Camp Echo Weekly E-Newsletter May 12, 2002 The Camp Echo E-List is now at 416 members. Spread the word! ***** Staffing Update: Signed, Sealed, and Delivered ---------------------------------------------- Since last week's newsletter, the following had signed their letters of agreement and became official Camp Echo staff members for Summer 2002: Assistant Wrangler: Nate Baumgart Trip/Wilderness Staff: Emily Kritzler Nurse: Cecilia Ackmann (C2) Area Heads: Alissa Pywell, Mountain Bikes SCs: Amanda Swager (CD) ACs: Sarah Christmas [change] (ABCDEF) JCs: Hank Hayes (ABC); Jessica Hodgman (E); Rachael D Goldberg (ABEF) If you have not seen your name listed in recent weeks, but you think you are signed, I apologize; email me and I'll check my records. Paperwork --------- Did you know that the hiring of each staff member for Camp Echo requires that, on average, thirty (30) pieces of paper be exchanged? With over 120 different staff members for the summer (some who work only two or four weeks) this is a total of over 3,500 sheets of paper. Since it is not possible for the Camp Director to process 3,500 pieces of paper on June 9th, the Camp Director urges all staff members to mail as many forms and photocopies as possible, as soon as possible, to: Rob Grierson, Camp Echo 3782 S. Triangle Trail Fremont, Michigan 49412 The first annual "ALL PAPERWORK IN FIRST" award goes to Kitt Healy. Kitt will receive an official Camp Echo 'caribiner' key ring when she arrives at Echo. Tip #1: When making a photocopy of your driver's license, press the "enlarge" button on the copier machine. Tip #2: Don't cut the W4 and IL-W4 forms, leave them as full sheets. Do this in spite of the little picture of the scissors next to the dotted line. Tip #3: Include a photocopy of your proof of citizenship when you send in your I-9 form. Alumni Notes (Send in your news!) ------------ No notes this week. This Week at Camp ----------------- On Monday and Tuesday, Rob Johnston, Tom Zwergel, Kiersten Rippeteau, and Tony Marshall reinstalled the bunk beds and completed the "finishing" (door and window frames) in Triangle Lodge. This marked the end of the upgrades to the interiors of all 16 camper cabins, a process that began in the 1980s. Meanwhile, volunteer Neil Featherstone, Camp Director Emeritus, spent many hours cutting the grass on the peninsula, at the Archery range, and out by the camp entrance. On Tuesday, volunteer "Tall" Paul Schmitt joined us as the "engineer" in charge of the installation of the new 35' aluminum flagpole. Rob Johnston had prepared the base (a slick triangular shape!) after Tony Marshall dug the 4' hole. Rob J hoisted the flagpole with the John Deere tractor as Paul, Tom, Tony, and Rob G guided it into place. Suddenly Kiersten held up the circular base piece that Rob G, to his chagrin, had forgotten to slip over the bottom before the flagpole was lowered. Oops! Up again, install the base, down again. The flagpole looks awesome! Katie Tucker Trippi has donated a new, larger flag to replace the current flag, which appears no larger than a postage stamp against the new flagpole when viewed from the Dining Hall. On Wednesday, volunteer Gordie Ringquist helped Rob J pick up "The Moose" which had his mouth and lips repaired this winter by a local taxidermist. The crew helped install "The Moose" in his rightful place over the fireplace in the Dining Room. His face, now ready for many more years of kissing by elbow-on-the-table eaters, was repaired with elk hair! (Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone!) Thursday and Friday we hosted the sixth graders from Nellie B Chisolm Middle School in Montague, a group that has been coming for Outdoor Ed at Echo for nearly 20 years, longer than any other group. In spite of rain, wind, and cold weather the group had a great time. Fuzz Foster, James Kinney, Bob Ettinger, Josh Newman, Ingrid Davidson, and newcomer Chad Limones joined Kiersten, Tom, Tony, and Outdoor Ed Director Dawn Summers and worked double shifts as activity instructors and kitchen help while Rob J served as head cook for three of the four meals. On Saturday, a dedicated group of former staff volunteers (Todd and Dan Israelite, Jane Zera, Ellen Zipprich, Andy Mynard, Kevin Bond and son Jacob, Carolyn Frazier, and Gregg Hamilton) worked with Teen Camp Director (and Assistant Camp Director) Dawn Summers to sort through all the camping gear and to begin to tidy up the Jay Johnson Trip Center for the season. A pair of framed photographs donated by Al Head have been mounted on the wall of the Trip Center and will serve as an inspiration to all future Trip Guides. Todd and Dan donned their SCUBA gear on Sunday and assisted Rob J in locating the ropes to the anchors for the swim raft. Ruby, Rob J's dog, kept watch and protected us from an attempted intrusion by one of the local swans. Song of the Week ---------------- AN OLD AUSTRIAN An old Austrian went a-yodeling on a mountain top high, When along came a [cuckoo bird], interrupting his cry! Yo-delay-he ... Yo-delay-ki-ki-ah, yo-delay "cuckoo!" Yo-delay-ki-ki-ah, yo-delay "cuckoo!" Yo-delay-ki-ki-ah, yo-delay "cuckoo!" Yo-delay-ki-ki-ah-yo Add sounds and motions with each verse: [avalanche] "swish, swish" (motion with hands) [grizzly bear] "grrr, grrr" (hands curled like claws) [saint bernard] "hah, hah" (panting with tongue out) [jersey cow] "chih, chih" (milking motions) [pretty girl] "smooch, smooch" (kissing lips) [her father] "bang, bang!" (shooting a gun) Letters to the Editor --------------------- Dear Editor, Did they dig up the time capsule by the flagpole? Or was that already done? Andy Mynard -- Dear Andy, The time capsule was buried in 1985, the 100th anniversary of the start of YMCA camping. It is to remain buried for 25 years, and so will be dug up and opened in 2010. The time capsule was buried "6 feet north" of the old flagpole; it is now "6 feet south and 6 feet east" of the new flagpole. Please remember this 8 years from now. The Editor ----- Dear Editor, Any chance "Doodly Do" was written by Ned Flanders? Just wondering, Margaret Bernstein -- Dear Margaret, Ned Flanders, the goofy-looking guy on The Simpsons? No, you are confusing "hi-diddely-ho" with "doodly-do." Next thing you know you'll be confusing "yankee doodle dandy" with "polly wolly doodle." You need to keep your doodles and diddelys straight, Margaret. By the way, I searched the Internet and found references to "doodle-lee-doo", "doodly-doo", "doodley-do", and "doodle-ee-doo" but all indications are that this song is in the public domain with author unknown no matter how you spell it. The Editor Echo History Tidbit of the Week ------------------------------- From "The Burning Triangle Newsletter", March 1988 Written by Camp Director Sally Donohue [now Courtney] "A few months ago as I was sitting in the Echo office at the YMCA I could hear the sounds of the preschool children laughing at something their teacher was showing them. That started me thinking of the other teachers and leaders I had known, and I recalled all of the adults who had made a profound impact on my life. I shouldn't have been surprised that so many of them were involved in my experiences at Camp Echo. "There was Camp Director Larry Meyer, who urged my parents to try Family Camp and whose inspiration will lead to our participating in our 20th Family Camp this year. There were several Main Camp counselors: Laura, Cathy, Ruth, Anne, Judy, Sue, Joanie, Hope, John, Paul, and so many others who were always there to listen, to teach, or to join in play. The Program Directors and Camp Directors that I worked for, Muriel, Marie, Bill, and Rob were all role models and sources of education and inspiration for me. "Of all my experiences at Echo the ones that remain dearest to my heart and which started me on the path of wanting to work in a camp setting were my years in the Outpost and CIT programs. Mary, Kathy, and Ted allowed me, a high school kid, to make decisions on my own. For the first time in my life, I was able to rely on myself and see that I could make good decisions and also learn, in a positive sense, from my wrong decisions. It was here, too, that I learned about group dynamics and the importance of working side by side with my peers. Most important, it was here that I was given real responsibility, not only for myself, but also for others." Feel The Spirit! -- Rob Grierson Camp Echo Director rg@mcgawymca.org