1980 - 1984

Places: 1980-1983 at Cedar Lake 1984 at Mill Lake
1980--85 campers 1981--90 campers
1982--79 campers
1983--98 campers, 32 staffers & 14 pre-campers
1984--91 campers

Director: Don Begeman, Assistant Dick Lane

These years were loaded with campers. We all had to stretch ourselves to take care of large numbers. Many remembered these years with love.

New in 1981 was our pre-campers organized into a class under Peggy Charles. This is still true today--they have their own camp schedule. Dick named them "Dirt balls" because of the dirty faces as they played around the camp. 1981 first counselor of the year was chosen--Jackie McKeith. First time for Charles Moore being at camp.

In 1981 Jeff Trueman and family were at camp. He taught the older class and Elder Wilkinson the younger. He led Vespers also that year. In 1983 Carol Fruchey taught the younger class and was rewarded with the first pie in the face at the Thursday Talent Show (Deborah Layton Anderson had one a year later).

With the large number of campers the nursing staff had more stress. In 1980 there was a flu epidemic that everyone called "THE PLAGUE". Nurse Peggy Charles had her hands full. No one had to go home. The nursing staff continued with Peggy Charles, Melinda Begeman, Karen Dorsey and Kathy Gearhart sharing responsibilities.

Crafts: Phone message board, book shelf, tile hot plate, wooden mail holder all by Dewey Chapman and wall plaques made of seeds (Sally Smith).

Remember...

  • The 1981 impromptu mud-wrestling match between Terri Trueman and Leighanne Chesney.
  • Ken Coll doing the nature class.
  • Rob teaching about apple blossoms and wolverines and his candy bar questions.
  • Judy Begeman with a table of charts and posters getting the points posted.
  • Comments in kitchen: butter toast to the edge and good side up.
  • Ruth--use the towel on dishes not your face.
  • Skit by Tim Begeman and crew "Ministry of the Silly Walk". Elder W. overheard plans and mimicked them across the stage with a silly walk of his own!!
  • The beautiful place under the shade trees to watch the games.
  • Aerobics class with Laurie and Rachel Begeman.
  • The boy counselors getting to eat some stuff from McDonald's and the girls getting caught.
  • Brooming.
  • Deer Flies.
  • Vespers held by flashlight featuring Dick Lane's live interview of Joe Smeltzer as Thomas, David Charles as Peter and Rob Vaughn as John.
  • Counselors of the year Lisa Allen, Todd Begeman, and Tom Cossey.
  • Other counselors--Russ Borrows, Mike Begeman, Jon Lane, Gail Borrows, Jim Begeman, Candy Steventon, Denise Barber, Julie Brown, Elizabeth Begeman, Becky Voss, Charlie Mann, Tracy Scott, Julie Sebastianelli and Tom Evans.
  • College Bowl with girls winning most of the time.
  • Melinda Begeman remembers staying up all night helping Sally finish seed pictures.

Fond Memories

  • Russ Borrows – Daran Chapman playing the air guitar to Ted's Catscratch Fever. Tim's bouncing "pecs". Spam, spam, spam, spammity spam. I can borough through an elephant. The bouncing hotdogs. The marathon under the 1984 Olympics organized by Joe.
  • Mike Begeman – Campers losing the camper/staff softball game by 1 run, Boys going swimming in the morning to wash their hair in the lake. A demonstration by Dick involving a fire cracker and him drinking tooth brushing water. (Fooled Mike anyway.)