coming from the SummerCampInABox.
Alex talked to me over the phone one evening and hired me. A week later I pulled into the parking lot at camp. I will always remember the first thing Alex said to me when we met. In a boisterous voice, with a big smile and a hearty handshake he said, “You’re the guy I hired over the phone!”As a result of working at Camp Flying Eagle I became a teacher. I am just finishing my 28th year. In 1984 I became the president of the Detroit Metropolitan Area Physics Teachers and then a Physics Teacher Resource Agent for the American Association of Physics Teachers. Lots of really great stuff has happened as a result of my teaching – that might never have happened if Alex hadn’t hired me over the phone!
have a lot of memories… softball games against Camp Sancta Maria, Capture the Flag with the entire camp, the waterfront and mad sprints to be first to waterski with hopes of getting 2 runs in the same free period, bike trips, canoe trips, fishing and of course the Polar Bear swim in the a.m. — Sue Black and Dave Steinbaugh always led the charge — surprise packages from my older brother and sister in the mail … filled with trail mix, forgotten equipment, Sports Illustrated (which Mr. Black always borrowed) and, of course, my siblings’ creativity sending the concealed Playboy with a Sports Illustrated cover … funny, I don’t recall ever getting that Sports Illustrated issue back and trust me it wasn’t the swimsuit issue. I wonder who has that one now.
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I have a clock that I look at every morning. Above that clock is my Flying Eagle picture with Jeff Canja standing proudly in the center between Scott Winkelman and me. Also in the picture are Rich Ansell, Allen Salle (sorry if I spelled it wrong Allen) and others. I am so appreciative and fortunate to have attended CFE because of the positive and permanent impact it had on my life. At CFE I learned and tried to do things that I might not have tried otherwise. It was the first time I tried water skiing, riflery, archery, long distance trip biking, karate, judo, boxing, etc. One thing that I took well beyond CFE was swimming. Thanks to Hal, I went on to earn several swimming certificates from the Red Cross which eventually led me to my Water Safety
Terry Black and I attended Aquinas College together in the mid-70’s, sharing an enormous old frame house near campus with an assorted collection of would-be scholars; each of us infected to varying degrees with that sublime feverish insanity of youth. I could tell you stories about Terry, but then he might start telling tales about me and some of my current students may end up reading this. Suffice to say: Bluto, Otter and the Delta’s had nothing on Hop Shro, Little Moe and The Boys of the Ponderosewood.
It was spring, 1975. I had just graduated and was looking for something to occupy my summer and hopefully provide a little cash before starting grad school in the fall. Terry told me his dad worked at some summer camp “up north” and they they had an opening for an assistant waterfront director. I had absolutely no idea what the job entailed but Terry told me I would love it. I had worked as a lifeguard and my Red Cross card was still current. I had never even seen a summer camp before but I figured I had nothing to lose so I phoned this guy, Alex, who hired me sight unseen, based on Terry’s recommendation.
Two weeks later I found myself stranded in the middle of nowhere a couple hours north of Lansing. My ’64 Mercury, aka The Vomit Comet, had snapped a U-joint. I was expected at camp that day to help get things ready and I hadn’t thought to bring phone numbers so I couldn’t even call. And so, the Vomit Comet Inn became my abode for the night. They next day a smelly, sheepish, unkempt, unshaven, six-foot-four mop-head pulled into camp feeling guilty and wondering if he still had a job.
The first person I met was Mrs. Black, who immediately gave me a big hug. I am convinced she believed she had just discovered her long lost son because that is exactly how she treated me and still does to this day. Of course Mr. Black, Alex and Tess adopted me too. The other counselors: Canja, Ehlers, Norm, Mike the Bike, Judo John, Korroch and the others became like brothers. The rest, as they say, is history.
One of my duties was teaching campers to sail those little Sunfish sailboats. Now I took my job on the beach seriously, especially when it involved keeping kids safe while in and around the water. But the fact was before that summer I had never even been close to a sailboat in my life. Some kids did manage to successfully navigate the triangle course around the lake, earning a merit badge, perhaps despite my best efforts. I never could remember those parts of the boat that campers were supposed to memorize. (Is it a line or a rope?). When it came time for a test I would slip into what became my standard routine. First I would point out two or thee parts at random asking the camper to name them. Next I would draw myself up to my full height, usually towering over a foot over the camper, look down in his eyes, and ask in my most serious tone “Are you sure about these answers?” If the camper showed even the slightest hesitation I would suggest “Perhaps you had better review t! hese a little more.” I boasted only about a 50% passing rate until some bright camper figured out my little con.
My career at Camp Flying Eagle lasted all of twelve weeks; eighty-four
days. But what days! What nights! What a summer! Those moments …
those memories … of fun times and outstanding people. They are tucked away deep in my heart … not so deep that I can’t take them out and hold them when my soul needs refreshing. They will be with me always.
By happy coincidence my wife, Susan, and I have become good friends with Brad and Diane Smith, the current owners. Last summer we spent a couple of days at camp. Brad was worried that I might be disappointed seeing the camp in less than mint condition. I was so relieved to find that the property had not been subdivided that he need not have worried. I had the delicious experience of setting foot for the first time in a once forbidden area (to me, at least): The Married Counselors’ Cabin!
I don’t know, yet, if I will be able to join you all at the reunion in August. I will most certainly be there in spirit.
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The best days of my life were at CFE.
I remember how sad I spent my first summer after Camp Flying Eagle was closed. This feeling knocks on my door every summer. In 2001 I was able to contact Tess & Alex. I had to let them know how important they were in my life and also thank them for the best years of my life. The Canja’s and also the Black’s are main characters in the story of my life. Camp Flying Eagle is the place I go to feel safe everytime I need a place to hide from the world.
This past summer I had a heart problem and also there was something wrong with my head (the truth is that with my head there’s always been a problem!). When I woke up, and for the next 4 months, my memory was blocked 75%, but Camp Flying Eagle was in the other 25% and that made me feel safe.
Frank Zucker already wrote about our trip in 2003. That was like rebirth for me. In the summer of 1983 I left a part of me in the woods of Mancelona and in the bottom of the lake. I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye on that last day of Camp. I just said; “see you next year”… and 20 years went by before I could be reunited with that little kid that learned how to live life at Camp Flying Eagle.
See you next Summer.
Alex talked to me over the phone one evening and hired me. A week later I pulled into the parking lot at camp. I will always remember the first thing Alex said to me when we met. In a boisterous voice, with a big smile and a hearty handshake he said, “You’re the guy I hired over the phone!”As a result of working at Camp Flying Eagle I became a teacher. I am just finishing my 28th year. In 1984 I became the president of the Detroit Metropolitan Area Physics Teachers and then a Physics Teacher Resource Agent for the American Association of Physics Teachers. Lots of really great stuff has happened as a result of my teaching – that might never have happened if Alex hadn’t hired me over the phone!
From the age of six, I have so many fond memories of spending 11 consecutive summers at CFE. From pink-bellies at morning cals, to PB&Js at night. From bus trips to Mackinac to canoe trips down the mighty Manistee.
From Color Wars to Camper-Counselor hunts. From the sugar shack to the CQ to the KBQ. From the pre-meal formation report “all present and accounted for, sir” to bug juice and tuna-loonies. From the ringing of the dinner bell to the singing of “Taps.” I could go on and on and on and on.
I had two fantastic years at CFE! Besides all the Huntington Woods campers from my generation (including the Rotters, Mitch Front, Bruce Marwil, Doug Slotkin and my brother, Rich), some of the things I remember best are softball, both at CFE and at other camps; early morning runs with co-camper Andy Mourad and counselor Mike Sweeney; Mr. Black bellowing “First Period!”, “Second Period!”, etc.; award ceremonies around the camp fire; our tent’s winning number, “Joy to CFE” (sung to the tune (or, something resembling the tune) of “Joy to the World”) on song night; watching (from a front row seat) Dave and Michael Rotter go at each other on boxing night; the giant relay race at the end of Color War.
Well this year will mark 29 years since my first summer as a very young and nervous Waterfront Director, but all of the great memories that I have from 4 of the next 5 summers make it seem like only yesterday. The sunny days on the beach and pulling skiers around the lake. Creating (with the help of Jeff Ehlers) the swamp monster feet that we left tracks with all over camp to “prove” that the monster stories were true. Canoe trips down the Manistee loosing only one canoer who was found later having a snack at the cabin of a friend of Alex’s. Rowing the boat for the morning Polar Bear swims and losing a candy bar bet to Matt Cuningham for swimming the lake butterfly. The nights spent in dark sweats on Tent Duty just waiting for the Apaches to try and make a tent raid. The long lines at the Grand Hotel pay phone to make a quick call home. These and many more great memories are always there to bring a smile to my heart at any time.
I was there [at camp] when the US landed on the moon. I remember being able to stay up late to crowd around the TV and watch Armstrong take the first step, and I remember Alex telling us that we’ll be tempted to get excited and cheer, but to be very quiet because Neal Armstrong will probably say something important. Alex was right and Neal did (say something important) and if anyone asks me where I was when we landed on the moon, I’ll know. There is something else that might be worth mentioning: I went to the University of Michigan in the early 80s. After a year of college when I graduated from high school, I took about five years off, before returning to school, so I was an older student (as least relative to the other underclassmen)
I have so many great memories of CFE…memories that shaped the values of who I became. Among my favorite memories: Being woken up on a stormy night thinking it was a tornado, but it was the start of Color Wars. Sitting on the porch and talking to everyone about nothing. Riding to the store and buying a can of Coke (what a treat!). Fishing with Jeff Ehlers before anyone else was awake. Many great trips to Mackinac Island. PB&J’s after Council Fire. Bingo on rainy nights in the rec hall (don’t eat the noodles!). Ice cream at Dairy Queen in Mancelona. Sneaking up on Paul Canja to listen to him play the piano. Cereal box candles and lanyard key chains. Green Chapel and Sunday breakfast buffet. Spending the summer of 1980 in the Boat House as a KB (remember the skunk smell?). Being lost on the back roads of Mancelona in the fog with Dan Schnur at 2am on a day off as a KB.
My most fond memories were of the wonderful friends and counselors at CFE. I loved crafts and thought I was the best lanyard maker of them all. I even sold what I made for candy store. I remember sitting on the butterfly chairs and listening to Pres. Nixon and all the trouble he was in. I loved the water and will never forget cutting in line to ski more than I was supposed to. And then there were the trips to Mackinac every summer (because I always stayed for seven weeks) and of course, our trips into Mancelona for ice cream.
I remember raiding the other tents—one time in particular we had knocked some stakes into the ground outside the tent entrance during the day when the other campers were not in the tent- possibly the Apache Tent? With the oldest campers? –anyway- late that night we stretched thick wire from stake-to-stake across the tent entrance, about six inches from the ground, and yelled at the campers to wake them up- then we squirted them with ketchup from the dining hall as they ran outside the tent and tripped into the dusty trail in the dark!!- I remember the Apache Tent always talked “stuff” to the younger campers!! Payback at age 12!! If you were one of my pals that helped out with this well-coordinated attack back in the 1970’s, please email me!! I believe this was the second summer I was a camper there!! (1978?)
Wow CFE! I very fondly remember camp and still tell stories to my kids, friends and family. I’d still love to see that pizza machine and bowling alley. The last year of camp I was one year away from getting the 22 rifle as my gift. Bummer. Shooing away bats in the showers. I broke my arm one year on the trampoline and Alex made sure my summer still rocked.
One time on a blueberry exp across the lake, I saw what I thought was a Petoskey stone, kicked it and found out it was a bee hive. Ouch. Stung like 30 times and Tess and Alex comforted me. Where are people like that now?
What was the killer bass’s name? Bingo on rainy days. Running early for the patch. Just the best time and place on earth. Still the only Spanish I know is all the swear words I learned. Where are Chris Anderson and Moyad?
They were my boys. I could go on and on and on. CFE = heaven.
Wow. In 1971 I was six years old and had two older brothers already at camp (Tom and Bob). Jim, (Jimmy then, a year younger than I) also came to camp. I was quickly given the nickname “Wavey” (thank you, Sue Black!) because I had a bit of trouble saying my own name. Little did I know that I would spend the next nine summers as a camper and then three more on staff until camp closed my senior year in high school, 1983- a total of twelve years (seems like 12 seconds!)
A few significant events of camp: being rousted out of bed by Coach Black every morning, anticipating what activities we would be assigned during “formation”, color wars (Hal was a GREAT Great White Spirit- a role I had the honor of emulating later in my CFE career), Mackinac Island (watching the road whiz by through the floorboard of the bus, and “Black burgers” cooked at a rest area on the way back), hoping and hoping to be asked to ring the bell, dreading the responsibility of being asked to raise or lower the flag (ugh, folding it in a triangle!!), dreading boxing and wrestling nights (but doing it, by God, because Coach Black was watching!), laying on the top bunk in one of the tents during rest period with the flaps up and watching the leaves flutter and the clouds go by. All of you know that’s only a tidbit of life at CFE- I could go on for a long time.
From camper I became Kitchen Boy. I used to love to hate the smell of rotten eggs emanating from the grill as I cleaned it with a “grill brick” and plenty of vinegar. And of course the “Slop-Pit” where all the left-overs (mostly creamed eggs, I think) were put to rest in a pit behind the bus.
Then I was Archery counselor, and then charged with the Waterfront the last year of camp. Alex helped me secure a counselor position at another boys camp in 1984- it just wasn’t the same. Their philosophy was around pleasing the kids to secure repeated attendance versus instilling life-long values that I had learned at CFE; I lasted only two weeks there.
My most significant memories, most impactful memories on my adult life, are the memories I have of Green Chapel. Every Sunday morning we would quietly walk across the ballfield to that sacred place in the trees where Council Fire was held. There, Alex, and occasionally Coach Black, would bestow upon us the wisdom of their experiences and beliefs. Never was there a denominational component, never were we told what to believe. But when we were asked to close our eyes and just listen, listen to the leaves rustling, listen to your neighbor breathing, listen to the bee buzzing, you knew, you just KNEW, there was something bigger than you out there.
Lastly, I relate this story… In 1999 my wife Stacie and I were camping in Grayling and of course I wanted to show her CFE. I had visited a number of times previously, camped at forty pines (many times with my brother Tom) and on the ballfield. That day we came unannounced and were welcomed with open arms by the Blacks and Tess and the Smiths (current owners). When I asked where Alex was I was told he was sent on an “errand” while preparations were made for a surprise birthday party! What good fortune! It was such a thrill to see Alex and share banana splits with everyone- I even got to ring the bell again!
I used to play soccer with Hector Suarez at Camp Flying Eagle!!!
He was one of the cats that I camped with for a couple years!! How’s it going man?!!!
I remember raiding the other tents—one time in particular we had knocked some stakes into the ground outside the tent entrance during the day when the other campers were not in the tent- possibly the Apache Tent? With the oldest campers? –anyway- late that night we stretched thick wire from stake-to-stake across the tent entrance, about six inches from the ground, and yelled at the campers to wake them up- then we squirted them with ketchup from the dining hall as they ran outside the tent and tripped into the dusty trail in the dark!!- I remember the Apache Tent always talked “stuff” to the younger campers!! Payback at age 12!! If you were one of my pals that helped out with this well-coordinated attack back in the 1970’s, please email me!! I believe this was the second summer I was a camper there!! (1978?)
What else? The bike trips (we beat the Flying Eagle bus up to the Mackinaw boat!!), LOTS of afternoons of Judo instruction with Cindy the Judo Instructor. The Judo pavilion was one of my favorite places every morning!!! Thanks Cindy – wherever you are – for the instruction of martial arts over several years at Flying Eagle!! The mythical “underground bowling alley” that the counselors had in their building–Mr. Black walking around the field to wake everyone up in the early morning — “Alright alright alright- everybody up !!”
The ‘Camper/Counselor Hunt’- and trying one year to hide in this tree, but I was spotted. The next year I prepared a spot with lots of leaves and branches- and eluded detection. What exactly was the award for that?
Anyone remember? Something from the Sugar Shack?
The bonfire award ceremonies… I received lots of award patches, almost too many for the sash to accommodate!
–making several pairs of nun-chucks for campers in the crafts building, swimming across the lake a few times to get the swimming award, taking out the Sunfish sailboat as much as possible-and diving under to avoid the horseflies! I remember being just under the surface of the lake, looking up from underwater, and those biting horseflies would circle around waiting for me to come back up!!
At Camp Flying Eagle I became a badasssss archer, and I became a badassss shot with a rifle too.
Sooooo many memories – one of the photo archive pictures from 1977 is me on the pommel horse- I think the gymnastics instructor was Brian?
I remember being friends with this cat Stuart who was into punk rock, and buying the Plasmatics album “Beyond the Valley of 1984” when I was 11 years old on a Flying Eagle day-trip to Traverse City. We all loved the picture of Wendy O. Williams on the cover!!
I remember hanging out with the Mexican campers mostly – we all liked soccer alot, and I learned some of my first Spanish words from them too!-they brought tapes of Mexican disco music that was popular in the later 1970’s-“Video Killed the Radio Star” and the “Stars on 45”, and I wish I still had those tapes- they were great!!
I remember spraying OFF! mosquito repellant on the tent above my bunk to keep the mosquitoes away– the OFF! ate through the waterproofing on the tent, so when it rained, the water rolled right on through the tent and dripped onto my bunk-bed! (First and only year I made THAT mistake!)
I will add more as this flood of memories continues- I hope alot more people find this website and can contribute memories to the archives!!
Hi all. I must apologize for the amount of time it’s taken me to find the place that holds so many dear memories for me… my summers at CFE are, without a doubt, some of the fondest memories I have of childhood and into my teens and adult years. While spending time looking back at all the little life’s lessons Alex, Tess, Dick & Gloria (hope my memory is right with Mrs. Black’s name) instilled in me during those summers at CFE… I noticed a copper tooling I did with the help of Deb on the site and a pic of one of my many tribes… a few old pics of Jeff Ehlers, Mike the Bike, Alex doing a dive after a ton of nagging from the campers for him to do it!
I am thankful that Susie Black ended up at my Mother and Father’s horse riding camp Canadea Acres as a young boy or my mid-summers journeys may have been all together different. Thankfully… I spent them at CFE!!
I will never forget the Color Wars, win or lose… it was a Great time!! I have so many memories I can share, not sure there is room on this site to mention them all… even though I was not blessed with my first child until the young age of 40 (Lilly, now 19mths) and my 2nd at 41(London, now 4 1/2mths), my wife and I have been in discussion of late about moving back to MI from Las Vegas (we have the want for our children to grow up and to be around family, my brother has 5 and was a one timer at CFE) and as we discussed it more and more, I said to myself, check google and see if CFE is still around, wanted a place for my son to go and grow during his summers as I did… come to find out, I was 25 yrs too late, heck, I even missed out on the 25th yr of CFE during the summer of 1980, due mostly to work as a caddy at Pine Lake C.C. and sports that summer and had lost touch after attending my first reunion in East Lansing in early ’80… Alex presented me the “Football Award” and dubbed me “The Mean Joe Greene of CFE”… I am pretty sure after all these years I have a few of the awards and sashes somewhere and I know I have pictures, mostly B&W!! but would like to try by keeping in touch and have an opportunity to reunite with some of the old gang of CFE from the 70’s. By chance, is another reunion in the works anytime soon..?
On a different note, I had moved back to MI from Las Vegas in late ’02 to take care of my father before he passed in early ’03 and we discussed politics, business, my journeys while in the Marine Corps and my summers at CFE… My heart goes out to the Canja Family and all those in the CFE family who have benefited from knowing Alex and how much he helped shape us into the people we are today and I am eternally grateful! Thank you! Hope this message finds all of you happy, healthy & doing well!! … Look forward to hearing from you!
I have fond memories of Tess and Alex and my experiences at Camp Flying Eagle. The camp experience clearly helped me develop as a person and it help shape my values in life. I feel blessed.
I was a camper from 1959-1962. My nick name was “Pancake . ” I held the camp record for eating 22 pancakes at one meal. I also ate 9 bowls of ice cream at one meal.
I clearly did not go hungry while at camp. My mother especially liked Alex because he was a graduate of the University of Michigan as was she. Unfortunately for her , all of her sons graduated from Michigan State University.
I will always remember the softball game we played against Camp Tanuga down the road and I was pitching. Coach Black was impressed with my pitching and he was really impressed with my home run into center field where no one could find the ball in the trees. Given my base speed it was the only chance I had to make it around the bases and score a run. I had great potential, but I liked the food at the camp! I realized my potential later in life, but the camp provided me with the foundation to succeed.
I will not be able to attend the reunion this year, but I plan to stop at Camp Flying Eagle to show my daughter and son the camp. Thank you for being part of my life.
I attended CFE for five years (1971-1975). (Got the five band radio as my five year gift). CFE made such an indelible impression on me that just last summer I took a “side trip” coming home from Up North with my 12 and 9 year old daughters and visited the camp. It was a beautiful sunny day like they always used to be. As I stepped out of my car the memories came flooding back. We walked the playing field and the path to the bon fire site. Walked past the younger kids cabin (where I was Color War captain the year we won it and got “all the ice cream you could eat”). Walked to the assembly area and down to the lake. No more diving platform, but I remember it clearly. I remember betting one of my cabin mates my candy store allotment if he’d take a bite of the soap residue left on the beach following the Saturday night lake baths.
The memories are too great to count, but a few of them are: bug juice, last finger to the nose had to “scrape” the plates, softball, pinball bombardment on the basketball court, movie night….still remember Bridge On the River Kwai and Guns of Naverone like they were yesterday, Candy Store, bear scares, rolling up the tent flaps and listening to the wind rustling the leaves during after lunch quiet time, letters from home, thunderstorms in the tent, going to Dead Man’s Hill (Jordan River Valley) on a long bike trip; 40 Pines, canoeing the Manistee, Daddy Long Legs everywhere, getting the new CFE tee shirt every year. Thanks Tess for calling. CFE was a core part of a very happy childhood.
Memories? I don’t think that I forgot a moment of camp. Whether it was laying in the ballfield watching the Northern Lights, raiding other tents, trying to get into the CQ, or, most of all, the friendships that were developed at CFE. Hector Suarez and I had the pleasure of traveling back up to see Tess a couple of years ago and enjoying it all again. The memories flooded back! We actually swam the lake back and forth, how in the world did we do that when we were all young?
I realized how much CFE meant to me the other day when I was able to recite an entire day’s schedule to my son Peter. I have actually found myself waking him up in the morning very similar to how Mr. Black and Alex used to wake us up, “All right All right All Right it’s a beautiful day today at Camp Flying Eagle!” I have missed my high school and college reunions, but I won’t miss this one!
Gale and I wanted an experience working at a camp, so when Alex came to CMU for “camp day” we went and filled out applications for several camps. On the CFE form there were many boxes to check for experience doing certain things. I told Gale to check them all and we will learn what we don’t know.
Alex called to invite us to join him and Tess and Dick and Gloria Black. Gale was sent to school for two weekends to be certified as a state-registered camp health director and I finished my WSI (water safety instructor certification) at Central, and off we went.
What a great four summers we had at CFE! I still use my shaving kit from 1972 and I have my wallet from 1973.
I was the Waterfront Director and the counselors and I had to carry the motor boat down to the lake each year to get it ready. It took a dozen of us to accomplish the task and a lot of sweat. The water was very cold to start the summer. I didn’t know how to ski that first summer and I had to learn before the kids came. We always had last call for skiing before dinner and the counselors would come down for a quick turn around the lake. The good ones would hop on one ski from the beach, make two trips around the lake and finish on the beach not getting wet before going up to dinner.
I remember learning to play Capture the Flag and at night after dinner playing using the whole camp and running all over the place. What a workout!
Gale enjoyed her time with the first aid needs of the young boys, but trying to keep the doctor appointment times straight was a challenge because Flying Eagle did not operate on daylight savings time. And, having our son Aaron there after his birth in 1973 kept us both busy.