Alumni News!

Saturday, November 26, 2005

This is an update of where we are now:

Myself and my beautiful wife Anita and our now 8 month old, Ashton, are now living in Tasmania, Australia where we are just going into summer here! Lots of golf and lots of surfing if anyone wants to come visit.

Mailing addess is 5 Queen Street, Bellerive, TAS 7018
Phone from North America is 011 61 3 62 44 7776
Or try my email at

Come visit, it's so beautiful down here!

Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Ahmek camper '71 to '80
Ahmek and Wapomeo Staff '81 to '86, '89, '90

Friday, November 11, 2005

I live in London, England.

I ran into, by pure chance, someone here who went to Wap—not even sure how we got on the subject, but we plan on having a heavy night of making fools out of ourselves trying to remember all the camp songs. Alcohol will be present. Is there anyone else who went to the camp living in the U.K.?

How do I get my hands on that book of camp songs?

I work in junk bonds for a French bank, and have been living in London for the past 10 odd years. No accent. Trying to preserve the hoser in me.

I also have a very amusing letter I wrote to my Mom when I was at camp, which I will attempt to scan and post. May bring back a few memories for you.

London, England
Camper (I think 1973/74)
and head of Wap Riding (sometime after that)
U think I remember that far back?

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Duncan at Ahmek (Photo: Susan Van Etten)

At the end of summer, I went up to Ahmek to pick up my grandson, Duncan Owen Van Etten, who is a fourth generation camper! My son, Derek (Duncan's father) and his younger brother, Rhys, went with us. Duncan's Mom was on a business trip. Duncan loved camp and looks forward to going back next summer, and little Rhys will follow in 2007. We spent a night at Killarney Lodge and Duncan had a chance to show off his canoeing skills. Duncan enjoyed showing us all around camp the next day and it was especially fun for me. I left swimming in wonderful memories and just sorry that I couldn't stay for Alumni weekend.

Walt Angel (August 2005) (Photo: Susan Van Etten)

I did see Walt Angel quite by accident in the Mountaineer section and attach a photo as well as some others that may be of interest.

My husband and I spent several weeks in Alaska bird watching in May/June. The highlight was a week in Barrow on the Chukchi Sea with bright sunlight 24/7. It was a wonderful birding experience and a terrific opportunity for photography.

My daughter, Ashley (Wap 60s-70s) has just finished designing a web site for me and I invite you to check it out: www.imageresearchstudio.com

I would love to hear from any alums who may remember me - Susan Ellis, or any of my brothers, Terry, Jeff and Jamie.

Wenham, MA
Wapomeo camper 1948-1957,
trip room 1958, waterfront director at Senior Wap in 1959
Please visit www.imageresearchstudio.com

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Hi everyone,

I have just returned to Toronto after being in San Francisco for the past few years, and I would love to get in contact with my former CIT boys from 96, or any other Ahmek staff (John Riding, Woody, Meeka...)

Drop me a line...I would LOVE to know what you scruffy teenagers grew up to be, and what my friends from then are doing now.

Toronto, Ontario
Staff 96, gladly Meeka Stuart's bunkmate...

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

People,

I am looking for Chuck Allen, Camp Ahmek circa 1970s.

We met on canoe trip in '72, Kiosk/Brent/Odenbach route. I was so inspired by his paddling that I learned the Master's technique the next summer. I believe he was a Baltimore lad, so if anyone has an e-mail or a land based address, I would be much obliged to get hold of it.

Thanks in advance,

Parson, British Columbia
CIT 1972, Voyageur counselor 1973-77

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

So — my wife and I moved back to Seattle with our son Tristan.

To see him check out this link: spaces.msn.com/members/tristankrohn/

Our second one is due in late February, and we're all excited. Hope everyone is well. If you're ever in Seattle, drop me a line.

Seattle, WA
Camper/staff 1970s and 80s
Please visit spaces.msn.com/members/tristankrohn/

Sunday, September 11, 2005

I'm delighted to announce that I have entered a new phase of my life - grandmotherhood! My beautiful granddaughter, Madison Charlotte O'Reilly, was born on July 3, 2005 in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Proud parents are James and Jennifer (Conning) O'Reilly, Wapomeo camper and staff 80's and 90's. Unfortunately, with Maddie living in a country where they have their summer and winter backwards, she will not be able to experience Canoe Lake life. I have lots of stories to tell her though!

London, Ontario
Wapomeo camper and staff 1959-1970

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

I am so sad not to be a part of the reunion this year but I have made almost every other one! The good news is that my daughter, Katie, also a past camper (1989-91) is getting married that weekend. We will be happily involved in the wedding but Canoe Lake will not be far from our hearts. To all my dear friends that are there, have a wonderful time and to those I haven't met yet, "Look to this day for it is life..."

Lake Forest, Illinois
Camper 1964-70

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Another great party is about to happen and we want you all to be there!

How the night will work—

No limit Texas Hold'em Poker: $20 at the door will buy you $15 worth of chips to play all night and one raffle ticket to enter in the draw to win some wicked prizes. Experienced and rookie poker tables will be going on, and there will be roulette and taps flowing to make your head spin. Chips can be cashed in for great raffle prizes when you are done having fun.

Great music all night...and for the non-gambling there is a nice patio to enjoy the night on. All we need is you and all your friends to come to make this night even more of a success then the last fund raiser! All profits are going directly to The Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

Toronto, ON
Wapomeo and September Camp 1990s and 2000s
Please visit www.evite.com

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Have not been in touch with anyone since my camping experience. Anybody out there who knows me?

North Vancouver, BC
Camper 1960-1965

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

If any friends are planning on coming to Los Angeles, PLEASE call and let's get together. June is quickly approaching and I always (even now) feel the urge to start putting name tags on my clothes and start thinking of what my canoe paddle design will look like!

Living in LA for 21 years and my daughter goes to camp Four Winds*Westward Ho in Seattle, Washington.

Hope all is well. Won't be up for the reunion, but looking forward to another one.

Wapomeo 1960s

Saturday, May 14, 2005

There is an HBC Run for Canada (www.hbcrunforcanada.ca) fund raiser happening on July 1st on the old Mew Lake railbed. 10k run or 3k walk.

We should get more people out to it. Some staff at camp might like to run in it. Karin McCaskill, Sherry Sandilands and I are going in it as a prelude to our Womens' Brent Run in July.

Friends of Algonquin is the Primary Charity Partner for this event.

Camper, Staff, September Camp, 1964-present

Sunday, April 10, 2005

To all my camp friends over the many years, I would like to introduce you to the newest Ahmek camper. Ashton Rex Burk was born to the proud parents Paul Burk and Anita Towns on Wed. March 30 at 4:18 pm, weighing in at 7 pounds 10 ounces. So much for sleep, but just look at the pic!

Drop us a line or call to say hello... 604-938-0803

Best regards from Whistler,
, Anita Towns, and now Ashton
Whistler, British Columbia
Ahmek camper from 1971-80, Ahmek staff 81-84,
Wap long trip guide 85, 86, 89, 90

Saturday, April 9, 2005

Bob Henderson, long time camper/counsellor/guide at TSC (60s, 70s, 80s), professor of Outdoor Education at McMaster University, and all around outdoors guru, has recently published an amazing book about his many travels and expeditions all over Canada. It is a lively, informative combination of history, geography and high adventure—a must for people who love the Great White North and want to learn more about it through good, old-fashioned storytelling!

This fascinating book, fittingly entitled Every Trail Has A Story, will be of interest to anyone who has, after scrambling to the top of some remote peak or bushwhacking through some dense brush, ever found herself wondering - am I the first person ever to have stood on this spot? Bob's message is, quite simply, no way! Every trail has a story, and therefore, a history.

TSCers will enjoy reading about some of their friends who (like Don Standfield and Linda Leckie) were Bob's companions along the way; they will also enjoy reading some detailed history of lots of familiar places (Quetico, Temagami, Algonquin Park) and characters (Hap Wilson, Sigurd Olson)... Check it out.

Congrats (and thanks) Bob!

Available on-line from amazon.ca, chapters.indigo.ca, powells.com

Kingston, Ontario
13 years of camper, staff at Wap

Monday, January 17, 2005

Hi camp friends.

Thought some of you may be interested in hearing some camp/family news. My parents met at camp in the early 50s sometime. My Dad is Paul Edmonds and my Mom is Ruth Day. My Dad was a counselor at Ahmek, my Mom was a counselor on Senior Island at Wap. I think my Mom was there 4 summers and my Dad for 2 summers. He may have been a guide as well. My Dad says he fell for Mom when she played the piano at talent night one misty August night.

They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past December 27th, 2004. Their 4 kids had a bash for them this past summer at their cottage, which included many "How How"s over the course of the evening. They received a paddle signed by all their friends. How is that for Canoe Lake influence? They were thrilled!

Their life of canoetripping and camping passed down to their 4 kids. We had several family canoetrips growing up. Camp was part of all our lives somewhere. What started on Canoe Lake in the 50s has influenced 3 generations in our family.

I was lucky enough to have 2 summers at Wap in 1978 and 79. I actually made it to the Outpost with a group of Tuscies, something that had never been done with such a young age group before. I still am working on getting up that way again in a canoe someday. I have some fabulous memories of my summers at Wap. I met some great friends!

Happy memories of Canoe Lake! From 2 generations that resulted from a meeting around a campfire and a piano in true Wap/Ahmek style!

Wap CIT 1978, counselor 1979

Saturday, January 8, 2005

Hello Friends,

In December my family received a beautiful Christmas greeting from fellow TSC campers Linda Leckie and Don Standfield. Inside the card was a wonderful poem written by Ethel & Taylor Statten in 1942. A small sprig of Canoe Lake cedar accompanied the presentation. I had such a great feeling as I held the birch bark like card. The cedar had dried so there was no lingering smell of the forest, but even so it was my favourite greeting of this past season. In true TSC fashion, I will recycle this gem next Christmas to an old wap guide who I know will appreciate its heartfelt message. Thanks again Lecko & Don. How How How!

Healthy New Year Everyone,

Parson, British Columbia
CIT 1972, Voyageur counselor 1973-77