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ondessonk celebrates 50 years with gala, auctions

Story and photo by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

So many people, so many memories. Camp Ondessonk is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and held a dinner and auction April 18 at the shrine.

“We sold out,” Dan King, camp director, said.
“Sold out” meant 358 people had purchased tickets for the event which included a variety of auctions: silent, super silent and oral Deal or No Deal and a paddle call.
Former campers, counselors, members of the Lodges of Tekakwitha (for girls) and Ondessonk (for boys) were on hand.

According to camp’s web site, the Lodges are Honor Camping Societies.

Their purpose is to promote, through outstanding citizenship, the ideals of Christian living and the interest of Camp Ondessonk, both at Camp Ondessonk and in the community.

Former camper and counselor Kathy Green Hartmann began her association with camp in the mid-1960s as a camper, and continued with her becoming a counselor later.

“I loved the outdoors, and it was so beautiful there,” she said.

Keith Brennan followed the same path, first as camper and then as staff.

Describing the evening, King said: “It was wonderful; great energy, fantastic participation. The crowd’s enthusiasm for socializing made our speeches difficult.”

June 6, former campers and staff are invited back to camp for the day to revisit some of the activities so familiar them. The gates open at 10 a.m.
Free lunch will be served. For more information about the activities, please go to Camp Ondessonk’s web site at www.ondessonk.com.