Camp Hollis, Oswego, NY

     I lived in a children's home from time I was six until the home closed when I was 11; at the end of that school year, I was fostered out to a farm in Pulaski, NY.     One of the genuine highlights of being a 'Home kid' was going to Summer camp at Camp Hollis. Yesterday I 'stumbled on' this website:    http://www.friendsofcamphollis.com/
     I was so pleased and amazed that Camp Hollis not only still exists but also still serves with such strong support that I wrote to the contact listed on the website.

Follows is our brief correspondence (so far):

     I stumbled upon the Camp Hollis website today.

     I remember Camp Hollis vividly. I am now 66.

     I lived in the old Oswego County Children's Home at 132 Ellen Street in Oswego from 1951 (when I was six years old) to 1958 (I think) when the Home was closing. I was fostered out to a farm in Pulaski.

     Two weeks at Camp Hollis every Summer was a highlight of my years. I learned to swim there; I remember walking at night on hikes and hearing about the man who said, "I want my Golden Arm" and running with terror!<gg> I remember sitting on top of the monkey bars sullenly watching other kids play and a counselor coming to sit quietly near me ~ wisely just sitting ~ so I knew I wasn't alone.

     I don't know what it is like there now, but in the 50's there was one large long low building with a girls' dorm on one side of the dining room . We slept on cots in rows and got to laugh and tell secrets and even cry.

     The path from the dorm to the beach was rough and steep and fairly short as the long buiding was not far from the cliff.

     I am so pleased and delighted that Camp Hollis still seems to exist.

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Christine - Thank you so much for writing! You have some great memories of the camp...some that are similar to mine. I went to the camp when I was ages 8-14. I ended up working there as a counselor in my college years and then ran the camp from 1990-2010 (I just retired in January). In 2009 we produced a pictorial essay/book of the camp's early years. I am now working on the full history of the camp and would love to include personal memories like yours in the book. Would it be OK to use what you wrote?

     Also - if you live locally you can get a copy of the book by just stopping out to the camp (you should stop by if you are in the area...it is very different then you remember but still beautiful). If you don't live in the area and you can supply me with a mailing address I can mail you a copy of the pictorial book...no charge....a gift from the camp.

     Thanks so much for writing!

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     You are welcome to use anything I write and this picture.

Christine

(Remind not to go back and edit posts. The editing function seems to mess things up!)