“If you want what you’ve never had, you’re gonna have to do what you’ve never done”.
Hello everybody
I wanted to write the final Word after the dust had settled a little on the summer we’ve just enjoyed. How sad, then, that the first thing I must address is the recent passing of Dr Kenny Miller, our long-time camp doctor, and the founder of Doc’s Run. ‘Doc’ has been associated with camp since the late 1970s, probably our longest serving doctor. Juggling his own practice with trying to fit in a week or two at camp was never easy, but he – and his wife, Trissy – always made it happen somehow. His interest in, and concern for, everyone of our boys and staff meant that he always had his hands full whenever he was here. But he never complained about that, because he was a good doctor, a doctor that truly cared about everyone and their welfare. He knew that coming up to camp for a ‘vacation’ was sure to add to his workload, but he came anyway, because his heart was in the right place, and we were all grateful for that. Doc will be fondly remembered as the model for all others to follow. And every summer, when we run Doc’s Run, Kenny will be running with us, in our collective heart. We thank you Doc for all that you did for us here at the Friendly Confines, and for the legacy that you have left. Fill a Stein.
And so ends another summer. A great summer, I might add. One of the best perhaps. We beat Kawaga in one of the closest finishes to the competition ever; the Whites prevailed once more in Green and White, and the lake was warm throughout. We welcomed international staff back to camp for the first time since 2019, and we had over 112 entrants in Doc’s Run ( a record!). The new building went up (is it going to be called the GreenHouse?), and it is being fitted out with lights and equipment as I write this. We ate more meals outside than ever before, and no-one got covid! 18 people joined the Five Year club, and you can still get Naked at Walmart. haha. Kanefsky Park came into being; the climbing wall was lit up like Blackpool Illuminations, and we acquired 37 new bed frames. OCR is now wider and smoother than it has ever been, while the grass gets ever greener and more lush (thanks Dave Rhode and lawn-care-guy, Joe). The food was consistently good all summer, and the Health Club (formerly known at the Infirmary) was – thankfully – underused. The sun shone for more hours than it rained, and, judging by the number of waterfront awards given out, more boys than ever got up and around the lake on two skis. See; a great summer!
What really made the summer, though, and what actually made camp happen, were the boys that came here. Without them, we have no camp. And without you, the parents, choosing this camp over the dozens of other options you have, then we would be nothing. It is to you, therefore, that we must be grateful and thankful. You trusted us to look after your boys, and I’d like to think we did just that. I’d also like to think that they all had a good time. The energy, enthusiasm and spirit that they brought to this particular camp party was like no other.
The summer went quickly, but maybe that was because we were all so busy enjoying ourselves. So now the countdown to the summer of 2023 begins. Plans are already underway to make 2023 even better. But for now, we want to wish every Menominee family member, young and old, wherever you might be in the world, a safe and successful winter. Until we can gather once more around the campfire on the shores of Sand Lake, please know that all is well, so let’s all safely rest.
Goodnight everybody.
As ever…WOODY!
