Traditions On The Way–

Published on October 5, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

When Beth Phillip’s parents drove her to camp in their pick-up truck (1972-78), there was a certain point where she would get so excited, because she felt like she was almost there. As they neared US 23 there was a pink tent and that was the landmark she waited to see!

“My Mom and Grandma would always drive me up there for sessions and my Dad would always pick me up and drive up to meet my Mom at our cottage near Harrisville,” said Jenifer Penzien (1969-71) of their yearly summer ritual.

For Maggie Young (1962), it was an adventure. “Even travelling in my Dad’s 1961 Corvair was an adventure. It ended up being my first car.”

“My family was not wealthy, and we didn’t even have a television until 1956,” said Ellen Hydorn (1954) whose aunt shared her vacation home in Tawas with the family,” but the rest of the girls I went up with were all fairly wealthy. I remember my Dad drove me up in the old Cadillac.”

Carol Requadt’s brother was in Camp Iroquois on Sand Lake in 1945 and when both camping sessions were over, their parents would pick them up and head to their rental cottage, which was also in Tawas. She was not alone in that double pick up, as many of the campers had brothers attending nearby camps.

Hop On The Bus!

Published on October 3, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“Camp Goers Too Busy To Worry About Weather” read the headline from a local Bay City newspaper pasted into the archival scrapbook. “Grade School Registered At Maqua Today: 25 Travel By Bus” was the second headline.

“Too agog about going to camp to care about the gray weather, and too busy lugging crowded bags to bother about rain coats, twenty-five youngsters of grade school age were at the YWCA this morning to board the bus that took them to Loon Lake. Munching candy, and starting to sing before they were even out of town, the crowd made a merry invasion of Camp Maqua for the first camping period of the season”, read the piece from June 26, 1935.

“The girls usually arrived on a bus that left from the YWCA in Bay City”, wrote 1920’s camper Margaret Dahlem in a letter in 1988, “but one rich girl arrived on a white motorcycle.”

There were more ways to arrive in style, as her friend Harriet Crumb could attest to one summer as she stood on the lawn of the lodge. She also rode the bus through Pinconning, Standish, Twining, Turner and Whittemore and into Hale, singing camp songs the entire time and loved the attention she received from the locals as they arrived in town.

“Initially, we were all loaded onto a bus, which belonged to the Y,” recalled Beverly Schlatter (1944-1949), “in front of the old “Y” building. We would meet all our friends there, with our footlockers or trunks packed with clothes or bedding for two weeks. My Dad unloaded the footlocker from the car to the bus and all the parents waved to us. As the bus pulled away, the older girls who had been to camp before, started singing the Maqua camp songs and that’s how we learned them.”

Onto The Property–

Published on August 15, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Early photographs and postcards of Camp Maqua leave the viewer with the feeling that the property was a beautiful lakeside setting, but had very few trees. In later years, the trees matured with birch, oak, pine and other varieties creating a beautiful forested landscape.

A letter in the archival files from the State of Michigan Department of Conservation in Lansing, dated January 14, 1925, agreed to furnish 2,000 White Pine trees and 2,000 Norway Pines for the property. The letter also stated if more were needed, they would be amenable to providing additional pine trees.

The only other mention of trees on the property in the minutes was in 1963 when the caretaker agreed to check into timber cutting on the swampland of both the old and new property. (Forty-five additional acres had been purchased that year.) The estimate was $1,000-$1,500, but it was unclear if they were paying for it to be cut, or receiving payment for the timber.

The roads were always a constant source of maintenance and concern. As early as 1933 the minutes stated a need for improvements to the road into camp. For $35, they contracted someone to grade, crown and provide drainage in the low places. Other mentions of the road included adding gravel when needed.

Over the years not only the entrance of the road changed, but so did the signs. According to many of the women who were interviewed, the road came in from the east side of the property that wound around the curve of Putnam Rd. and cars entered at the back of the property.

Later the road entrance was moved to Putnam Road at the south end of the property, which was closer to the lodge. The first reference was in 1955, as the minutes stated a discussion held by the camp committee about the road, and a motion was made to build it. A letter in the files from 1956 offered $600 toward the road from Mr. Miller, but “ the board was not inclined to accept that offer or the possibility of leasing property between his and the camps”.

“Camp Maqua Revisited”

Published on July 28, 2016 by Kathy Baker

Over the years-and there’ve been many since then, At least once a summer I reminisce when, My friends and I would pack up our trunks, and come to this place and Pick out our bunks. “What do you want” bottom or the top? Nobody really cared, We were there, up for the dare, And ready for fun–nonstop! Revelry in the morning—raising the flag, and maybe a bra or 2, Then choosing of activities, Oh soooo many, What’s a girl to do? Arts & Crafts, canoeing, or maybe learn to shoot a gun, Swims in the lake, (don’t forget the buddy system) or stepping on a snake, Or riding a horse, and the singing of course. WHATEVER you chose–it was FUN! I never minded the food too much, I’ll eat pretty much anything to this day, But I do remember a food fight HAHA Much to the directors dismay. The infirmary, the brownie, nature hut and yes, camp store, Our cabin with the little shelf, that held our toothpaste and more, Thad we’d use, when we found an empty space to write our names upon the Rafters, A reminder to all, that we were here, And to all who would come soon after. But the Lodge was my most favorite place, with the cookies and if lucky–mail, And everywhere you looked a smiling face—attached to a pig or pony tail. That place where we got our bellies fed, Sang silly songs that got stuck in our head, Then reluctantly trounced off to bed—Taps and giggled until the last goodnight was said…..Then did it all over again. These are just some snip its of my Camp Maqua memories, With a big heartfelt THANK You to Kathy for allowing this possibility, to go back in time–once again. <3 Written by Ann Niegarth Laskowski as she returned for the Centennial Reunion

The Kindness Of Strangers–

Published on July 11, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The Camp Committee spent countless hours raising funds for all aspects of Camp Maqua. Most of the money raising was funded by local companies, generous benefactors and volunteer teams. “Shaking the can” for such endeavors was not an easy task, especially during tough financial times. Most families had all they could handle just paying for their own children’s needs, and many of the campers had no idea how or who was paying their way. They were just happy to be going!

Julie Bernard (1970-78) was patently aware of the contrasts between those who came from the wealthy families and those who were on scholarship, but insisted they all got along. It was not a topic of conversation, but she knew there was a family of sisters whose father had been killed in Vietnam and had generous donors not sponsored the girls, they may have never had the camping experience.

The Generosity Of Others–

Published on July 6, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The YWCA had always relied on the kindness of strangers and the help of volunteers. Without them, Camp Maqua would have never existed or survived. Many grateful young girls whose families could not afford to send them off to camp were on the receiving end of the generosity and kindness of such people, sponsoring sessions to camp. Applicants were interviewed by the committee and chosen from the many requests, which sometimes included foster children.

Minutes from the camp committee mentioned in June 1936 that the President of the Exchange Club promised to send one girl to camp for two weeks. Another club, Zeta Rho, sent a girl to camp in 1943, paying $30. The same year a total of $110 was donated from various men’s clubs in the Bay City area.

The Rosenbury Furniture Company donated $500 in 1944, Ladies of United Commercial Travel in 1957, the Bay City Women’s Club, Kiwanis and other fraternal organizations took the camp under their wing as their project. Rummage sales, an “April Showers” list to choose from and private donors each year raised money to send an “underprivileged” girl to Camp Maqua.

Mary Jo Stegall, who had camped from 1939-41, remembered many of the prominent families, committee members and benefactors to the camp. The Otto Sovereign family of Aladdin Homes, Mr. Earl Perry, Adele Macauley’s daughter Pat, the Foss family, Frank and Sybil Johnson, Lee and Kitty Hudson, Charles Coryell, Ben Calvin and Don Rayburn were some of the kind donors of time and money. Many of the names can be seen as committee members and volunteers in the ledgers and minutes.

“I always admired the girls who had been there for many years,” said Sue West (1975). “One girl couldn’t afford to come one year and they raised the money to get her back. I can remember she used to sing this hilarious song—Elvis Presley’s “Black Cat” and they would all clap and holler to get her to sing that song.”

Girls of Camp Maqua

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