Our 90th Reunion in 2003
- Camp owners past and present
Nintey Years after its inception, Pathfinder celebrated its unique history with a Reunion event in August 2003, attracting over 200 alumni to the Island.
The Algonquin weather was near-perfect, the island looked fantastic, the 2003 Staff were rested, and the Chef was cooking! Everything was in place as guests began arriving for the 90th Pathfinder season Reunion, August 22-24.
Alumni from nine decades were on hand. Over 200 people were part of the celebration, Thursday arrivals made for a relaxing afternoon of ferrying the guests and their baggage. The 2003 Summer Staff were excited for the event after a long and successful summer, and much preparation for the big event.
The Thursday night program featured a gourmet dinner by Camp's summer chef Luc Nadeau. A typical Evening Program of Pathfinder Turbo-Dodgeball followed. During a spirited, and of course dusty, game Chris Brackley and Tyler Forsyth managed to collide. Brack woke up a moment later surrounded by all his pals, and got to take an evening run to the Huntsville Memorial Hospital with Sladds.
Meanwhile, a nasty little thunderstorm smacked the Park, giving the hospital duo a wild ride, and thrashing the Island pretty good. Power was knocked out in the Park. The tree that started it all, a nice big spruce, toppled over the Highway 60 hydro line near Ragged Falls. Defying the odds, the spruce fell upon Brack and Sladds driving by. Luckily the pair were unscathed, and Brack got a good report from the Doc in town. Back at Camp, bright lights were seen at the Car Dock. A couple of trees were down on the Camp Road, and tourists stuck along the road were signaling for rescue, while attacking the downed trunks with their golf clubs. Erik Willers tried using a chain saw instead, and the road was cleaned up.
On-island, a storm party developed in the Trading Post. The revelers kept watch over the island most of that turbulent night.
Friday dawned blue skies and Algonquin sunshine. For most Pathfinder men on hand, a day on Source Lake without electric power was nothing special. A couple of generators kept the kitchen going, their thrum familiar to five decades of alumni.
After Flagpole and hearty Camp style breakfast, the Program was underway. Canoeing, swimming and ropes course were popular destinations. There were sailboats and kayaks and mountain bikes available. At some or many points this day, folks enjoyed the cool water and warm deck boards of the Swim Dock. Many were content just to walk the Island and visit with cherished friends on the docks.
A shoreline walk down the "Burma Trail" past canoeing and sailing brings you to a big, beautiful lodge with stone chimney, built after the War by crews of returning veterans, led by caretaker Fred Lamke for then-owner Chief Norton. This is Rec Lodge. Friday night Camp showcased the restored 1946 Rec Lodge, Under construction between 2001 - 2003, a crew of many characters led by Erik re-landscaped the uphill side, replaced rotted foundation and flooring, re-roofed and repaired windows, replaced the porch. A gorgeous Algonquin maple floor was installed, recalling the floor's original look and reputation. And finally, the big one: Hydro power for lighting, projection and audio.
- Some of the greats, gathered at the 75th Reunion
The Friday event was the first glimpse for most guests of the Rec Lodge restored. A new billiard table was in use, the classic old one now a reading table since seeing its last playing days. Uplighting painted the high rafters a nice glow, to complement new room fixtures. Featured artwork was an exhibit of photographs made by Corey Floyd. His classic black and white prints depicting scenes at Camp and on trips were phenomenal. Cocktails mixed with music and electric lighting, as the building easily absorbed 150 people. The Ludwig brothers showed amazing slides of Camp from their personal collection. The crowd adjourned to the Dining Hall for supper and toasts. Among the speeches were remembrances by several families of multiple generations of sons attending and working at Pathfinder.
Saturday morning brought more delightful weather, but still no power. Chef Luc and director Leslie were starting to fret over thousands of dollars of food in the coolers, but lake neighbors rescued the day with extra generators. And, of course, the camp spirit prevailed, everyone pitching in and roughing it. How many men commented on the familiar thrum of the generators, while the recent staffmen who didn't grow up with the Island Gen. missed the peace and quiet.
Saturday was the hang-out day. Many slept in, took quiet paddles around the lake. Corey made family portraits. Trip Staff hosted folks on the canoe dock for some paddling.
- Glenn, Lance, Rags, Nails back in the day
During the afternoon, a number of visitors gathered with Sladds and Glenn for a meeting on Pathfinder's program, present and future. The discussion covered Camp's commitment to Canoe Tripping as the primary program, continuing the use of wood-canvas canoes, maintaining a small enrollment and a 1:2 Staff ratio of homegrown counselors, of upgrading the staff training and caring for the Island facility, while keeping the traditional campus layout and rusticity intact. There were a number of positive comments about the Ropes/Challenge program at Camp, encouragement to add to the sailing program. Several alumni volunteered to advise Camp in bringing back Indian Lore in an appropriate contemporary way.
Throughout the weekend, the youngest guests were entertained by Leslie and Sladds good friend Stephanie McMahon, who came up from her Thousand Islands cottage to run her terrific kids program. She loved the help of various Staffers that weekend as well. The kids explored the island, paddled the war canoes, had special dinners and a cookout, played ball field games, swam, and watched movies in the Rec. Lodge. Stephy had over 20 kids Saturday night, while the parents attended the Reunion Banquet.
On Banquet night the Dining Hall was once more transformed, decorated to the rafters by Leslie, Heidi Arthurs, Mary Chestnut, Mary Cutler, Patricia Roberge, Linda and Mara Leighbody, Christina Hynes, Ara Jay, Katie Rand, Kathy Richmond and Linsday Arthurs.
Seating cards for each table were named for familiar landmarks, from 'Canoe Dock' to 'Canary'. Twenty-two tables were set with Camp china for the first time in years, accompanied by a gift to all of hand-painted glassware individually created by Tyler Forsyth's talented mom Donna Raines. A keepsake of the event, the tall glasses depict a lone Pathfinder paddler and the familiar map outline of the Park. Donna painted over 200 glasses during the summer!
The Banquet's Head Table was of families representing past Pathfinder owners, from the Norton clan to the Swifts, Thralls, Rands, Arthurs and Sladdens. What a sight, all in one place.
Glenn and Mac gave great toasts from the head table. Jack Hurley donated one of his classic canoe book cases for a raffle, won by a delighted Taylor Wellman. Katie Rand was the drawing winner of a beautiful print by Corey Floyd.
That dough, and a portion of the Reunion fee, were set aside by Camp for the ongoing project to care for the Dining Hall where everyone was gathered for the formal event, and where so many have had the times of their lives.
After planning and organizing all the details for over a year, Leslie looked pretty relaxed. It was a thrill for her especially that the turnout was so fantastic, and the enthusiasm so great for the warmth and familiar feel of the Pathfinder experience. With 40 terrific Staff to cover the bases, despite (or because of!) no power, everyone came together as always at Pathfinder and made the experience wonderful.
Thank you to everyone who came and reconnected with Camp. Many of you commented that the gathering shouldn't wait another five years, and of course it needn't.
Mark your calendars for the 95th Anniversary Reunion, Aug. 22-24, 2008!