YWCA CAMP CAVELL
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____________________________________ I started as a camper in 1964....went every year, sometimes for two session, was a CIT and then ASS. Director of the stables. Last summer was 1974. My sister also attended starting at the same time, was a CIT but never paid staff. I loved camp soooo much that I always said I would do whatever it took so my kids could go to camp and have the same memories and experiences. We didn't live in the area but they did go to camp and although they weren't able to go all the way to paid staff I think they will be sending their kids to camp some day as well! I carry on my love of camp life by volunteering with the Girl Scouts, although my kids are in college! Lisa Minnella To the Ladies of Camp Cavell Happy Birthday! I so wish that I could attend your 95th birthday celebration, but after checking MapQuest the 14 hour drive from my home in NC to you seemed a bit too difficult. I could not let the occasion pass, however, without expressing to you all my love and gratitude to the camp, and all the ladies who were there when I was a camper. I attended camp every summer from 1976 to 1981. It was and still is my fondest childhood memory! Camp Cavell is special to me because of the way it helped to shape me as an individual. I was born with a mild case of Cerebral Palsy, which mostly affects my motor skills in my left arm and left leg. I had many problems with bullies as a child and I gave up on any sport pretty early on because my peers told me I wasn't good enough. Things were completely different for me when I came to Camp Cavell. Being at an all-girl camp, with loving, kind counselors, I learned that I could , in fact play sports, and I am good enough. I played kickball and I was an equestrian. Also, during my last summer in Lexington, I was given the Best Archer award for my session. That meant the world to me. In addition to helping me with my self confidence and self esteem, all the women at Camp Cavell helped me through a very difficult period in my life. My older sister Laura, also a Camp Cavell alumni, died in an airplane crash at the end of 1977. She was 11 and I was 8. I chose to still go to camp the following year, in 1978, without Laura, and it was very challenging for me to learn to make my way in life without my role model. The counselors at camp spent a huge amount of extra time with me, helping me to grieve, and I believe that played a huge role in my emotional recovery from that ordeal. I am happy to report that now I have been blissfully married for 13 years, and have two brilliant children, ages 8 and 10. Camp Cavell will always hold a special place in my heart, and I want you all to know that your contribution to young girls' lives is much more then just arts-n-crafts and talent shows. You give us the power to become the best women we can as we grow up. Thank you so much for your love and support. Keep it up, and happy birthday! Sincerely yours, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Happy 95th Birthday to Camp Cavell. I was a
junior counselor in 1967, a counselor in '68 and on the riding staff in '69.
I went on to be a camp counselor for more summers at camps in Michigan,
California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, One memorial event was
when the whole camp was in the lodge watching Neil Armstrong walk on the
moon. Congratulations on 95 years in camping! I didn't learn much in kindergarten, but everything I
know I learned at Camp Cavell! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMP CAVELL! 85 years and you are still going strong! Camp Cavell is an amazing place! It offered me a job when I needed one and even though it was to fill in for a week as the health officer, it was great to watch highly dedicated staff foster a sense of independence, strength, and curiosity in youngsters. I would recommend Cavell to anyone and hope to return someday in the near future. Happy Birthday Cavell, 95 years never looked so good! Shannon (aka Phoenix) Happy Birthday Camp Cavell! SOrry I can't celebrate with you, I am out of the country on business. Thanks for helping make me who I am today. Camper, CIT, LIT, Counselor, Crafts, Kitchen 1968-1975 Lani Jordon I attended Camp Cavell in 1963 (approximately), I was a CIT 1964, Stable Girl 1965, Riding Instructor 1966, Assistant Riding Director 1967-1970. (approximate dates). I also assisted with the Waterfront. I have so many wonderful memories of Camp. I will assist you in photo ID and historical information in any way that I can. Beth Harries (maiden name Ollesheimer) My family and I used to come to Camp Cavell in the summers and I have great memories of our time there. I'd like to find out how to get involved and give back as a volunteer and/or staff member if there are any openings. My educational background is in music, singing specifically, and if you all were looking for a singer to come in during the summer I would be most interested. Work wise I've got programmatic managerial experience. I will look forward to reading the newsletters and reviewing your website for ways in which I might get involved this spring/summer. Sylvia White
8/4/09
Hi,
I was a junior counselor in 1967, a cabin counselor in 1968, and on the
riding staff in 1969. I have staff pictures from these years.
I can send pictures! Congrats on celebrating 95 years of
camping!!!! I live in Colorado and I will not be able to get back
to Michigan for the celebration. Maybe I can come in five years
for the 100th anniversary.
There is one story I would like to share. Did you know that there
is an Olympic medal winner who used to be a camp counselor at Camp
Cavell? Sheila Young was a counselor during the summer of
1968 or 1969. She was a speed skater and competed in the Olympics,
what year I am not sure. I know she won a speed skating medal but
I'm not sure if it was gold or silver. Sheila went on to compete
as a bike racer too. At the last Olympics her daughter competed in
speed skating and they showed Sheila in the stands cheering her daughter
during her race. I wish I still had a copy of the staff newspaper
that we wrote at the end of the summer about all the camp staff.
In the newspaper we wrote a Can You Imagine section and somebody wrote
can you imagine Sheila Young winning an Olympic medal???? The
amazing thing is that it really happened!!!!!!!!
Working at Camp Cavell has formed life long friendships. I still
have contact with Carol Hoffman, the riding director in 1967 and 1968
and Toni Zahm, a cabin counselor in 1968 and riding staff in
1969. After 20 years I saw Carol Hofmann in May when she was in Denver.
I would love to know what happened to Beth Ollesheirmer (married name is
Harries) who worked at Camp Cavell the same years I was there. If
you have any more information about counselors who worked at Cavell from
1967-1969, I would appreciate it if you would send me any information.
Another person I would like to know about is Howie Anderson. I do
not know if she got married and would have a different last name.
I just thought of another story to share. I was working at Camp
Cavell when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Since it was such a
historic event Anne Hoffa the camp director let all the campers
stay up late to watch it on TV in the main lodge. All the campers
came in their pajamas and we crunched around 2 small TV sets to see the
moon landing. What an amazing event to share with all of the
campers!!
Another event that happened while I was at camp was the Detroit
riots. It was very hard to be isolated at Cavell during this time
because we didn't get very much news of what was happening in Detroit
and it was scary since lots of our campers lived in Detroit. We
felt very cut off from what was going on.
It was fun reminiscing about my camp counseling days. After I
worked at Cavell I went on and worked for 4 more summers as a camp
counselor-Interlochen Music Camp and camps in Connecticut,
Massachusetts, and California. Both of my daughters are counselors
this summer one at Camp Chief Ouray, a YMCA camp in Colorado and another
one at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands off the coast
of Washington State.
It has been fun to stay in touch with what is happening at Camp Cavell
with your web site and emails. Have fun celebrating your 95th
anniversary.
Anne Wormley (Skytta)
Denver, Colorado
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2 20 09 It's always
good to hear from you about Camp Cavell. It is the first overnight camp I
attended about 42 years ago and then my daughter, Melissa went for
many summers, mainly with the horse camps and the travel camp (with good
friend Anna Nowinski). For the last 2 summers, Melissa has been a CIT at a
day camp and loves working with the kids. The summer, at age 16, she can be
a counselor at the day camp. I was wondering at what age you hire
counselors? Are there any opportunities for her there? I think she
would love it. March 15 07 I used to bring my children up here, it was over 15 years ago, when my children were small. We did Halloween camp, family weekend camp. My children loved it and we did it annually. We always had a great time. Leenovia Robinson I WAS AT CAMP IN 1986 AND WORKED AS AN EQUESTRIAN COUNSELOR WITH DIANA FROM ENGLAND AND OUR ASSISTANT JAYNE FROM CROSWELL. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I ENJOYED MEETING SO MANY PEOPLE FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. JILL AND ALL THE STAFF MADE IT MORE LIKE A HOLIDAY THAN A PERIOD OF WORK AND MY ONLY REGRET WAS NOT KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH ALL THE PEOPLE I MET, BUT I NEVER WAS A GOOD LETTER WRITER. GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING AT CAMP THIS YEAR, IT LOOKS REALLY WONDERFUL. ONE MEMORY THAT STICKS IN MY MIND WAS GOING TO THE 4th OF JULY FIREWORK DISPLAY IN LEXINGTON, A WONDERFUL NIGHT. MARY O'SULLIVAN Old picture and slideshow would you might
like. I was there in early 50's. Sent brochure from 51 from
Holey High school Detroit, Wayne university before it was Wayne state, was
working on teaching degree and had to work with kids for college so I
enjoyed camp so much I asked to be a counselor. Virginia DeGraffenreid
/ Olga Rutman (maiden name) are names I can remember! Olga Mac Dowell Dear Jill, Last fall my husband, sister, and I met you at
the Cavell site as we were former campers and counselors (my sister and I)
at camp. You took us on a tour of the present facility and we talked
about sponsoring a scholarship for a girl who couldn't afford the
experience. how to contribute. Camp Cavell was certainly a life
changing experience for us. I was a camp cavell camper for many years until the age of 15. I loved going to camp each summer and I particularly loved camp Cavell. I still tell my children the stories of my camp experiences, and how beautiful the camp was. DMonica Castelow Friday August 14, 2009 I attended from 1953, age 7, to 1959. My two younger sisters also attended Camp Cavell. It was at Camp Cavell, while watching an older camper playing guitar and leading camp singing that I had an epiphany of what I wanted to do. It's 50 years later and I am sill playing guitar and leading people in song, for a living. When visiting Camp Cavell in August 2009, Jill asked me if I recalled a camp song form the 50s. The only one I recall is Witchcraft, with the final lines, "memories we cherish, Camp Cavell of you." Carolyn Jayne 9/9/09 Hey! I am an alumni of Camp Cavell!!!!! I found this site
quite by accident....what a pleasent surprise! I don't remember the year,
but I think it was 1962 or 1963. I was a camper for eight weeks. I stayed at
the Southwood unit for six weeks, and the Brookside unit for two weeks. I do
have some pictures, but I don't know where they are right now, i will look
for them. I remember the piano in the lodge was in the southeast corner. And
I remember the cinnamon toast every morning...yum! Believe it or not, but I
still have a trivet that I made for my mom when I was there. Thanks for the
memories, and please add me to your mailing list. 11/09/08 Dear Camp Cavell, My sister and I attended Camp Cavell back in the 1960’s. Several summers we got to stay for a whole month and we both have such wonderful memories . Now we both have grandchildren and we would love to share the story of "The Tadger" with them but we can’t find the book. This story had such an impact on both of us as it was read around the campfires at dusk and helped us use our imaginations. Can you send me information on how I can find this book please? I am most grateful and thank you in advance for your time and any help you can give me. Sincerely, Cheryl McKinley Druktenis January 04, 2009 Experience:
I attended Camp Cavell for many years in my youth, I had many wonderful camping experiences and looked forward each year to returning. I want my 10 year old to have the opportunity to experience the same wonderful summers as I did. Please send information on your programs.
Detroit Mi
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I was a long time camper and a counselor one summer. It was a great experience! Camp changed my outlook on life! I would like to make a donation to sponsor campers.
Mary E. Mordi
Grosse Pointe Park, MI
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Great Ways to HELP Camp!Sampling of Historical Pictures |
