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Sanborn Alums in Action: Rediscovering the Great American Prairie Project

Thursday, May 9th, 2013

From Montana to Missouri on horseback, for grassland conservation

Tenacity. Persevarance.  Spirit. Unbridled adventure. A deep respect for the natural world and the lessons it teaches you: those of humbleness, responsibility, and connectedness.

These are the things that you carry with you after spending a summer (or 4) at Sanborn. As a camper for many summers, and then as an assistant counselor, I left Sanborn with a sense that things that at first glance seem undoable (climbing Mt. Princeton at dawn, taking 15 8 year olds on a backcountry expedition, cleaning the dining hall after 150 campers pass through its Sunday buffet) are achievable when they coincide with an equal dose of determination and fun.

It is impossible to drive down the dirt road in Florissant after a summer at High Trails without discovering an intense respect and appreciation for the vast beauty and explosive grandeur of the natural world. You gain this at Sunday Vespers, as you sit and watch the sky light up in flame and paint a snow flecked Pikes Peak delicate pinks and fierce reds. You gain it when you listen to the clash and crackle of Aspen leaves around you. You begin to develop an environmental ethic. My own includes a sense of responsibility to be a thoughtful and engaged steward of this land and earth.  To look at the world around me and inquire what my place is within it.

With this in mind, I have developed a project, along with my colleague Sebastian Tsocanos, that aims to put this ethic into action. We will traverse the North American Great Plains on horseback to increase public understanding and appreciation of a region that is absolutely pivotal to conservation efforts in North America. Through education and outreach, from both scientific and artistic perspectives, we will engage a wide audience in an investigation of the issues that affect this vitally important region. We will explore what our legacy as stewards of this land has been and what it might become, shaking hands with the landscape and the people who call it home.

We will produce a documentary film that will share the beauty of the landscape and the perspectives of the people we meet along the way. It will be used as an educational tool to promote greater local and national involvement in determining the future of an ecologically imperative region.  After we complete the ride, we will present our film at high schools, universities, and other groups, giving talks nationwide promoting conservation of this enormously important region and challenging communities to become involved in its story. In addition, we will exhibit our work at galleries around the country, combining art, conservation, community, and education to deepen ecological understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

Temperate grasslands are the least protected biome on earth, and our own are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our project aims to increase understanding of their fragile state and volatile future and contribute to the growing momentum of grasslands conservation today.

The project requires support–financial and otherwise. For the financial aspect, we have started a fundraising campaign with IndieGoGo, and hope you’ll contribute. You can learn more about our project and make a donation at our Indiegogo page. Please check out it out at: www.indiegogo.com/projects/rediscovering-the-great-american-prairie

Your contributions are so very appreciated, and we’ve arranged some great perks for donors, including photographic prints, and horseshoes thrown from the road!

Learn more about the project and follow us on the road at our website:www.RediscoverThePrairie.org

Please help us make it happen by passing our Indiegogo link on to family, friends, colleagues, and campers. Tweet about it, post it on your Facebook, talk to friends about it. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support and we can’t wait to share our stories with you from the road!

-Robin Walter, High Trails Camper 97,98,99, 2006; High Trails Staff 09-

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Posted in Alumni, Benefits of Summer Camp, Outdoor Education, Sanborn Western Camps, Uncategorized, alum event | No Comments »

Summer 2012: The 50th Summer of High Trails

Monday, April 9th, 2012

2012 is the 50th Anniversary of High Trails so it seems like a little trip down memory lane is appropriate. High Trails opened in 1962 with the lodge and four cabins: The Infirmary, Jumping Juniper, Gold Hut, and Kinnikinnik. Big Spring had been around for 14 years and a lot of the boys who attended Big Spring had sisters who were also interested in camp, so they were ready and willing to come to High Trails. In 1962, there were about 35 girls in each term.

This was before backpacking, so for cabinside overnights the girls would hike to a spring tank on the property, and Nasty Ned or another guy would deliver their Baker tents (three sided green canvas contraptions which had ten foot wooden poles and weighed about 50 pounds—five people could sleep in one but they were not at all watertight), food, large heavy grills and number #10 cans for cooking (no cook kits then).

The whole camp went together by hired bus on off-camp trips and the regular bus drivers became part of the community. These included three or four day trips to Ashcroft near Aspen which included a visit to the sled dogs at Toklat. These included Yukon King, Sergeant Preston’s famous companion (for those of you under 70, “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” was a popular radio/TV show. Just so you know, I had to look it up on Google). Another “long” trip was to the Sand Dunes—the tents here were huge bus tents which weighed hundreds of pounds and had to be set up by the bus drivers. They slept about 25 and were stifling— everyone slept outside unless it was pouring rain.

The whole camp went to the River together (none of the rafts had bottoms and no one had a life jacket so Jaws could be pretty exciting) and to Cripple Creek to watch the melodrama. For in-camp program, everyone chose “Big Deals” and “Little Deals”–programs that met several times each term. There was a horseback riding Big Deal, a hiking Big Deal, a crafts Big Deal and even a dance Big Deal. And on Sunday, everyone wore tan and white, Laura’s favorite colors, had coffee cake for breakfast, and went to Sunday Rocks in the evening (we still have coffee cake and go to Sunday Rocks but the tan and white “uniform” is no longer.)

There were coed events with Big Spring and the advent of High Trails changed Big Spring in some profound ways. Probably the most significant change was that the boys started showering at least one a week. Status was also added to the roles of trash man, who got to pick up garbage at High Trails, and Assistant Counselors, who got to do dishes at High Trails on a rotating basis. Now, of course, the HT Assistant Counselors are girls and the girls do their own trash—but most of the boys still shower on Saturday before the coed event. This was also the beginning of the Camp Marriage Count (now at #66).

Ah, those were the good old days……

Enjoyed this journey down memory lane?  Get a monthly update (and often a giggle) by signing up for our Alum e-News.  To subscribe send an e-mail to jane@sanbornwesterncamps.com and write in the subject line, “Add Me to the Alum e-News”.  We won’t sell, distribute or otherwise try and use your email to buy stuff at the camp store.

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Posted in Alumni, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Education, High Trails Blog Project, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

Sanborn Camps News Update…and an (almost) spring Top Ten

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

Top Ten Ways We Can Tell Spring Is Just Around the Corner

10.  Days are getting longer.  More sunshine=More birds singing in the Ponderosa Pines

9.  The spring winds have arrived…and are trying to blow Colorado into Kansas.

8.  There is mud everywhere: on our boots, in our cars, in the office, and under our fingernails

7.  Larry is spending more time servicing camp vans and less time servicing snow plows

6.  Popcorn is starting to lose (some) of her winter coat

5.  The number of staff employment applications has quadrupled

4.  Preparations for our spring High Trails Outdoor Education Center are well underway (we’ll smell baking cookies by the end
of the month!)colorado summer camps

3.  Our annual Denver Reconnect is happening THIS WEEKEND!

2.  Sunbathing on the Big Spring office balcony is once again possible (but don’t blow away…see
#9)

1.  We are wearing tutus

Hello from camp and happy (almost) spring!  We are just coming off an incredible American Camp Association conference in Atlanta.   Our very own Jane Sanborn was National Conference Chair, and many of our year round staff members presented educational sessions.  COEC board member, Rod Lucero, gave a powerful and motivating keynote speech to the 1,000+ camp professionals reminding us that we are outstanding educators who provide—in the words of Sandy Sanborn—“fun and adventure with a purpose.”

As educators, we are happy to announce the launch of COEC’s latest program offering, our very own Sanborn Semester.  The Sanborn Semester offers achievement-oriented high school students an opportunity to create, live, and learn in a supportive community environment isolated from the distractions of the sometimes too-busy and over-stressed high school years.  We are currently accepting applications for the 2013 spring semester, and would love to answer any questions you might have about the program.

We are gearing up for another incredible summer at camp!  New Big Spring Program Director, David Cumming, creating a variety of great new program offerings and building a comprehensive library for Big Spring.  Maren, Rosie and Scot are charting new rides, designing great activities and trips, and waiting for the cows to calve.  Chris, BC and Carlotta have assembled a top-notch staff for our outdoor education program, and are currently helping Colorado Spring’s District 20 with their outdoor education fundraising efforts.  Mike and Julie finished up the Sanborn Road Show tour in Boulder on February 8th.  It is always a fantastic way to kick off the upcoming camp season, to connect with camp families, alums and staff, and to have the opportunity to share the spirit of camp with prospective campers and their families.  If you are interested in hosting a future Sanborn Road Show in YOUR community, please contact Mike or Julie at 719.748.3341.

Everyone in the office is busy hiring staff, processing camp applications and sharing the experience of Sanborn with prospective families over the phone.  One of our favorite things to do is to talk to parents about the life-changing opportunities that camp provides kids of all ages.  Even when the phones are ringing, we regularly share great parenting, camping, child development research and information on our blog and Facebook page, so if you are not currently following us, we hope you will soon!

We are all excited about the community that is coming together for the summer of 2012 and can’t wait to begin the fun. Many of our age groups are already full for the summer of 2012, so if you don’t want to miss any of the adventures, get your application in today!  Last month we shared that we have added the “Camp In Touch” app to our Facebook page.  This will allow families to access their camp information, view photos from the summer, purchase “Camp Stamps” for our one-way email program and much more.  We are happy to mail our brochure and DVD to anyone interested in camp and to provide references for new families.

Think summer!







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Posted in Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Colorado Outdoor Education Center, Education, High Trails Outdoor Education Center, Sanborn Semester, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, Youth Development, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

High Trails Blog Project Profile #1: Harriet “Hallie” Hargrave

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Opening Campfire, 1st Term 2005 from L: Julie Richardson, Elizabeth Rundle, Chelsea Neidenthal, Alexis Harrell, Erica Le Grand, Harriet Hargrave, Ariella Rogge, Carlotta Avery

Hallie (Harriet) Hargrave was nominated by her former camper, Anna Mae Maloney Gill.  Anna Mae was a High Trails camper from 1998-1992 and has “carried the values and confidence I gained as a camper with me in every new experience I have since faced.”  She is married and has four young children: one five year old boy, and three young daughters, ages 3, 2, and 7 months.  In her former, pre-child life, she was a high school teacher and an attorney

Tell us why you are nominating Harriet: Hallie was my counselor my third year at Sanborn, the summer of 1990.  I was twelve years old and totally unsure of myself and my place in the world.  Hallie was a true individual.  She could talk to anyone, had a wonderful way of relating to pre-teens, and was truly comfortable in her own skin.  Hallie taught me more that summer about self-confidence than I believe I have learned since (and I am now 34).  She remained my friend and confidant long after our weeks at Sanborn ended, as we remained in touch through the mail for many years after.  I now have three little girls of my own, who hopefully will someday share in the Hightrails experience.  I hope, and in my heart trust, that they will, have their own Hallie.” It is the Sanborn way.

Share a story/memory of how Harriet has impacted your life: Four years after Hallie was my counselor, my father suddenly passed away.  At the time, I did not have Hallies phone number so I quickly wrote her a letter telling her I needed to talk with her.  I lived in New Jersey, and, Hallie, I believe lived in Oregon at the time.  The day she received the letter, she called me.  And, even though I hadn’t seen her or talked with her, except through letters, in over four years, she was a great source of comfort in, perhaps, the hardest time of my life.  This is a great testament to the bonds formed at Sanborn.  They last long after the days shared at camp.

Harriet was a High Trails staff member in 89′, 90′, 93′ and, most recently, in 2005.  Beyond dressing up in a few stunning prom dresses, Harriet spent a great deal of time  leading trips, swapping stories, and, in 2005, driving the High Trails trash truck.  She also co-authored the High Trails hit song, “Trash Truck” with Taggert MacDonald.   Harriet currently lives in Portland, OR with her daughter Esther.  She works at Alberta Rose Theatre and is addicted to Facebook Scrabble.

In honor of High Trails’ 50th Anniversary this year, the High Trails Blog Project is a way to recognize the High Trails woman (or women) who has made a positive impact on you, your community, or the world over last fifty years.  Please submit your nomination by visiting  the 50 Years of High Trails page on our website.  Thank you for your nominations!

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Posted in High Trails Blog Project, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

Nominate YOUR Favorite High Trails Woman Today!

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Growing Stronger from then....

2012 marks the 50th anniversary of High Trails Ranch for Girls.  To celebrate we are creating the 50 Years of High Trails Blog Project. This project hopes to acknowledge the depth and breadth of outstanding women who have created a lasting impact on both our camp culture and in the world at large.  These mothers, sisters, best friends, counselors, ridge leaders, trip leaders, kitchen staff and others should all have two things in common: they are amazing women and they all have been, or continue to be, part of the High Trails community.

If you have a photo of you and your nominee together, or of your nominee in action, please attach the image so we may share it–along with a unique story about your nominee–on the Sanborn Western Camps Blog beginning in January 2012.  Our goal is to share the accomplishments of these fantastic women every week on the blog.  Nominations should be submitted via our online form before January 1st, 2012.

Be a part of this historic celebration of women who have learned to GROW STRONG because of their experiences at High Trails.  Nominate YOUR favorite High Trails woman today!

...til now!

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, High Trails Blog Project, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, Youth Development, alum event | 1 Comment »

Down in the Dump…and happy about it

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Co-mingling at the Dump...not what it USED to be.

Ahhhh! Remember the Good Old Days…

When the dollar was worth more than the Swiss Franc? When Apples and Blackberries were still fruits? When we threw our trash in the dump?

The Dump has been gone now for more than a decade. Today we have a trash compacter, and a 1962 (not kidding) semi trailer that we fill with cardboard and haul down to Colorado Springs three or four times a year for recycling. We spend $600 hauling it down and receive about $400 for the cardboard—but it is the thought that counts, right? We also have three huge recycling bins—one for paper, one for aluminum and one for “co-mingle” which sounds vaguely suggestive but actually means that glass and various metals can get tossed together in there.

But please DO NOT put garbage bags in the co-mingle bin!

Things are not always perfect with the trash compacter either. On at least three separate occasions, the compacter was so heavy when the driver came from Waste Management (don’t you love that name?) to haul it away, that his front wheels would not stay on the ground and he had to dump all the trash out on the ground. Apparently, they can only haul 13 tons or something like that.

But I digress. Back to the dump—which was the ultimate co-mingle. Everything went in the dump. You remember…it was about 50 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 15 feet deep…large enough to hold several trucks. And over the years, it did hold several trucks–when the garbage man miscalculated while backing up or forgot to set the emergency brake (or did set the emergency brake but it didn’t work). Sandy was not happy when this occurred.

The dump was also a fabulous wildlife refuge. How many of you remember hopping in a van in the evening to tour the dump and watch the bears that were always attracted by the pungent aromas coming from the area? There were a few garbage men, however, who had rather frightening encounters with bears at the dump, because, as you will recall, our garbage trucks rarely had windows. One poor guy was seriously upset and ran back to Big Spring when a bear came right through the no-glass back window into the cab. Now the bears walk mournfully around the trash compacter and head off to the back porches at the Big Spring and High Trails Lodges where the aroma is still pungent. It is a sad loss…

Another advantage of the dump was that, if something was accidentally thrown away, you had a chance to retrieve it. The classic example is the retainer that someone wrapped in a napkin during the meal and forgot until a couple of hours later when the trash had already been hauled away. I have personally retrieved at least five retainers from the dump by focusing in on what we had for lunch that day (“Ah! I see taco remnants) and crawling into the dump to search the trash. (always checking of course to make sure no bears were around). It was messy but effective and the retainers could be washed and returned to their grateful owners. Today, however, if a retainer gets to the compacter…you can imagine.

We are much more environmentally conscientious these days, and much more in compliance with a whole bunch of rules made by a whole bunch of bureaucracies, but there are times when I long for the old Dump.

-Jane Sanborn-

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Posted in Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado, sustainability | No Comments »

Why Are The Aspen So Red?

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

Lots of Red Leaves in the High Country!

At camp this fall, we have a remarkable number of BRIGHT red Aspen. This is unusual, as most of our Aspen tend to be the standard “gold and amazing” types. So what factors are present this fall to create such a remarkable color display?

The timing of leaf coloring til leaf fall is dependent on the increasing length of night. As the days grow shorter, a tree’s biochemical process shifts and its production of chlorophyll slows and eventually ceases. As the leaf’s chlorophyll is used up by the tree, other color pigments—carotenoids and anthocyanins—become visible. According to the USDA Forest Service site, “Both chlorophyll and carotenoids are present in the chloroplasts of leaf cells throughout the growing season. Most anthocyanins are produced in the autumn, in response to bright light and excess plant sugars within leaf cells.”

Jewels Underfoot

Carotenoids are responsible for the yellows, golds, oranges and browns in both leaves and in corn, carrots, bananas, and buttercups. Anthocyanins give cranberries, plums, cherries, blueberries, and strawberries their distinct hues. Typically, a tree’s fall color doesn’t vary much from year to year…but this year, we have had a number of unique factors that have contributed to our beautiful display.

1. Exceptionally dry spring and early summer; all of our trees were highly stressed during that period.
2. Good rainfall beginning in late summer and early; leaves began producing sugars like crazy to support the renewed growth potential of the trees.
3. A succession of many warm, sunny days and very cool, crisp evenings.

Nature's Myriad Hues

Though more anecdotal than scientific, we DO think that the Aspen leaves at camp have more sugars in them than they normally would at this point in the fall because of both the late rains and the very warm days. Anthocyanins are produced during these “lots of sugar lots of light” conditions—and then, with the very cool evenings, the veins of the leaves gradually close—leaving behind the gorgeous reds, and purples of the anthocyanin pigments. Additionally, because of the late rains, the Aspen seem to be a little behind schedule…it is almost October and many Aspen are still completely green.

It is almost as though the trees are celebrating this gorgeous end of summer and early fall–and trying to postpone the inevitable long, cold winter days ahead. We hope YOU will continue the celebration with us at our annual Sanborn Reunion on Oct. 13th-16th. Together, we will enjoy these beautiful fall days and the successful completion of our Sanborn 60 Capital Campaign.

The Aspen will be blazing the trail home. Hope to see you in October.







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Posted in Children and Nature, Education, Nature Activity, Outdoor Education, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | 1 Comment »

Sanborn Homecoming and Reunion: Will YOU Be There?

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

On top of horses, on Top of the World

BEWARE!! THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT for
THE 2011 ALUM HOMECOMING REUNION
October 13-16, 2011

As we enter August, do you find yourself longing for those long-ago carefree days of summer when all you had to worry about was which pair of dirty jeans to put on in the morning and whether you could find your water bottle (or canteen)? Would you like to ride a horse through aspen groves, catch the view from the Top of the World, have delicious meals served to you—and cleaned up for you?

If so, it is time for you to come back to camp!

Please join us for our Alum Homecoming Reunion, October 13-16, 2011. The event will take place atThe Nature Place, so your accommodations will be warm and comfy, the food great, and our “bug juice” will be of the adult variety. We’ll be hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, mountain bike riding, mountain climbing and enjoying all types of camp activities. We’11 reconnect with friends, camp, and the natural world.

A View from A-Bluff

And this reunion will be special because we will celebrate the successful conclusion of our first ever Capital Campaign: Sanborn 60. It will also be special because Jim “Herc” Roth has already promised to provide his world-famous St Joe barbequed ribs. And it will be special for a hundred reasons we can’t even define yet—maybe you will see a Red Tail hawk soaring over Little Blue, or reconnect with a friend from long ago. Maybe you will be energized by the smell of the pines or the crisp mountain air. Maybe we’ll have one of those long gentle nighttime rains that provides the best sleeping anywhere on the planet or maybe we’ll see the first snowflakes of the season. The possibilities are endless.

Registration information is on the alum section of our website or we can mail you a form. We hope to see you in October!

This post was copied from the Alum e-News.  The Alum e-News  is sent monthly to alums of Sanborn Western Camps. To add your name from the Alum E-News list, please send an e-mail to jane@sanbornwesterncamps.com

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Posted in Colorado Outdoor Education Center, Fun Activities, Outdoor Education, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

Camp History Scavenger Hunt

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Would YOU be able to locate Humpty Dumpty Rock? Do you know where to find the ORIGINAL swimming pool at camp?

These are some of the questions that were asked on a recent “Camp History Scavenger Hunt” that based out of High Trails and meandered all over camp–allowing campers and staff to learn more about both the area’s western history and the legacy of Laura and Sandy Sanborn.

After picking the brains of an Original High Trails Camper (Julie Richardson) and locating one half of a Sanborn marriage (Maren MacDonald), the girls hiked to Big Springs to find Jerry McLain–our resident historian, current Director of Alumni Relations, and general know-it-all (in the most positive sense of the phrase). He told a few excellent stories from the original “dining hall” (the main room of the current Big Spring office, and the former dining room in Laura and Sandy’s original house) and told the ladies about the evolution of camp.

How would you have done? Check out the questions and the great photos the girls took on their scavenger hunt.

1. Find Humpty Dumpty Rock
2. Locate the place where a sit-in occurred to keep a pipeline from being constructed
3. Locate the original lodge
4. Find the original swimming pool
5. Identify a square of Laura’s quilt
6. Find a person who was a camper the first year of the girls camp
7. Find the two halves of a Sanborn marriage
8. Find the newest cabin at High Trails
9. Find the oldest camp building
10. What is the actual name of the “treehouse trail”
11. Which were the original four cabins at High Trails
12. Locate the original dining hall
13. Find someone who can tell you a story about Quicks Homestead or the Witcher Ranch
14. Locate the first tennis courts
15. Find the original “Leo’s”–the 1st auto maintenance shop

Ready for some answers? Check out the photos below and see if they trigger any memories…and right answers!

Humpty Dumpty Rock on the way to Sandy and Laura's house

Standing above the water pipeline...and down the trail from Old Boys Sunday Rocks

The Pool that became The Depot that became The Rock House

Quilt Made By Campers and Staff for Laura's 80th birthday

Many generations of High Trails Ladies

Ashley McGowan=Half of Camp Marriage #58

Ryan McGowan=The Other Half (these hats were actually worn at the wedding)

The Big Spring Barn: One of the two original buildings on camp property

Jerry McLain Parkway

The Original Four HT Cabins=Juniper, Ponderosa, Gold Hut and Kinnikinnik

Jerry and the girls in front of the Big Spring office: aka, the Original Dining Hall

The Original Tennis Court...now the Ultimate Prison Ball Court

The Chalet of Auto Maintenance: The two bays for cars have become a) Outcamp and b) The Tent Room

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Posted in Fun Activities, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, alum event, summer camp in Colorado | 1 Comment »

All of the Little Parts

Monday, June 6th, 2011

High Trails Staff "Chips Off the Old Block"

Last week we welcomed our 2011 staff to Big Spring and High Trails and the camps are once again alive with the sounds of hiking feet, laughter in the Lodge, and splashing at the pools. It is always exciting to reconnect with old friends who are returning to the camps and to begin to get to know our new staff. For them, everything is fresh and new and it is energizing to look at the camps through their eyes.

During staff week we always stress that the summer of 2011 is our only focus now, and that the community we will build together this summer is unique. We also remind them, however, that they have now joined a long history of campers and staff who have contributed a part of themselves to create what Big Spring and High Trails are today.

Those contributions are evident in the songs we sing: our songbook still contains at least four songs written by campers or staff over the years. It also contains songs where we have changed the words and made them our own. “High Trails where the people you meet are your friends” was created by a cabinside group in 1965 and we sing it still. “I Zigga Zumba” comes from the earliest history of Big Spring.  Those contributions are also evident in our Words of Wisdom quote book where we have collected the inspiring things that you said or thoughts that you brought to camp with you.

There are a significant number of landscape features or buildings that you named and the names have stuck. Just yesterday I was explaining to a group of staff drivers that our maintenance building is called “Leo’s” in honor of David Sebring, who was here 1961-68. Were you part of the JC group that built the stairs in front of the craft shop? They are still there.  Did you, as an Outbacker, help build the Bridge below the Big Spring Infirmary? It still stands.

Your games and program ideas have also come down through the ages. We know who invented Schmerltz (Peter Whitely and Phil Marthens) but who first invented Marshmallow Baseball? Libby Malone brought the Bring Me Game to camp and another alum taught us all Hungarian Frisbee. The list goes on and on.

And, there are the immense contributions of those alums whose children are now 2011 staff members. People like Kassie Marshall (HT 70-71, 73) and Paige Vicker (HT Staff 83) whose daughters Emily Katz and Taylor Klauber are counselors at High Trails; or Jay Metcalf (BS 66-71, Staff 75-80) who has two daughters, Emily and Linnea, on our staff. Sophie Ohaus, daughter of Karl Ohaus (BS 68-75, Staff 77-79) is working at High Trails as is Bea Raemdonck, daughter of Leslie Riss (HT 63-68; Staff 69). Joe Aniello, son of Susie Wells (HT 76,78) , Kurt Blose, son of Nancy Heitsch (HT 77), Josh Feldman, son of John Feldman (BS 69-70) and Andrew Morton, son of James Morton (BS 69-71) are on the staff at Big Spring this summer.

And, of course, when campers begin to arrive next Sunday, we will have the great joy of welcoming many of your children to Big Spring and High Trails (almost 200 of our campers this summer will be the children and/or grandchildren of alums). So, even though you are not physically here for the summer of 2011, your spirit and contributions live on. Sandy always used to say that “Everyone leaves a little part of themselves at camp.” Believe me, those little parts are still valued here.

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