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Here is a view from the Lake up the hill to the Ski Lodge.
The trees were cleared in 1982-4 and the steps were removed so you could see up and down the hill. The old dock sections
still work and are put in and out every year before they get broken up by the ice on Lake Seymour
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Here is a shot of the old Riding Ring with some campers practicing.
I was at Chris Bentein's wedding in 2001 and talked with Paul "Horst" Voight who was a camper in the 30s and 40s and remembered
Bruce Brighton who borrowed the Camp's horse "Mr. X" one night in the 1940s for a date. Must have been a tough sell!
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The above is an aerial view of the Camp circa 1963-4.
Here
is a great posting to www.virtualvermont.com from a former camper which recounts some familiar detail. Check out the message
board for other Winape messages from former campers. Search for "winape" and "cwinape". Thanks Jim for the following memories.
Posted
by Jim Powell on January 27, 2002 at 23:29:21:
I have many wonderful memories of seven summers at Camp Winape, East
Charleston, Vermont, on Lake Seymour, I think from 1956 to 1959 (camper) and 1960 to 1962 (junior counselor, with responsibility
for canoing, rowing and sailing). My first cabin was Hillcrest. Now that I think of it, my first published work appeared in
THE WINAPE WAIL.
There were all the hiking trips, starting with Bald Mountain, Gore Mountain, Mount Mansfield and the
White Mountain trips, led by Tom "Limey" Irwin who I gather was a couselor for two or three decades. I was in his cabin one
or two years, though I can't recall the name of it "(Outpost?). It was down the hill, but not as far away as Indian Point.
I
remember canoing trips to the Rangeley Lakes. I forget who led those, but they were great adventures. I was proud to be able
to control a canoe, keep it going straight, even with a strong wind.
There was a canoe trip (not an overnight) the
length of Lake Memphremagog where I got to speak a little French in Canada.
Refreshing morning dips every once and
a while.
I remember wise and gentle German riding instructor Karl von Shaefer, and many early mornings spent cleaning
out the stables (after which a morning dip was especially important).
Nostalgic songs around the campfire led, I recall,
by Wells Jenney. I was never much into the band, though,with all the off-key brass, but they did well for young players who
didn't have time to practice much.
I remember after meals counselor (Vermonter and rifle instructor) Gerry Brooks breathlessly
announcing ball scores for us ardent baseball fans.
The carnival with all those fun games and, I think, an ice cream
treat afterward.
I was introduced to W.C. Fields' comedies and I'm sure other slapsticks during movie nights.
An
outing to a local festival featuring hot maple syrup poured into a bowl of snow, which turned it to delightful maple candy.
The
Blue and Gray War which climaxed the summer, with one competition after another going on for, what, three days.
As
a junior counselor, I remember the good times gathering in the Dining Hall after campers were asleep, with plenty of cake
and coffee.
When I was a JC, on a sunny afternoon off, I borrowed shop counselor John Bockelman's old car and drove
it to Newport all by myself and had a book-buying adventure.
Sass Kolar did a great job with food. It was terrific,
and there was always plenty of it.
"Colonel" Eugene Raiford was a kindly presence.
Ed Kolar ran a first class
operation. I remember him as a serious man, a strong leader devoted to setting an example which would inspire good character,
something I came to appreciate more in later years.
I was saddened to hear about the closing of the camp and the passing
of these individuals who did so much for me, but I'm sure it lives on in the memories of many people who got as much out of
the experiences as I did.
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Here is a view of the old ballfield looking up through the
tennis court to Mt. Elan!
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