I'm writing this post in response to some comments left by Major Betty-Ann Lewis a while back...
Anyone who worked at Camp Selkirk in the 1987-88 era is sure to remember a special camper named Buford Organ. There was just something so unique about Buford and we all loved him immensely. Meal time with Buford was such a treat that the counselors all wanted him at their tables and the waitresses fought over the prilege of serving him.
My favourite memory of Buford though has nothing to do with the dining hall. The first day of camp I noticed Buford walking to the pool with a Mac's Milk t-shirt with a big rip in the sleeve. The next day he wore the same shirt without any sleeves. On the third day I nearly died when I saw him walking down to the pool with only the sleeves on his arms, no shirt!
Buford's dining room antics were legendary. He asked for marmelade at every meal and spread it on everything. He put orange juice on his pancakes. He would ask for a cheese sandwich if he didn't like what was being served. One time, as his waitress, I was serenaded with a beautiful rendition of "Jello in the Bowl" after serving him some Jello for dessert.
But the classic Buford story involves the time when we in the kitchen spied him licking the rim of the ketchup bottle at his table. We were all grossed out, especially Mrs. Lewis. Unfortunately his waitress didn't see this and she collected the ketchup bottle before we could get to it. It was placed on a table with all the other ketchup bottles, so we didn't know which one had been licked. We then had to empty, wash and re-fill every ketchup bottle in the place.
Who else remembers Buford? I wish I had a picture of him. Are there any other "special" campers who come to your memory?
Monday, March 19, 2007
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20 comments:
I thought the ketchup bottle had been rescued. I didn't realize they all had to be cleaned and refilled! I was a councellor then though, so I didn't see the kitchen happenings!
I wish I had a picture too. I'm surprised I don't, given his popularity.
I forgot about "Jello in the Bowl"! I also remember "could you put my plate in the sink please, I'm finished" to his waitress. Was that you Sue?
If I remember correctly, he was from Brantford. Maybe I'll run into him, now 20 years later!!
He definately is my most memorable camper!
Forgot to add, the pool t-shirt was definately my favourite memory!
Buford! One of my favourite Selkirk memories! Sharon Dannock (Jones) wrote a story about him for school which described him perfectly. Sue, I totally remember the day at the pool with just the sleeves!! I think I was a lifeguard that year. I also remember trying to burn ants with the sun through his glasses. What an attentive lifeguard I was. :) When I think of Selkirk, I think of Buford..I would love to know what he is doing now.
Krista van Hiel
Ha! Krista, I had completely forgotten about him frying ants with his glasses. So funny.
If he was 8 years old in 1987, it is entirely possible that he's got kids of his own now. Can you imagine a new generation of Bufords?
I don't remember the campers name though he came for two, maybe three years. What I remember is that his mother, who felt that gender identity should be developed and not sponsored, sent him to camp with as many girl's clothes as boys. I just remember a velvet long dress being worn, more than once, on the way to the pool! I wonder what happened to that little boy?
I think I have a picture of Buford. I've got to dig it up and scan it to you, Sue. Then you can confirm whether or not it is, indeed, him.
Krista....I remember the ants! I think we both had a good laugh over that one!
Karen
Karen...do you remember the evil bird attack that brought the camp running with our screams?! :)
Good times!
Krista van Hiel
Fred, did that little boy have blonde, curly hair? I think I remember a camper like the one you describe. It may have been Moms and Tots camp. If we're thinking of the same boy, it would have been around 1992/93. Maybe Sherri remembers him.
Now that you have identified Mom's and Tot's camp I believe you are right! I had forgotten that detail but yes that seems to match my memory.
Fred - that camper was at the Moms and Tots camp in 93 when I worked at camp. I don't remember the names of the kids, but I'm pretty sure that the boy had a sister too? I figured that they just shared their clothes as they were either twins, or really close in age. I do remember hearing that the Mom didn't want to force her children into commonly accepted gender roles.
I'm going to have to wrench my photos of James and Chris out of my photo album - they were easily my favourite Freshie campers - Natalie and Sherri will remember them well. So would Sajah, but I still haven't seen her on Blogger. :(
Krista - are James and Chris the "troll babies?" Where is Sajah? Mark - lead her here, would ya?
Yes, the boy was a child from the Moms & Tots camp. I feel quite confident in saying his name was Timmy! His twin sister was there too, although I can't remember her name, and I distinctly remember hearing that he liked to wear his sister's panties! And there WAS a green chiffon dress he wore at Christmas time.
The troll babies! I KNOW I have pics of them too! I went to music camp later that summer. The theme was sort of a jurassic park theme, and so I convinced our "team" to be named the "Troll-baby-sauruses"
OK, that last comment was posted by me... I'm just using Glenn's computer - I guess I was logged in under his account! Oops! Sorry babe!
I never called anyone a Troll Baby? You guys are mean!
I remember my days as a counselor at fressie camp.Might of been around 1980.We had a special camper named Luckey Pickle.Does anyone remember him?
SORRY I FORGET TO WRITE MY NAME.
Donna Haskell
my favourite camper was an officer's kid named Ron Barkhouse. I think he only owned one pair of underwear that he wore swimming to keep them clean. But, the thing I remember most, was he used to sleep with his eyes open. The first night we saw it, we thought he had died. He was also a sound sleeper, so nothing we did woke him. It was crazy!!!!
Donna... Lucky Pickle was from Simcoe Corps. He had a brother named Tony and his mother was Marion! Man, do I remember them! I haven't thought about them in years!!! My brother, Martyn, used to do hilarious impressions of him. Lucky took to Martyn and I can picture them quite vividly together! Thanks for reminding me!!!!!
Does anyone remember the Moms & Tots group from Ontario (HURON? I think)in July/August of 1997? I was one of the moms. My kids & I had a great time! My daughter was only 3 (& quite shy) at the time & my son was 5. I think about all those Moms & kids (& babies to be) quite often & wonder how they are all doing. If anyone remembers it or who was there at the time, please Facebook me & let me know. Sherry Gross (back then was Sherry Ivey). Kids are TJ & Jamie-lynn. I know the counselor who befriended my daughter, her name was Alannah
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