Bonus Episode: Audio Tour of Camp Storer 1980s

Here we are at the last week of June 2018.  I’m so glad that there’s nothing going on this week!  The Stoney Lake Reflections project is in full swing with so much material in the pipeline and barely any time to publish it all.  But that’s a good problem to have.

I found the following piece of audio history in the archives and thought it appropriate to share this week as so many are headed back to camp.  Take a listen and perhaps play it on your way to camp.  And if you can’t join us in person for the 100th, listen to this virtual tour of camp from the 1980’s.

If you would like to learn more about The Stoney Lake Reflections Project’s work with the archives, read on!

ARCHIVAL WORK

I like to remind people that this project is much more than the podcast as there is the website (which you are viewing right now) and also some deep behind the scenes work taking place with the YMCA Storer Camps archives.

The archival piece of the project is one that I have not talked a lot about yet, but it is vital when considering any piece of Storer’s 100-year history.  I’ll be writing more about it and highlighting some unique contents of what the archives hold. I’ll also be discussing a proposal that would involve cataloging, organizing, preserving and the eventual sharing of the contents found therein.  I have some grand goals for a project that will be big in scope, utilize technology to its fullest potential to preserve, protect, and yet share key pieces of YMCA Storer Camps visual history.  Perhaps the passion is from my love of anthropology. It doesn’t hurt that my Uncle was once head librarian at the New York Public Library (then Syracuse U.) and his son, a Storer alum,  was involved in the Harvard University Library system.  My oldest brother is also heavily involved in the pursuit of family history including geneology.

I do want to take a moment here to thank camp for allowing me access to the archives during my trips to Storer this past year.  Specifically, I want to say a BIG thank you to Becky Spencer for indulging my passion for history.  In this case, Storer Camps history, allowing me to view the collection satisfying my social and cultural anthropological curiosities.  I thrive on digging into a culture’s shared ideas, beliefs and values.  The ability to investigate historical records, catalogue artifacts and the ability to share the wealth of information that lies in 100 year’s of history.  A history of personal interest.

I also want to thank Becky and others for putting up with my broken record of reminders regarding best practices for the archives, which encompasses a wide-range of issues.  I’ll be diplomatic and say I’m passionate about the archives and believe in (and have goals to attain) their fullest potential.  As my best friend kids, whenever I talk about the Storer archives, he likes to quote Indiana Jones as he gets excited “It belongs in a museum!”   Despite my enthusiasm for the records, I’m grateful that camp still welcomes me back to access the archives.

As the Stoney Lake Reflections Project evolves, so shall too the archives piece.  If you are interested in learning more, feel free to stop me at the 100th and ask.  Or drop me a line.

“History is who we are, and why we are the way we are” – David McCullough