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The Camp Waupaca Olympics program spanned many decades at camp. The program featured teams of athletes representing various nations of the world. A counselor was the coach for the teams and every camper was assigned to a country. The list of countries changed from time to time. The countries featured were: USA, Canada, France, England, Israel, Italy, Spain, Japan, and the USSR. Medals were "cast" using large sprayed painted washers and awarded on the three-step podium in the mess hall. The awards were accompanied by the playing of real and "synthesized" anthems on the piano or on cassette tapes.
Although no records exist during the early days, we suspect that someone made introductory remarks as the Camp Waupaca Olympics program opened. One counselor who played an "early Zeus" came up in discussions: Chuck Cooper who was part performer, part crafts guy, and part outdoorsman. For many years counselor and theatre maven, Wally Tomchek, appeared in a toga on the top of the waterfront stairs and began his speech, "I am Zeus!!" So also did Wayne Towne. Paul Warshauer picked up the mantle and made more "dramatic" entrances but still used the opening line, "I am Zeus!" Theatre director, Craig Fuller, played the role for a year. One year when Paul Warshauer was not at camp, Kenny Robbins appeared as Zeus on water skis, and after getting out of the water uttered the now famous phrase, "I am...WET!"
Over the years, Paul Warshauer and Manny Desnet came to an understanding when somewhat dangerous methods were discussed about entrance of Zeus. Warshauer just walked down the path from the Rec Hall in a full white toga, beard and white hair for several years using his booming voice but, then grew bored of the same old routine entrance. In the first of many unusual entrances, he appeared on a white horse. Manny asked, "Warshauer...have you ever ridden a horse?" "Yes, Manny..yes I have". Manny asked him to sign a "waiver." It was more ceremonious than legal. That release remained tucked in the back of the top drawer of the big desk of the office and was turned over, amended, appended and was replaced in the drawer year after year. This ceremony was always attended by observers, but they were never considered witnesses. Nothing ever happened to Paul Warshauer over the years except for one year when he tried to arrive on a hang glider. It crashed into Lake Stratton and the styrofoam pontoons broke off. Paul started to sink and might have drowned if not for the quick-thinking John Schmitt who jumped in from the ski boat and rescued the drowning Zeus! Paul arrived as Poseidon some years on water shoes and by row boat just to shake stuff up. One year we utilized "a chariot" driven (pulled) by Mike Lurie and Ken Harwood. Inside the chariot were kitchen girl Brenda Wanty, playing the daughter of Zeus, camp nurse Suzi Stoffel, playing the Wife of Zeus, and Paul Warshauer as Zeus. The chariot came rolling down the hill picking up speed and unfortunately Suzi Stoffel fell out and was run over by the rear wheel of the chariot! The chariot continued but staff rushed up the hill to help Nurse Stoffel. Although we were all shaken, the show must go on. Zeus exited the chariot and made his way to the center stage and began. "I am Zeus...(looking off his left and seeing his injured wife being helped to the Rec Hall)...My wife...will survive." Other entrances included a jet ski, hovercraft, and parasail.
Photos below show some of the entrances or devices. No photos exist, yet, of Warshauer's arrival in a hovercraft.