*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
FALL 2005
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Put away the Halloween costumes, clean out
your gutters and puzzle over the recent elections.
And sit down and read the latest Fall issue of the Whitaker-Bearskin Connection newsletter!
Table of Contents
”Miracle
Forest” – The Story of Camp
Ballet Folklórico de Carlos Moreno
Happy
Anniversary, Bob and Jean!
A Message from Our Noble Leader!
Diabetic Youth Foundation Updates Mission Statement
“
By
Maria Wolf
"
This book details the medical,
historical, and social context for Olney and Simpson's innovative approach to
diabetes management and their focus on the development of the whole child.
Their efforts changed countless lives and provided a model for diabetes camps
around the world. The gift that Olney and Simpson created so many years ago is
a gift that keeps on giving. Today, 68 years later, Bearskin Meadow Camp, run
by the Diabetic Youth Foundation, continues to enrich and empower another
generation of diabetic children and their families.
The Diabetic Youth Foundation is
fortunate to have a history of generous people supporting its efforts. If you
would like to help ensure that the DYF continues making a difference in the
lives of those affected by diabetes, contact DYF on the web at www.DYF.org.
The book sells for $24.95 and may
be ordered from the DYF by calling them at (925) 680-4994 or e-mailing them at info@DYF.org.
By
Yvonne “Fawni” Keiser
Holidays are a stressful time
for many people and there never seems to be enough time or money to accomplish
every thing a person needs to get done at such times. While most people can deal easily enough with
holiday stress those who suffer from diabetes have a little more difficult time
because stress can send blood sugars soaring or plummeting and making it harder
to control their diabetes. The following
tips should provide some stress relief or prevent stress in the first place.
1.
While your busy preparing for family, company, or other holiday related
activities don’t forget to test your blood sugar. This may seem redundant but often when we’re
extremely busy it is easy to forget to check our blood sugar which can result
in less than desirable numbers.
2.
When out holiday shopping it is easy to become stressed out, fatigued,
and end up with a low blood sugar. With the holiday crowds, pick pockets and
other criminals look for easy victims if you have a low blood sugar you may
stand out as easy prey. So rest as needed, don’t forget to eat, and shop with another
person. Shopping with a friend
assures that if anything does happen to you, you are not alone and criminals
are less likely to hit on people who travel in pairs as compared to the lone
individual.
3. When
your Christmas purchases start piling up take them out to the car and lock them
in your trunk. Having your arms full
makes you an easy target for pickpockets and thieves. Locking packages in your trunk makes your car
appear empty and not as enticing to break into as a car that is loaded up with
holiday shopping bags and packages.
4.
When preparing holiday foods it is easy to lose track of how many carbs you’ve consumed because most cooks want to sample
their wares to make sure things are turning out the way they should. However, sampling too many items can lead to
high blood sugars and cause stress. To
eliminate this problem keep track of what you’ve sampled and how much so that
you can cover it with insulin and avoid the high blood sugars.
5. During
the holidays many people spend week after week attending parties and other
social events. Usually there are a lot
of high fat and sugary foods at these events and many people over indulge,
berating themselves later for the weight gain or higher blood sugars. But there are ways to avoid this. You can eat something filling before going to
a party and then you won’t consume as much at the party. If there are foods that you just can’t seem
to stay away from try to think of a strategy to avoid eating so much of
them. For example, if you can’t leave
the cheeseboard alone, try eating some mint or take a mint drink with you to
the party. Mint and cheese do not mix
well at all and holding a drink in your hands will make it harder to keep
eating. It may sound hard but once you
get in the habit of thinking up strategies you’ll find it is a lot easier than
you think and you’ll be less stressed and much thinner than usual after the
holidays.
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season
with no stress!
It had been 30 years since either of us had been "in camp", and we
had a strong yearning just to visit, as we had spent 3 days in Yosemite and an
overnight in Sequoia! We didn't want to interrupt any programs that might be
running, so planned to arrive on a changeover day between Family Camp and the
next session.
Ah-h-h, the memories that wafted over us as we pulled into Quail Flat and got
out of the car to open the gate to Bearskin. A young counselor came up the road
on a bicycle and was quite concerned that we might be
coming into camp without any official clearance! While we understood the
need for security, etc., we weren't going to be deterred at that point and told
him we'd take responsibility for our presence there; he needn't worry a bit!
This new, young counselor, from
Camp really hadn't changed all
that much, we were relieved to note! Same ol' decks
(with the tarps down due to rainstorms for the preceding 2 days), same
beautiful rocks, creek, and environs! We were awestruck by the playfield, now
sown with GRASS! What an improvement.
As
Rita would not have been able to walk the trails, as we once had done for
hours, we pulled the van right up in front of headquarters, and noted the
absence of the beds we had used to see Doc and Ellen sleeping in the
“out-of-doors" by headquarters. We were THRILLED to find the tribute to
Doc (an article originally written for a newspaper in our era and now posted on
a bulletin board, protected by plastic, and clearly where all could read and
celebrate the lady who made it all happen!) We laughed to ourselves that Doc
would never have permitted "such a public display" of an article, but
read every word of it, and felt the emotion and pride that anyone who knew Doc
would have experienced. The young counselor, met previously, gapped his mouth
wide open with, "Oh, you mean you knew OIney?"
That seemed to have really impressed him!
As a former crafts instructor, Rita was amazed at how the trees had grown up
around the Craft Hall, and we had to take photos galore including those of the
2 bear statues outside of headquarters. We were amazed, as well, at the grass
around the Dining Hall, but little else had changed for us. It was still
"the same old camp" and we reveled in the memories we both shared
from our time spent there!
Pretty
soon, Frank came down to find out who we were and what we were doing there. And
when I presented the name of RITA FELIX, he replied, "Oh, I've heard that
name a lot!" We shared those we knew in common and Rita chuckled her way
through the reminiscences! It was such a special moment for all of us.
All too soon it was time to leave. We reluctantly returned up the path we had
known so well, in our van, and headed for Grant Grove. As we came around the
bend, a mother doe and 2 fawns stepped out of the brush. What a perfect, hushed
moment.
We had lunch in Grant Grove and shared the memories of our return to Bearskin all
the way home to the SF Bay Area. What a splendid way to have ended our week in
the Sierras!
In the Spring 2005 issue of the W-BC Newsletter, we had a great article by Jim Huertas on his dance career with a Mexican Folkloric dance troupe. Jim appears with the group Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno and wanted you all to be aware of their upcoming performance in the Bay Area. Jim writes:
"The Ballet Folklórico de Carlos
I started dancing with this internationally known dance company in 1976. Doc and Ellen went to this performance way back in 1978, and they enjoyed it very much. It is a very colorful and cultural experience you will also enjoy."
Dates: Friday, December 9, 2005, @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, December 10, 2005, @ 8:00 PM
Sunday, December 11, 2005, @ 2:00 PM (Matinee)
Tickets: $25.00 - Adults
$20.00 - Seniors/Students with ID
$15.00 - Children (under 12 years of age)
For tickets call: (510) 562-6046 or (510) 783-3456
Performance location:
25555 Hesperian Boulevard
For more information regarding Ballet
Folklórico Mexicano de
Carlos
And, for the ultimate in information, contact the master dancer himself, Jim Huertas, at:
¡El mejor de bailar y de
cantar!
That’s right. Bob and Jean Myles have just
celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary! We wish you both all our
best and continued happiness.
The preparations have started
already for the annual W-BC Luncheon.
Reservations have been made for January 21, 2006, and a $250 deposit has
been mailed to Spenger’s. Speaking of finances, after this check was
written, the W-BC balance was $308.09.The W-BC organizing group wants to again
thank the campers and family of campers who have made donations. If each camper made a $5 donation each year,
that would help with administrative costs.
Mickey Vassia
is not spending as much time in Argentina as originally thought, so he will
resume the role as contact person for W-BC gatherings following the upcoming
2006 W-BC Luncheon.
See you at the luncheon!
Scott
Mats Wallin, executive director of the
DYF, recently sent us the new mission statement for the Diabetic Youth
Foundation. Here it is:
“The mission of the Diabetic Youth
Foundation is to improve the quality of life for children, teens and families
affected by diabetes. The Foundation provides education and recreation
within a supportive community, encouraging personal growth, knowledge and
independence.”
Let us know what
you think of this new mission statement. E-mail the editor at:
Back
in the 1960s, at the very beginning of Bearskin Meadow, there were always
events that stood out and became a part of camp forever.
One
of these events was the taking of the camp session photo. Typically, this event
took place in the afternoon not too long after rest hour (another camp
tradition). An announcement would be made to come to the campfire and
counselors would rustle sleepy campers and CITs down
the dirt paths past headquarters. Once there, people were arranged usually in
cabin groups. Tree Top Tall and Sugarpine in front
rows, and
But
he appeared each year, setting up his camera and tripod, and maneuvering over a
hundred of us back and forth, squeezing everybody into place until the camera
was in focus and all of us were facing forward.
One’s
posterior could get a little sore while waiting for the picture to be taken. At
campfires, this was never much of a problem. For you could always wiggle around
and relieve any pressure. But it was a different story when it came time to
take a session photo. And, to top it all off, the photographer definitely had
to take 2 pictures in order to assure success.
And,
as with most pictures taken of groups, one always wanted to achieve a feeling
in the picture that convade happiness. Usually, an
audience was asked to say “Cheese!” prior to the shutter being snapped. One can
only assume that the phrase started in
Our
photographer, however, must have been from
These
pictures are now decades old. Your kids get a kick out of trying to find you in
them and laughing when they finally spot you. “Good grief, Dad; is that REALLY
you? You look goofy.” They also ask you “Didn’t you have colored film in those
days?” We, with all of our black, white and gray colorings,
and Limburger smiles frozen in place from 40 years ago.
But
every time you see these pictures, the Limburger smiles reappear.
Note:
The following links will take you to some old camp session photos. Once you
click on them, it will take some time for the photographs to load onto your
computer. Up to 3 minutes for high-speed lines like DSL, and upwards of 30
minutes or more for telephone line connections.
Bearskin Meadow -
3rd Session, 1963
Bearskin Meadow -
1st Session, 1965
Bearskin Meadow -
2nd Session, 1967
These
camp photos now appear on the W-BC web site at www.W-BC.org.
We are currently asking W-BC members to let us digitally copy your old photos
so that we can have as many of these old camp pictures as we can get onto our
web site for your viewing pleasure.
7th Annual W-BC Luncheon!
That’s right. It will soon be time to once again
celebrate the birth and life of Doc, the woman who started it all for us. Doors
open at 12:00 Noon and we will go until 4:00 PM. And once again, we will be
doing our celebrating at Spengers Restaurant in
Scott Humphrey has again reserved the Bay
Area’s best seafood restaurant this coming Saturday, January 21st,
2006. The luncheon, now in its seventh year, continues to be a great
celebration with old friends and new embracing each other and their memories of
camp. Catch up with each other and all the things that have happened in the
interim and enjoy the fantastic food presented by Sprengers
restaurant. And, unbelievably, THE PRICE HAS NOT CHANGED! The government is not
able to whip inflation, but the cheap frugal nincompoops intellects
of W-BC have, and we are not passing the expense onto our members. Yes, it is
still only $25.00 to dine with your friends. That is the same as it was in
2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999 (you remember 1999, prior to the
dot-com bust, when we did nott care about what things
cost?).
Spengers is located at
”Well,
gosh, how do I sign up for
this great annual get-together for diabetics and non-Ds alike?”
Good question! Just CLICK HERE! to
get your handy-dandy annual luncheon
sign-up forml. Or CLICK HERE. Or
even HERE. You’ll see
a copy of our sign-up form
which you can easily print on yur printer, fill out,
and send in to Scott Humphrey, who is once again coordinating the luncheon.
Got a question on the luncheon? Get in touch
with Scott
Humphrey at:
See you at the
luncheon, capmers!