August 1, 2014 --

It is not possible for this writer to go, every day, from July 1 to August 26, each year, without thinking of Camp Wabigoon for boys -- and Camp Wahanda -- for girls, directors Phil and Gladys Brandstein.

The camps, long just a memory, were located on Smith Hill, above Winsted, Ct.

This writer began as a seven year old freshman, at Camp Wabigoon, in 1947 and spent the succeeding 14 summers at Wabigoon, as junior, intermediate, senior, senior waiter, regular waiter and counselor.

From the LPR Archives (July 17, 2005) - The Camp Wabigoon waterfront on Rowley's pond as seen from left field on the old Wabigoon softball field. A fly ball in the lake was usually a home run (unless, in going around the bases, the runner missed second, as this writer once did--the one time he hit a ball into the lake.)

This is the time of summer when, as a counselor, I would have to write a mid-summer report to be sent to the parents of my charges.

More than a half century later, I realize that my own mid-season report would simply note that I was lucky to have spent the summer at Wabigoon.

More on Wabigoon and Wahanda, next LPR.