Camp Blog

The Magic of Campfire

by: 
Camp Director

        At our campfire Sunday night, I was once again awed by the reverence and silence of our usual boisterous Agawak family. That is, after they sung a dozen or so traditional camp songs then are serenaded by our roving guitar-plucking minstrel, MP. Many of our Agawak anthems, led by veteran counselor, have been sung by our campers for more than over a century.

The commotion grows totally silent as our Agalog articles written by campers are shared, and when our Campfire Girls read their beautifully prepared speeches, and throw the Key Logs into the roaring campfire.

The expressions of gratitude from the Campfire Girls about their Agawak sisters and their experiences that have shaped them as leaders, never fails to touch my heart and makes me feel proud as a director. 

We are nearing 100 years old as a camp and I have spent over half my life here. Agawak is my life and it is deep in the heart of thousands of others. I have been here long enough to hear from my campers how their grandmothers AND great-grandmothers were once happy campers here. I also know from my returning alum that you can take the girl out of Agawak but you can’t take Agawak out of the girl.

 As I write this, we are perfecting our Fourth of July dance featuring nearly 180 of our campers, a spectacle that has become the major crowd pleaser and centerpiece of the Minoqua parade. Next blog you will read about how our girls once again “wowed the crowds”! The sun is out, the lake is glistening, and we are Full Speed Ahead!

Smile on,

Mary