Camp Echo Monthly Alumni E-News November 30, 2002 Back issues are archived at The Camp Echo E-List is now at 540 members. Spread the word! If you want to be removed from this list, reply and let me know. ***** Next issue: "around" December 23 ***** Happy Thanksgiving ------------------ I'd hoped to get this newsletter out before the holiday. Instead, here's hoping you had some quality family time, a nice meal, and safe travels to and from your destination. If you were lucky enough to have all of these things, I hope you'll take time out to remember those here and everywhere who are not as fortunate. Save The Date ------------- Saturday, December 28, 2002 All-Time Alumni Reunion at Prairie Moon in Evanston On Sherman between Lake & Grove Starts at 8:00 pm, following the 2002 Staff Reunion What's New? ---------- The 2003 Camp Guide has been sent to the printer and will be mailed to McGaw YMCA members and former campers this coming week. Through the miracle of the internet, you can download your own copy as a PDF. Just go to and click on Registration. Warning! The entire Camp Guide is over 2.5 megabytes, and even the Camp Echo section is 1.4 megabytes. If you don't have a high-speed internet connection, you can still check out the programs, dates, and rates for 2003 on the McGaw YMCA's main website. Just go to and click on Camp Echo. Speaking of registration, for the first time ever we will be taking registrations from 2002 and 2001 campers before new campers. This was done years ago with Family Camp, but not recently. If you are a Family Camper, or the parent of a camper, from 2001 or 2002, reserve your spot with a mail-in registration on January 6th, then tell your friends and neighbors to mail their registrations on January 27th. Speaking of the Camp Echo website, it's been updated with lots of information for parents, campers, alumni, and volunteers. We're still working on getting more pictures on the site, including some of the items we have for purchase from the Camp Echo Trading Post. Other things that have kept the Camp Director busy include setting the schedule for the various Camp Echo Information Nights and signing up for camp fairs, job fairs at universities, ICCP, and BUNAC/IEP. ICCP and BUNAC/IEP are programs that help us bring international staff to Camp Echo. Camp Staff applications are also on the website. Recent Office Visitors ---------------------- Josh Newman, Lauren Teichner, Katie Trippi, John Donohue, Peter Frankel, Alisa Damholt, Bob Ettinger, James Kinney, Jordan Shea, Tom Fischl, Julie McGinn, Chuck Heisinger, Dave Hunwick, Pat McMahon, Mark Collins, Todd Israelite, and Rob Johnston. Thanks also to Josh Newman, Meredith Stevens, Katie Trippi, Alex Steinberg, Laura Jaffe, Julie Evans, Bess Evans, and Nate Plotkin who helped out at the November Camp Echo Information Nights at the McGaw YMCA. Donations Sought ---------------- We're going to see if we can set up a darkroom in the basement of the Craft Shop/Boat House. Can you donate any of these things: - 35 mm camera - enlarger - trays - safe lights - chemicals, if still "good" - paper, if still "good" - paper safe - tools to handle and mix chemicals - cropping easels - dust brush - developing canister - cloth gloves to handle negatives - pring dryer Other items we could use next summer: - 6 pair water skiis - 8 four-man tents - 6 camping/cooking stoves - 2 kayaks - 2 canoes - 2 rowboats - 2 computers, Pentium II 500 MHz or better - 8 walkie-talkies and a base station Top Ten Song List ----------------- Several groups of alumni have talked about putting together a CD of "camp songs". Knowing that we may eventually have a number of different performers and singers, we're going to kick off this project by having you, the alumni, vote for your Top Ten Camp Echo songs. Chuck Heisinger has volunteered to collect your votes, tablulate them, and research the recording rights for the top twenty or so. Send your Top Ten list to: and use the subject line "Top Ten". (Don't hit reply to send a song list!) Alumni Notes ------------ John Donohue writes, "I'm sorry to report that Jerry Smith's mother, Augustine (Augie) Austin, died the weekend of November 9-10. The services were November 15 at Fisher Memorial AME Zion Church in Evanston. Notes can be sent to Jerry and his wife Lori who live at 819 Bellflower Lane in Bolingbrook, IL, 60440-3487." Libby Coss writes, "We have started the Croyden (school) parent website and have done a small piece on Camp Echo. To view it, go to , then click on Inspirational Stories, and then on Family Camp. Alice is talking in two- to four-word sentences. We also hope our Camp Echo friends were up early onf November 19th to see the Leonids meteor shower." Dana (Shawver) Dorais writes, "I was Program Director somewhere around '95. I love the newsletter! It makes me feel very connected to some wonderful memories! I live outside of San Francisco (Martinez) with my husband Brendan Dorais and our two sons Luke and Will. I'm teaching Kindergarten part time." Lost Alumni ----------- Does anyone have email for Rich Skolly, Greg Soos, or Cole Stremmel? Letters to the Editor --------------------- Dear Editor, Imagining what it must be like to put the cabins to bed for the winter ... One day I hope to make it to a Camp Echo reunion. Thanks for keeping me on your email list, and keep up the good work! Roger Weaver , Camp Truckdriver, 1957 -- Come visit us at camp! The International (tractor) is still running! ---- Dear Editor, Greetings from Denver (or Echo West as Justin Bresler, Alison (Wade) Bresler, Karin Ahern, I, and other alums like to call it). One question on the Beesting song. A year or two agao National Public Radio did a story on summer camps and people called or emailed in with their memories. Someone called in with a version of our song that seemed much more authentic. The words apparantly came from the language of a Native American tribe and actually had some meaning. PS Great work on the Alumni Newsletter! Echo sounds better than ever. Stan "Chummy" Gosch -- Here's a few alternative versions I found on the internet: Flea Flea fly Flea fly flow Cumalada, cumalada, cumalada vista Oh, no no no not the vista Eany meany decimeany ooh walla walla meany, Exameany decimeany ooh walla wah Beep billy oten doten bo ske watten dottin sshhhhhh Flea Flea fly Flea fly flo Vesta Kumbalale Kumbalale Kumbalale vesta Oh no not the Kumbalale vesta Inniminni saliminni oohwa Luwarlerminni Dexaminni saliminni oohwa luwah Bip billy oden doden boy boy ber diden daden shh.. Flea Flea fly Flea fly flow Feasta Cooma lotta cooma lotta cooma lotta feasta Oh no, no, no, na feasta Esca meany sala meany Oh-ah do ah-la meany Esca meany sala meany Oh-ah do ah With an epp bidily oatin doatin bo-dope skid eatin dats a what I can chew Flea! Flea fly! Flea fly flow! Kumalata kumalata kumalata veeslay! Oh, no no no, not the veeslay. Ich a mini, satch a mini, oo walla walla mini. Des a mini, satch a mini, oo walla wall. A beat billy oaten bobin obo a boatin bobin obo a boatin bobin boatin bobin boatin bobin boatin bobin sssshhh... As for translations, here's one: Flea Flea, fly Flea, fly, mosquito Swat 'em! Calamine, calamine, calamine lotion Oh, no more calamine lotion. Itchy, itchy, scratchy, scratchy, got one on my backy, backy Ohy, ohy, owwy, owwy, wish he'd go away Quick get the bug spray, I think he went that-a-way-shhhhhh! And here's the only mention of Native Americans I cound find: The "song" he refers to is actually a cheer (for lack of a better word) that originated at Chesterfield Scout Reservation in Chesterfield, Massachusetts (Great Trails Council). At Chesterfield, the cheer is painted across the entire end wall inside the dining hall as a single word. Please don't hold me responsible for exact spelling - this is from memory! Here's the entire word: "Otenbotenlittledotenittenbittenlittleditten- ishbittledeotendotenbodoskedeetendottenwatatenchu!" I think it's the Mohawk Indian word for "There's a skunk in the camp!" Share The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson Camp Echo Director rg@mcgawymca.org