In 1977, Camp Maqua was still operating as the co-ed Camp Maquois,and Ken Dike assumed the position as camp director. He had been the program director at Camp Iroquois on Sand Lake under director David Bast, and was only twenty-two years old, but had a great resume. He had already accumulated seven years in camping and four […]
Month: February 2017
Directors #9
Marge Falvey, camp committee director during the early seventies, had been instrumental in hiring Carol Nieman for the position of camp director in 1975, and had known her family. Carol had been a substitute teacher in the Essexville school system and had done well as a teacher, but somehow her abilities did not seem to […]
Memories From Camp Health Director 1973-74
I worked at Camp Maqua as the Camp Health director 2 summers 1973 and 1974. I was pre-med at Albion College. I had spent my childhood at another YWCA camp, near Flint Camp Tyrone and worked 2 summers 71/72 at Forest Beach Camp in New Buffalo, MI from the Chicago YWCA. As soon as I […]
Directors #8
There were no records of camp committee minutes referring to Sue Patenge as the director during summers 1972-74, but Rhonda Thayer and Carol Hulett were at camp during those years and had totally opposite impressions of her, as did a few other counselors, parents and campers. Sue had been a physical education teacher in Mt. […]
Directors #7
“I was the director for three years and I always regretted that I did not go back, but life circumstances, plus searching for a permanent teaching job kept me away,” said Beanie (Barbara Haggart) a little wistfully. “My years at Maqua were the happiest of my life. People who have not experienced the camaraderie missed […]
Directors #6
The Maqua torch from Dorthe Balaskas was passed the summer of 1970 to her assistant Barbara Haggart, affectionately known as “Beanie”, who followed in the shoes of her former associate/boss, who ultimately became a very good friend. “She was a great mentor for me, and she always had the well-being of Maqua and the campers in […]