(assembled with material provided by those present in body and spirit)
Monday July 4, 2005…Paul “Froggy” Warshauer wakes up in suburban Chicago and fondly remembers this day in years gone by when he would rouse the staff and campers of Camp Waupaca with the cry uttered by Paul Revere in 1776…”The British are coming!!”…Paul digs out a picture of himself riding Copper the horse on July 4th some time ago and emails it to reunion partner Mike Lurie…Mike decides to post it on the Camp Waupaca website, www.campwaupaca.com…he sends email to all campers and staff on the database, raising interest in Camp Waupaca once again…”Free canteen for the first 5 campers to identify the person riding the horse”…guesses come in, many right, one wrong thinking it’s Craig Fuller…Paul contacts CYJ director to request a walk-through later this summer…CYJ Director Stephan says “OK”…dates are set for the walk-through, and Dick Garb suggests a softball game in Chicago…emails goes out with updated address list and list of events with dates…many email addresses no longer valid, so a postcard goes out…three dozen postcards returned as undeliverable – OY!!…emails and letters pour in from members old and new, excited about the summer activities…”keep me posted, I want to play softball” says Dan Parker…Glen Spear volunteers to find a location…website updated again, as Paul & Marc Ringel visit with Harlan Rips in Omaha…
Sunday August 7, 2005…Montrose & Lincoln in Chicago…”I wonder how many people will be there” says Mike Lurie to son Adam, who reluctantly accompanies Dad to a softball game to be played by a bunch of old, bald, fat men…Mike pulls up and sees Glen Spear chatting with a couple of other CW alumni, Larry Rosen and Don Kaplan…up walks Jeff Korman…there’s Larry Lifson with son Michael…and here comes Dave Korman – hey, he lives in Michigan!…”Here on business” says Dave…Dick Garb and Don Feinstein round out the main group, though Dave Kerstein comes later with son Stephen…Adam Lurie and Michael Lifson are appointed captains and pick the teams…”Pitchers hand out” says Garb…play begins and so do the laughs (and groans of creaking bones)…Dick Garb tries to teach the hidden-ball-in-the-glove trick to Glen Spear’s son so he can tag Dad out…4 innings in the books and all agree the final score is 7-7…reminisce for a while before splitting up…
Wednesday August 17, 2005…Green Bay, WI…a Northwest Airlines plane touches down with Rick Passman on board – the reunion has officially begun, because Wisconsin State Law states that the first person from a reunion group to step foot in the state initiates any reunion activities…telephone calls between Paul and Mike and Rick making last minute plans…everyone tries to convince Bob Mowen to change his mind and come to Waupaca to celebrate our past…Bob sends one last email, putting to rest any hope that he will come…”Not this year” says Bob, still recovering from a badly broken wrist…
Thursday August 18, 2005…Rick Passman enjoys visiting old haunts before the others arrive…at Simpson’s Indian Room Restaurant he runs into former kitchen staff member Darci Wanty…
Friday August 19, 2005…Lurie heads to work for a few hours before heading to the reunion…Rick wakes up in Waupaca…Paul has to close a deal in Chicago…Ed Lubejko emails from Waupaca saying “See you at the Harbor”…Lurie heads East on I-94 and calls Warshauer to sync up…”Uh, I won’t be there tonight, have to close a deal today and be in a photo tomorrow” says Paul…Lurie calls Passman…Rick and Warren Metzdorff are looking for cheese…”Good thing you’re in Wisconsin” quips Lurie…Mike warns Rick that cheese will give Warren nasty gas, to which Warren responds “I already do”…”hmmm, I wonder if anyone is bigger or smaller than before” Mike thinks to himself…smaller would mean shrinkage…Mike Lurie arrives at the Clearwater Harbor at EXACTLY 4:30 PM like it says on the website, but no one is there!!…Lurie helps himself to a barley pop while he waits, then Rick Passman, Warren Metzdorff, and Ed Lubejko with wife Sue join him shortly thereafter…Warren shares some photos and other information…the boys (and girl) head out to Camp…”Will the gate be open?”…”They said we can come and go all weekend”…as they pull up to Camp, they notice a trailer on the golf course near Stratton Lake Road…”Maybe it’s the Directors quarters, to ward off trespassers”…the gate is up and the caravan rolls in…we park at the office, get out, and immediately notice the new Rec Hall (old one was razed in 2003)…head to the new building to check it out…Mike and Rick size it up and discover the new storm shelter underneath…all in all, a job well done, as the new building fits in very well…”Even I can’t find fault with it” remarks Rick Passman…head to the lake, then up to Barney Town…looks like they built a couple of new CIT cabins…”Can’t be” says Mike – “No windows”…but they are indeed residence cabins…head to the dining hall, but it appears to be locked tight…”I know a way in” says Mike – “Yeah, right” scoffs Warren…Mike and Rick know the secret passage, and lead the group into the mess hall to look around…Ed and Sue have to leave for Friday Fish Fry at Foxfire…Warren has to go potty before the boys head to dinner at Wheelhouse…”Try the bathroom for the kitchen staff” suggests Mike…sure enough, it’s open and Warren does his business…off to the Wheelhouse for pizza and more reminiscing…”Hey, where’s that miniature golf course we used to go to?” asks Mike…after dinner, the boys head out and find Tom Thumb golf course just past the Indian Crossings Casino…back to the hotel to review the day and make plans for Saturday…”Oh Look, the group Dusk to Dawn is playing at the hotel tonight” says Rick Passman…we go into the hotel bar but do not find this group, rather a karaoke setup as the locals behave like American Idol wannabe’s…”Dusk to Dawn is the name of the karaoke company, Rick”…Rick walks to JR’s for a night cap…
Saturday August 20, 2005…9:15 AM, Dan Lyon calls from The Bagel in Skokie, says he’ll be in Waupaca around lunch time…Mike Lurie, Warren Metzdorff, and Rick Passman head to the King’s Table restaurant in King, near the army veterans home for breakfast…Mike and Warren split a cinnamon roll which is a meal in itself…Mike extols the virtues of today’s youth…off to camp to continue exploring…park at the office and head to the lake…the day started stormy, but now it’s another beautiful sunshiny day at Camp Waupaca…up to the new building which still looks good today…check to see if any cabins are open, and cabin 1 is open for viewing…”There are 18 beds in here” says Mike – we wonder what Wisconsin State Law has to say about that…Warren has to do his morning constipational, and so does Rick…Mike waits patiently outside…”Don’t forget to flush” Mike reminds the occupants of stalls 1 and 3…out to where the rifle range used to be…”I wonder if anyone is trying to reach us” comments Mike Lurie, as he checks his cell phone only to discover that he has no bars…”I have zero bars too” says Rick Passman…out to the rugby fields which are now overgrown…”Camp seems smaller to me”, comments Mike…”That’s shrinkage”, responds Warren Metzdorff…”What’s that?” asks Mike…”Why it’s Ron Lavine’s old flickerball goal” answers Rick…a picture is taken to commemorate the survival of this old relic of a long gone Camp Waupaca program…Mike will send the picture to Ron for his amusement…more exploration at the far fields before heading back to the main camp…down to the waterfront to sit and watch the local skiers…it’s 1:30 PM and we have no cell coverage – better head towards town to get connected…”Let’s drive around the lake first” demands Warren…”OK, but I’m sure that 25 campers are trying to reach me” hopes Lurie…he wonders where everyone is, including Larry Rosen and Wayne Towne, who both said they would be around…a left turn out of the camp onto Stratton Lake Road…turn left and spot a car coming towards us…”Hey, that’s Dan Lyon – Warren, back up!!!”…shift to reverse, honk the horn, wave arms out the windows to get Dan’s attention…we stop, greet, and Dan (who has bars) tells us that Paul Warshauer IS NOT COMING!!!…disappointment spreads over the group as we realize that Mr. Spirit may actually miss a reunion…the boys call to “gently convince” Paul to come anyways…”I’m playing with my NEW friends today” retorts Warshauer, referring to an Uptown Theater reunion event and photo opportunity in Chicago…exploring around the lake for Warren Metzdorff, Rick Passman, and Mike Lurie while Dan Lyon goes to camp himself to walk around…everyone back at camp, Dan laments the destruction of a rafter in cabin 8 which held his carved name for over 40 years, the victim of a new roof…off to Clearwater Harbor to quench our thirst…”Let’s take a Chain of Lakes tour”…onto the Lady of the Lakes for ½ of a 3 hour tour, a 3 hour tour…back to the hotel for a bit of R&R before the evening activities, but call Paul one more time to guilt him for not coming…”All in favor of voting Paul Warshauer off this reunion island, raise your hands”…it’s UNANIMOUS!!…Paul shall now be referred to as “he who shall not be named” for the remainder of the reunion…dinner of broiled haddock, steak, and salmon at Simpson’s Indian Room restaurant…lots of discussion around most memorable movie lines and movie trivia…”The Ten Commandments” is mentioned, and Warren starts acting like the Pharoah Seti played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke…”Let the name of Paul Warshauer be stricken from every yearbook”…”Let the name of Paul Warshauer be stricken from every web page”…”Let the name of Paul Warshauer be stricken from every cabin wall (except in the latrines – it’s OK there)”…”Let the name of Paul Warshauer be stricken from every plaque”…so let it be written…”Let’s go to the DQ for dessert” begs Uncle Warren…call Paul one more time, and he takes the ribbing with good humor…Warren Metzdorff has another idea for the evening activity…”Let’s go to The Landing Strip at the Waupaca Airport and watch the runway show”…Dan isn’t too interested and says “I’ll stay for 10 minutes”…head east on highway 10 and miss the turn-off to the airport because the road has been substantially changed since our camp days…backtrack to the right turn-off, head to The Landing Strip…several models are on display, all with slender wings, lean fuselage and sleek tails…one in particular captures Dan Lyon’s eye…Rick Passman and Mike Lurie take notice and pitch in to contract for Dan to have the ride of his life…20 minutes later, Dan returns with a big wide grin…after a couple of hours of admiring the aircraft traversing the runway, we dub Dan Lyon “The 10 Minute Man” for thinking he wouldn’t have a good time…time to head back to town and call it a day…
Sunday August 21, 2005…Meet at the Best Western one last time at 10:00 AM…Warren Metzdorff can’t stay for breakfast, he has to get back home to study for a pre-op exam…”Need a hernia repair”, boasts Warren…”sounds like you need some shrinkage to me, Warren” replies Mike Lurie…Mike, Rick Passman, and Dan Lyon head to the Truck Stop breakfast across from the hotel for a quick bite to eat and reminisce one last time…Mike has to head home, so does Dan…Rick doesn’t leave until Monday night, so he’s going to go exploring once more…what started as a crazy idea by Paul Warshauer in 1996 has just celebrated its’ 9th anniversary, what started as great memories the first time we stepped foot into Camp Waupaca continues to bring us together year after year…or until the Trail’s End…