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The magic of Algonquin
published 1998
By Janet Robson
In the dock overlooking South Tea Lake in Algonquin Park, eight-year-old Alaina sits in a white cedar log chair that's much too big for her. Her blue eyes are wide with
wonder, her face tanned. A huge smile
lights up her face.
"This is where 'Unca' Lou sat to watch all the campers play. He could see everything from this chair," she says, recalling the oft-told story about a man
who died 15 years before she was born. "Unca,"
a Native title of
endearment or honor, is how the campers of Tamakwa refer to Lou Handler, a
former prizefigher from Detroit, Michigan, who, together with Omer Stringer, a master canoeist and craftsman from Algonquin Park,
established Camp Tamakwa in 1936.
Handler met Stringer at another camp in Algonquin Park and they followed their dream to South Tea Lake, where they put their passion for nature, camping and sports -- particularly canoeing -- to work in a residential camp program. Their spirit is alive in traditions that have
been carried on for 62 years.
Today, senior
directors Vic Norris and David Bale, both former Tamakwa campers, work to ensure Handler and Stringer's dream is passed on to new generations of campers. They bought the camp in 1980, with Carol and Howard Perlmutter, who worked at Tamakwa under Handler's
guidance in the 1950s.
"We want the kids to see Camp Tamakwa as a
special, magical place, one that they will always
remember," says Bale, adding that the owners are
committed to providing a diversified program of camping for boys and girls aged seven to 16, always with Handler in mind.
"He was such a strong person," Howard Perlmutter says. "He was very strong minded, and physically he was a large, strong man. But he was a soft, warm
individual who had a tremendous influence on everyone he came in contact with."
Stringer also left his indelible stamp on the camp -- its strong canoeing tradition. Tamakwa campers
frequently go out on canoe trips of three, five and even sometimes 15 days. Norris says the canoe trips give the campers a unique chance to explore the park.
"The kids go to places they would never have seen unless they were travelling by canoe," he says. "The canoe trips are the single largest memory when campers leave Tamakwa."
At Camp Arowhon, another camp deep in the heart of Algonquin Park, this one on Tepee Lake, another kind of specialty defines the camping experience. Like many camps, this one has lots of rules, but here they include no canned vegetables, no factory-made soups and no hot dogs.
"It's unusual food for a camp because I have to eat it," says camp director Joanne Kates, who works in Toronto as a food writer and restaurant critic.
The camp was founded by her grandmother in 1934 and has been a family passion ever since. "She tried to create a camp that she would want her children to go to, and I do the same," says Kates. And, while the menu is unusual at Arowhon, this co-ed facility offers a traditional camping experience that helps campers develop an understanding and respect for the
wilderness. "We really believe that learning skills is the growing road to self-esteem. Kids leave here
feeling different about themselves," says Kates.
The camp sits on its own lake, so water sports are a main attraction. But the theatre program, started by Canadian actor Lorne Green when he was a drama student a Queen's University in Kingston -- he became
internationally famous on TV's Bonanza -- is also very popular.
Kates makes sure that all of the 450 campers, who come to Arowhon for sessions of two or four weeks, leave with fond memories. "We work very hard to be inclusive and caring. We're not a macho, competitive camp. Our camp is a very tight community," Kates says.
At Tamakwa, the canoe trips are only one of many tools aimed at building campers' confidence. "It's a challenge. You have to be resourceful and rely on each other. The kids really bond with one another. It offers a real personal sense of achievement, a breakthrough in their personal development," Norris says.
Daily canoe trips also foster a sense of family. Each morning, all 220 campers and the staff head down to the Trip Dock to send off the canoe trippers with hugs,
kisses and best wishes. It's like seeing a family
member off at the airport.
Eleven-year-old Daryl, a Californian who is spending her first summer at Camp Tamakwa, says the family atmosphere keeps her from being homesick. "Everyone knows each other. Even though it is my first time, I feel like I have been here forever."
The ringing of a bell signals that it's time for campers who aren't canoeing today to start their activities. Nineteen are offered and they are scheduled to ensure a balance of participation and fairness; the campers
get to choose how they will spend part of each day.
This year, a popular choice is roller hockey. In 1994, a new sports complex with a synthetic
"sportcourt" surface was added, making Camp Tamakwa among the first Ontario camps to have a
professional-size in-line skating and hockey rink.
"Of course, we have the traditional activities of
swimming, sailing, and land sports," says Norris, "but
it is important to keep up with the '90s."
Each activity is designed to help the campers reach their personal goals and build their self esteem. "The kids are learning how to deal with other human beings and use their problem-solving skills," says Bale. "Throughout life, in whatever you do, you need these skills to cope."
The ropes course is a prime example of how campers learn to work together to solve problems, he says. Campers, safely harnessed and connected by ropes
to spotters on the ground, have to climb tall trees and walk ropes that run from tree to tree. "The ropes course is dealing with the elements of nature.
The children have to think out a solution, implement it, and use teamwork in order to succeed."
The success of the many activities that foster unity
is evident in the camp's amazing spirit and energy. The younger children benefit from the support and guidance of those who are older.
A feeling of family warmth is
fostered by Tamakwa's intimate environment.
Tara is spending her fourth summer at Tamakwa.
"It is like a reunion every year, but I always meet new
people. Tamakwa is a second home to everyone who comes here. You are immediately attached. It is like heaven."
Ten-year-old Tara is from Michigan, as are about half the campers; the rest come from southern Ontario. Many are the children -- some even the grandchildren -- of former Tamakwans. Film star Chevy Chase, who once was a counsellor at Tamakwa, sends his children. Mike Binder, who wrote and directed the 1993 feature film Indian Summer, based it on his experiences as a Tamakwa camper. The founders of Roots, Michael Budman and Don Green, are also former campers who never miss an opportunity to trace their roots to Tamakwa, Bales say.
Norris and Bale have been working together since
the day they were assigned to the same canoe trip. "Ultimately, Tamakwa changed our lives," says Bale. "The campers here bond with certain people and, like for us, these connections are usually life long."
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