Alumni Post History - 2006/05/22 19:08
Here are some of the Alumni Message Board postings I was able to transfer from our old website. Monkey
First Girl ever to sign up for camp
by Holley Rauen, 8/4/02
Hi there, How great to stumble across this web site. My whole family were campers at GAC starting with my, Dad Pat Rauen in the 30s. Then in about 1962-63 My brother Mike went to camp and when Manny and Jeanie came to the house to show the home movies of the camp I cried and insisted that I should get to go too and it wasn't fair that they didn't have girls at camp. The next year The first girls camp session started at Gold Arrow and I was there and given credit for being the inspiration fo the girls camp! I think I went four years, but I had my Dad's five year GAC Green Blanket. Was that cool or what? I have a picture of me and my cabin in 1965. I also have pictures of the very early GAC days from my dad's scrap book. I will post some here for you if I can. All my five sisters went to Gold Arrow in the following years. Some of my happiest memories of my like are from GAC days. Holley Rauen RN San Francisco
Rauen legacy at GAC
by Tricia Rauen, 1/22/03
Hi there campers!
My sister Holley stumbled upon this website and wrote how she was the first girl camper at GAC. Indeed she was! In the years that followed, the remaining of her five sisters (Paula, Maggie, Elena, Tricia and Dana) attended camp there and then 4 out of the six of us went on to be counselors as well. My fifth and final year I was the girls head counselor, a challenging yet rewarding experience at the ripe age of 19.
Some of my fondest memories as a child were from Gold Arrow— sailing on Huntington Lake with the Gregory's, canoe trips to Lakeshore, horseback riding at Baldy, waterskiing at Shaver Lake and of course, the famous flour bomb wars! I am proud to have my own five year blanket given to me in the summer of 1981 and look forward to sharing my camp stories with my son Jack who is now four years old.
First Two-Week Session
by Lisa , 1/11/04
I, too, remember Mannie and Jeannie themselves coming to the house to show us the awesome GAC film (reel-to-reel!)! Like Holly, I REALLY wanted to go to camp, but I cried and cried at the thought of being away from home for a whole month! As my mom (now deceased) told it, she worked a deal with Mannie and Jeannie to send my two friends and me for 2 weeks that summer instead. I think we started the two-week session. This would have been in 1975 or 76.
One day, when we were moving, my husband noticed one of my yearbooks and we discovered that one year, we had been to camp at the same session! We're now getting ready to send our oldest son, and he can't wait (although he wishes there were still flour wars like mom and dad tell him about)!
Ed Baldry Circa de 1975
by Ed Baldry, 8/23/01
After seeing a random piece on the television regarding summer camp I waxed nostalgic of GAC. Out of pure wonder I entered the name in an Internet search engine & here we are.
My immediate thoughts go to Manny & his lovely bride who ran the camp in the late 70's. Their names escape me but shortly I will dig out my five year blanket & my photo albums & with that I will have the names. I wonder if those two fabulous people are still with us or only in spirit. As a father of two, who are coming of age for this type of rite of passage, I can only hope the spirit of GAC has not changed. It will be a trek from Boston there is no doubt where my kids will go to camp.
Please let me know who runs the camp now. For what it's worth I was unable to extract much history from the website. Thanks for your time EPB
Edwin P. Baldry Senior Vice President Scudder Investments ed_baldry@scudder.com
Late 60's Early 70's
by Miguel Koenig, 10/23/03
My two brothers and I attended GAC in the late 60's and early 70's. We lived in Mexico City at that time - we learned everything at GAC: skiing, horseback riding, rock climbing, sailing, fishing, camping, hicking, motor boating, etc. but most importantly we learned:
1) Safety, in those days we were taught by our councellors to always wear vests while practicing water sports.
2) You need to work at having fun.
What great times and memories.
With Boris and staff, we had a sailing race to the town at the end of the lake-the winner would get a milkshake-one year I won! best milkshake I ever had!.
Another year, at camp another camper taught me how to fly fish-we use to catch rainbow trout and cook them by the campfire. Since then I developed a love for fishing, and last July 5th. in Kona, Hawaii I broke a World's Record with a Blue Marlin I fought for over 10 hours and weighed 1,258.5 pounds. You can see a picture of me and my family on www.hawaiifishingnews.com left click on Hawaii Granders, and click on my name: Miguel Koenig.
I remember how excited I was to get my 5-year blanket. I have very fond memories of Manny and Ginnie and his stories about playing football at ND.
I can't wait to send my two kids to camp (ages 5 and 7).
Best Regards,
Miguel Koenig
Greetings Gold Arrow Alumni
by Mike Messner, 4/2/01
I worked as a staff member in 1979(Counselor), 1980(Motorboating), 1981(Backpacking and Water Tobogganing), 1983(Section Head) and 1984(Bumper Boats). Can't believe it has been almost 25 years since I was at Golf Arrow. Seems like a lifetime ago. Still get into the travel mode on the 1st of July and August. Remember the great kids and other staff members I had the opportunity to work with. Since leaving Gold Arrow, I got a degree in Fire Protection and Safety from Oklahoma State University and currently travel the states of Oklahoma and Colorado doing insurance consulting. My wife and I have three girls, the oldest is 10 and the twins are 6. They keep us busy. Volunteer on the Risk Management Committee for the local Boy Scout Council and help them with safety issues at the three summer camps they operate. Once it gets into your skin it is hard to let it go. My e-mail address is messnermik@aol.com. Would love to hear from any of the campers and staff who I had the opportunity to work with during my five years at Gold Arrow.
GAC Campers 1940's Help!
by Frank Wetzel/Bennie Wetzel's Son, 7/7/01
My first year at GAC was 1939. My dad, Bennie Wetzel worked in the camp up to about 1947. Of course I have a lot of memories, photos and a copy of the Smoke Signals. I would like to connect with some of the campers in that era. What has happened is that there was a camper in that era that I have been told never existed. Now I know better, but I would like to confirm that the camper was there and that it was not some hoax at the time. I think it was before Mike Wayne was a camper. The camper last name was Davies and for the like of me I cannot remember his first name although I did have conversation with him. My email is: fwetzel@juno.com or catch me by landline at 805-543-2145.
1940's Help is Here
by Dave Taylor, 9/13/02
I was first introduced to Gold Arrow as a camper in 1945 at age 12. My mother, Dorothy Taylor, worked with Paul Paulsen and Bill McMasters as a teacher at Irving Jr. Highschool in L.A and Paul and Bill were Gold Arrow camp managers for Manny.
My mother was hired as the camp secretary in 1945 and I was a camper for several years, then worked in the kitchen one year, and then on the waterfront for Vic York one year.
I helped Kreig load the truck in Fresno and unload it at Lakeshore and ferry all the supplies across the lake on the scow and up the hill to the kitchen (that's right: no high-gear road from Shaver, only the road thru Big Creek!)
After several years, my mother transferred to Fulton Jr. High in the SF Valley as the school Counsellor where she met Ben Wetzel and his son, Frank and family.
After my mother's death in 1957, I kept in touch with the Wetzel family, and Frank took the pictures at our wedding in 1959.
I notice the first post re: 1940's Help is from Frank, so "Hi Frank, nice to hear from you after all these years. Hope all is well with you and your family".
One of the first places I took my wife, Annette, to see years ago was Huntington Lake. She and I still try to visit Huntington Lake once a year, and often stroll thru the camp grounds after camp is closed (September) and recall wonderful memories.
I would like to know more about the next Reunion (dates and location) and I'll try to bring some pictures from the '40s era.
I'll also try to bring my daughter, Lesley, who was a Gold Arrow counsellor one year while she was in college.
Best regards to all,
Dave Taylor
49 Aspen Way, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(O) 310-544-1974, (H) 310-541-1713, (e) sysmark@worldnet.att.net
Every Summer Gold Arrow Crosses my mind..
by Stephanie Cook, 9/8/01
Every summer, without failure, GAC crosses my mind. Im 25 now and wish I could still go to summer camp! Now I just teach summer school.. ...I would love to get back in touch with the CIT's from 1989/1990 as well as some staff. In particular folks like..Kirstie Bender, Curtis Gray, Jesse Simon, Nico Vrateric, Suzy Bender and others... If anyone has a way to get in touch with past Alumni..I would love to hear about it...Thanks for all the great memmories... Stephanie Cook chevela@earthlink.net
CILTS '90 (?!?!?) Campers '86-'89
by Monica Bua, 10/7/01
Stephanie!!! HELLO to you and to all my old GAC buddies. I haven't been in touch with anyone from camp in years!!!I actually just moved back to the US and while going through my storage unit keep stumbling upon old camp pictures. What great memories! There are so many friends I have lost touch with ... Blair, Dana, Jessica, Ziggy, Natalie H., Rebecca, Josh.... Where in the world are you guys? Anyhow, I'll send you an email Steph and we can strategize on how we are going to round everyone up for a reunion. = ) Would love to hear from everyone. (monicabua@yahoo.com) Take care! –Monica
From Greg Motorboat...Staff 80-85
by Greg Goldstein, 10/18/01
Some of my best memories come from my GAC days! The kids, the staff, the sun, the fun... guitar by a fire... canoe trips on the lake and of course that beautiful nite sky. Oh to be there now!
I'm certain the years have taken all of you on some long journeys since those days sitting on rocks next to Big Creek. I'd love to share them and reconnect with those who remember.
Wishing upon a Gold Arrow Star from my eternal tent near the water..... Greg (gtwo@yahoo.com)
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1971 camper
by Allegra Reid(Huntley), 11/12/03
My sister Tinker and I attended Gold Arrow from 1971 through 1975. We both still have our 5 year blankets! The wonderful thing about Gold Arrow is that it teaches you to do things that most people never even think to try. I still water ski and I bought a horse 10 years ago. I also taught ceramics when my kids were in elementary school. I have tried many sports over the years that most women would never think of doing. I love to hike and camp and appreciate nature in a way that only GAC campers can.I am famous for my roaring camp fires. My kids call me a do-it-all. I have lost touch with my cabin mates but the great memories will always be with me. I am so happy that Gold Arrow Camp is still going strong. I notice that you no longer have the horse back riding outpost and I didn't see any reference to the famous flour-bomb wars. Naturally the camp has had many changes over the years, but it looks like you have kept the basic concept and that is a wonderful thing.
Backpackingmaster from Holland
by Jan & Cathy Pijbes-Blokzijl, 5/10/02
Hi there GAC Alumni, I was backpacking instructor in '88 & '90. We had a great time down there on Huntington lake and the High Sierra's. We've met a lot of friends and kept in touch for years and years. We've lost however contact with our best friends Barry Sheehan and Ray Lee. Both were also backpackingmasters in the second degree. Together with Ray Lee I did back in 90 the toughest backpackingtrip GAC ever. We went for a six day trip up to the "seven gables" Who helps us to get in contact with Ray or Barry. Our E-mail is: jan-cathy@uwnet.nl THNX, love from Holland
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Hi from Jypsy 1986 & 1988
by Jypsy De Maria Faber, 5/29/02
What a blast from the past!!! I just found my old photo albums from summer camp 1986 and 1988. So many good times... So many great kids, cool people and wonderful memories.
I have often thought about my girls from cabin #5 and all the campers and counselors I got to know over those 2 summers. I would love to get back in touch. I have wonderful pictures that remind me of so many folks... (1986) Ken, Libby, Greg, Jeff, Monica, Pete, Mark, Ann Rachel, David, Audrey, Shawn, Steve, Vince, John, Eric and little Nugget from the Island (1988) Bess, Colly, Tobin, Tim, Mark, Heidi, Ruff, Debbie, Greg, Henry... The list goes on and on. If any of you check in please drop me a line I can be reached via e-mail: Jypsy@creativepeace.net.
I would also LOVE to hear from any of the girls from cabin #5. You were all very special to me.
Sunshine, I will try to get copies of some of my pictures for you. I will be traveling most of June and July but I'll search out the negatives when I return to California later this summer.
Peace and Love to all,
Jypsy
San Francisco, CA
WOW things have changed
by Chad Jacobson '90-97 camper and C.I.T., 7/1/02
Hey, just came accross this site forgot it was here. I loved GAC, not to long ago, at school, I got a new roomate. When i was unpacking my stuff he noticed my 5 year blanket ( i keep it on my bed ALLWAYS) he was like, "wow i went there too." later on I came accross an old yearbook from GAC, come to find out there it was, a picture of him and me standing side by side touching sholders, we bunked right next to eachother, we were best friends at camp. Weird huh?....... Ive had alot of chance encounters with people who i went to camp with and allways its an instant bond again. Thanks GAC for the friendships that will last a lifetime.
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