT UP. They all
turn beet red... Oh, well, its only money. (Yours)
Today its such a nice day that in the afternoon, were
going to go with a lot of blue and white active games such as
softball, football, basketball and European Handball, Then were
going to have a water carnival and it will consist of a series of
races in the water and will also include underwater swim contests,
searching for plates underwater, pajama races in which each boy has
to try to untie wet pajamas, and well wrap all up with a
greased watermelon contest in which each boy will be on a team, and
they will try to move a greased watermelon from one goal to another
while the watermelon slides around and perhaps might break in the
water. It should be a lot of fun for the boys.
Next Wednesday afternoon well be starting our next series of
Porcupine mountain over night trips and well carry this on
during the next six days and these are probably the most beautiful
trips of the year. On Wednesday evening well be having a social
with Camp Agawak, and they really have a bevy of beautiful girls.
Heres something cute---last Thursday evening we had a social
with Chippewa Ranch Camp, and our younger boys went to the other
camp. Young Wally Posner was kind of shy during the first couple of
dances but by the third dance he had set his eye on a young damsel
with golden hair. He set out to ask her for a dance but was accosted
by one of the older boys from our camp who told him that this gal was
going to be his personal property. Wally didnt say anything,
but got Norm Wolf to call the boys name on the P.A. (Public Address
System) with the announcement that there was an important call for
the boy. When the older boy went to see Norm about the message, our
young gallant, Wally, moved in on the girl and took over. When the
other boy came back, Wally and his girl were occupied for the rest of
the evening. I predict that Wally will someday be a whiz in the
business field.
Thursday, well be having a treasure hunt and the whole camp
will be looking for clues hidden throughout the camp grounds.
Theyll be split into six teams and it should be a lot of fun.
On Friday, we start our parents weekend, and all Parents, Children,
and Grandmas and Grandpas are invited to come to camp and visit the
kids from Friday evening, Aug. 13th Starting at 7:00 P.M. and running
through Saturday, Aug. 14th. You will be our guests at lunch on
Saturday afternoon and on Saturday at 4:30P.M. you will be able to
take your sons out for dinner. For all boys whose parents will not be
visiting camp, we have a fabulous program planned for them and for
some it included a special porcupine mountain trip during the
weekend. I dont want any parent to come up and surprise his
child without notifying us first, or you may come up to camp and find
your son gone from camp on a trip. We will also be having a special
dinner on Saturday evening for those boys whose parents dont
come up for the visiting weekend, so dont worry about your
boys. If you are coming up from Milwaukee, you can take hiway 41 to
Appleton to Hiway 45 then to Hiway 47 to Woodruff, Wis. Then turn
right on Hiway 51 and go 4 miles until you see a sign that says
Airport Road. Then left and come in two miles and youll see our
camp sign. Turn right and come in about 1 mile and youll be at
camp. Our telephone number is 715-356-6022.
For those of you that have never heard of it---we have the most
fabulous Camp Timberlane Family Post Camp Program available from
Friday afternoon, Aug. 20th through Thursday afternoon, Aug. 26th. We
had our entire camp filled with Post Camp families, but have received
two cancellations, and there are two openings available. We offer
individual cabins with washroom facilities for all and special
bedrooms in each cabin to provide privacy in a family. I keep on over
60% of the staff and we have all of our activities available plus
keep on over 60% of the staff and we have all of our activities
available plus we serve all the meals. If youd like to be a
part of this Post Camp period call me me immediately and if we
havent filled up the time I hear from you we welcome you to our
Post Camp. Aug. 20th-Aug. 26th. Remember its best to call me at
715-356-6022, and its on a first come, first serve basis.
Camp will be over on Friday, Aug. 20th and our Milwaukee contingent
will be coming home via chartered Greyhound bus. All other boys will
be coming home via special transportation and I will send you a
letter shortly letting know how each boy will be getting home. Six
weeks are gone---what happened to the time. Ive never known
time to fly by so quickly. How Ive loved it so far...If this is
the kind of year I could have each season, then Id always like
to be a camp director. Sometimes it doesnt pass as quickly and
then it isnt such a great job. I got five letters yesterday,
and each one was nicer than the previous one--each one said the same
thing---our boys loved camp, they miss it, they miss you, H.H. Yeah,
so do I miss them.
Bye Bye
HH