Camp Echo Weekly E-Newsletter June 30, 2002 ***** This Week at Camp ----------------- Our two one-week camper sessions ("A" and "B") are over and we've just opened the first of three two-week sessions ("C"). In addition to several changes at the Junior Counselor level, our Health Officer this week is Mary Kleschen, MD. Mary, an Echo alum from the 70s (camper, Outpost, counselor), is in from Guam with her three daughters: Katie (5th grade, Friendship Lodge); Julia (age 7); and Sarah (age 4). We had a full and exciting week with engaging Camptivity classes; excellent cabin group activities; and fun evening programs. Monday night featured the always-popular General's Game, with the ketchup and mustard lovers (dark shirts) facing off against the mayonnaise lovers (light shirts). Tuesday night's game of "Clue" was followed by an Austin Powers-themed casino night. On Thursday the CITs hosted the "Mr. and Mrs. Echo" pageant, and Friday featured a rousing closing campfire and another burning triangle across the lake. A mini-olympics bridged the day between the two one-week sessions (we had 60 layover campers), while the layovers from B to C (18 of them) spent the day at the Silver Lake dunes and had dinner at Pizza Hut. We had many visitors this past week! On Wednesday, McGaw YMCA staff members Trinette Johnson (Fee Assistance Administrator), Kristin Lawson (Registration Coordinator), and Steve McMillan (Member Services Associate) joined us. After seeing Echo in action for the first time, they can now speak to parents of campers and potential campers with first-hand knowledge of "how it works." Another group of visitors joined us Wednesday: Echo alum Ellen Zipprich, Jessamay Kroth, Langston Maynor, and Brian Lagrone of the "Play for Peace" movement spent some quality time with the CITs and taught them how to facilitate cooperative games. Play for Peace is an international organization that helps bring children of different cultures together using recreational activities that promote awareness and understanding. On Thursday, Tom Shipp of the Michigan Camp Licensing Office conducted the annual inspection. Tom toured the activity areas and cabins; spoke with Aquatic Director Bob Ettinger and watched the waterfront in action; interviewed Trip Guides Kiersten Rippeteau and Tiffany Primus; looked over our policies, procedures, and staff training manual and materials; spoke with the Health Officers; and verified that our staff files were complete and correct. Camp Echo was judged to be in 100% compliance with every Michigan rule that governs our operation. The Newaygo County Health Inspector will be out later this summer to complete the licensing process. On Friday, Brian McGinn and Larry Goldberg, long-time work-weekend volunteers, came up to assist Rob Johnston for the weekend. Brian's son Zach had recently returned from his first official week at Echo; Larry is a member of the Camp Echo Committee whose children Naomi and Simon have been Echo campers and staff members in recent years. Special thanks to our guest Town Run drivers this month: Elizabeth Donohue Allen was in with son Jack for staff training week; Laurie Lacomb was in with daughter Mia for session A; and Ron Gibson joined us for a few days during session B. We are grateful that these Echo alumni could help us out. The entire staff is working hard to ensure that every camper has a safe and fun experience at Echo. A number of our one-week campers have even turned right around and signed up to fill last-minute openings in our two-week sessions later this summer. We are off to a terrific start. We are looking forward to the annual Camp Echo 4th of July Fireworks Show this Thursday, orchestrated by our very own Rob Johnston. Alumni Notes ------------ Zenol Moore has just joined the list and would love to hear from Camp Echo pals. Song of the Week ---------------- THE GREAT BIG MOOSE There was a great big moose He liked to drink a lot of juice There was a great big moose He liked to drink a lot of juice Way-oh-way-oh Way-oh-wy-oh-way-oh Way-oh-way-oh Way-oh-wy-oh-way-oh The moose's name was Fred He liked to drink his juice in bed He drank his juice with care Until he spilled some on his hair Now he's a sticky moose But he's a moose All full of juice On the loose Feel The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson Camp Echo Director rg@mcgawymca.org