Buildings and Property

The Camp Store

Published on by Kathy Baker

The camp store, or trading post, was one of the highlights of the camping experience. Little girls looked forward to the time of day when they could line up to purchase items from the store with the feeling of independence. It was an event that most of the girls did not do in their daily lives.

“There was a little store, like a little shack, with a window that lifted up, and inside were candy bars, shampoo and items for sale,” said Caryl Sue Abendroth (1953-54). “You were given a certain amount of allowance to shop at the store by your parents. (If you didn’t know anyone, that was the place to meet new girls and have conversation.) I remember the sweatshirts with Camp Maqua on them and how comforting they were on a cold morning. It was so cozy to pull on a sweatshirt and it was such a luxury!”

A green and white camp tee shirt was the purchase Pat Rehmus (1962-65) bought and a brown Maqua tee shirt was recalled by Kim Hartwig in 1976. Cara Prieskorn used her money to buy a terry cloth tee shirt during her time at camp (1966-71). “My account would run out of money and I would worry about what my parents would say to me and if they would be mad when they picked me up because my money was all gone,” said Cara, who admitted they never got mad.

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Close To Nature, Close To God

Published on by Kathy Baker

For many women, their experiences at the YWCA camp and Chapel Hill left lasting influences. Young girls, like Susan Ruterbusch (1947-52) and Debbie Tweedie (1965-72) felt the gorgeous views contributed to their feelings that they had never been closer to God as young girls.

“I loved running down the trails and walking up Chapel Hill in our whites,” said Katie Harris (1951-52). “I can remember thinking about God in the middle of nature and I think that was the most lasting memory–the nature and feeling very comfortable in that setting.”

For Ellen Hydorn (1954+), the services had a lifelong effect on her. “It was the first time I realized you could have a spiritual experience without the four walls of a church. So many sensual memories are tied to spirituality—and that was Chapel Hill—sights, sounds and smells and just the physical feeling of space.”

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The Spiritual View

Published on by Kathy Baker

The services, whether you believed or did not believe, were spiritual in nature because of their natural surroundings. Many of the girls had clear memories of the spot on the hill with the beautiful trees and view of the lake, and just as many reasons why they loved it.

As a present-day photographer, Anne Shutt (1961-66) had memories of dressing in whites to go to the services and the beauty of Chapel Hill. “It would photograph beautifully. Those were the years that I decided I wanted to be a photographer. I knew what I wanted to do at age ten. I was so into Camp Maqua and it was so beautiful.”

Linda Greenwald (1948-58) loved the scenery and sitting in the fresh air, as did Holly Foss (1966-72) who admired the views, but Valerie Monto (1964-68) not only enjoyed the view of the lake, but the boys from the camp across the lake patrolling by as they sat in their service!

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Those Little Catholic Girls

Published on by Kathy Baker

“Our family was Catholic and I remember when my parents made arrangements to send my sister to camp (1962) some of their friends worried that she would be “indoctrinated”, said Sue Augustyniak . “They had not started bringing the girls into town to the Catholic Church yet, so she went to the lovely interdenominational service and loved the singing and thought it was better than church. When I went, they would drive us into Hale to mass.”

Sharon Wilcox (1949+) said the Sunday rituals at Camp Maqua remain clear—whites placed at the end of the Catholic girls’ beds, so the counselors knew who to wake up for church—and off they went in a pickup truck, with those left behind marching up Chapel Hill for their service.

Anne Obey (1960-70) agreed that if you were Catholic, you did not get to sleep in on Sunday. She and her sister Mary Obey were raised strict Catholic. “That was the first thing my parents asked when they decided to send us to Camp Maqua—whether we could attend mass on Sundays. Off to the Catholic church we went in the Maqua “Woody” each Sunday,” said Mary.

Mary Grego (1960), Brooke Sauve (1949-51), Barb Ballor (1951-55), Maureen Moore (1968-70), Ruth Wiesen (1957-59) and Cynthia Behan (1945) all remembered bring crammed into the pickup truck or station wagon to go to mass, sometimes in a dress. Many of them wish they could go back in time to experience Chapel Hill.

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The Little Jewish Girls

Published on by Kathy Baker

The Christian influence of Camp Maqua, which was under the auspices of the Bay City YWCA, did not discourage girls from other religions from attending camp. There were many Jewish girls who attended, and for the most part, the girls felt a sense of inclusion with the services on Chapel Hill. There was also the option to attend mass at St. Pius in Hale for the Catholic girl

“I am Jewish and there were very few of us at that time in Bay City or in camp,” said Laya Rose  (1939+). “I remember climbing Chapel Hill on Sundays all dressed in white. I loved it. To join in the singing touched my heart. In a Jewish service, it is so different. I love my religion, but it is not in English. There was something so wonderful when I heard those melodies and words, especially in the midst of the trees overlooking the lake.”

“We loved our Jewish friends and we didn’t talk much about our faith or religion, but Chapel Hill was the non-denominational spot we all loved, “said Priscilla Johns (1968+). “I give praise for that place and the relationships. Nobody ever said we could or could not do anything up there. There was a cross up there, but nothing was ever criticized or judged. We just held hands and sang.”

“There were not a lot of Jewish girls until the arrival of the Michelson girls, Shelley Harris and Jan Schreiber, who lived in my neighborhood,” said Jenifer McLogan (1965-71), who was Catholic, but “not too keen on going to mass”. Sister Helen McLogan (1972-74), had a Jewish friend by the name of Dana, but said her friend Susie Eakin would tell everyone she was Jewish. “I guess she liked hanging out with the Jewish girls more than us. Despite the fact that we were Catholic, we didn’t drive into town to go to mass. We all marched up Chapel Hill and it was not an option.”

Minette Immerman (1938-41), was one of the little Jewish girls who packed white clothes for the services, which she attended during her years there and despite the fact that  Sue Michelson (1963-73) was Jewish, but was raised fairly non-traditional and thought the combination of kids was wonderful at Camp Maqua.

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