Memorial Day Work Weekend is really misnamed. It should in fact be named Memorial Day Whole Lot of FUN Great Family Time Work Weekend that, oh by the way, really helps out the Camps. About thirty years ago a small group of us decided to head up to Camp for a little bonding time with the boys. We would arrive and let ourselves into the farmhouse where we would set up Camp for the weekend. It was a special time. Our original purpose was really just to hang out, swap Camp stories, and eat lots of great food. Once up there we felt guilty about squatting on Camp property without really doing anything useful. So we all went into lower Camp and cleaned out the cabins we knew we would be occupying in a month or so. While we were at it, the LTs looked like they could use a little attention. Hey, what the heck, there was always a pile of wood that needed to be split.
We were not the only group in Camp those years. Several families also came up for their reunion. They usually stayed in lower Camp all weekend except for on Sunday when the softball game would be played. Slowly we got integrated into that game and I cannot express the thrill we had one year when our team finally beat the Rutherford / McNabb crew. Over the years, the make-up of who came up changed, and the weekend itself changed. Now when we gather it is a great mix of alumni, current staff, friends, perspective campers and current campers and their families.
This weekend is truly what you would expect from a weekend at Camp; we work hard and we play hard. There are a wide range of projects that are sure to appeal to any tastes and skill level. Along with the usual projects (painting, clean up, hauling brush and wood splitting. Memorial Day 2010 will feature a new work project on the Great Trail. This may actually involve moving the trail. Although it is a “Work Weekend,” there will be plenty of social time to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones. Sunday always features a softball game and the food for the weekend is a little better than average Camp fare. We really do get a great mix of people. For several families each year this is their introduction to Camp. They come to check the place out and see how everything works, as well as get to know some of the folks already involved in Camp. It is the one weekend every year that I take off from work - I would not miss it for the world. I urge all of you to join us! It's a great time and the work we do really helps get camp ready for summer!
-Ken Abrahams, Volunteer, North Woods Alumni & Parent
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