Camp Echo Monthly Alumni E-News June 3, 2003 Back issues are archived at This is the "May" issue -- late! The Camp Echo E-List is now at 612 members. Spread the word! If you want to be removed from this list, reply and let me know. If you are receiving this newsletter at multiple email addresses, hit reply from any address and let me know which one you prefer. ***** Next issue: late June or early July ***** Contents -------- What's Been Happening at Camp? Message from the Camp Director Family Camp Openings (as of June 3, 2003) Women's Wellness Weekend September 18-21 Adult Alumni Weekened September 12-14 Alumni Notes (Paul White and Laurie LaComb) Song of the Month Announcements What's Been Happening at Camp? ----------------------------- April 25-26-27 was our High School Work Weekend. About 40 high school age and college age crew chiefs attended the event. Check out the pictures at . May 2-3-4 was our spring Adult Work Weekend. About 30 volunteers joined us to put in the piers and set up the program areas. The roof and soffit on the Dining Hall were repaired and we continued the painting projects in Kybos East and West. Staff working the month of May continued and completed many projects, including the repair of the fence in the horse paddock, organization of the sailing area, and painting inside Kybos North and Way North. Check out the pictures at . May Outdoor Education was a great success. Under the leadership of Dawn Summers, we hosted NBC Middle School from Montague, Creston and Rockford Christian Schools from Grand Rapids, the mentors and mentees from the McGaw YMCA's Project Soar, and Darwin School from Chicago. We've got several new schools signed up for September and we'll be looking for staff to help us out. May 11 was our First Annual Mothers Day Buffet Luncheon. Flo prepared glazed pork loin, Italian chicken breast, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, and apple pie ala mode. Yum! Check out the pictures at . May 17 was our First Annual Quilting & Knitting Day -- a small group from the Evanston/Chicago area was joined by over 30 local ladies. Check out the pictures at . On May 22 we had our every-other-year fire inspection. Once again Camp Echo received a 100% compliance rating. We hosted about 12 families for Memorial Day Weekend Family Camp. Participants enjoyed campfires, sailing and canoeing, archery, a family carnival in the Social Lodge, and excellent meals. Check out the pictures at . On May 24, Robs Johnston and Grierson attended the Annual Meeting of the Long Ryerson Lake Association. Karen Hanslovsky of the Michigan Ground Water Stewardship Program and Rick Hobria of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality gave reports. Plans for the 4th of July were unveiled, including the lake residents' boat parade and Camp Echo's fireworks display. The Lake Association renewed their commitment to fund half the cost of the fireworks. Camp Echo renewed their annual pledge of $150 for fish stocking. We're currently in the middle of Teen Camp Staff Training. Todd Israelite and Dawn Summers are working with nearly 20 staff members to prepare them for their summer in the Wilderness Sites, with Leadership Training Programs, and on Adventure Trips. Our Main Camp Staff Training Week kicks off on Saturday, June 7th. Our staff manual is online at http://www.ymcacampecho.org/staff.html We eagerly await the arrival of the summer campers on June 15th! Message from the Camp Director ------------------------------ As we enter our second summer at Camp Echo, Louie and I never cease to be amazed by the overwhelming amount of support and enthusiasm that the Camp Echo family of friends provides. We are truly blessed with a talented, creative, and hard-working staff that demonstrates their love for camp and always puts the campers needs ahead of their own. Our world-wide network of alumni has come through repeatedly with donations of the items we've requested in these newsletters. We thank you all so much for sharing the spirit and helping us to make Camp Echo a wonderful place for children and adults of all ages. Family Camp Openings (as of June 3, 2003) -------------------- Family Camp Week 1 (August 16-22): 1 camper cabin, 3 old staff cabins Family Camp Week 2 (August 23-28): 6 camper cabins, 3 old staff cabins Labor Day Weekend: 6 camper cabins, 4 old staff cabins Interested persons should call the Program Support Office at the McGaw YMCA, 847-475-7400, then enter extension 287 at the prompt. Women's Wellness Weekend September 18-21 ---------------------------------------- WWW offers an array of activities and nutritious, gourmet meals, and a retreat-like atmosphere, attending to the health of a woman's spirit, mind, and body. WWW offers fitness classes, line dancing, and various seminars on topics of interest to women. Water skiing, sailing, nature hikes, aerobics, cardiovascular conditioning, and early morning canoe trips on a perfectly still lake round out the offerings. Interested persons should call the Program Support Office at the McGaw YMCA, 847-475-7400, then enter extension 287 at the prompt. Adult Alumni Weekened September 12-14 ------------------------------------- A change of pace from Family Camp and Work Weekends, our annual Adult Alumni Weekend is for those who simply want to relax, enjoy great meals, soak in the camp atmosphere, and renew old friendships. We'll have swimming, skiing, sailing, canoeing, archery, crafts, fishing, sports, and pontoon boat rides around the lake. Hit reply and ask to have a registration form sent to you as a PDF file. Alumni Notes ------------ Paul White and Laurie LaComb have a new daughter, Kayla Shay White-LaComb, born Friday May 23 at 6:20 pm, 8 lbs 1 oz, just three ounces lighter than her sister Mia. Kayla was born with a closed valve above the right ventricle of her heart. The irregularity of her heartbeat was quickly identified by the doctors at St. Francis; she was transferred to Children's Memorial in Chicago, where on that Sunday morning she underwent a valvoplasty to open the valve. The procedure was a success, and Kayla is at home with Mom & Dad, doing great, fabulously cute and healthy. Song of the Month ----------------- THE BEAR The other day I met a bear Out in the woods, away out there He looked at me, I looked at him He sized up me, I sized up him He said to me "Why don't you run? I see you ain't got any gun" I said to him "That's a good idea. So come on feet, get me out of here." And so I ran away from there And right behind me was that bear Ahead of me I saw a tree A great big tree, oh lucky me! The lowest branch was ten feet up I had to jump and trust my luck And so I jumped into the air And missed that branch away up there Now don't you fret and don't you frown I caught that branch on the way back down That's all there is, there is no more Until I meet that bear once more Announcements ------------- Hannah Nelson writes, "This summer I am the director of an adventure trip program. I need trip leaders. Preferably male, over 18 years old, and with lifeguarding, WFA, or even just first aid and CPR. Trips include June 30th-July 4th (canoe camping) and July 8th-18th (half hiking, half canoe camping); others are in the planning stages. Additional work at our day camp duing the 'off-weeks' is available. Housing for the summer is also an option." Dyan and Joe Zapletal (231-924-1216) have 70 acres of land for sale about a mile from Camp Echo -- east of Ferris on 32nd St. There are trails throughout, wetlands, lots of blue spruce, and some excellent building sites. The parcel is a quarter-mile wide on the north side of 32nd St, a half-mile deep, and borders federal land. Asking price is $196,000 ($2800/acre). Contact Dyan or Joe with any questions. Tony Lee has resigned as Executive Director of the McGaw YMCA in Evanston, effective May 9. Tony will be working with the YMCA of the USA as a consultant to YMCAs around the country. A committee has been formed under the leadership of former Board member Alice Krieman, and the search for a new Executive Director is underway. Chris Hart is serving as the interim Executive for the summer. Share The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson Camp Echo Director rg@mcgawymca.org