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Sunday, July 21st, 2002

Can you believe it? Second Session 2002 at Camp Nicolet has been underway for more than a week already! Wow! It seems like yesterday everyone was just arriving at camp! Welcome to another exciting edition of "News From Franklin Lake" where we'll tell you about the phenomenal Isle Royale trip, outstanding overnights, the cabin caper challenge, the camp sister party, and more! And, of


Welcome to Second Session 2002 at Nicolet!

course, the week ahead is full of more exciting activities, so be sure to check out the events calendar! Now, as we begin Second Session, here are newsletter correspondents Katya and Caitlin to tell us why Camp Nicolet is such a fun place: "The biggest and most important reason why camp is so fun is the friendships. For example, we (Katya and Caitlin) met at the beginning of camp. Now we are great friends. The friendships at camp last forever. Another reason why Camp Nicolet is awesome is Campfire. Campfire is a great way to bond with the rest of camp. We sing songs like "Everybody Loves a Saturday Night" and "A Boy and a Girl." Everyone loves and looks forward to Campfire. Another cool thing about camp is it offers many cool activities, such as Smallcraft, Water Skiing, Tennis, Arts & Crafts, Horseback Riding, Swimming, and Sports. We love Camp Nicolet!" Thank you, Katya and Caitlin. With those happy thoughts in mind, welcome to Week 5 and Think Sunshine!

Excellent Events at Nicolet:

Sunday, July 21st: Vespers
& Second Session Talent Show!

Monday, July 22nd: Sylvania I departs
& Electives

Tuesday, July 23rd: Sea Kayakers depart
& Kawaga Invitational Water Ski Tournament

Wednesday, July 24th: Sylvania I returns
Sylvania II departs
& Cookouts!

Thursday, July 25th: Electives
& Sea Kayakers return

Friday, July 26th: Sylvania II returns

Saturday, July 27th: Campfire!

Sunday, July 28th: Vespers


Welcoming new friends to Camp Nicolet for Second Session!

The Cabin Caper Challenge!
by Mary Goodman

Birch versus Fir and Birch versus dust - a never-ending challenge. One of my goals for the summer is the cleanest cabin award. It's the glory of having your name engraved on a plaque as well as fame and a place in camp history. But that is not all of it. There is much, much more. Thickening the plot, Birch cabin has some competition. My counselors in Birch, Jodi and Kelly, have made a bet with the counselors in Fir, Trish and Allison, that whoever loses, those counselors have to jump in the lake with their clothes on. Not wanting embarassment and shame to our cabin (as well as extra wet clothes), we will strive to keep Birch as clean as possible. I plan to take home "the gold" as well as the traditional trip to Dairy Queen and the special treat of attending a special ski show. What a prize! The questions remains: Birch versus Fir - Who will win? Birch versus Dust - Who will be Swept?

Nature's Challenge to Us:
Isle Royale
by Alison Schmidt



Last week I had the opportunity to participate in the Isle Royale wilderness trip. This trip gave me the most upclose view of nature I have ever experienced. Over my seven day travels, nature not only showed me how beautiful it is, but what a challenge it can be. We would wake up in the morning and there wouldn't be a cloud in the sky. Our weather was absolutely beautiful. When we would begin to hike, the beautiful sun would continue to shine and would get hotter and hotter. The heat would make our hikes very difficult and challenging, but when we reached our destination, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. The scenery was phenomenal. The trees, the clear water, and the animals were all untouched and wild. It was a sight unlike any I have seen before. As wonderful as it was, however, the natural habitat made hiking very difficult. The rocks, roots, and hills we had to hike over were so hard and at some points seemed impossible. Since it was so difficult, it was that much more rewarding when the trip was finished. I know I experienced a trip of a lifetime, and the challenges and sense of accomplishment which nature presented me I shall remember forever. Invitational Sailing Regatta!

One Step at a Time:
Isle Royale
by Rachel Stern



The Isle Royale wilderness trip really showed me how different environments can change one's perspective. We were whisked off for seven days to a place where personal appearance meant nothing and endurance was everything. Hiking uphill on the mountains was more than treacherous - the roots blocked our path, and the burning sun parched our throats. The things once important to us at home - how our hair looked, if our clothes were sweaty or dirty, and even basic personal hygiene - seemed frivolous in the wilderness. Instead, we learned the importance of "taking one step at a time" and techniques for getting up hills and around obstacles on the trail and in life. Nature brought us new challenges and, thus, new experiences, such as testing our stamina while swimming in the more than icy waters of Lake Superior. The trip strained our muscles, tried our patience, and boosted our confidence. But most of all, it showed us a new side of ourselves - a side whose emergence was precipitated by the new environment we experienced.






Overnight at Tiger's Tail
by Camille Snyder

I jumped out of the canoe, almost without thinking. As soon as my feet touched sand, I knew I had forgotten to roll up my pants. I looked down, already knowing what I was going to see; my jeans sitting on my legs, in the water. I cringed, and thanked myself for bringing two pairs of pants. That was my first experience at Tiger's Tail, and it wouldn't be my last, either. My experiences there ranged from new kinds of food, to old games which I hadn't played for a long while. As everyone else at Nicolet had on their cookouts, we, too (Balsam cabin), had tacos for dinner. It was the best of all the cookout meals we had had so far this summer. My cabinmates, counselors, and I ate hungrily after our long canoe to "the tail." The food the next morning was supposed to be pancakes, but they didn't quite turn out as planned. They were a little undercooked in the middle, and a little burned on the outsides. But our hunger overpowered us, and all of us ended up eating the not-so-perfect pancakes. Also on the campout, my cabin and I played some games which included a wierd card game no one really understood - but it was entertaining anyway. We also played Mafia and a new version of Mafia - both were quite enjoyable for all of us. It consists of a burglar and a detective. The point of the game is to have the detective think the wrong person is the burglar, or to have the detective stumped. This game is really fun and was played lots of times. All in all, my overnight at Tiger's Tail was a very fun experience. I'm sure I'll do it again next year!


Fun Things to Do
- at -
Camp Nicolet 2002
by Meredith Bonnett

There are lots of activities at Camp Nicolet. You have Water Skiing, Swimming, Smallcraft, Sports, Arts & Crafts, Horseback Riding, and Tennis. Smallcraft is very fun. You do

Friends from near and far unite at Nicolet!

everything from sailing to windsurfing. It's always a good day when your cabin has sports - an activity which is really really fun. In sports you play games such as kickball, trampball, and softball. But, if you're really artistic, Arts & Crafts is just right for you. You make all sorts of cool projects. Horseback Riding is also very fun. There are about 12 horses and you learn to ride them properly. These are just some of the many awesome activities at Camp Nicolet!

The Camp Sister Party
by Kari Grace

The Camp Sister Party was on Tuesday, July 16th, 2002 at 7:30 pm. First we found our camp sisters and got to know each other. Then we sang some songs. For example, one of the songs we sang was "Give Me Oil for my Lamp." Next we assembled into groups of four and played games like "Scharades" and "Honey, I Love You." Later we roasted marshmallows over the campfire and made S'Mores. To end the night, we all went on boatrides in the ski boats. All in all, the Camp Sister Party was really fun!



The cast of "Tell Me Another" and Tae Kwon Do participants -
all part of 2002 Little Theatre Presentations


From The Editor:
by Jeremy Starz

Thank you again for checking out this edition of "News From Franklin Lake." We do apologize for the delay in getting this edition to you. Second Session is off to a more-than-great start, and we are very proud of all our campers and staff - proud of our CITs and ACs for doing such a wonderful job on Isle Royale and establishing it as a Nicolet tradition for years to come. We're proud of our Sylvania trippers - campers in Juniper and Cedar - who will depart this week. We're proud of our sailors who participated in the Menominee/Kawaga/Nicolet Invitational Sailing Regatta held earlier this week. Proud of our skiers who will participate in the Kawaga Invitational Ski Tournament on Tuesday, July 23rd. Equally important, we're proud of Little Fawn Campers who row a boat for the first time, those in Fir who drop a ski, and those in drama who get a part - any part - in a Little Theatre Production. And moreover, we're proud of our outstanding staff who continue to contribute positive, educational experiences to the greater program through their skills, talents, and knowledge. While we are proud of our campers and staff, I beleive campers, themselves, are proud to be a part of this camp experience. I have two more items from newsletter correspondents I would like to share - two items, I believe, which illustrate a feeling of belonging to this great experience; an experience which encompasses friendships, traditions, learning, and "the Spirit of Nicolet." The first item, a haiku poem by Cary Douglas, sets the scene:

Pine trees everywhere
Tall, graceful, and beautiful
Surrounding the lake

With this in mind, Cory Gartenberg writes the following about time spent at Nicolet - it's called "Every Minute at Camp."

Every minute at camp makes me feel happy
Being with all my friends we are like
One big happy family
The skiing, the riding, it's all so fun
We are having so much fun together, oh
Yes, a whole ton
We are all connected instantly, very, very fast
And now so many memories have already past
I wish that I could stay at camp forever
I will never forget these memories never
Ever Ever

Some wonderful thoughts from campers - illustrating some of the truly phenomenal memories which being part of a positive camp experience can provide. And as we begin Week 5, we are reminded the summer is far from over. We hope for many, many more positive experiences to come, as we anticipate the departure of the Porcupine Mountains I and II trips, Disney Day, and more! Be sure to check back later this week as we tell you about Harry Potter Day, Quiditch, Cookouts, and a special report on "wildlife" (well, kind of) in the northwoods! Thanks for reading this edition of "News From Franklin Lake!"

Past Issues of "News from Franklin Lake":
July 10th Edition
July 6th Edition
July 3rd Edition
June 29th Edition
June 26th Edition
April 25th Edition