FAMILY CAMP chapter 243

There were a couple of difficult years with Family Camp right at the beginning, but the program dropped into a nice rhythm and mostly went rather smoothly. However, there were exceptions. There was the night of an ice cream social after an evening service. Della and I were sitting in the dining room next to the main entrance when Daryl Smithgall came in looking for me. He came to the table and told me there was a cabin on fire. You have to know Daryl to understand my reaction, but I said something like, “Right!” Daryl was one of those people who seemed to always be smiling. I didn’t think he was serious.

“No really, a cabin’s on fire. Come look.” As Della and I walked out the front door I could hear the fire trucks coming onto the grounds and see the flashing light. There was indeed a cabin on fire. We watch with nearly everyone else the firemen put the fire out and block off the area.

The boys cabin in the youth area was a total lose. The cabin, bunks, all the boys possession were completely gone. In addition counselor Don Anderson’s car was scorched beyond repair. There was a woman in attendance that immediately swung into action and secured sleeping bag, clothes and hygiene and personal items for everyone. She had a history of community work of helping families secure fundamental needs lost in fires. By the end of the next day, she had nearly everything people needed.

What I am sitting here trying to remember is where we put those boys for the night. I am sure I left the decision to the youth leaders, but the night was so significant I should remember. Neither do I remember how Don got back to Spokane. I do know he got insurance money to help him replace the car.

The family camp band continued for several more years. I’m sorry if this seems to blunt, but the decision was made to let it fade out du to natural causes. In the third year we celebrated Herman Bohls’ fifty years of leading the band. We had two years of playing off the summer Olympics having our own family style Olympic games. We had a craft sale opened to the public at which few from the public came. It was still successful as many bought each other’s wonderful works.  

I completely lost track of the family camp of the summer of my departure. I know the literature was already out and families were registering, but it was also the summer after Della passed away. That occurred in on Father’s day in June of 1992. I had already resigned as Della and I had accepted a position at Salem Alliance Church. He illness was getting worse and I left the district to find a job where I could be home every night. Oxygen had been delivered and her strength was waning. We both knew she was going to need help and I no longer wanted to be on the road at all. The decision came at a difficult point. I had been asked to accept the National Youth Directors position, a job I had wanted for a number of years. But I had no intention of moving Della to Colorado Springs where we did not know anybody and where I would be on the road for even long periods of time that in the northwest. I didn’t even want to take a job far from Canby. Della had too many close friends whom I know would help care for her. Salem seemed to be a good fit.

No only did I have family Camp to complete before leaving the district, I was the administrative director of LIFE ’92 and regretfully, that could not go on without me. I still had too much stuff in my head and little of it on paper. Rob, a member of the LIFE committee came and spent a week with me helping to get the logistics on paper and then was my right hand man for the event. In addition, Rhonda and her then boyfriend Chris Seidel, came along and worked in that area for the week.

A few of the Family Camp flyers.

I'm not sure why I did a patriotic theme, but it was bold.

This was the other brochure using a an Olympic theme.

Big mistake. Thought I was being so clever. This was the height of generic promotions. The plain white label was all over grocery stores. Got plenty of feed back that there was nothing generic about "our" family camp.

This is one of my favorite camp brochures. It had the application inside and could also be used as a poster. I hadn't drawn people for years and loved the change to draw and not just design. Planned big family olympics.

Tried to give the brochure a =n antique feel to celebrate 50 years with Herman Bohl. One night we had a giant cake in his honor.

I sat over by the camp office and drew this view of the old lodge. Took two days but both were beautiful, relaxing and I was alone both days. Need this break.

I'm not sure I design this brochure. It may have come out while I was dealing with Della's illness, It doesn't look like my work. We all have a certain touch that marks things as out own.