Directors #9

Published on February 22, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

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 transfer as well with her capacities as a camp director, according to some of the interviews of the staff during that period.

““One night there was a food fight in the lodge,” recalled Betsy.Falvey. “ The next thing we knew this food fight had gone from funny to dangerous in about ten minutes. There were about one hundred girls and they were all sliding around on the floor. Carol almost had a nervous breakdown. I remember calling my Mom on the phone in the lodge to tell her Carol was having a breakdown. We were just hoping the health inspector didn’t show up, and we took Carol into a room to calm her down.”

“Compared to Sue and Beanie, she never engendered the same feelings about staff,” said Betsy.. “The Carney sisters, Yakky, Superdoo, and Sue Michelson were all counselors when I was twelve. They were all so close. The last year I was there, Maqua was scrambling for campers. My Mom felt horrible and I know they had girls from Finland, England and Norway. She thought well of Carol’s family and she had worked hard to keep the camp going.”

Amy Falvey noted her mother felt fairly responsible when she saw her directorship was a “trainwreck” in 1973, while her sister Betsy felt her immaturity and behavior led to the demise of the camp. Whether this was accurate or not, it appeared that there were some out of control moments at camp under her leadership, which left an impression on many.

Memories From Camp Health Director 1973-74

Published on February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

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 met age requirements I took the Health Director course so I could keep working at camps but earn a bit more money.

I applied to several camps and Sue Patenge came to interview me at Albion. That first summer was a normal employee/boss relationship but I certainly saw how hard she worked and I can’t tell how how hard the “horse situation” was for her. She was all about the kids and was willing to be silly with the little ones but yes she was much more straight laced with her staff. Please remember she was only 26 herself. We bonded one night when Edna the cook who also stayed in my health cottage woke me up in terrible pain at 2 AM. She had appendicitis and after waking Sue up we took her to the hospital. We got back to camp around 5 AM a little silly and giddy with no clue how we were to manage the meals. We woke up the kitchen aides and yes it was a cold cereal and toast morning. Sue’s Mother Betty arrived later that day and helped us for the 2 weeks until Edna returned.

We became close friends and kept in touch that off season. I returned in my position the next summer after graduating from Albion. I had been accepted to medical school and intended to pay my way by joining the Navy. I had applied in December and was assured I would be all set. In August I learned I had not been accepted after receiving a letter about ” a few good men” who were later candidates. I had no money and no back up plan for financing school. I scrambled for loans and Sue offered me a place to stay in her home. We became the best of friends and lived together until Early Onset Alzheimers took her entirely too soon.

She was an excellent caring teacher no matter what subject she was thrown into. She was a successful swim team coach and worked hard at a Synchronized Swim team that was hugely popular selling all 3 nights of their performances. The desire to travel and just the need to decompress fueled her decision to retire from her summer job at Maqua but she never forgot the good times or people she met there. She was always willing to help her fellow teachers and was well liked. Because of her I became the team physician for her high School Mt Clemens and continued even after her illness. Her teacher friends became my friends and helped my decision to practice in Mt Clemens and I treated many of the staff and family of MC schools. AS I said before Sue never met a stranger and could talk to every type of person. She never talked down to her students or their parents and taught me much about acceptance. I taught her to love cats and we always had at least one.

On another subject, I can’t remember the waterfront ever looking bad and never saw a parent upset with her. The year we had the exchange counselors she took them traveling around Michigan after camp before school started for her and they were to fly home. She drove and arranged places to stay at no/low cost to the girls. Yes she was strict but that was because it was all about the kids and she was receiving pressure from the YWCA to save money but not change the quality. She set high standards for herself and her staff.

Carol Hulett

Directors #8

Published on February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

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. Clemens and despite the five- year difference in their ages, Carol, a pre-med student and the nurse at camp, and Sue became very close friends.

“She was very organized and business-like and loved being with the kids. Her Mom had been a camper (Berta Patenge) and her grandmother had been on the board at the YWCA and had even come to visit her one summer at camp. She was a very detail-oriented person and everybody liked her,” said Carol.

“Hypo”, as Carol was known lived with Edna the cook in the Infirmary. She nicknamed Sue Patenge “Junior” because she was the boss and Carol was the junior boss, as outlined in the article entitled “The Big Four” in the “Loon”. According to the 1974 article in the “Loon”, Sue had discovered her job from friends (B.J. –a classmate in one of her high school classes) in Bay City and thought she would enjoy directing a camp because “she enjoys being with us—likes the things we do, the decisions we make and the stunts we play on the staff, as long as they are funny”.

For “Junior”, who had a three-year directorship, this was the only camp she had ever worked and she wanted to return. She enjoyed travelling, playing cards, tennis, reading, and listening to people.

Directors #7

Published on February 15, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“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 out. The kids were great.”

“We took our chances with staff, but if they didn’t quite fit, we tried to help them. I had six or seven friends from Western who came. Judy Moore had been in college with me and played sports. We also took applications in the mail and the Bay City Y” sent out flyers to recruit. One time we had a problem with one of the cooks, who had a drinking problem. She made these thick ugly pancakes and no one would eat them, so she served them at lunch with tuna fish salad on them,” laughed Beanie. “ A couple of times we had Jello that was like glue. She did not add enough water. So, we had a food fight with the Jello!”

“We worried about safety and prowlers and a few times we were on alert, but nothing serious. Homesickness was always a major issue in some of the kid’s life. You couldn’t just “poo-poo” their feelings, but we didn’t coddle them. I don’t think I sent any home. We had the usual allergies and bee stings. What worried me was sending the older kids on the AuSable River and if there was bad weather, it was hard to get a hold of them. Somehow the counselors always coped well with those situations, though,” she said, “We always had concerns about keeping money on the premises. Lee, who ran the camp store, was the financial person who handled the kid’s accounts. With one hundred thirty five kids and about thirty five staff, it was a big responsibility.”

“The farewell campfires were always a huge deal. I would lead the singing and the songs were usually sad. Every cabin would put a candle on a little piece of wood, decorated with leaves, ferns, etc. and melt the candle so everything would stick. The wishing boats would go out into the water and the little ones would cry as they made their wish. We would pass out the awards for the session for those who were leaving.,” said Beanie. “The last everyone decided I should take a cabin for the last session, so I had the older girls. It was great. The director didn’t usually take a cabin, but it was nice. I think Sue Carney was in my cabin. As a counselor with the older kids, I was in Dutton, but stayed in the lodge as an assistant director. The kitchen aides usually had a room in the lodge. There were two that were water-side.”

“I was always interested in sports and enjoyed helping kids. I enjoyed teaching and learning. Camp helped me to know kids in a different way,” said Beanie, as she listed her many teaching credentials. (Elementary education degree, special education Masters degree) The majority of her jobs were in physical education and coaching, but she taught special education and mentored many students who would later praise her for her influence in their lives.

Directors #6

Published on February 13, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

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 mind,” wrote Beanie about a note Dorthe had given her on the closing day of camp when she retired. “I had a dog (Daisy) given to me the previous year by “Chops” She was a sweet dog, and Dorthe was always teasing me about her.”

“Dear Beanie, You must know that my thoughts will be of Maqua next summer, the wonderful campers, etc. I truly wish you well-strength to do some of the unpleasant tasks, but above all that you will take good care of that which has been put in your hands—Maqua’s future. The spirit was here before I came. I tried my best to care for it, preserve it—some people make it hard to do. Don’t let them diminish what Maqua has. I have confidence that your love for children, (and) your sincere kindness will prevail throughout your years at Maqua. Don’t let others run ruin or think they know what’s best for Maqua, for in this time of our life they care too much for self and little for giving and preserving. Please know that I want Maqua to run smoothly. I hope I have helped you, but if you need any help or have questions, please feel free to call me. You’re a dear—No. 2 “Train that damn dog!! (Joking) Fondly, Dorthe”

Directors #5

Published on February 8, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“Dorthe had a gargantuan job with all those girls ages six to sixteen and those counselors in their twenties, “ said Kim Wynne-Parry, who camped 1963-68. “She did her job with kindness and benevolence. I remember her as a huge presence.”

“A reserved and capable woman, friendly without acting silly. You took her seriously,” said Nancy Sautter (1968-70). “Very professional, people-oriented, caring and wanted everyone to succeed,” said her sister Tricia. “It took a lot of work with all the different personalities and she had many fires to put out, but she handled them with dignity.”

“We used to take turns with campfire watch, down by the campfire pit, and we knew some girls would sneak out. We could hear the noise coming from the woods. Their goal was to scare us. One of the counselors wanted to tell Dorthe, but I knew how she hated hiking down that long hill and back,” said Sue Wiegand (1966-67). “The girls finally revealed who they were, but when they saw Dorthe, they knew she had a firm hand, even the counselors were intimidated by their presence. But, inside once you got to know her, she was a marshmallow. She just had that walk where you knew she was in command.”

Doris Engibous (1973-75) agreed. “When I was twelve and Dorthe was director, she was the ultimate. No one could fill her shoes. She was a formidable leader and I remember that you did not stray too far from the straight and narrow. I never felt like her style was too regimented or disciplined, though.”

Girls of Camp Maqua

My Book ~ Your Story

1970’s