Reunion Testimonials
Staff Reunion Thoughts In No Particular Order
1. Thanks for sharing Kilcoo with all of us for the weekend. I had a great time and I know that all of my amigos did too.
2. Is there ever a funnier Kilcoo picture than a photograph of the outfield with 21 outfielders during the baseball game? How exactly do you find a hole there?
3. Awesome sing song. Great to have Ken Jones at the piano.
4. till enjoy seeing the cabin clean up "wheel" in the cabins. And why exactly do we need to change the water in the fire bucket?
5. Terrific attendance by the 90’s and the “Millenials”.
6. Aren’t you glad we held it during the weekend of the 23rd to 25th and not last weekend.
7. I really like the idea that some of the canoes have names. I had no idea.
8. I never knew that it was Mrs. L who wrote the song sheets.
9. I really like, "if it happens twice, well, it’s a tradition!"
10. Let’s get a plaque up for Red at the Voyageur campfire area. In addition to being an outstanding ‘Blazer Section Director, he was the Voyageur Section Director in ’84.
11. Would be delighted if you could put up a new silver star next to brother Dave Carruthers’ name in the ’71 roster. It seems to have come down.
12. The guy who parked the two homers into the tennis courts showed big-time power.
13. The post camp guys were terrific. You can’t do that event without them.
14. Here’s hoping that you have a good pre-Thanksgiving week at Kilcoo and that you get a bit of time off over Thanksgiving with Beth, Charlie, TJ, and Brooke.
Rip ram,
John R. Carruthers
David,
Julien and I had a blast this weekend.
It was extra special having my son with me.
I understand that I raised an outstanding boat race anchor guy as well!!!!
You guys did an amazing job of organizing everything.
I am a little stiff today but not in a good way, ha ha, (I can barely walk)
John Kennedy destroyed me in tennis 2 days in a row (6-0, 6-2)
I thought that I could at least out run him on the court but that was not the case.
Our tennis was even more exciting with baseballs flying on to the court just missing John as we played.
Julien turned to me after the sing song Saturday night and said; "Thanks Dad, for letting me come to Kilcoo and giving me this amazing experience all these years"
I know that Chief and you coach the kids to thank their parents however this was a great un-coached moment that made me feel pretty happy.
How How guys.
Thanks for a great weekend.
Paul Fergus 1965-80
Saturday afternoon, as Doug Taylor, whom I had not seen in 55 years, and I were walking the entire camp site, we came up to the Indian council ring. I reminded Doug that Chief used to sit on top of the rock, that there was a small fire in the crevass below him, that I had trained Gary Atkins to light the central fire with a flaming arrow, and that Jack Graham used to sing the Wakonda song, which ended "Mourn ye not for my departure." As I was singing that last part, two men came into the ring. We introduced ourselves, and one of the guys was Jeff Setterington. I asked about his dad, Al, whom I had known and very much liked those many years ago. Jeff told me that his dad(Al's younger brother Paul) had died in January. He also said that his own son was now a Kilcoo camper. I literally could not speak to Jeff for several minutes. I don't know whether it's age or what, but I was deeply moved then, as I am now in writing this. After the shock had subsided somewhat, we talked about his dad for a few minutes, then Doug and I moved on to chapel point. I sat amid the silence of the trees and the hush of the water - and began to think of legacies, of tradition, of passing the rite of Kilcoo in all its wonder from one generation to another. The same day, later in the afternoon, I was on the porch of Camp Awakening talking to Mo Bent, when his two sons came by. I asked Mo who they were, and he said, "they're my guys." It was not what he said, it was how he said it. In those three words I felt a quiet love, a strong pride, and honor. Once again that day I felt the bond that Kilcoo passes on to younger generations, from the fathers and grandfathers to the sons and grandsons.
Just like John Kennedy, I'm a sucker for "Maker of Men." But this particular time, at the end of the slide show, the song, the experiences from Saturday during the day all came together in a rather strange way. I cannot put in words all the Kilcoo memories that flashed in front of me: memories of Kennisis, Miners Bay, Dangerous Dan McGrew, of Cameron Lake, of cabin mates and counsellors, all friends, some now gone. We were all together again, as if it were yesterday. I could not ask for more.
Hugh Gage 1949-57
It's Friday September 12th, 2008 and you have just finished another busy week of work and family activities. Then later that same night you drive through the gates of Kilcoo and everything seems to slow/calm down and a smile comes across your face. You approach the familiar sights and smells - lights, noise and smell of nourishment from the lodge, the flag pole against the backdrop of Gull Lake and the sweet aromas of KYBOs! You know happy times await you for the weekend:
- seeing your Kilcoo family from the past
- canoeing down Minden River
- Polar Bear Club
- Water Skiing
- Baseball
- Sleepless nights
- Amazing Food
All this and more came true for me at Kilcoo. And it makes it that much more special knowing the my son(s) are and will be experiencing these same things ... Thank you Kilcoo!
Jamie Gerson 1969-79
In a way, I think the reunions are like a mini version of our summers at camp. All the things that Chief taught us apply to the reunion as much as they did to camp. Take advantage of every moment - don't waste a second. I don't think I could have crammed more fun into one short weekend than I did this past reunion. Right from the start, we were into it with the golf - I was lucky enough to squeeze into a foursome at the last moment with three of my favourite guys from camp - Paul Weale, Tim Stanley, and Bob Dameron. We had a great afternoon and it carried right on into the evening program and euchre into the wee hours of the morning with the entire crew in the old Nature Lore building. The next day was jammed full with frisbee golf , then off to lose at baseball (50's/60's just edged out the 70's), and then a trip to the go-karts! I have not been go-karting since 1981! It was a panic, and the best thing was we all came back in one piece.
One of the best parts of the weekend was a paddle that six of us took (all solo) out to Ruth's Island. I have never been out there and it didn't take much to get a group together to go out. Paddling back to camp from Long Island brought back many memories from past canoe trips and lonely vigils and indian names. The last thing I did after chapel was to go out to Chapel Point with another group to just sit and chat - it was very peaceful as always out there and a great way to wind up our time at camp. We all slowed down to observe Chief's plaque and to comment on the lone pine tree that for so many has come to represent one of the lasting images of Kilcoo.
Bill Meeker 1970's
We all get immersed in time commitments with work and family and the years slide by at an accelerating pace. It was great at the reunion to have a weekend to reach back in time and enjoy the friendships and memories of Kilcoo (and past Kilcoo reunions) once again and to add a few new ones. The paddle with friends over to Ruth's island, up the narrows and past Long Island and subsequent trip to the go kart track were mentally and physically refreshing. I missed Friday night's activities due to a late flight back to Toronto but understand it was enjoyed by all.
The Kilcoo bond is unique - there are many fine camps and other types of organizations but I am not aware of one in which so many "Alumni" from over such a cross section of decades maintain friendships or pick up so easily on friendships from past years. I have shared Kilooo staff reunions with individuals who were my counsellors & CITs /LIT's as well as my campers from when I was on staff, who subsequently became staff themselves.
Both my first year as a camper and my first year as a counsellor I was in cabin three. The first year my two sons attended Kilcoo my youngest was in cabin 1 with three cabin mates who were sons of my contemporaries from camp. That year my oldest son was in cabin 3. It was gratifying that the culture of Kilcoo and quality of individuals on staff were there to provide an experience for them every bit equal to that which I enjoyed as a camper.
Ray Lyons 1967-79
I enjoyed the weekend reunion very much, and am so glad I made the decision to attend, even though there were only about three that I remember who were part of my era - Maurice Bent, Hugh Gage, and Bruce Haines. In fact I was quite startled about how I felt.
First, I realized that thoughts of Kilcoo and particularly of those I met at Kilcoo have been with me frequently since 1952-1953 although I did not seem to be aware of that.
Second, as I looked out from Camp Awakening I felt as though I had been there just yesterday instead of 55 years ago. Although the camp has changed a great deal with many new buildings it was still the camp I remembered. I took the opportunity to walk about all the areas that were part of Kilcoo when I was there- from Chapel Point to the Senior waterfront to the Dining Hall, to the Indian Council and to where Braeside and the stables were.
I particularly enjoyed visiting with my fellow alumni who I remember fondly from my days at camp. Over the weekend Hugh and I spent about 6 hours over the three days just chatting. And when it was time to say good-bye we hugged but did not say one word. I have thought of a good camp friend, Dan Frohman. I had lost touch with him in 1976 or so but because of efforts made with the alumni I am now in contact with him again.
The reunion was wonderful, and from it I have a message particularly for the younger alumni - keep in touch with each other, and let each know how important your friendships from camp are to you. The friendships from camp are special. In my day, when one returned home after camp it was very difficult to keep in touch as there were not the opportunities to communicate so easily as there are today. Although Dan understands and he feels the same as I do, others I knew have no idea how important my memories of them are to me. I often think of the lost opportunities for me to keep in touch and the pleasures from the friendships that were lost. So, again to the younger alumni - make the effort and keep in touch with each other.
Doug Taylor 1952-53
Without a doubt my fondest memories center around my days at camp, the many canoe trips, numerous memorable experiences, and especially the bond I feel with many people with whom I shared those days. I have been most fortunate to have been able to extend my involvement with Kilcoo into the present and this has enabled me to see first hand how so much has changed, but how so much remains the same; and the aspects of Kilcoo that remain the same are the values, the spirit, and the manner by which people of a wide range of ages continue to relate to their camping memories. For me the most satisfying element of the 2008 reunion was witnessing the enjoyment written on the faces of all those in attendance as they spent a weekend with Kilcoo friends. Without a doubt we will make the reunion in 2011 just as successful. See you there!
Paul Chamberlain 1956-67