Camp Echo Weekly E-Newsletter Feb 17, 2002 ***** Camp Echo E-List Update ----------------------- The Camp Echo E-List is now at 321 members. Spread the word! I'll put a membership list, sans email addresses, in a future issue. If you would like the e-address of another alum, ask me and I'll send it to you off-list. Who's Applied For Echo 2002? From Previous Years: Judit Bodnar, Mark Bonges, Matt Bonges, Nick Bonges, Stephanie Coe, Ingrid Davidson, Eliza Gilford, Kitt Healy, Lisa Koerner, Britt Sandler, Alexis Shrawder, Natasha Vragel, Neil Walther, and Ben Woods. From Indiana University Camp Job Fair: Randy Leyes and Chad Limones. Alumni Notes (Send in your news!) ------------ "Thank you for all the good news at Echo Camp. This is Diego Parra Duque, from Colombia, third member of the Parra Brothers. Some short news: our company (Ser Humano Experiential Education) is still capturing clients in the Colombian market: 25 thousand people have done workshops with us. Our company trains people of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, and counts with 20 full time instructors." Ruth Hayden writes, "My married sister Melissa Hayden now has a little boy, Max. He is the joy of my life. He was born in early September of this year. Besides being a proud aunt, I am busy with Lettuce Entertain You. I have been with Lettuce for 10 years now (just had an anniversary). I am a trainer for the Wildfire division. We now have 4 Wildfires; 3 in the Chicagoland area and 1 in a suburb of Minneapolis. I have spent the last 5 to 6 months in Minneapolis working on the opening. I just moved into Brian and Julie McGinn's building (also owned by Paul White and Laurie LaComb). Small world, huh?" Wish List --------- If you, or anyone you know, has any of these items to donate, let me know. Dodge Caravan or equivalent 'minivan' for Town Run Copier Machine (40-50 pages per day) Laptop Computers (Pentium or G3) iMacs, any generation, any color - even Dalmation! Openings at Camp This Summer ---------------------------- LITs are the current sophomores in high school, entering junior year while at camp in the summer. Anyone who was a CIT last year should return as an LIT. There are openings in all sessions this summer for LITs, both boys and girls. Based on feedback from potential LITs, we've recently made changes in the LIT program to make it more attractive. LITs will no longer be required to do bus duty; paid Echo staff will handle this job. Lifeguard and First Aid certification will no longer be a required part of the program at camp. Instead, LITs may take these courses anywhere, any time within one year of their start date at camp, and Echo will reimburse them for the cost of the course, up to the fee charged by the McGaw YMCA for that course. While at Echo LITs will spend at least five days living in a camper cabin, at least five days assigned to an activity area, and go on a camping trip. The former "LIT Work Weekend" in April is optional; any enrolled CIT or LIT, or hired JC or AC may attend if they want to. (SC's are encouraged and invited as well.) Paid staff at Echo receive an additional $10 per week if they have participated for two summers in Camp Echo's CIT, LIT, or Adventure Trip program. Finally, we have cut the fee for the LIT program from 60% to 50% of the regular Main Camp fee. If you know any sophomores, encourage them to come to camp as LITs. Tom Zwergel will be heading up the LIT program this year. Staff Recruitment ----------------- On Valentines' Day, my wife, Wrangler Laura Gageby, and I attended the Indiana University Summer Camp Job Fair in Bloomington Indiana. There were 80 camps in attendance, set up at tables in the Memorial Union. Between 11 am and 4 pm we met and spoke with 30 students looking for summer jobs. We were impressed with the number of candidates with strong camp skills and lifeguard certification who were willing to work at camp for the entire summer. Each one of them received a Camp Echo Staff Brochure and a staff application package. Two students filled out and returned the applications later the same day. All those who we spoke with have received follow-up e-mail, and I have been corresponding with four who are particularly interested in Camp Echo. On the drive down to Bloomington, we stopped at Purdue University and interviewed two students who had seen our job posting on the internet. Next Wednesday, my wife and I will be at the Central Michigan University Summer Camp Job Fair in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. I'll report on the results in next week's newsletter. Winter Projects --------------- Anyone who has ever attended Camp Echo is familiar with the Moose in the Dining Hall, mounted above the fireplace. Generations of campers and staff have had to endure the "Kiss the Moose" chant when they were caught with their elbows on the table. Years of moose-kissing has taken its toll and this winter the Moose was removed and taken to a local taxidermist for repair. The Moose will be back this summer with refurbished lips. (Is that funny or what? Admit it, you laughed.) While the Moose is off the wall, Rob Johnston and his helpers this spring will remove the plaques from that portion of the wall, add insulation, finish the wall, and replace the plaques. Not only will that wall around the chimney look better, this will also be a first step in creating a warmer dining hall for our early spring and late summer groups. Song of the Week (Send in your requests!) ---------------- FISH & CHIPS (you need to get three friends to help you with this) Fish and chips and vinegar, Vinegar, vinegar Fish and chips and vinegar, Pepper-pepper-pepper pot! Don't throw your junk in my backyard, My backyard, my backyard Don't throw your junk in my backyard, My backyard's full! Hey, your jello's melting It's dripping all over Hey, your jello's melting It's making a mess! One bottle of pop, two bottle of pop, Three bottle of pop, four bottle of pop, Five bottle of pop, six bottle of pop, Seven bottles of pop! Echo History ------------ Goals and Objectives of Camp Echo, 1908: "While it is neither possible nor advisable in a camp extending over a period of but two weeks to subject a boy to all the hardships incident in roughing it, we aim to give him such a taste of life lived close to nature, with the companionship of other boys, that his whole life - physical, mental, social, moral - will be benefited by the experience. Here his life is stripped of all artificiality; here he must be natural; here his real self is seen in his relations with his companions; and here it is that he is under the influences which tend to develop manliness, courage, self sacrifice, courtesy - the marks of true manhood." Coming Soon: ----------- Computer, Website, and Internet Plans Feel The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson Camp Echo Director rg@mcgawymca.org 847-475-7400 x259