Don Cooper's Camp Memories by Don Cooper

Erica Mason
Mar 31
3 min read

Hello, It is a Sunday. Just for fun I googled Camp Pathfinder, to look at the place that gave me the opportunity to become a tripper in one of the most memorable times of my life. I was a University of Waterloo Kinesiology student in 1969 and I was hired by Roy Thrall and Bill Swift during an interview process at the U of W for the summer of 1970. At that time I had never been to camp before so I must have presented myself as an enthusiastic "wanna work at a camp" sort of person.Here are some of my memories....I remember getting on the bus on the 400 and arriving at Source Lake and having all my stuff brought over on a pontoon and being met enthusiastically by Roy. Staff training followed and I gradually learned the J stroke and how to prepare for a trip. The first campers arrived and we helped them unload their gear. I remember it like yesterday. Some other memories are the moose call in the dining room and the great food. After dinner we would sometimes go to the playing field and play a great game called Fresher. Do you still play it? I remember being the archery instructor for the month of July and becoming immune to mosquito bites. The highlight of course was being second man on several canoe trips. I was thrilled to see the trip archived in the 1970 section . To this day I remember the headman Paul Hurley standing up in his canoe in the middle of a small lake and singing "Love Potion Number 9". Pathfinder canoe trips allowed me to find out what I was made of. I was quite pleased with the discovery. Pathfinder's never quit, push attitude seeped into my soul.One of the greatest challenges I faced was on Lake Opeongo during a tremendous two day storm. We hit camp and couldn't even start a fire. My hands were blue and I was soaked but we never quit and made it to our destination. Another character building experience was completing each portage without putting down the canoe. Several years after Camp Pathfinder I achieved my Canadian Canoe Instructor award. Without Pathfinder that never would have happened. Camp Pathfinder revealed my character to me and provided me with an identity to be proud of. I am a very lucky person to have been part of Pathfinder during the summer of 1970. The archives brought back memories of the people I met. Priceless!!!! Your website indicates that the same great experiences are continuing under different leadership. Congratulations!

Best regards,

Don Cooper

I also remember :

-the time lightning hit a tree near the dining hall and passing buckets to put out the fire

-the camp theatre night

-the swim dock on a day off

-hitching to Hidden Valley Huntsville to see the famous Canadian group Lighthouse

-watching Roy comfort a very homesick camper

-beautiful sunny breezy tripping days

-walloping -Lance and cabin inspection

-the huge campfire with fire flying from the sky on guide wire.

-Bob Roggow interacting so wonderfully with my campers