Many of the special memories from camp were preserved in copies of the “Loon” from the beginning years at camp. Not only were there many copies in the Bay City YWCA archives, but campers saved them and many donated them for reference for the history. Along with the little newsletters, photos from camp (both professional and personal) were saved in albums and many of the girls to this day cannot part with them.
Gail Schultheiss (1966) saved many mementoes, including the brochure that would arrive every year to the campers. Nancy Keeler (1973-74) is still in possession of her newsletters, diary entries, photos and ribbons. Coleen Gasta has her autograph books of all her cabinmates from the early sixties. Carol Wahl (1974-75) has her rock with “Camp Maqua 1974) painted on it and a piece of driftwood. Sue Michelson (1963-73) says her camp rock goes everywhere with her. (“If I move, it moves with me,” she laughed.)
While Karen Magidsohn (1965+) was interviewing with me, she was pulling memoribila from her drawer with excitement, remembering how much she loved her arts and crafts at camp. In her hands was the little decoupage box she had kept and used all these years, and tucked inside was the jewelry from her Mom and the leather bracelet she made at camp.
Having always been a sentimental saver, she finally found all her old photos, brochures, award ribbons and the lifesaving books signed by her instructors from 1968-71. She also saved copies of her “Swim and Stay Fit” program, which logged each segment of her laps to track her progress.
Jane Linder (1956) saved her marksman’s bars from riflery and Kimela Peck (1966-74) saved her medals and certificates from archery and riflery, as did many of the women who shared their stories.
A sweatshirt with all the girls names from camp, which Cindy Morrison (1960) ended up embroidering, was kept for years, as was Coleen Gasta’s woven basket from the same era. Many girls kept their beanies and pennants and others donated them to me, which are now at the Great Lakes Bay Region YWCA.
Gretchen Jacques (1955-57) was always a very crafty person and as we interviewed, she stared at the salt and pepper shakers she made at camp. Jane McKinley (1956-59) said her sister inherited the salt and pepper shakers she made for her parents with the S and P carved on them, but she kept the cufflinks she made for her Dad out of melted glass.
Minette Jacques (1958) was in camp specifically for that “up north stuff and the crafts”. “In fact, all of us girls spent so much money on the craft supplies that my Mom didn’t have enough money to pay our bill! We are all so sentimental that we still have all our things!”
“I spent all my money buying materials to make things—plastic cord to make lanyards, and wooden trays and bowls to paint,” said Janet Dixon. “There are two things that I never had the heart to get rid of.” (A little wooden bowl and a butter dish, both handprinted with little flowers.)
Barb Ballor (1951-55) still has her wooden box, all sanded and varnished, sitting in her home. Jan Bateson (1951-52) still has the wooden box that she made for her Mom that she used a mallet to punch holes in the wood. Julie Richardson’s box from the late sixties is decoupaged with a Michelangelo picture on top and she keeps her old coins in there.
“I enjoyed and learned so many things at Maqua,” said Lindy White (1970-73). “In arts and crafts I would make these really cool keychains for my parents and then mail them home. I also recall making lanyards out of plastic. My Dad still has the note I wrote him that I enclosed with the nifty keychain that I made especially for him and told him to USE IT! I am sure he put his keys on right away.”
Elaine Engibous (1961-63) kept her copper enamel project, and Randi Wynne-Parry (1969-73) has her little wooden bark branch with her name in alphabet letters, her stained jewelry box and her lanyards. (“I saved everything and made things for my Mom,” said Randi, “and later taught my kids all the same crafts.”)
Lanyards were the number one craft for many of the campers and Ellen Hydorn (1954) stores hers in the drawer of an old desk. Sheryl Biesman (1973-78) featured in the photo, showed up with hers at one of the reunions of campers interviewed. What sentimental save do you still have from camp?
