Comments on: Feeling of Home http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/ Listen to stories on anything from honeymoons to WWII, from award-winning journalists to first-time writers alike, from anywhere in the world. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:09:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Julene Schwartz http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57699 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:46:36 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57699 I was devastated when I heard the reason why the camp closed. I attended Wyoda from 79-86. I was in Bung 5,7,10,12,15, 16, CIT and JC. My final year I ran the woodcraft cirlcle, snacks at goodnight circle, taught beginner/advanced beginner horseback, taught sailing, competed in every single regatta on that lake. I canoed the CT River at least 20 times, climbed MtWashington 5 times, went to Volvo (Pro Tennis) every year. I loved the Hanover trips, parent's weekend, trips to Baker's for ice cream. And let's not forget if you were bad you had to sleep on Newky's porch....needless to say I spent a few nights there. My memories of camp are the sweetest most fond memories I have. It's so sad that Wyoda's reign had to end on such horrible circumstances. I was devastated when I heard the reason why the camp closed. I attended Wyoda from 79-86. I was in Bung 5,7,10,12,15, 16, CIT and JC. My final year I ran the woodcraft cirlcle, snacks at goodnight circle, taught beginner/advanced beginner horseback, taught sailing, competed in every single regatta on that lake. I canoed the CT River at least 20 times, climbed MtWashington 5 times, went to Volvo (Pro Tennis) every year. I loved the Hanover trips, parent’s weekend, trips to Baker’s for ice cream. And let’s not forget if you were bad you had to sleep on Newky’s porch….needless to say I spent a few nights there. My memories of camp are the sweetest most fond memories I have. It’s so sad that Wyoda’s reign had to end on such horrible circumstances.

]]> by: Kristen Bender (aka K.C.) http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57614 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:55:05 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57614 Wow...such a sad end...I also attended Wyoda for years until I actually made it to the junior counselors bung...I miss it...My family now lives in Vermont, although I am a New Yorker. I hear it was recently placed on the register of National Historic Places...which is nice to know. Perhaps there is a future for that special place. I know a few of the posters here - Heather Clendenin (how is Kelly?? Gosh I loved your sis, she was like a crazy second sister to me.), Talia Acampora (holy cow we got into trouble) and Brenna...I randomly googled Wyoda since nothing popped up on Facebook. The memories there will last a lifetime. If any of you Wyoda folks want to, please feel free to email me: rootsdaughter1@yahoo.com Miss those days. Wow…such a sad end…I also attended Wyoda for years until I actually made it to the junior counselors bung…I miss it…My family now lives in Vermont, although I am a New Yorker. I hear it was recently placed on the register of National Historic Places…which is nice to know. Perhaps there is a future for that special place. I know a few of the posters here - Heather Clendenin (how is Kelly?? Gosh I loved your sis, she was like a crazy second sister to me.), Talia Acampora (holy cow we got into trouble) and Brenna…I randomly googled Wyoda since nothing popped up on Facebook. The memories there will last a lifetime. If any of you Wyoda folks want to, please feel free to email me: rootsdaughter1@yahoo.com

Miss those days.

]]> by: robert mccarthy http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57541 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:57:56 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57541 well, here's my two bits as a former camp passumpsic counselor in the late 70s. i used to do mock amphibious landings on the wyoda waterfront with my squadron of canoeists. one time we stole the signs of all camps on the lake--including wyoda's i think and we were quite pleased with ourselves until the state police showed up. there were lots of camps on the lake but we always saw something special about wyoda. it was long ago now, the seasons have passed but it's the world as it has evolved--modernization...here's to more simple times. be well. well, here’s my two bits as a former camp passumpsic counselor in the late 70s. i used to do mock amphibious landings on the wyoda waterfront with my squadron of canoeists. one time we stole the signs of all camps on the lake–including wyoda’s i think and we were quite pleased with ourselves until the state police showed up. there were lots of camps on the lake but we always saw something special about wyoda. it was long ago now, the seasons have passed but it’s the world as it has evolved–modernization…here’s to more simple times. be well.

]]> by: heather clendenin http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57202 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:34:25 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57202 Hey there it's me: Heather Clendenin. Proud owner of the Wyoda Spirit paddle, sets of Wyoda dishes, and scars both emotional and physical. I appreciate the story Anne, it is one that needs to be told. I must say that there are some inaccuracies- but they probably don't matter. Wyoda was going downhill for years before the summer of 1995- the year the counselors were raped. If you recall there were about 18 campers total that summer. Campership was plummetting down for years. Wyoda was sold for financial reasons. I don't think that it is quite fair to say that it was because of the crimes committed. That is too heavy a burden for a Wyoda girl! Feel free anyone to email me: spacesparrow@gmail.com. Especially you Brenna...there once was a girl named Gorgone. Where the hell are Sara Giller and Cricket Odiseos?! Hey there it’s me: Heather Clendenin. Proud owner of the Wyoda Spirit paddle, sets of Wyoda dishes, and scars both emotional and physical. I appreciate the story Anne, it is one that needs to be told. I must say that there are some inaccuracies- but they probably don’t matter. Wyoda was going downhill for years before the summer of 1995- the year the counselors were raped. If you recall there were about 18 campers total that summer. Campership was plummetting down for years. Wyoda was sold for financial reasons. I don’t think that it is quite fair to say that it was because of the crimes committed. That is too heavy a burden for a Wyoda girl! Feel free anyone to email me: spacesparrow@gmail.com. Especially you Brenna…there once was a girl named Gorgone. Where the hell are Sara Giller and Cricket Odiseos?!

]]> by: REBECCA DELUCA http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57041 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:59:13 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-57041 MY PARENTS SENT ME TO WYODA IN 1987 AS MY MOTHER WAS THE NURSE ON STAFF THAT YEAR. AT THE TIME, I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE. AS THE SUMMER BEGAN TO PASS, I MET MANY UNIQUE PEOPLE & LEARNED MANY THINGS. I LOVED ARCHERY, ARTS & CRAFTS, AND MY FAVORITE HORSES BARNABY & PATCHES. MY BEST FRIEND AT CAMP WAS ERIKA. WE HAD A BLAST. I RETURNED AGAIN IN 1988...............IT WAS A JOY TO RETURN THE SECOND YEAR, A BIG CHANGE OF HEART COMPARED TO THE FIRST. THE SECOND YEAR I WAS ABLE TO GAIN A BIT MORE INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT MOM BEING THERE. I HAD THE SAME COUNSELOR SARA...TWO YEARS IN A ROW.............ANOTHER GREAT YEAR. I RETURNED IN 1990 TO WORK AT WYODA................FOR HALF THE SUMMER. A BIT OF A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR AN INCOME THAN BEING A CAMPER. I\'LL ALWAYS HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF WYODA.....REMEMBER THE DANCES WITH THE BOYS CAMP(S)? SNEAKING OUT OF THE BUNKS AT NIGHT? HANGING UNDERGARMENTS UP THE FLAGPOLE? THE BEST HAT CONTESTS? THE GRAFFITI ON THE BUNKS? THE LAUNDRY ROOM (THREE WASHERS? ONE DRYER? FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE?), HANGING OUT AT THE LAKEHOUSE? EVENING CIRCLE? TAPS? TO AWAKE AT THE CRACK OF DAWN & JUMP IN THE LAKE? THAT HUGE VINTAGE SLIDE? THE VW WAGON? JUNE\'S GREAT COOKING? THE PIANO? THE PLAYS? THE MUSIC? ROWING AN EMPLOYEE\'S BED OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE & SETTING IT UP LIKE A ROOM? KIKI? HAVING A CRUSH ON THE WATERSKI INSTRUCTOR TODD? HAVING TO WALK UP & DOWN THAT BELOVED HILL A MILLION TIMES A DAY..................TENNIS.........BONFIRES...........I WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND CAMP WYODA. OUR CHILDREN TODAY ARE TOO BUSY WITH THE COMPUTER & VIDEO ERA. TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE LIFE A BIT MORE COMPLICATED AS ALL OF THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE HAVE SEEMED TO DIMINISH IN SOME WAY. I AM FROM NJ..............MOVED TO FL.........THE STRANGEST THING HAPPENED. I WAS AT DISNEY WORLD WITH MY FRIEND FROM NJ WHOM ALSO WORKED WITH ME AT WYODA IN 1990...........I SAW TWO PEOPLE SITTING ON A BENCH.............I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE I KNEW THEM FROM..........I WALKED UP & SAID DID YOU GO TO WYODA? IT TURNED OUT TO BE JANET & HER DAUGHTER SARA WHO ALSO ATTENDED WYODA.......IT HAD BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE I ATTENDED & I DON\'T THINK THEY REMEMBERED ME............WHAT A SMALL WORLD???????????? NOW AS AN ADULT, I WISH WE COULD TURN BACK TIME..............CHILDREN ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN............ I HOPE THE PERVERSE MEN WERE PUNISHED TO THE FULL EXTENT......A REAL SHAME........I\'D LOVE TO VISIT ONE DAY - JUST TO READ ALL THE MEMORIES ON THE WALLS..............AS THAT CAN NEVER BE REMOVED WHILE THE BUNKS ARE STILL STANDING.............A SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE.............WHO\'S HEART WAS TOUCHED BY WYODA.................MARY KAY WAS ABLE TO TEACH, CHANGE, & ENCOURAGE CHILDREN IN A POSITIVE MANNER............MANY THANKS!!!!! JUST A SHORT REMINISCE OF THE PAST MY PARENTS SENT ME TO WYODA IN 1987 AS MY MOTHER WAS THE NURSE ON STAFF THAT YEAR. AT THE TIME, I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE. AS THE SUMMER BEGAN TO PASS, I MET MANY UNIQUE PEOPLE & LEARNED MANY THINGS. I LOVED ARCHERY, ARTS & CRAFTS, AND MY FAVORITE HORSES BARNABY & PATCHES. MY BEST FRIEND AT CAMP WAS ERIKA. WE HAD A BLAST. I RETURNED AGAIN IN 1988……………IT WAS A JOY TO RETURN THE SECOND YEAR, A BIG CHANGE OF HEART COMPARED TO THE FIRST. THE SECOND YEAR I WAS ABLE TO GAIN A BIT MORE INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT MOM BEING THERE. I HAD THE SAME COUNSELOR SARA…TWO YEARS IN A ROW………….ANOTHER GREAT YEAR. I RETURNED IN 1990 TO WORK AT WYODA…………….FOR HALF THE SUMMER. A BIT OF A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR AN INCOME THAN BEING A CAMPER. I\’LL ALWAYS HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF WYODA…..REMEMBER THE DANCES WITH THE BOYS CAMP(S)? SNEAKING OUT OF THE BUNKS AT NIGHT? HANGING UNDERGARMENTS UP THE FLAGPOLE? THE BEST HAT CONTESTS? THE GRAFFITI ON THE BUNKS? THE LAUNDRY ROOM (THREE WASHERS? ONE DRYER? FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE?), HANGING OUT AT THE LAKEHOUSE? EVENING CIRCLE? TAPS? TO AWAKE AT THE CRACK OF DAWN & JUMP IN THE LAKE? THAT HUGE VINTAGE SLIDE? THE VW WAGON? JUNE\’S GREAT COOKING? THE PIANO? THE PLAYS? THE MUSIC? ROWING AN EMPLOYEE\’S BED OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE & SETTING IT UP LIKE A ROOM? KIKI? HAVING A CRUSH ON THE WATERSKI INSTRUCTOR TODD? HAVING TO WALK UP & DOWN THAT BELOVED HILL A MILLION TIMES A DAY………………TENNIS………BONFIRES………..I WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND CAMP WYODA. OUR CHILDREN TODAY ARE TOO BUSY WITH THE COMPUTER & VIDEO ERA. TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE LIFE A BIT MORE COMPLICATED AS ALL OF THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE HAVE SEEMED TO DIMINISH IN SOME WAY. I AM FROM NJ…………..MOVED TO FL………THE STRANGEST THING HAPPENED. I WAS AT DISNEY WORLD WITH MY FRIEND FROM NJ WHOM ALSO WORKED WITH ME AT WYODA IN 1990………..I SAW TWO PEOPLE SITTING ON A BENCH………….I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE I KNEW THEM FROM……….I WALKED UP & SAID DID YOU GO TO WYODA? IT TURNED OUT TO BE JANET & HER DAUGHTER SARA WHO ALSO ATTENDED WYODA…….IT HAD BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE I ATTENDED & I DON\’T THINK THEY REMEMBERED ME…………WHAT A SMALL WORLD???????????? NOW AS AN ADULT, I WISH WE COULD TURN BACK TIME…………..CHILDREN ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN…………
I HOPE THE PERVERSE MEN WERE PUNISHED TO THE FULL EXTENT……A REAL SHAME……..I\’D LOVE TO VISIT ONE DAY - JUST TO READ ALL THE MEMORIES ON THE WALLS…………..AS THAT CAN NEVER BE REMOVED WHILE THE BUNKS ARE STILL STANDING………….A SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE………….WHO\’S HEART WAS TOUCHED BY WYODA……………..MARY KAY WAS ABLE TO TEACH, CHANGE, & ENCOURAGE CHILDREN IN A POSITIVE MANNER…………MANY THANKS!!!!! JUST A SHORT REMINISCE OF THE PAST

]]> by: laura http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56637 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:23:32 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56637 I went to a camp in Maine for ten consecutive summers and cannot imagine how much life would have changed had I not attended. I also cannot imagine how my life would change today if it closed. Thanks for sharing your story. I went to a camp in Maine for ten consecutive summers and cannot imagine how much life would have changed had I not attended. I also cannot imagine how my life would change today if it closed. Thanks for sharing your story.

]]> by: Lynn Arrants Harrelson http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56505 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:35:47 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56505 "Wyoda, Fair and true in our hearts we belong to you..." "Remember the times we had here....." Oh it was grand!! My sisters and I were there early sixties. Tina, Nina and Lynn. Anybody remember taking the train up from Stamford? Each camp had their own railroad car. Our camp was the best!! No question, it was magical. Thanks to all - Lynn Arrants Harrelson “Wyoda, Fair and true
in our hearts we belong to you…”

“Remember the times we had here…..”

Oh it was grand!! My sisters and I were there early sixties. Tina, Nina and Lynn. Anybody remember taking the train up from Stamford? Each camp had their own railroad car. Our camp was the best!!

No question, it was magical. Thanks to all - Lynn Arrants Harrelson

]]> by: Patty http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56475 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:21:03 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56475 For some reason I just did a google search of Camp Wyoda. I have such fond memories of Wyoda and went there for 4 years, and it was a safe haven for me as a really shy girl. It was the only place that I could come out of my shell and learn to be away from my twin sister. I still remember all the camp songs too. It breaks my heart to think that a place that I look back on so fondly had to close from such a horrible act. I always felt safe there. For some reason I just did a google search of Camp Wyoda. I have such fond memories of Wyoda and went there for 4 years, and it was a safe haven for me as a really shy girl. It was the only place that I could come out of my shell and learn to be away from my twin sister. I still remember all the camp songs too. It breaks my heart to think that a place that I look back on so fondly had to close from such a horrible act. I always felt safe there.

]]> by: Elissa http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56270 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:15:05 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-56270 He came to my camp first and I told him to leave. He went to Wyoda and you know the rest. I think back on that night and wonder how I would have responded if I had known that he had a knife and what he intended to do. I didn\'t know the girls he attacked but was devastated nonetheless. Our bubble burst, too. If we weren\'t safe at camp in the woods of Vermont, where would we be safe?? My heart goes out to all those campers and staff at Wyoda - what he took from them... their camp and all the future summers. He came to my camp first and I told him to leave. He went to Wyoda and you know the rest. I think back on that night and wonder how I would have responded if I had known that he had a knife and what he intended to do. I didn\’t know the girls he attacked but was devastated nonetheless. Our bubble burst, too. If we weren\’t safe at camp in the woods of Vermont, where would we be safe?? My heart goes out to all those campers and staff at Wyoda - what he took from them… their camp and all the future summers.

]]> by: Talia Acampora http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-44424 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:52:57 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2007/02/27/feeling-of-home/#comment-44424 Oh my god, this is so so sad! I LOVED Wyoda. I attend for 9 years. I sadly learned of it's closing only years after, and never knew why. Wyoda holds such an incredible place in my heart forever. I cherish those memories, those idealic summers, and forever wish I could go back to that time just for one more short glimpse of a carefree childhood. Thank you for sharing! Oh my god, this is so so sad! I LOVED Wyoda. I attend for 9 years. I sadly learned of it’s closing only years after, and never knew why. Wyoda holds such an incredible place in my heart forever. I cherish those memories, those idealic summers, and forever wish I could go back to that time just for one more short glimpse of a carefree childhood. Thank you for sharing!

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