This great boys camp consisted of (3) three cabins
that housed the older boys in bunk beds with foot
lockers for their stuff. The counselors slep at the rear of the cabin which overlooked Lake Ripley
Going out the front door and to the right of the cabins was the latrine. Nothing too good
for the boys as it had no hot water for showers and the usual amenities that accompany an outhouse.
A fourth cabin
housed the smaller kids with the counselors living in the rear just like the big
boys cabins. Their cabin was to right of ours and also had a latrine with the same amenities,
you know toilet paper & a long urinal, only a bit lower. Well you know what I mean don't you?
Up the hill about mid way was the pump that of course supplied the water to the latrines, house and the dining hall where we had our meals and get togethers.
We had a big bell that would ring to call us to our meals and other activities. This of course because
we were not smart enough to know when to eat or
play. Any way we would always end at the house for our meals
Usually we sat down for the meals inside The food was delicious & desert was a big thing. Every day our cabins
were inspected & graded. The best cabin for the week got 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
while all of the
rest 1 scoop. Losers could not stand to see that and it created an enormous incentive to win. Mail was
normally distrubuted after lunch and we then would adjourn back to the cabins for a rest period.
After resting we always had things planned for us. We would trot up the hill to the storage building and
pick up our weapons; golf sticks, tennis racquets, balls, basket ball, archery gear, volley ball,
birds for badminton, boxing gloves, fishing gear, horseshoes, lanyards made in handicraft class or anything.
else we could get into trouble with
The counselors were waiting, Arnold Risen, Paul Houston, Jim Shaw & George Bare were a few who were
always helpful in showing us how to play any sport we would choose. Even horse back riding although some
campers would fall off.
Golf club's were made from sticks honed from the tree's to play "golf"
with and a tennis ball which
we would try to put in the coffee cans that were strategically placed into hill side resembling
a golf course. We called it "shinie golf" of course We enjoyed getting mail from home, story telling at
the lodge or outside on the grass searching
the beautiful evening sky for stars and milkyways.
Other activities were walking down nature trails, swimming, waking up to bugle playing revile and long
hikes to Shell Lake. At night after taps, from our noisy cabins we would hear Oley up on the hill,
blowing his whistle and yelling "What's gong on down there!"
Up the hill, mid way between the cabins and the main house, was a water well and pumping station that
supplied water for the house, dining hall, lodge, cabins and latrines. No electricity for hot water so
Lake Ripley was our bath tub so to speak.
Below you will see some of the wonderful facilities that the Olsen Family provided for campers.
The Cabins & view of Lake Ripley.
The lodge which had the workshop attached, held lots of equipment as well as the tack house for the horses.
This is where we would pick up our equipment for the activities. Tennis, shinie golf,
basketball,
archery,
baseball
make arrangements to go horse back riding
or go fishing
George Bare was usually our guide until he accidentally threw his rod and reel in the lake. That was a laugher.
At some time about midway through the camping season we would take a 3 mile hike from camp, along
Ripley Road
into the town of "Sarona". There we would have big
and I mean BIG
steak dinner with all the trimmings at
"Ted Haig's" Restaurant. The return 3 miles was a little more difficult after the ice cream & cake.
We all managed, not at all sure we could retrace that route today.
What beautiful memories we all have of our youth because of our time at Camp Sarona, so long ago.
Best estimate of completion of this "Web Site"will be sometime in
September 2005
Please check back at your convenience, or contact the
