Greetings. This is a great idea. We look forward to reconnecting with many dear friends.

Comment from: Tom M Dettmer [Visitor]
http://www.bethluthspencer.com

I was a counselor at EWALU in the summer of 1966. Good memories. Mosquitoes. Tents. Swimming and diving. Pastor Torvik director. Kids.
I saw Cindy Midtgaard about 20 years ago, but haven't had EWALU contacts since then. Thanks for this site. --Tom Dettmer.

How fun to be able to reconnect with so many from some of the best times of our lives!!

I look forward to seeing who else checks in! I would love to bring my family to the alumni weekend, but WA is a little far away. We will be in Iowa for a few days in June for a wedding. Not much time to stop at EWALU though. Maybe next trip.

Blessings,
Sue

Hello from Colorado! I'm currently student teaching and trying to figure out what to do with my life. Any advice? Anyone?

I know! I could work at EWALU for the rest of my life!

Greetings from Colorado! Hello to everyone from the summers of 94-97. EWALU will always have a special place in my heart. God Bless you all.

Hello everyone! Adam Arends- we were just thinking of you the other day...wondering what you were up to. And look at that- now we know. We were on staff 98-01, and are now living in St. Louis. We'll be moving in August though for Jeremy's vicarage. We'll keep everyone posted when we find out where we'll be going. Adrian, Jeremy wants to say something mean to you but can't think of anything...he'll get back to you on that one. :) Take care everyone!

Hey all! I have such great memories from the summer I was a counselor back in 91... was definately a summer I would like to do again... mostly.

Hey all, wazup? I was an LT in '99 and '00 and again on staff last summer. Got love the Coons, the BLTs and the Soul Savier (aka: the Stealthmobile) Anyhoo, i'm in the poccess of taking NCLEX (big bad nursing test) and will be moving to Colorado the beginning of June. I might have to swing by camp b4 i head out west. Anyhoo, Tootles for now. Peace, love and all that jazz ;)

Hi everyone! I was on staff from 82-84! I am definately taking the weekend off to attend the alumni weekend this year! I can't wait to see people. It would be such a good time to reconnect. Now I know I'm getting up there in age, I sound like my Mom. Smiles always

Hey all! I am literally half a world away from EWALU... but I was wondering ( as a topic) what are people's fondest memories of camp. One of mine was a canoe trip that I lead... in that 1973 Dodge sports van... "3 on the tree" and bad tires... I remember the last thing I said to Frances before I left, "Anyone know how to drive a stick?" I was, esentially, the only one who could drive... and to be honest (now that it has been more than 10 years) was not all that familiar with it.
Anyway... that's one of mine... what's yours? If you would rather not use this format... feel free to email me at aflirguy2@yahoo.com.
Barry

Barry,

Before the 1973 Dodge sports van, there was a 1949 Ford pickup truck that served as the general camp utility vehicle. The story I heard was that Ewalu inherited it from Brown's grocery in Strawberry Point; it used to be their delivery truck.

It was a great vehicle to learn to drive "straight stick" on because the clutch was so very forgiving. We used it to haul stuff out to the campsites from the Cedar Lodge area and also for the occasional trip into Strawberry Point. (It couldn't go much farther than that.)

Also, if you looked down while you were driving, you'd get a nice view of the pavement (or whatever) through the floorboard.

Joanne (Hillery)Goodman...
I believe you were my counselor in 1983 on the Turkey River trip (Adventurers I believe). Becky Hoppenworth & Todd Hove were also counselors that week. I was a counselor in 1989. My oldest son will be attending mini camp this year. How time flys.

This site is great to catch up with our past! Would love to hear from others that may have been my counselor, worked with me in '89 or were one of my campers. email me at fromomma3-public@yahoo.com I don't think we'll make it to the reunion this year but you never know!

It's great to see some names that I haven't seen for such a long time. Kathy, I do remember you and that trip! Wow, time flies. Scott, Robin, how are you? Mark, Barb and Dave can't wait to see all of you at the reunion! I'm trying to talk my sister (Jean Hillery-Wims)into maybe being here on that weekend. I'm also letting her know of this site. Take care to all! My email address is jgodma24@netscape.net if anyone wants to get in touch! Smiles! Joanne

Hi all! Greetings to Adam, Lynette, Rich and Tom Dettmer... Tom, I didn't know we were both EWALU alums. (Me: 1996, exactly 30 years after Tom.) This is a fun small-EWALU-world story: my sister married Tom's son. :-)

Hello all,
I'm hoping to make it to the reunion this year with my wife Tracy and grandson Blake.
I was a camper from '73 to '79, an LE in '80, at the Homestead in '81, a counselor in '82 & '83, and Trailroom in '85. Any one else out there from those years?

I think my best time at EWALU was as a camper on the Flambeau trip lead by Bill Beiderman and Brenda (?) in '79. I learned more about canoeing and self confidence on that trip then any other time in my life. After that would be the Flambeau trip that Robin Hanson and I led in '83(?), it was the most amazing group of campers that I'd ever had. I'd like to hear from anyone on that trip or any of the other years I was around.
Todd
btgulliver@cgids.com

I think my family will try to make it. Couldn't go last year. Ezekiel(Zeke) was about 2 months old and we wanted to tent camp. I think the whole family (my wife Amy, Seth and Zeke) will give it a shot this year though! Anyone else from 86 - 90 years going?
Hey Todd! Hope to see you there with some other LE's from 1980. You know Paul will be there.

Hey Todd Gulliver...you were one of my counselors in 1982 on what I believe was called Woodlanders. Dorothy Baumgartner was the other counselor that week. What a fun week!
Kathy (Harms) Frostestad

Hey everyone,
This is Seth. Some of you probably know me and those of you who don't should count yourselves fortunate. Nah, just kidding. I am on staff this year as one of the few returners and I would just like to say to all y'all: stop by sometime, dudes! We would love to have you and experience the blessed wisdom of alumni. It should be a rocking summer and you don't want to miss out! Peace and love through Jesus Christ my brothers and my sisters.
-Seth

HI EVERYONE!!! I worked the summer of 1987... Anyone else from that summer PLEASE email me parson_k@hotmail.com... I think of you all a lot. I currently am a teacher in Green River WYOMING, with my husband and my beautiful son, Colt. I look at the photo still from that summer and remember the great times, especially "the list" of goofy camper sayings, like canoeing with Todd Rawie, "Um, why is that rock floating in the river" and "Has anyone seen my casearan cup?" Miss you guys... Kristy

Hi everyone...my husband and I were in Iowa a few weeks back and I was telling him about all my wonderful memories at EWALU (summers of '95 and '96). What a great place! I hope to make it back there someday. For now, I'm back in Chicago teaching and enjoying being a new mom. Blessings to you all!

My family plans to attend the reunion this time- My two summers at Ewalu are very memorable- I can't wait to relive those days- I have two sons who are 7 and 31/2 and look forward to seeing them enjoy the experience. We live in west des moines. I was a couselor and trailblazer coordinator in the summers of 1993-1994. Anyone out there with me at that time? Hope to see some familiar faces at the reunion!
Dawn

I am finally getting around to posting a comment.

Of course memories from 69, 72 & 73 abound and as most who recognize my name will recall I met my wife (Connie Meisgeier - pool manager) while at EWALU.

Of course one of my memories of my first summer there was Warren's great buy on chow mein.

And remember, "you can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant."
Have a great day.

quimby

Hi everyone,
My family and I won't be coming to the reunion this year. We're going to a wedding in Minneapolis instead. We have enjoyed the past several reunions, and are sorry to be missing this one. Our daughter's finally old enough to appreciate some of the cool things about camp. Dawn and Paul - hope to see you at next year's reunion.
-Allison

Hi to all '71 and'72 staff.
I've loved reading the comments and realizing that God has shared my wonderful EWALU experiences with 33 more years worth of staff. Haven't we been blessed?

Dorothy (Ness) Sparks
Oelwein, Iowa

Greetings, Great message board. I was a Saint (LE) in 84 and a couselor in 87 and 89. My wife Julie (Grau) Laube was a couselor in 89 and coordinator in 90. We will not be able to make it to the reunion this year. We live in Eaton, Colorado and Julie works for Lutheran Ranches of the Rockies (Sky Ranch). I was a camper for many summers and was on some great Flambeau trips in 82 and 83. Todd, you were my couselor on one of those trips and Robin was a couselor on both of them. I remember canoeing with Mark Hanson and being about 6'8", his paddling stroke was awesome. I remember we had a little adventure with a hungry black bear in 83 and the torn pack hung in the outpost for years. Hi to Kristy in Green River. I spent part of one summer doing some engineering work in Green River and a few weeks one winter working at a trona mine facility (luckily I worked above ground).
Hi to Kathy Frostestad and Eric - we enjoy the Christmas cards.
Hi to Mike Vestal - I was back in New Hampton for my 20th class reunion this summer. They remodeled the elementary school and it is very confusing. I guess children are smarter nowdays.

Howdy! I was fortunate enough to be on staff in 1993, '94, '95 and '97, and before that was a camper starting in... '83, I think. I have too many fond memories to list! Suffice it to say, EWALU will always hold a very special place in my heart. Before too much longer, I hope to start sending my own kids to camp. The first one is on the way now! (On the way to being born, that is, not on the way to camp...)

You know, Keith, that torn Duluth pack hung on the wall of the Trailroom each of my summers at EWALU, and I always wondered what the story was behind it. That pack sort of inspired an entire wall of trophies collected over the years... As far as I know, they're all still there.

Hi to all staff of '77 & '78. Hope everyone is doing great. Won't be able to attend the reunion this year, but am putting it on the agenda for next year. Have move around some from Minneapolis to Cedar Rapids to Madison, WI to Victor, IA.
I am presently employed in Iowa City. Will be married 23 years this September and have an 8 year old son. More later. Jon

Matt, congrats on the upcoming baby! That's great!

And yes, my little sis Amanda, who's been on staff the last few years, assures me the "wall of trophies" is still going strong in the Trail Room, with some things added every year. I think Amanda's leg cast from this summer is the latest addition... I, too always wondered about some of the stuff hanging in the Trail Room. Someone should archive it for posterity :)

I know that the plate that is half polished and half crud encrusted was found in the river by Todd Gulliver. He polished it up as an example to those pot scrubbers who complained that it wasn't possible to clean a plate to look like new after a week of use (Early '80's).
The old Wisconsin DNR sign supposedly came back from a Flambeau river trip but I can't imagine that a staff person would ever take a sign like that from public property. The "Take nothing but pictures" sign is from the Wendy Lohmann era (80's). Amanda's cast has a position of prominence and I'm sure it will be there for decades to come.
ALSO, I know how alumni works, I'm one of them. I'm suspecting that there will be alumni showing up this weekend that did not register. Registration is not required. All are Welcome! Bring a friend! But if I haven't heard from you by Friday, I'm not promising you something to eat. Hope to see all of you there this weekend.

Sort of an update. My oldest son, David, a former EWALU staffer, got married to Lindsay Bell on August 20 in Burlington, Iowa. My mother passed away September 8 after a long illness. I married Diane Williams, a cardiac nurse on October 1. David is attending the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. I still cook, but just for family and friends. Take care and keep in touch. Have seen Alice and Myrna and some of the other cooks recently. They seem to be doing pretty well, but we all need to remember Myrna as she has knee surgery this fall. Hello to all. Take care and God Bless.

Ted Fleener

Hello to all campers and staff members from the summer of'84. I am currently writing down my memoirs of camp life, as well as other exploits that have made me the person I am today. Of course there are gaps in my memory, and anyone out there with anything "Ewalu related"
from twenty years ago, please feel free to email me at: jgrice@humboldt.k12.ia.us
A special HELLO to fellow '84 counselors Jenny, Tim, Sarah,Jenna, and Becky.....thanks for one of the best summers I can remember.