Camp Echo Quarterly Alumni E-News December 7, 2006 Welcome to all our new subscribers! Our last issue was dated April 19, 2006 If you don't want to receive these emails, reply and let us know, and we'll take you off the email distribution list. Contents -------- International Camp Echo Day Alumni Reunion Summer 2006 Recap Summer 2007 Plans Alumni/Staff E-Pals Off-Season Projects at Camp A Master Plan for Camp Echo Giving Opportunities Wish List Alumni Website Alumni Notes - Monte Carpenter - Karen Featherstone - Susannah Suna Hall - Val Hansen - Norma Herchenrider - Mark Higgins - Conan Kisor - Ken Kohn - Philippe Largent - Mike Lorig - Shayle Matsuda - Pat McMahon - Mike McMahon - John Meyer - Dave Monroe - Liz Morris - Dithy Morrison - John Mosser - Hannah Nelson - Jim O'Brien - Lynn Orben - Jessica Paschke - Ken Salkover - Sara Elizabeth Shaw - Lamont Shockley - Dave Tristram - Amy Tyksinski - Richard Wollenberger Song of the Month: SAMMY International Camp Echo Day --------------------------- Coming Soon: Friday, December 15, 2006 Wear your Echo clothing and "Show the Spirit!" Send pictures with unique backgrounds and we'll add them to our website gallery of Echo Clothing Around the World. Alumni Reunion -------------- It's our 5th Annual All-Time Camp Echo Adult Alumni Reunion! Friday, December 29, 2006 at the Prairie Moon Restaurant, 1502 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, starting at 8 pm. If you arrive just before 8 you'll have a chance to meet some of the staff members who worked at Camp Echo in summer 2006. If you would like to host a pre-reunion dinner or gathering for folks from your era or circle of friends, please contact Katie Trippi or Chuck Heisinger and we'll help you get it organized. Summer 2006 Recap ----------------- We had another successful summer at Camp Echo. The Y-USA Diversity Initiative and the Y-USA Character Development Mission Strategy are our pledge that everyone is welcome at Camp Echo and that the values we teach cross all boundaries. Summer 2006 by the numbers: - 1272 summer spots filled with 1148 different campers - 53% girls, 47% boys -- 63% retention rate from 2005 - 110 participants on 10 different Adventure Trips - 450 members of 103 families at 4 family camps - Main Camp enrollment was 99.8% of capacity - 76 campers and 6 families received scholarships - 169 different staff members from May thru September Thank you to all the Camp Echo alumni who continue to help out with work weekends, committee work, bus departures and arrivals, as summer staff members, and parents of campers! Check the Echo website for our volunteer opportunities: http://www.ymcacampecho.org/volunteers.html Summer 2007 Plans ----------------- New programs and a once-in-a-decade extra week of camp! Read all about our summer plans on the Echo website: http://www.ymcacampecho.org/programs.html The 2007 Camp Guide is in the mail, but can be downloaded now from the website. Early Bird registration opened November 27. We encourage working alumni who can't give up an entire summer join us as staff members for Family Camps, Outdoor Education, or Work Weekends. Several summer staff positions are available session-by-session to alumni: Town Run, Health Officer, Senior Maintenance Staff, and Social Worker. Let me know if you are interested! Alumni/Staff E-Pals ------------------- We're looking for alumni to pair up with interested 2007 staff members for email exchanges before, during, and after camp. What a great way to stay in touch across the years! Contact me if you want to be added o the list, and let me know if you have a specific interest (e.g. by program area or a particular area of support staff) Off-Season Projects at Camp --------------------------- Property Manager Rob Johnston and Assistant Brian McGinn have been working hard on cabin upgrades. Each of the 16 camper cabins is getting a reconfigured counselor area with built-in, larger, more comfortable beds and built-in shelves; an 'attic' exhaust fan for cooling; and a Michigan-approved propane fireplace insert for heating in May and September. The kitchen floor under the dishwashing machine ("Hobie") has deteriorated and needs significant repairs this winter. In the spring, Rob & Brian will be expanding the Main Camp horseback riding ring from 60x120 to 80x160, building new racks at the water ski area, and roofing the Social Lodge. Brian McGinn, his wife Julie, their children Zach and Sarah, and their pet dog and cats have moved from downtown Fremont to Lindner Lodge (2310 32nd Street), the house we acquired (along with 10 acres of land and a nearly new pickup truck) from the Lindner Family, neighbors of camp, last winter. We recently bought a new snow plow for the pickup truck! A Master Plan for Camp Echo --------------------------- Construction at Camp Echo over the years has been driven by immediate needs and short-term thinking. We've begun the process of creating a Master Plan -- a vision of what Camp Echo will look like by 2022, as we enter our second century on Long/Ryerson Lake. We began by using aerial photographs to create a topographic map of the entire property in August. Look for more information in these newsletters and in the mail over the next six months as we move the process along. Giving Opportunities -------------------- Annual giving to Camp Echo for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2006 was $88,318 from all sources combined. Sources of funds include camper parents, alumni, and foundation grants. Annual giving provides scholarships, helps with maintenance and repairs, allows us to keep program equipment in good shape, and enables us to offer a fair wage to summer staff. Recently, we asked Family Campers from the past 50 years to donate to our "Family-to-Family" Scholarship Fund that brings wonderfully diverse families to Family Camps. The response has been outstanding, with about $3,500 -- half our goal -- collected so far. If you would like to contribute, contact Katie Trippi , Camp Echo Alumni and Development Director. Another recent mailing went out to our oldest alumni informing them of the government's IRA rollover program, which allows folks in their 70s to donate funds from qualifying individual retirement accounts to charity without penalty this year and next. Again, contact Katie Trippi if you or anyone you know is interested in this opportunity. We're naming our staff cabins, currently numbered 1-10! Contact Katie Trippi if your family is interested in making this type of significant contribution. Look for our Annual Campaign mailing in early 2007, and our "Send a Kid to Camp" appeal in the spring. If you have not yet made your 2006 donation, December is obviously a great time to do so. We are very proud of our partnership with the Ted Fund of Evanston, which will enable us to bring 12 deserving youngsters to Echo in 2007. Wish List --------- Camp Echo has had many wonderful donations of sailboats, ski boats, computers, and vehicles over the years. We are most ecstatic when the item being donated is new, or only a couple years old. Property Manager Rob Johnston does an amazing job of caring for all our older assets -- two that come to mind are the 1950 International Tractor (can you picture Shorty on it when it was new over 50 years ago) and the 1958 John Deere. But imagine what we could do with a brand new Bobcat with all the bells and whistles. Computers at camp, for use by staff, are a big need right now. All our computers are 6 years old or more, and they struggle with, or are unable to handle, even a modern web browser like Foxfire or Safari. We have a wonderful Town Run wagon that was donated three years ago, but it's a 1984 Chevy and it won't last much longer. We are very grateful for a recent donation from Ralph Fisher, staff member and sailing instructor from 1944 to 1949, that will allow us to expand our sailing fleet with a brand new Barnett 1400, specially rigged with a teaching spinnaker. If you'd like to donate a new or nearly new computer, vehicle, or boat, please email me . We need this type of investment in Echo's future. Alumni Website -------------- We now list nearly 6,500 former campers and staff members! We have emails for about 1,500. Look yourself up with "Index by Name" and look for your peers with "Lists by Year." Click here for the site: http://www.ymcacampecho.org/alumni.html Use "Submit My Info" to send us updates and changes. You can email any other member of the list whose name appears as an underlined hyperlink. Their email address is not revealed unless they choose to reply to your message. Alumni Notes ------------ Monte Carpenter, staff member from the 1990s wrote: "I have moved out of Cheyenne and into Colorado Springs. My newest assignment in the Air Force is teaching at the Air Force Academy. I was fortunate enough to be able to get my Masters Degree while in Cheyenne in Education. I am teaching a class called Military Strategic Studies 100. It's a mix of Military history, theory, and doctrine. Teaching is something I have always wanted to do, so this is a dream job for me in a way. The cadets have been great so far. I am teaching jus freshmen at the moment, but I might be teaching the seniors starting next year. Still married to Aubrey. Two and a half years now. We just got a dog! I never had one before, so this is all new to me. I think fondly about my time at Camp Echo. I will try to get back sometime for Family Camp. I wish I could go to regular camp, but that isn't gonna happen any time soon. I hope everyone is doing well. Take care." -- Karen Featherstone continues to amaze her doctors. Last spring she completed 12 rounds of Chemo and continued taking small doses over the summer. Please send greetings and prayers for both Neal and Karen. -- Susannah Suna Hall, camper from the late 80s and early 90s wrote: "I went to Echo starting in 1985 when I was 8 turning 9 that summer. I went every summer until 1992, my last summer I was a junior counselor. I went to King Lab for elementary and middle school and so most of my Echo friends were also from there. I live in Seattle WA and Emily Williams (from Moscow, Idaho) is one of my best friends here. My dad, Mike Adell is also very active at the Y and into the local community in Evanston. I look forward to hearing more about how Camp Echo is doing. My summers there continue to be my fondest memories of childhood." -- Val Hansen, staff member from late 80s and Family Camper in the 90s wrote: "It's raining again today in Northern California, people out here say this is not normal. I think I saw the sun one day two weeks ago. It's rained everyday this week and it is predicted to rain next week too. A lot of flooding, mudslides, and washed out roads. They are worried about the levees holding along the Sacramento River and delta. Gabe and Sophie's spring AYSO soccer league is on hold because all the fields are flooded. Needless to say my kids have cabin fever big time and so do I. I don't think we will make it to Family Camp this year which makes me sad. School starts early this year on August 28th which means the week before is orientation for Ged at middle school where he picks up his class schedule, books, gets a locker, etc. Gabe starts Kindergarten in the fall so I know that week we will be visiting his classroom and meeting his teacher. " -- Norma Herchenrider called the camp office when she received an alumni post card for her son John. Norma is the daughter of Norm Weston, an early Evanston Y Executive Director and Camp Echo Director. They called him NJ. She recalls that Norm "helped build the building on Grove Street (fundraising, planning, etc). Norm was the one that insisted that women be allowed to be members at the new Y building." Norma remembers being a little girl at Echo hand having stories read to her during rest hour. She recalls spending time at Neil Welch's house over on Baldwin. At the time Neil Welch was a child her age. Neil's dad, John Welch was the first Camp Echo Caretaker. Neil eventually became Caretaker as well. Neil died a few years ago but his widow Emily is still in the Fremont area. -- Mark Higgins, camper in the late 60s wrote: "We moved to Pittsburgh in 1969, and continued with Echo for a few years. My sister Jane went to camp Thunderbird, south of Charlotte, NC and we all followed. I was on staff there for 5 summers and each of my 3 siblings worked there too, so we are big-time camp types. I had the distinction at Echo, in the summer of 1968, of getting lost during movie night, resulting in the arrival of several county sheriff vehicles to conduct search and rescue. There is a small room off stage in the Social Lodge as I remember. In it were stacked floor mats for gymnastics. Campers would often doze off during the film, some of who would bed down on top of these stacked mats. Well, I kind of slipped down in between and was sound asleep under a stack of mats. After several hours of dredging the lake, etc. I was discovered ... and I think Neil Featherstone had his first coronary that night. I was a hyperactive and pain in the you-know-what camper, so it kind of figured that this would befall me. If you want more colorful stories/memories, I have plenty. Hands down one of the funniest and most outrageous camp legends was Harry Lawrence -- a local jack-of-all-trades worker who was well into his 70s tall and imposing and full of the funniest expressions and gestures. He played Senator Bull Moose on July 4th celebrations as I remember and he had everyone in stitches constantly. Oh well ... this is probably more than you want to know or hear about, but reliving these memories is a joyful way to begin this Tuesday! I am looking for any info on the whereabouts of Joe DeLapp or John Archibald; both were on staff and close pals of my brother." -- Conan Kisor, camper 84-87 and staff member 89-91 and his wife, Annie Tully recently added Conan Emet Kisor, Born March 16, 2006 to their family. -- Ken Kohn, camper from the late 40s wrote: "Hello from an ex-camper. I stumbled on your website after my grandchildren told me how to look at their camps. I was a member of the Evanston Y and went to Camp Echo in 1946-48. I still can sing the song: I want to wake up in the morning at good old Camp Echo. I saw the aerial view and recognized the area at once. At the end of the peninsula thru the weeds is where we took our early morning 'soap dip' -- no showers in those days and no girls so we were all in the raw in the icy water. Kerosene lanterns in the cabins, the windows had screens and shutters that dropped down, no glass. And then there was mecca, the large bathroom facility that we had to find in the dark. I still live in the far northern suburbs and take the train to downtown Chicago everyday and many is the day I look up Grove to the old familiar building that I went to on the 'el' every Saturday morning and then to Dyche Stadium. NU won in those days. I only remember two names from way back then, the camp director was Cliff Maxwell and my counselor was Ted Laitner. There was an all day Willett ('will it make it') bus ride through the steel mill area in Indiana and then through Fremont past the Gerber Baby Food Plant. Don't ask me what movie I saw last week, but I remember Echo." -- Philippe Largent, staff member in the 80s wrote: "All is good here (Springfield, IL) I lobby for a trade association representing Community Health Centers (CHC). CHC provides health care and other services to low income, uninsured people all over the country. My sons Samuel (9) and Jacob (6) are doing well and I hope to talk to you soon about a good time to bring them up for a visit to camp. Please give Johnston a hug and say hello to Brian McGinn." -- Mike Lorig, camper in the early 60s, wrote: "I grew up next door to Rob Johnston in Evanston/Skokie. We went to school together from 2nd grade thru High School. I wanted to say 'hi'. I am a partner at Bear Stearns in New York City and have been on the East Coast since graduating from College. I went to Camp Echo for many years." -- Shayle Matsuda, staff member in the late 90s wrote: "I just moved back to California from Florida, where I was working for the outdoor education group, Pathfinder, Inc. A lot of my Echo skills came in handy there from High Ropes and Challenge Course to canoeing, night hikes, and mentorship. I'll be starting my Masters Degree at San Francisco State in the fall. Best of luck this summer. I hope to make it back to your neck of the woods someday soon." -- Pat McMahon, camper in the 80s, staff member in the 90s wrote: "I am writing from Fort Collins, Colorado. My wife Joy and I are in graduate school here. I am studying construction management with and emphasis in sustainable building and Joy is getting her MSW. We have a five-month-old future camper. His name is Miles." -- Mike McMahon, camper in the 80s, staff member late 80s and early 90s, wrote: "Always fun to check on the haps on Camp. I'm living in far northern California at the base of a big ol' volcano, Mt. Shasta -- a great small little town. I have my own massage therapy practice and am gearing for a run at graduate school -- a Doctoral program in Natural Medicine and a Masters in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. I also started a writers series here in Mt. Shasta, we host Pacific Northwest poets about 4 times a year, it's a lot of fun. There is a web address, siskyouartscouncil.org then click on Mt. Shasta Writers. It sounds like camp is growing quite a bit. It would be great fun to get up there some time. Unfortunately I don't get back to Chicago much. Keep up the good work." -- John Meyer, staff member from the 80s is recovering from brain surgery. We all send our love and prayers for a full and rapid return to health. -- Dave Monroe, camper from the early 80s wrote: "I'm impressed. That was a really long time ago. I do remember going to Echo many years ago, and I remember going at least twice but maybe three or four times. I can't recall the exact years, but it was probably around ten years old at the time which would have put it right around 1980 or so. I am afraid the names of other friends or counselors have been long forgotten. I am fairly certain my brother went as well, I will forward the Echo website information to my mom and brother in case they remember more than I do. As far as memories from Camp Echo there are plenty. Many of which will now date me horribly. I imagine there is no longer a rifle range, even though it was one of my favorite pastimes. I vividly remember the polar bear swim that I enjoyed getting up for as often as I could. I think I frustrated some of the counselors that had to wake up early so they could supervise the one kid (me) that kept arriving. I always won some dubious award for the best polar bear swim attendance. I remember how warm the water felt compared to the brisk morning air. I remember pranks like stacking the canoes around the bell tower so we could sleep in, or I think one time someone absconded with the bell altogether. I remember 'bug juice' in the dining hall, the metal pitchers used for it, and horseback riding. I'll never forget one ride in particular, when the group went to a trot or a canter, and my saddle wasn't fastened properly or some such flaw, and I ended up riding on the side of the horse hanging on for dear life for a while. To this day I'm not overly fond of horses. I have a tangible appreciation for their size, power and cluelessness. I remember the layout of the cabins and the mess hall and the social lodge and the trading post and buying candy and bug spray and batteries at that store. I remember one wild outing when we went on some secretive 'hunt' or some such nonsense and got in a huge food fight in the woods. There was a friend of mine who really had a tough time with it as I did at first. But we really got into it once the shock of being hit with cold spaghetti wore off. It was a little weird if I remember correctly. I think that's most of the memories. Good times for sure. I have two kids of my own now and I am thinking about a camp experience for them. Of course we live in Wyoming now so it'd be difficult to get them back there. It was a great experience. I just hit the Camp Echo website, which is fabulous there is more info there than I could have imagined." -- Liz Morris, Girls Camp camper late 70s Womens Adventure Camp staff 2006, wrote: "I love this newsletter. It gives me that sweet nostalgic feeling and good Echo/Y/Evanston vibes. I will figure out a way to volunteer soon." -- Dithy Morrison, camper and staff member in the 80s wrote: "Thanks for doing such a great job with camp, especially by creating this newsletter for alumni. Reading about camp always puts a smile on my face. Someday I will have to figure out a way back there, hopefully sooner than later. I had a fun, unexpected Echo reunion a few weeks ago. I was on vacation in Steamboat Springs, CO and I ran into Jon Wheby (camper and staff in the 80s) with whom I was in Pioneer Village in 1984, after other summers together at Main Camp. He is making his living as a massage therapist and enjoying the good mountain life. We had dinner, reminisced and agreed that many of our best childhood and adolescent memories are Echo-based." -- John Mosser, Boys Camp camper in the 70s, staff member early 80s wrote: "Great issue of the alumni news. I was smiling ear to ear after reading it and remembering lots of great times at camp both as a counselor and as a camper. It was great to read Jenny Rose's note about the first session of Pioneer Village and to be remembered. John Dowdall's note brought a smile to my face. As a camper I also remember Bob Bahner (the Phantom) having a tug of war with 'Big Bertha' the large green John Deer Tractor. What an event! I also remember Shorty the Caretaker. Fun to remember such happy and special times at camp. Thanks for doing such a great job in reconnecting us all." -- Hannah Nelson, camper and staff in the 90s is living in Winooski, VT and wrote: "By the way, in case you were wondering, Winooski means 'Little Onion' and in case you know anyone interested in coming to Vermont to teach either Math or Science, there are two positions open at my school (this was March 2006), The Vermont Commons School. It is a very cool place anyone can check out the website www.vermontcommons.org they can feel free to contact me if they want more information." -- Jim O'Brien, camper in the 80s responded: "Yes, I went to Echo probably in 81 or 82. A kid named Tom Weed was there and he could [pass gas] on command at any given moment -- I swear to you. William Lang was in my cabin and so was Mike McMahon. Simon Carey was King of all Counselors." -- Lynn Orben, camper in the 80s wrote: "I loved camp. Being outside with lots of great people. I remember being there with Brigid O'Meara. I hope my two kids get a chance to go. We live outside of Aspen and still love to play outside." -- Jessica Paschke, camper in the early 90s responded: "Yes, I did attend good old Camp Echo. I was there for three years in a row. I think my first summer was 1990. I stayed in Christopher Lodge with Laurie LaComb as my counselor, I think my Junior Counselor's name was Julie. She was a petite brunette. That was the year we had an international camper stay with us, Irina Skolnik. She lived with us at my home for two weeks, then we went to camp together. My best friend, Olivia Cronk was there too. The next year I stayed in Fremont Cabin, Olivia was there and some of the others were Molly, Erin Fanning, Katie and Leah. I remember it was the year we (the camp) buried a time capsule at the base of the flag pole. In the summer of 1992, my last year I was in Pioneer Village with Dan Israelite as my counselor. There were few of us. The girls were myself, Erin Fanning and Olivia Cronk. The boys, I only remember one name, Jack Feeney (he used to spell his last name out in the military phonetic alphabet -- makes it easy to remember!) [Editor's Note: We buried the time capsule in 1985, to commemorate 100 years of YMCA camping. It's due to be dug up in 2010. I'm looking forward to the Big Ceremony.] -- Ken Salkover, camper 1982, wrote: "I married Rachel Tzipporah Walkov at historic Sephardic Temple in Los Angeles on March 5, 2006. The service was held in the temple's outdoor garden and attended by more than 100 family and friends. After a honeymoon in Palm Springs, CA we are living in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood." -- Sara Elizabeth Shaw, Girls Camp camper in the 60s wrote: "Talk about a blast from the past, reading these names in the newsletters really brings up memories. Carolyn Morby was our counselor at Outpost -- What an adventure! I remember a canoe trip down a rapid river to a lake (Lake Michigan?). Several of us capsized and lost our sleeping bags, but had a great day at the beach. Julie Van Aman was either in a cabin or at Outpost with me and was also a JC with me. I hope today's campers are having half the fun we did!" -- Lamont Shockley, camper in 1994 wrote: "I was a 1994 Justin Wynn Scholarship winner and I have just graduated from Creighton University with a degree in Finance. I was lucky enough to be a part of Camp Echo due to a full scholarship I received from the Justin Wynn Foundation. I was thinking about donating money for an underprivileged kid like I was, who is deserving enough to go, but might have trouble paying for it. " -- Dave Tristram, staff member in the 70s and 80s wrote: "We've moved to San Jose, CA. I am a researcher at Adobe. The kids are now 10 and 6 -- pretty amazing children!" -- Amy Tyksinski, staff member in the 80s and 90s, is currently living in Albuquerque, NM. -- Richard Wollenberger, Boys Camp camper in the 70s, wrote: "I love catching up on Camp Echo. I attended from 1972-76. I can't remember the cabin I was in the first year, but after that it was Wally Ford, Dugdale and two years at Outpost. They were the best summers of my life. I am now 45 and have a daughter almost 15 and one almost 10. The older one will be attending YMCA Camp Lakewood in Potosi, Missouri for her third summer and my youngest daughter will be going for the first time this summer. It means so much to me that they enjoy the experience as much as I did. Please keep sending these newsletters. I was able to reconnect with Bruce Weber through the Echo website, we went to camp together for several years. He now lives in London and remembered me. I especially remember him because of a photo I took of him during a story-telling contest sitting on he steps of the Dining Hall. So many great memories!" Song of the Month: Sammy ------------------------ [Warning: Use care singing near colleagues at work!] When Sammy put the paper on the wall He put the parlor paper in the hall He papered up the stairs, he papered all the chairs He even put the paper on Grandma's shawl When Sammy put the paper on the wall He spilled the paste and got it on us all Now we're all stuck together like birds of a feather When Sammy put the paper on the wall Honor The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson, Camp Echo Director