Heepwah to the Dreamers and Innovators! Marathon – Part Two
By Pati Egan
The Marathon Race was born from one person having an idea and working as a Staff team to create something amazingly awesome. The new Marathon is different. Sorry kids, no Pony Express Riders, no stripped boats, boondoggle instead of nailing, and I don’t believe chips are used. Our unit leaders didn’t run the race with the kids, and we did not dress up unless you want to count the time Claire Hatch spray-painted her clothes gold for her 50th marathon, or Amy Menard’s special marathon shorts, but it is still the highlight of the week, and the campers are as enthused today as campers were in 1975.
Eventually, it evolved to Campers only having the sailboat hull.
Staff did create some ingenious ways to stay within the rules but pick up some time. One Unit Leader had her campers use their flip-flops as paddles to get the sailboats from one end of the lake to the Lalemant Staff Cabin – now called Lakeside.
Staff were very creative in making containers that campers put the chips in – everything from Pringles Cans to empty kitchen containers. Lots of duct tape was used to make the containers spill proof.
51 years later – that is a lot of Marathons! Heepwah to the dreamers and innovators
This is the route of the original race:
- Pony Express Riders 1 & 2
- Pony Express Relay Runner
- Sack Racer
- 2-Armed Racer
- Pasture Relay Runner
- Nail Pounder (Handicrafts)
- Surprise in LaCouer
- Word Finder at Office
- Fire Starter Runner
- Camp Fire Builder in Grotto
- Grotto Relay Runner
- Crab Walking Swimmer
- Swimming Relay Runner
- Sailboats Stripped Bare
- Garner Relay Runner
- Row Boating with No Oars
- Spillway Runner
- Canoe Team
- Canoe Team lands at the Canoeing Beach – turns in chips, puts away canoe, hangs up life jackets
The Finished Project! This was created pre-copy machines. A mimeograph machine used the same master sheet week after week and year after year. The race started with all campers and staff assembled in front of the Original Administration Building (Staff Lounge).
One person had a vision for change. Change can, at times, evolve slowly. This was a rapid change welcomed by the campers and staff. It has changed from the original race, but change is good!
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