Day Camp Counselor/Camp Director
When I was a sophomore in high school (1969), I was looking for a summer job and I heard there might be jobs at the Recreation Department. I went and applied for a day camp counselor job. They said that I play sports with kids all day at West Hills Jr. High and they pay me to do it. I said I can do that. The name of the camp was Sports and Survival Camp. I ended up working there every summer for nine years (with the exception of 1973) and I was promoted from camp counselor to Camp Director the last few years supervising eight counselors and 125 campers. The gig didn’t pay much but it was fun and I enjoyed the camp staff and the camp kids…some I stay in contact with still today!
Up to my neck with day camp kids at our overnight trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes circa mid 70’s when I had lots of hair. The guy in the upper right is George Poy, my good buddy who worked at the camp with me.
The name of the Day Camp held at West Hills. I “survived” nine summers working at this camp! We did a lot of Sports and some camping skills in preparation of our overnight trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Day camp staff…fun group to work with that’s for sure!
Entire day camp group photo…me in front. We had about 125 campers every two week session. As Camp Director, my job was to make a schedule to keep all 125 campers active in some sport or activity from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Pretty tiring but fun!
Another group photo…I’m the one with The Fonz t-shirt.
Setting up our group campsite at Sleeping Bear Dunes for one memorable overnight experience! Oh, that’s me in the tank top…a tank top…really?
Having a formal dinner at the day camp overnight camp out in Kensington Metropark in Milford. To my left is Steve Thomas, then George Poy and across from me, Dave Blood.
Same table but with our Camp Director, Barry Crowe, who was the P.E. teacher/coach at West Hills during the school year…note the West Hills cap. He was one of my favorite teachers of all time! We would do a crow call to get the attention of kids (caw caw!). His last name was Crowe…get it? As I got older, Barry retired from Day Camp Director and I took over as director.
With George Poy and Tony May…running errands for something needed at the Kensington Metropark overnight group camping event and stopping at the Milford Dairy Queen on the way back. Tony felt really guilty that we stopped there but oh, did that ice cream taste great!
We always met at the flagpole at the end of the camp day for announcements and reminders for the next day.
We had dress up days at camp. This must have been my idea of a WBFH radio disc jockey…with a strange swimsuit I borrowed from my dad. Send this guy to Goofball Island!
Must have had some gymnast guy at camp that day…crazy! The trampoline dates this photo…trampolines were later banned from schools because too many kids were getting hurt on them.
Each tribe in day camp had an Indian name. I jokingly asked my tribe members if they want to be the Onamonapias, an English language term (actually, onomatopoeia is a word that actually looks like the sound it makes…boom splash, belch, hiss, crash). They didn’t know it wasn’t an Indian name and we voted it in. Then we took wood burners to burn our names in it. The year is 1972. One camper, Dan Martin, ended up being in my radio program. Another camper, Susan Trowl, died a few years ago…I went to her visitation at the Kirk in the Hills. Steve Trowl was her brother. Best in the West (Hills)!
My tribe, the Onamonapias, summer of ‘72. Great kids…so much fun…and I got paid to do it!
Day Camp staff with George, Sandy, Mr. Crowe, me, Laura Martens and Mark in front.
The last thing we did to end the camp day was to meet at the flag pole for announcements.
Goofy photo with the Peach kids, Brian and his sister.
In a swim suit I borrowed from my Dad, a photo showing off my muscles, both of them!
It was costume day at Day Camp…not sure what my costume was but I like the hat I borrowed from my Dad.