Big FYI: Camp Kawabi - A Celebration
I'd just like to post an email message I recieved from Adrian Sark/Bow yesterday.
==============================
Hello Everyone.
Some of you may remember me from your camp days as “Bow”. And, as you may have heard, I have taken it upon myself to try and organize a proper celebration for Kawabi for ex-staffers some time in the Spring of 2006.
You may also be aware that Camp Kawabi has ended its 50+ year run and that the August 2005 (40th) reunion of the camp since Skip and Nish re-established it would be the last one. Frankly, this camp was too much a part of my life and of many others to simply leave it there! Hence the desire for a proper celebration.
I imagine that this will be a large event that will be well attended and that it will be ultimately designed by all of us. The first step is to build a network in cyberspace and to do that I would like you all to go through your contacts and send me anyone you have who was a Kawabi staff member at some point in our illustrious history.
Ideally, I’d like an e-mail address and a camp name if one exists. So far, I have 83 staff who have begun to participate in this process. It would be terrific if I can add your name and any new contacts you may be able to supply to the list. By Christmas, I hope to have a list in the hundreds! Once that is in hand, we will move to the second phase – conducting a group survey of what, when and where a celebration should happen. Between now and then, I’ll send out periodic letters like this one to remind us why we are doing this and keep you posted on progress.
This is really about history. I spent about 10 years at Kawabi as a camper and staff member in both the Ron Perry and the Harris days (1958-1968). My children went to the camp over the 1982-1994 period (Julian, Lisa and Richard). I met my wife over 35 years ago through the camp. It was part of my family’s life like yours. And I am sure that you felt some dismay when you heard that it was to close – that somehow we had been deprived of a piece of our lives and that some occasion should mark its passing – more than just a letter.
I have spoken to Bruce (Skip) and Doreen (Nish) and they are absolutely OK with the idea that we should organize something – and they have indicated that they would be pleased to participate.
I’m hoping that you’ll help and look forward to hearing from you (and remind me of your camp name when you sign off). Of course, if you have any suggestions besides the contact information that you can supply, please feel free to include them when you reply.
For your interest, memory-jogging and amusement, the following is a listing of the names and contacts I currently have:
Adam (Sirka) Eakins, Adrianna (Vibe) Clapp, Alex (Bryer) Shelley, Alex (Top-o) Hutton, Andrea (Dacca) Rennie, Andrew (Cyrus) Turvey, Beth (Oslo) Daniher, Brad (RiffRaff) Morrison, Caleb (Gimmick) Lance, Cari (Peppi) Forteath, Christa (Beezu) Legate, Christina (Kaliko) Sloane, Christine (Frillz) Vinette, Colin (Anchor) Couper, Connie (Nomad) Blazs, Dan (Bali) McPherson, Daniel (Hoops) Lance, Devon (Moxie) Sackett, Drew (Rosko) Carroll, Ellen (Spook) Hurlock, Emilie (Zayta) Connelly, Fred (Peel) Darlington, Hannah (Zenn) Ticoll, lain (Oiler) Sinclair, Ian (Selwyn) Humphreys, Jamie (Tango) Couper, Jane (Duckie) Good, Jeff (Luten) Brown, Jessica (Metric) Gavourkas, Jessica (Willow) Lastuk, Jill (Gheko) Godbould, Jim Morrison, Jon (Nemo) Collins, Joseph (Rudiger) Lance, Joshua (Dodger) Lance, Julia (Pico) Turvey, Karen (Bondi) Stanley, Kate (Bently) Hutchinson, Kate (Fyzel) Dickson, Kathy Lance, Kerry (Kix) Shapiro, Kim (Tropic) Shapiro, Laura (Capri) Stanley, Laura (Jive) Dean, Lauranne (Nova) Hutton, Lauren (West) Shelley, Lucie (Essence) Wade, Maggie (Moglee) Cowperthwaite, Margot (Zara) Brandeth, Mark (Squints) Shapiro, Martha (Hayzel) Richardson, Martin (Phineas) Morrison, Mary (Sawga) Samloczyk, Matt (Nevis) Claxton, Max (Snare) Rothschild, Megan (Sumac) Selby, Meryl (Folee) Probst, Michelle (Aeros) Campbell, Mike (Nash) Rieger, Mike (Rikits) Bloom, Mollie (Versus) Rolfe, Nicole (Moka) Frieday, Pam Rosenthal, Pat (Fonzy) Daniher, Phil (Durango) Legate, Rebecca (Bretton) Russell, Reilly (Tambier) Gray, Rob (Parley) Toller, Rosalyn Morrison, Sanday (Yukon) Mackay, Sara (Alto) Kilmury, Sarah (Helix) Vinette, Sarah (Jerzee) Lemay, Sarah (Kyoht) Wylie, Scott (Mambo) Couper, Sean (Peetro) McGrath, Steph (Karma) Mouck, Steph (Tribe) Near, Tom (Esko) Quinn, Vanessa (Wenzdae) Gray, Vincent (Vector) Gouin, Virginia (Bepo) Maclennan, Will (Loco) Milne.
Finally, I’d like to offer you a short letter than my son Julian (Pwyll) wrote after his last year at camp in 1990.
“Outside this sheltered place, things move faster than they need to. Within, time is immaterial. Outside this sheltered place, people are hurt. Within, no-one suffers at the hands of another. Outside this sheltered place, we anxiously search for things to fill our empty days. Within, our days are filled for us. Outside, we are taught to learn from our mistakes. Within, we learn from our triumphs.
Outside this forest glade, we are a single, unremarkable person among billions. Within, we are unique and cherished, considered nearly superhuman for whatever feats we perform. Outside we are cultured and live a civilized life. Within, we live a life that is relatively primitive, yet somehow we become far more wise.
Within, our appetites increase. We become ravenously grateful for the food we receive while outside, eating is just another habit. Within, a million stars fill a gaping sky where at home there would be none. We walk old paths trod by many others before us and are made stronger for it. We forge friendships that endure eleven months of silence and still manage to retain their strength when we return. And some of the warmest, happiest light comes from bare light bulbs hung in the gathering place.
On this continent a semi-nomadic culture returns to its place in the North Country to enact their summer rituals, their magics and to sing the old songs of power. The elders cast off their own names in favour of those which have mystical properties so that they might be closer to the forest spirits and to their people. Each dawn is greeted by the raucous ringing of an ancient bell, followed by the setting of old wooden tables and a chanted grace steeped in the past of some thirty-odd summers.
So it has been and ever shall be”:
Or at least, so we thought. Please help me get this celebration going.
Adrian Sark (Bow)
ajsark@albedo.net
====================================
I think this a great idea. I'll try an post updates as they happen
==============================
Hello Everyone.
Some of you may remember me from your camp days as “Bow”. And, as you may have heard, I have taken it upon myself to try and organize a proper celebration for Kawabi for ex-staffers some time in the Spring of 2006.
You may also be aware that Camp Kawabi has ended its 50+ year run and that the August 2005 (40th) reunion of the camp since Skip and Nish re-established it would be the last one. Frankly, this camp was too much a part of my life and of many others to simply leave it there! Hence the desire for a proper celebration.
I imagine that this will be a large event that will be well attended and that it will be ultimately designed by all of us. The first step is to build a network in cyberspace and to do that I would like you all to go through your contacts and send me anyone you have who was a Kawabi staff member at some point in our illustrious history.
Ideally, I’d like an e-mail address and a camp name if one exists. So far, I have 83 staff who have begun to participate in this process. It would be terrific if I can add your name and any new contacts you may be able to supply to the list. By Christmas, I hope to have a list in the hundreds! Once that is in hand, we will move to the second phase – conducting a group survey of what, when and where a celebration should happen. Between now and then, I’ll send out periodic letters like this one to remind us why we are doing this and keep you posted on progress.
This is really about history. I spent about 10 years at Kawabi as a camper and staff member in both the Ron Perry and the Harris days (1958-1968). My children went to the camp over the 1982-1994 period (Julian, Lisa and Richard). I met my wife over 35 years ago through the camp. It was part of my family’s life like yours. And I am sure that you felt some dismay when you heard that it was to close – that somehow we had been deprived of a piece of our lives and that some occasion should mark its passing – more than just a letter.
I have spoken to Bruce (Skip) and Doreen (Nish) and they are absolutely OK with the idea that we should organize something – and they have indicated that they would be pleased to participate.
I’m hoping that you’ll help and look forward to hearing from you (and remind me of your camp name when you sign off). Of course, if you have any suggestions besides the contact information that you can supply, please feel free to include them when you reply.
For your interest, memory-jogging and amusement, the following is a listing of the names and contacts I currently have:
Adam (Sirka) Eakins, Adrianna (Vibe) Clapp, Alex (Bryer) Shelley, Alex (Top-o) Hutton, Andrea (Dacca) Rennie, Andrew (Cyrus) Turvey, Beth (Oslo) Daniher, Brad (RiffRaff) Morrison, Caleb (Gimmick) Lance, Cari (Peppi) Forteath, Christa (Beezu) Legate, Christina (Kaliko) Sloane, Christine (Frillz) Vinette, Colin (Anchor) Couper, Connie (Nomad) Blazs, Dan (Bali) McPherson, Daniel (Hoops) Lance, Devon (Moxie) Sackett, Drew (Rosko) Carroll, Ellen (Spook) Hurlock, Emilie (Zayta) Connelly, Fred (Peel) Darlington, Hannah (Zenn) Ticoll, lain (Oiler) Sinclair, Ian (Selwyn) Humphreys, Jamie (Tango) Couper, Jane (Duckie) Good, Jeff (Luten) Brown, Jessica (Metric) Gavourkas, Jessica (Willow) Lastuk, Jill (Gheko) Godbould, Jim Morrison, Jon (Nemo) Collins, Joseph (Rudiger) Lance, Joshua (Dodger) Lance, Julia (Pico) Turvey, Karen (Bondi) Stanley, Kate (Bently) Hutchinson, Kate (Fyzel) Dickson, Kathy Lance, Kerry (Kix) Shapiro, Kim (Tropic) Shapiro, Laura (Capri) Stanley, Laura (Jive) Dean, Lauranne (Nova) Hutton, Lauren (West) Shelley, Lucie (Essence) Wade, Maggie (Moglee) Cowperthwaite, Margot (Zara) Brandeth, Mark (Squints) Shapiro, Martha (Hayzel) Richardson, Martin (Phineas) Morrison, Mary (Sawga) Samloczyk, Matt (Nevis) Claxton, Max (Snare) Rothschild, Megan (Sumac) Selby, Meryl (Folee) Probst, Michelle (Aeros) Campbell, Mike (Nash) Rieger, Mike (Rikits) Bloom, Mollie (Versus) Rolfe, Nicole (Moka) Frieday, Pam Rosenthal, Pat (Fonzy) Daniher, Phil (Durango) Legate, Rebecca (Bretton) Russell, Reilly (Tambier) Gray, Rob (Parley) Toller, Rosalyn Morrison, Sanday (Yukon) Mackay, Sara (Alto) Kilmury, Sarah (Helix) Vinette, Sarah (Jerzee) Lemay, Sarah (Kyoht) Wylie, Scott (Mambo) Couper, Sean (Peetro) McGrath, Steph (Karma) Mouck, Steph (Tribe) Near, Tom (Esko) Quinn, Vanessa (Wenzdae) Gray, Vincent (Vector) Gouin, Virginia (Bepo) Maclennan, Will (Loco) Milne.
Finally, I’d like to offer you a short letter than my son Julian (Pwyll) wrote after his last year at camp in 1990.
“Outside this sheltered place, things move faster than they need to. Within, time is immaterial. Outside this sheltered place, people are hurt. Within, no-one suffers at the hands of another. Outside this sheltered place, we anxiously search for things to fill our empty days. Within, our days are filled for us. Outside, we are taught to learn from our mistakes. Within, we learn from our triumphs.
Outside this forest glade, we are a single, unremarkable person among billions. Within, we are unique and cherished, considered nearly superhuman for whatever feats we perform. Outside we are cultured and live a civilized life. Within, we live a life that is relatively primitive, yet somehow we become far more wise.
Within, our appetites increase. We become ravenously grateful for the food we receive while outside, eating is just another habit. Within, a million stars fill a gaping sky where at home there would be none. We walk old paths trod by many others before us and are made stronger for it. We forge friendships that endure eleven months of silence and still manage to retain their strength when we return. And some of the warmest, happiest light comes from bare light bulbs hung in the gathering place.
On this continent a semi-nomadic culture returns to its place in the North Country to enact their summer rituals, their magics and to sing the old songs of power. The elders cast off their own names in favour of those which have mystical properties so that they might be closer to the forest spirits and to their people. Each dawn is greeted by the raucous ringing of an ancient bell, followed by the setting of old wooden tables and a chanted grace steeped in the past of some thirty-odd summers.
So it has been and ever shall be”:
Or at least, so we thought. Please help me get this celebration going.
Adrian Sark (Bow)
ajsark@albedo.net
====================================
I think this a great idea. I'll try an post updates as they happen
posted by Nick | 11/05/2005 10:37:00 a.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home