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SUCCESS STORY Camp Story Collection
Sue (Durocher) Alley, Stapleton Camper ’67 and Staff ’76: The Scavenger Hunt and skits on stage
Latoya Arnold (Horizon), Stapleton Staff ’01: Sucker’s Creek, Talent Shows, Pre-Camp
Norvetta Baker (Squirrel), Stapleton Camper ’81 & ’83 and Staff ’89-’95: Pre-Camps, Staff Talent Shows, Cook Outs, Unit Nights and Sleep Outs are just a few that standout
Deena Best, Ozanam Staff ’06: The first week of boys adventure camp - As the girl leader of the group I didn't spend many evenings with the kids, but told them I would bring my car out there on the last night and they could have a dance party. My co-counselor and I told them that they could stay up as long as they could keep the fire going. All of them picked up tiny sticks, with the exception of the smallest kid in the group. He went into the woods and grabbed an entire tree stump. The guys were up forever and danced to 90's hip hop, along with Kelly Clarkson's latest album at the time (Summer 2006). It was hilarious. –
Joann (Mezza) Beste (Jo Jo), Stapleton Caper ’63 - ?: Making Crafts, making friends, hiking on the beach, canteen, camp songs
Jean Betting-Semaan, Stapleton Camper ’65-’66: Crafts and Plays
Fr. Leo Broderick, Camp Ozanam Staff ’50-’55: I am a veteran of the glory days of Camp Ozanam. In those years we encamped over a thousand boys every summer. It was a great and holy experience for all.
Sarah Cabble, Stapleton Camper ’99-’01: First year, boys camp came to ours and we had a games night! The Counselors, The Swamp!
Maria (DeBeau) DeKimpe, Stapleton Camper ’71-’77: Arts and Crafts, nature center, scavenger hunts and camping outside
Allison Dennis, Stapleton Camper ’82-’83: I remember the hike to the beach and along the way, we were allowed to wave to truck drivers passing by. Sometimes the drivers would toot their horns for us. For some reason, that sent us all into a ‘giggling fit’ and we would walk faster.
Stephanie Domsic (Lemons), Ozanam Staff ’15 and Diana Rusin (Aurora), Ozanam Staff ’15-’17: The first time we took our campers on a bed time kitchen raid, and got caught 3 different times on our way back.
Sharon Edwards, Stapleton Camper ’76: Candle making on the beach; camping overnight
Carlo Franz, Ozanam Camper ’48-’49: Swimming, night games and baseball
Linette (Mercado) Garza, Stapleton Camper ’79-’80 and Staff ’85-’86: Being so near to Lake Huron, tetherball, canteen, talent show, climbing tree, campfire
Michael Gordon, Ozanam Camper ’02: Just being at camp!
William Gordon II, Ozanam Camper ’02: Sucker’s Creek and campfire cookouts
Richard Graham (Moses), Ozanam Staff ’94-’96: Suckers Creek
Amy Grewette (Crickett), Stapleton Camper ’89 & ’91 and Staff ’95-’99: Being a role model for the kids
Marcia Haggins, Stapleton Camper ’54-’57: Swimming in the Lake
Maia Hicks (Cloud), Stapleton Camper ’96-’98 and Staff ’01-’03: Working with the campers
Kimberly (Hale) Alastair Hunter (Willow), Stapleton Staff ’01-’03: Gold rush, and camper and counselor talent shows. Stapleton Boat Races the summer of 2002.
Tanya Hawkins (Ladybug), Stapleton Staff ‘93-’97: My favorite memories were Sucker’s Creek, sleeping under the stars in the Croswell/Black River campgrounds, then hiking 6.2 miles back, Pre-Camp (bonding with staff), camp outs, and the combined camps’ Indian Shows. They were the best!
Cyntia (Bettin) Jajo (Crybaby), Stapleton Camper ’70: Talent Show
Michael Jensen, Ozanam Camper ’73-’78: Thumpdrag
Bill Kren, Ozanam Camper ’57 – I was doing a google search on church camps trying to get some ideas for a church program I am directing and suddenly, there was a very familiar name: Camp Ozanam. Just like John Lesjack, I am a graduate of that camp experience. It was probably the summer of 1957 when this “needy” young man went off to camp. My connection was that I attended St. Vincent de Paul Church in Detroit. My experience was positive. It was one of many factors that helped me in my spiritual journey.
Emily Krist (Clover), Stapleton Staff ’00: My priceless friendships made over the years
Caroline Krucker, Camps Connect Staff ’07-’18: Lil Kim; Sunday’s with Juice Box and Sparkles; the escape artist sheep and sending him back to his pen; the missing camper sleeping with his brother on the other side of the cabin; putting Mike Jones on the phones during a missing camper scare; picking up the ducks with Penny and her grandkids; catching the snake in the dining hall with Rick; my 8 year old camper, maybe he’s 7 (L0L); too many to share!
PJ Lewalski (Sasquatch), Ozanam Staff ‘12-‘13: Lil Kim and the Sheep in 2013
PJ Lewalski (Sasquatch), Ozanam Staff ’12-’14; Mike Schwalm (Hidden Dragon or HD), Ozanam Staff ’12-’14; Stephen Jakubowski (Gizmo), Ozanam Staff ‘14; Danielle Roy (Sparkles), Ozanam Staff '12-’16: Invention of Pingrum, in our defense we were left unsupervised for 5 minutes.
David W. Long (Mystical), Ozanam Camper ’88-’94 and Staff ’97: Suckers Hill and Thumpdrag
Becky Lovatt (Foxglove), Stapleton Staff ‘94-’98: So many memories, the best years of my life, the making of my Christian Journey. The time I caught a fish in my pants during a Suckers creek trip. Miss Stapleton competitions, the year I won in particular and Christmas in July. Black river hikes, the joy, the tears and the laughter. I own so much to camp.
John Maguire, Ozanam Camper early ‘50s: We (the Guerillas!) won the baseball trophy. I remember them playing Ave Maria at night after lights out. It was a unique version that I have never been able to find.
Richard S. Maurer, Head Shouter Downer, Ozanam Staff ’58-’62: Relaxing at the end of a good day which was almost every day!
Christine Montano-Saad (Ms Chris), Stapleton Staff ’72: “Road Duty”: sitting by the big tree to make sure no camper ran away during evening free time
Ross Montgomery, Ozanam Staff ’76-’77: Kitchen Staff against seniors in softball
John Michael Moran (Jack), Ozanam Camper ’40-’42: Winning Junior Best Camper
Lisa O’Hara (Dolphin), Stapleton Staff ’97: Sunrises
Melanie (Adamcik) Olk (Pinecone), Stapleton Staff ’94: Many memories, but the best thing that happened to me at camp was meeting my husband, Matt Olk and having our wedding at Oz in '96.
Mary Orloski (Bucko) Stapleton Staff ’78-’82: I have so many fond memories. I met many of my best friends working at camp.
Kimberly Pai-Ge' (Honeycomb), Stapleton Staff ‘94-’04: I spent so many years there so I have a millions memories. If I have to name a few it would be the campers recognizing their favorite counselor is still there. Then Kangaroo Court, combined Indian Show and the friendships you gain that still live on today. This post can go on and on, but truly the BEST years of my life!
Jacqueline Palmer (Jackie), Stapleton Staff ’65: Catching a glimpse of the sisters as they went down to swim!
Cara Peterson (Maverick), Ozanam Staff ’14-’16: My second summer as Health Officer, I was spending time with one of my favorite campers in Loving Arms. We were talking about life while I was teaching him how to make a lanyard (yellow and blue, for UofM, his favorite school). At the end of the week as he was getting on the bus he handed me his lanyard. He had spent all week working on it. He handed it to me and said “I know you go to school in Ohio, so this is to remind you of home.” I still have it on my keys to remind me of his kindness and my time at camp.
Joseph Plawecki, Ozanam Staff ’68-’69, ’75-’76: Performing as the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz performance; being the camp DJ for “Find the Counselor”; telling camp stories to the campers including Thumpdrag; viewing with all the campers and staff the 1969 Neil Armstrong walking on the moon
Ken Pullis (Oak), Ozanam Staff ’02-’18: “Buffalo” with his crazy rug and funky music: Mike Jones performing as Michael Jackson for the Talent Show; late night stakeouts with walkies; AC boys trying to sneak over to BC at night because they thought there were girls at BC; dumping buckets of water on kids under the bridge as they returned from Sucker’s Creek; Fr. Patrick cleaning out goat poop from Green Goblin; finding a goat on my bed on “Oak Day”; my office chair being replaced with an old toilet; laughing so hard during a staff meeting that I fell out of my chair; looking for Bruce at night, Peter scaring the kids off the live possum; the delicious peanut butter squares; Abby doing the Banana Song in the cabin; boy swinging from the rafters in a cabin; winning cabin cleanup award every day with Yesah; Scottish Army of 13 in 2004; playing tackle football in Lake Huron; British Bulldog, Dodgeball games campers versus counselors; Mass with Fr. Patrick; “parsties”’ shenanigans at the mall with Duke, Lilly and Cricket; chaos of Trip 4 2007; Jim in AC; putting up the teepees in 2006; Jordan as DJ before counselor hunt in 2003; pie eating contest Flash vs. Jimbo and Flashing wearing the green dress for losing; Blackrobe and Gaston chatting every night on Chippewa porch; capturing the raccoon in 2008 in AC; Sharkbait’s hammock; Juice Box coloring her hair blue; Shaggy’s morning announcement of “Polar Bear!”; sack race between Oak and Caroline during Joint activity; star tipping; campfires and majestic eagles; campers making friends; kids loving Jesus!
James Ratke (Jim/Jimmy), Ozanam Camper ’62-’63: Capture the Flag / Kangaroo Court
Isabella D. Robinson-Evans, Stapleton Camper ’65-’71: Canteen/Sugar Cookie
Phil Sherman (Big Phil), Ozanam Staff ‘94-‘98.The bitter sweet moments of the arrival and departure of the fleet of buses before and after those long fun filled eventful 2 week camp sessions. Awesome times.
Steve and Marie Steinhaus, Ozanam Staff ’90-’01: Making the campers smile with making all the kids favorite like grilled cheese sandwiches and bacon and eggs and the list goes on…
H. Maceo Stephens (Spider), Ozanam Staff '94-'98: Bob Ostenfield and the OZ Wacky Games, followed by the infamous OZ Box Car race!
Ellen Yope (Mushu), Ozanam Staff ’16-’17: Making pizza every Friday night with Heaven Hartwick (Ducky) and having a dance party while yelling at staff in an Italian accent!