District Governor’s Corner
September 2021
One Summer to Remember
Folks:
I hope your summertime activities are going well and you have all had an opportunity to enjoy life with a vacation or a little time off from the daily pressures we face in life. My wife Mary and I were able to enjoy a week off this summer to travel to Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. While traveling, we reminisced about our childhood and family vacations. As this summer comes to a close amidst challenging circumstances, I found myself reflecting upon less complicated summers in my past. One particular summer came to mind that I would like to share with you all as we continue to strive towards brighter and better days ahead.
It was the summer of 1967, and I had just finished my sophomore year at Birmingham Groves High School in Birmingham, Michigan. One week later, I was back in Canton, Ohio. I was attending summer camp at Camp Tuscazor with my former Boy Scout Troop 37, chartered by Church of the Covenant. I had earned my fifth-year pipestone the year before, but I needed a few more merit badges to earn the Eagle Scout rank. I completed two more merit badges and had a great week camping with my old school and Scouting friends Bobbie, Ron, and Barry, and my highly respected Scoutmaster, Mr. Greenham (Mr. G).
My mom and dad picked me up at camp that Saturday afternoon. We drove back home to Michigan—I slept the whole way back. Once home, we unpacked the car. I unpacked/"dumped” all my dirty uniforms and clothes on the floor for my mom to wash. You see, I was leaving Sunday with my Scout Troop 1024 to attend Philmont Scout Ranch for two weeks. I was elected to serve as our youth crew/trek leader and had to be squared away for the trip. It was an adventure of a lifetime in my scouting youth.
I returned home about five pounds lighter. As it was, I was a tall and skinny kid weighing all of 145 pounds. I had another week off to be at home. I completed my Eagle Scout project that week by coordinating a cleanup project for the Birmingham District Schools. Then I was off for another week of summer camp with Troop 1024 at D-bar-A Scout Ranch north of Detroit. The younger Scouts stayed in a cabin for the week. Not me and the rest of the Senior Patrol—we pitched our tents and slept on the ground. We were tough. Leaders by example. I had already completed the required merit badges for Eagle rank prior to camp. I earned three more Merit badges that week, giving me a total of 24, which was more than enough for the Eagle rank.
I was having a good summer, but I soon received sad news from mom and dad after returning home. While I was at camp, Grandma “Gran” Wilder had died; her age had caught up with her. My mom and dad did not want to upset me at camp, as they knew I would be having a good time. I loved Gran. She lived with us for eight years. She was all of five feet tall, and she made the best pies. My mom did too. It was a peculiar feeling as a teenager not having her in my life anymore. She just wasn’t there. We buried her in Rockford, Illinois.
Soon I was on to my next summertime event: church summer camp. It was on a Saturday that myself and two of my friends from our MYF youth group waited at Beverly Hills United Methodist Church for a school bus to pick us up. We said goodbye to our parents and off we went for the six-hour ride north to the church camp at Pine Lake. There were twelve to fifteen boys and girls in the “senior” camp. We slept on cots in teepees. That was neat—I had never slept in one before. First class all the way.
It did not take long for our counselors to bring us together as we started becoming friends. We cooked, cleaned, swam, hiked, canoed, told scary stories around the campfire, burned hot dogs and marshmallows, rode horseback, practiced a little first aid for a few cuts and bruises, studied the stars and constellations, and more. We learned about teamwork in our group activities and came to understand that you should depend on one another for support in both good times and bad. Funny how a group of young kids who are different in race, culture, and background and had not known each other five days ago could become friends so quickly. I think we all realized we shared the same trials and tribulations as teenagers: finding where we fit in and what we wanted to accomplish in life. I think God’s country was a great place to help us grow up a little bit.
Eventually, camp ended. The old school bus picked us up, and for the next eight hours we dropped off our new friends at different churches along the way. Our group of three were last off. It was great to see mom and dad waiting for me. September arrived. Soccer practice and my junior year of high school started a week later. On September 14, 1967, I was awarded the Eagle Scout rank.
What a summer to remember. Maybe some of you reading this will reminisce upon a summertime in your youth that really meant something to you. Thank you, mom and dad, for giving me a summer to remember. I will never forget it.
Life continues to be full of challenges and adventures for me. It has been filled with opportunities to learn, to have fun, and to become the best person I can be. I am hopeful that your life’s journey will be full of such adventures, and that we will all continue to support and depend upon one another through good times and bad.
Stay safe and keep well,
Steve Wilder