Art Auer (St. Louis 44-45, 47, 53-54) wrote in to declare that he is alive and well: “I was a camper in Axeman 1 in 1944 and Lumberjack 4 in 1945 and remember being at camp when WW II ended and the big bombs were dropped. Most of us were still too young to fully understand all the implications of the destruction that had occurred and the lives destroyed in Japan as well as the lives that were saved on the side of the Allies. I was at Hodag in 1947 and headed the Rifle Program for two years 1953 an 1954 and then turned it over to John Nevers.
Art Auer at the rifle program in 1953
At this writing I am enjoying time on the west coast of Florida where we spend about 7 months in three separate segments. I still enjoy tennis, gardening, and fishing, all of which I learned at Nebagamon. In May will be my 60th anniversary of graduation from Washington University Medical School. Hard to believe all that time has flown by so fast. It would be nice to hear from some of the other old timers (aiauer@aol.com). I hesitate to name anyone for maybe they are in that great campground in the sky. Keep the fires burning!”
As editor/publisher of a quarterly magazine called Terrain, focusing on outdoor fitness, recreation, adventure and discovery in the St. Louis area, Brad Kovach (St. Louis 82-87, 89, 99) was able to reference Nebagamon in his “from the editor” note in the Winter 2015/2016 issue. He discussed the origins of his love of the outdoors, recalling his “first summer away from home at a wilderness camp in the village of Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin. Part of the program included outdoors skill training—knots, pocket knives, tent pitching, campfire cooking, orienteering—as well as the option of taking overnight trips in the nearby Porkies Mountains and Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I can’t begin to recount all the fun and life-affirming experiences I had while there.” Terrain can also be found online at terrain-mag.com.
Wondering what gift to give to a fellow Nebagamon alumnus? Last December, Mike Cole (Indianapolis/Cleveland 56-63) wrote to say that he unwrapped an unusual gift from his son Kevin (Cleveland/Boston, 86-92, 94-95) on the first night of Hanukkah last year—a topographical map of Lake Nebagamon. That is, the lake itself. In case any other alums are interested, Mike wrote, “Though it is produced by a company in Harbor Springs Michigan—Lake Art—he purchased it through a New York based company known as Uncommon Gifts.” Some facts: Range Road is on the map. The lake consists of 913 acres. And its deepest point is 56 feet.
After Lawrence “Punky” Chapman (Omaha 44-49) met a fellow Nebagamon alumnus Ricardo Phillips and his son (also named Ricardo) on the California coast a couple of years ago, he was moved to send the following letter, which Ricardo shared with the current camp directors: “Ricardo, it was such a pleasure meeting you and your extraordinary son yesterday… You should have seen the expressions on your faces when I mentioned ‘Nebagamon!’ Because of its central U.S. location, it never dawned on me that the camp had expanded internationally in so many directions. As I mentioned, over the years, I have run into many campmates at various places around the world, and the instant we meet we begin recapping our wonderful camp experiences—always truly inspiring and exhilarating – we are indeed a fraternity. Realizing that I was at Nebagamon nearly 71 years ago and that so much has remained the same was a true awakening. I hadn’t heard the name ‘Throck’ for over 60 years and have wondered on occasion if the A.K. Agakimik exercise was still in play. Just mentioning Muggs and Janet Lorber and Nardie and Sally Stein brought back such lovely memories. I remember Sally running around the Big House as a little girl. Also, I can remember the Lorbers coming to our home in Omaha to make a recruiting presentation, as if we needed one. My twin brothers, now 87 years old, attended there as well in the 1930s… Well, enough with the nostalgia today—but be assured, the two of you made my year. Upon arriving home, I immediately called my campmate Jonas Weil (originally from Lexington, KY) to tell him of our meeting. He was absolutely ‘stoked’ (as the kids say today).”
Joe and Marilyn Hirschhorn, partying in 1999
Joe Hirschhorn (Cincinnati 40-44, 47-48, 99, 01-08) wrote to tell the tale of an international meeting that wasn’t necessarily a chance encounter, per se, but is certainly representative of the reach of Nebagamon: “In 2005 Marilyn and I planned an Atlantic Crossing from Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. Three days before we departed, Marilyn suggested we check the C/N Alumni Roster to see if by any chance there was someone listed in Portugal. To our surprise, one person was listed, Don Price. Don is approximately 10 years younger than we and,of course, our paths had never crossed. Undaunted, we emailed him and received a prompt reply that he would be delighted to see and help another ex-camper. We arrived in May, took a cab, from the port to our hotel and spent a couple of hours, on our own, getting acquainted with Lisbon. On this initial foray Marilyn had her wallet stolen, and so it was back to the hotel and calls to cancel credit cards. Don had sent an English speaking taxi driver (a friend) to show us the sights that first afternoon… The next morning. we took the train to Cascais, a seaside town and Don’s home. He served as our friend, guide and teacher for the rest of a full day… I could go on raving but it was a most pleasant experience, all connected by our summers at Nebagamon.”