Fall 2012 - Camp Nor`wester
Transcription
Fall 2012 - Camp Nor`wester
Nor’wester A Newsletter from and for the Camp Nor’wester community Fall/Winter 2012 In this issue CAMP LIFE pages 2 & 3 Canoe Update Thank you to Maia! MEET ERIKA Our new Camp Administrator NW Cultural Activities at camp pages 4 & 5 OFFICE NOTES pages 6 & 7 A Word from the Director Community Building through Music Claire Stack Chapman A fond fairwell to a good friend Page 2 Chippin’ Away New Canoe takes shape by Steve Brown The canoe to replace the sadly broken Kwigwatsi got a good start last summer, going from a raw log to a canoeshaped form during the two sessions. It is not yet finished, but significant progress was made toward the final product. The 35-foot log is now shaped like a canoe, and the outside is nearly complete. The finished vessel is going to be the same traditional style as Kwigwatsi, but it is to be a new canoe, with some minor differences and a different name and design. Workers on the canoe included Steve Brown, lead carver, Bill Holm, chief advisor, Donn Charnley, steady worker, Evrard Martens, staff, Abaya Brown, occasional help, John Goodwin, Makah artist, Peter Dunthorne, artist and carver, Shaun Peter- ~CAMP LIFE~ son, Puyallup artist, several other staff members, and even a few chips from Troubadors! The next steps will be to complete the gunwales on the outside, then turn the canoe rightside-up and hollow out the interior. The finished hull will be between 1” and 1 ½” thick, and even a bit thicker toward the ends for strength. Then comes the steaming of the wood to widen the sides of the canoe until it’s wider than the original log. This is done with loads of hot rocks to boil water inside the hull, and lots of careful planning beforehand. Rocks will have to be found offisland to obtain the best type, which don’t exist on Johns Island. All the workers look forward to finishing the canoe and going for a paddle next summer! Lead carver Steve Brown works at shaping the canoe under the ever watchful eye of Chief Advisor Bill Holm Down with the old.... UP with the NEW! The look of the Craft Shop and this summer as the last section of The 2000 sq foot building will serve Maintainence area changed a bit the old kitchen was taken down dur- to protect camp vehicles in winter. ing first session. In true camp style, everything that could be salvaged will be put back to use. The removal of the 1945 building opens back up the natural open space that existed prior to the building being placed there in 2000. Meanwhile, Second session witnessed the construction of the the new vehicle storage shed Last wall standing - the section near the Maintainence Building. Safe Haven - The new shed will protect vehicles from the elements of the old kitchen goes down ~CAMP LIFE~ Page 3 A Heart-felt Thank You June 11 Staff Training begins wonderful Maia Yip for her six years of service to the Nor’wester community as the Directors’ Assistant. Maia helped hundreds of campers and staff members apply, enroll, and get to Johns Island over the years, responded to thousands of emails and calls, and offered an immense amount of valuable skills to the position. Since helping with the office move and transition to Edmonds, Maia has been pursuing her talents as a massage therapist and exploring her leadership opportunities in the San Juans. Heartfelt appreciation to you, Maia, for your dedication and M a i a Yi p , 6 y e a r D i re c t o r ’s A s s i s t a n t commitment to Nor’wester all these years! We look forward to your continued involvement in the community. Ericka Whittaker joins Camp full time Taking on the position of Aministrator (previously known as Director’s Assistant) is our newest year-round team member, Erika Whittaker. Erika worked on staff for three summers as a Unit Leader (’09-’11) and brought her generous spirit, energy and vitality to the Nor’wester camp community. She has a background in challenge course facilitation, received her BA from Western Washington in Sociology with a minor in Political Science, and has spent the last year working with a non-profit in an administrative roll, managing enrollment, parent contact, scheduling and offering BOD support. Erika brings professionalism, humor, and a passion for camp to our small but mighty team. Welcome, Erika! 2013 Camp Schedule We’d like to honor our June 24 First Session begins Junior Session begins July 6 Junior Session ends July 21 First Session ends July 24 Second Session begins Junior Session begins August 5 Junior Session ends August 20 Second Session ends August 24 Explore Nor’wester Session begins August 27 Erika Whittaker spent 3 summers as a unit staff Explore Nor’wester Session ends Music has always been central to camp life. We asked our friends on Facebook, young and old, to recount some favorite camp music memories - here are some of the the 30 that responded. “You mean appropriate song right? There was one about Buck that should not be repeated in some circles. How about Piney Wood Hills? Or Wild Mountain Thyme?” “I played the Anvil in the band Exploding Heads,we did ‘Vicious’ for a Mountaineer Coffee House on less orthodox instruments - Peet played the big sticks, Tom played his butt.” “Richard Carter and Peter Worsham leading ‘Those Were the Days’ towards the end of session, but putting on ear protection from the wood shop before they started it” “You can't go wrong with "Piney Wood Hills." I can't sing While camp hires two full time music staf "Rambling Boy" or "The Vagabond Song" without crying” ready and willing to share their musicale “Claire Stack teaching me the Salty Dog Rag” 28 out of 30 performed at MUSICALE the music-based talent show hosted by the music staff. Never required, but always encouraged, for campers and staff alike it is often their first performance before an enthusiastic audience. 18 indicated that they took on a new instrument because of their camp experience. “Guitars are my life because of camp” “I learned to play the “I learned to play the guitar. Lessons were ukulele and I now given at rest hour.” play it all the time.” “I just love playing in the dance band” Favorite Song? Over the decades songs come and go from the songbook, but certain songs are forever associated with camp, whether you were there one summer or ten. We asked on Facebook what your favorite camp song was. Not surprising, we received as many songs (30) as people responding (30). Of course, many people simply could not limit themselves to just one song. Only nine songs came up more than once. The top choice, with seven votes, was Buffy Saint-Marie’s 1962 song “Piney Wood Hills”. Four Winds founder Ruth Brown’s “Vagabond Song” was second with four. “Wild Mountain Thyme”, “Lord Franklin” and “Wagon Wheel” had three each. ff, mealtime singing is never short on staff talents to help create the “wall of sound” “My second Troubadour year, I got a letter saying that my aunt's dog, who I'd loved a lot, had died. I was really bummed out, but we had a dance that night, and doing the grapevine twist in a square with 5 of my good friends in my unit and the mountaineers, plus an adorable pair of an Explorer and an Archer really helped me be less sad about that.” “The time as a Mountaineer when just as Tex called "Ya'll jump up and you never come down" the Mountaineer unit hoisted me to the rafters in the lodge on a ropeand-pully - I stayed there for the rest of the dance. Jumped up, never came down.”. . “All-Camp ‘Duck For The Oyster.’ Scary—possibly lethal—but it's so exciting when it works!” “With the support of wonderful friends (Kelly, Karla, Mark, and all the units I lived with during my staff years) I overcame my stage fright and starting singing along to my guitar at musicale.”. “At the end of every session when we all sing for the last time in a big circle” Page 6 ~OFFICE NOTES~ From our director... Community Building through Music Mission Statement Camp Nor’wester provides a unique outdoor living experience where a diverse group of young people is challenged to develop skills that increase self-confidence and encourage respect, responsibility and compassion for themselves, their community and the environment. Materials for new Showerhouse cubbies - $3,000 Camp Director Sheila Tallmon In thinking about the role that music plays at Nor’wester, I am immediately reminded of various articles I’ve read over the years about the positive and lasting effects that participating in music can have on the brain, one’s creative drive, and the sense of belonging within a community. Not only has music been shown to increase language and math ability, speech and tone distinction, but it also can be an vehicle for character building, developing sense of self and just plain good for the soul. Singing and playing instruments together at Camp Nor’wester is a long-standing tradition that goes back to the very inception of camp in the Henderson era. Because of this, the tradition of making music together has been a thread of continuity throughout the last seventyseven summers. Folk songs and lullabies are sung to young, budding campers by their alumni parents, staff members who picked up a guitar for the first time at camp realize that they are still playing decades later, and the bonding between parents and their children remains the same as the campers share songs and musical anecdotes of the summer. These are seeds that are Wish List Second Handwashing Station $1,000 5-6 new Bikes for trips - $3, 500 Radios for Office/Emergency communication - $1,500 deeply rooted in what we do at Nor’wester. When camp was relocated to Johns Island, campers and alumni were asked about the essential ingredients of their camp experience. The presence of music at camp received resounding votes, only confirming that its time-tested ability to help create a meaningful culture and community was imperative at the new site. It is a wonderful thing to watch nearly 100% participation among the crowd when we sing after meals and in the evenings. Our music time is the great connection time – when all of us in camp are participating in the same thing, experiencing the spontaneity and silliness, sweet melodies and seriousness. We touch the whole spectrum, which encourages all of us, campers and staff, to be in touch with our own feelings. Music helps us relate to one another. Happy music-making to you and your family in the new year, and we look forward to many more summers of community building and fun through music! In the Spirit of Camp ~ Sheila 2 Child-sized guitars - $80 each Gas-powered Pole Saw - $350 Dust collection systems for Maintenance Shed and Woodshop $10,000+ Shelving and Bins for Drama Shed organization - $300 Grigri (Self-Belay Device, used for rescues) for Challenge Course $100 Small Shopvac for Craftshop - $150 New Kayaks - $1700+ each The Camp Office has MOVED!!! CONTACT INFORMATION PO Box 1055 303 5th Ave S, Suite 201 Edmonds, WA 98020 Office (425) 670-1935 Fax (425) 670-1055 Email [email protected] Website www.norwester.org ~OFFICE NOTES~ Nancy Claire (Stack) Chapman The Camp community was saddened by the death of Claire (Stack) Chapman on August 7 after a 16-year battle with breast cancer. She had so much energy and such a will to live that it is hard to believe she is gone. Camp Nor'wester played an integral part in her entire life. Her father, Tom Stack, was a staff at Henderson Camps after the Second World War, and all of her siblings attended camp, with some working there as well. Claire was a camper for many years and some of her closest lifelong friendships were formed there. She also worked at Camp for several years. As a founding member of the board of directors of Henderson/Nor'wester Camps in 1996, she was instrumental in helping the Camp reform as a non-profit organization. Without her tireless energy, quick wit and ready smile Nor'wester might not exist today. Her husband, Art Chapman, was also a board member for a number of years, and her two sons, Silas and Sam, were both campers and staff. Born and raised in Portland, she received a B.A. in English from the University of Washington and a J.D. from the University of Puget Sound. She practiced corporate business law in Seattle for many years, and most recently worked as a senior staff attorney at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She was an accomplished athlete, a member of a state championship volleyball team, and she had a passion for outdoor activities, including tennis and skiing. She enjoyed cooking for family and friends and loved classical music, live theatre, comedy shows and cats. With a twinkle in her eye, an infectious laugh and a love of life, she had a unique ability to highlight people's accomplishments, big or small. She was a role model and inspiration for others to have courage and strength to meet life's challenges. Page 7 Camp Directors Sheila Tallmon, Director Jill Steigerwald, Assistant Director (425) 670-1935 www.norwester.org 2012 Executive Board Janet Charnley (President) Jeff Pietsch (Vice President) Suzy McQuaid (Secretary) Kim Berhow (Treasurer) Chris Backus Megan Coughlin Deb Gore Bill Horder Steve Johnson David Joneschild Mike Montgomery Kirsten Morbeck Mike Poutiatine Lyle Summers George Swindells Robin Tatsuda 2013 Work Weekends Planned Projects Cutting Tipi poles Trail/Unit Site Clearing Pitching Tipis Building various storage sheds Overnight site improvements When April 19-21, May 17-20, and May 30-June 2 Stormy night in the islands - flashes of light and thuderous booms sounded all night during the 1st session Indian Dances. No strikes at camp, but it was quite a show for everyone! Interested? contact [email protected] 2013 Reunion Schedule January 4 January 22 Los Angeles, CA Bainbridge Island, WA January 6 Seattle, WA Lakeside School January 14 Vancouver, BC January 17 Bend, OR January 18 Portland, OR Portland Ecotrust January 23 San Francisco, CA January 24 Tucson, AZ January 25 Phoenix, AZ January 30 Orcas Island, WA January 31 Friday Harbor, WA Please visit www.norwester.org for detailed info on reunion locations and times IT’S TIME TO ENROLL! We have received many applications for the 2013 season so far and are continuing to fill spots as they arrive. Updated enrollment information and applications are available on our website at www. norwester.org. This year, we are offering a $100 discount to any family that includes full tuition payment with their application! We are expecting units to continue to fill in the next few weeks – get your application and deposit in today to reserve your spot! Camp Nor’wester does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, gender, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. PO Box 1055 Edmonds, WA 98020 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED There’s a word, that needs a sayin’, Carry it on, Carry it on... December 2012! Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit No. 5506