Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal

Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
March, 2012
The Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal is published quarterly by the Old Kia Kima Preservation
Association,
an IRS 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit Corporation
OKKEFF
Endowment
Passes
$80,000
New Cots and Matresses
Due to contributions to the Fund over the last few
months, we have reached this milestone. At the
beginning of this fiscal year (July 1, 2011) the Fund
stood at $73,000. Additionally, we have a number of
members who have joined our Legacy Program by
dedicating future gifts of insurance, cash or a bequest
to the Fund. The purpose of the endowment fund is to
provide a capital base to fund camp operations and
improvements after all of the survivors of the original
camp are gone.
All cabins and the Rat’s Nest have new cots and
mattresses. If you have been at Kamp in the last year
or so, you know that these were sorely
needed. Surplus government beds were
purchased thanks to the help of Rob
Driesel, Bill LaCount and Mike
Kinkade. We were able to purchase
them for $30 per set or $120 per cabin.
Help cover the cost of a set or even a cabin by sending
a check to OKKPA Treasurer, 104 Upper College
Terrace, Frederick, MD 21701.
We have a great program for you to make
tax-deductible donations to this fund which provides
our long-term security for our beloved camp. If you
haven't received one of our brochures please contact
Alan Meierhoefer, ameierhoefer@comcast.net.
Financial Fact
The annual operating budget for OKK is
$35,000. The largest expense is our property
and liability insurance at $12,500.
2012 Dues are Due
It is time to pay your 2012 dues. Membership fees are the source of about half of our annual budget. As we
approach the camping season, please make sure that you are continuing your support. Consider upgrading
your dues this year to the next level.
Legacy – younger than 25
Contributing
Active
Heritage
Sponsor
Patron
$25
$50
$100
$200
$300
$500
Mail dues to OKKPA Treasurer, 104 Upper College Terrace, Frederick, MD 21701.
Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
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Critters at Old Kia Kima
One thing your editor has noticed in recent trips to Kamp is that there seems to be less small
indigenous animal life around the camp than in prior years. Where we used to have an abundance of
skinks and lizards and the occasional snake, you hardly see anything anymore. It's not that we miss the
little guys, but it makes you wonder where they're going. Is our utilization of the camp reaching the
level where we run the small animals off? Or if we go back a little deeper in the woods are they all
still there? As a boy at Old Kia Kima one of the fascinations was seeing small wildlife in the area. I
don't ever recall a lot of large wildlife like deer and raccoons although we certainly saw these on
occasion. We now see an occasional armadillo which I never saw as a boy.
April Reunion Is Coming Around the Bend
Twice a year we are able to get together and celebrate the progress on our great endeavor, the
reintroduction of Old Kia Kima. If you aren't proud of what you've done in the Hardy hills, you
haven't seen it lately, we could take an entire edition of Smoke Signal just to list the improvements
we've made in the last 10 years. We realize most of you make it to Hardy once or twice a year, but if
you're one of those sitting back sending your dues in and not making the trek to see this re-created
home away from home, we challenge you to go spend a day in April at the 2012 reunion with the rest
of your many Old Kia Kima friends. The official dates for the 2012 work weekend and board meeting
are April 18 through the 22nd. The truth is that many members arrive days before the starting date or
are still there days after the closing date. Wonder what the big draw is? Could it be all that incredible
food? Could it be all that amazing fellowship? Or could it be just the satisfaction of spending relaxing
hours with people you've known for years and share a common goal with.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
Artists Amongst Us
It is amazing to look at the diversity of our membership. I guess you could say we all
started out as Boy Scouts or YWCA campers and years later we are a truly diverse
group of people. I don't think we realize that we have some quite accomplished artists
in our group. One we're featuring this month is Pat Moody. Pat has been a member of
the OKKPA board for many years and a faithful contributor of her energy and funds
to support our Association. In recent years she has served as our Corresponding Secretary. Pat has been a long time volunteer with the Girl Scouts Heart of the South
Council. Currently she is serving on the Community Advisory Board and Property
Committee. Among the many many offices she has held in Girl Scouts are included
Past President of the Board of Directors, Senior Troop Advisor, member of Program,
Finance committee, Personnel and Fund Development Committees. In addition she is
a volunteer with the National Kidney Foundation. As if she didn't have enough to do
she has a wonderful hobby, making precious art objects using a welding torch.
She is also a recent President of the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists
(TACA). TACA Craft Fairs are produced by the Tennessee Association of
Craft Artists (TACA), an independent, statewide nonprofit organization and
recipient of the Tennessee Governor’s Award in the Arts. By maintaining high
standards of excellence, the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists is appreciated for producing festivals representing the finest in American craftsmanship.
Included on page 9 is one of Pat's recent works.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
Name _______________________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________________
City _________________________ State _______________ Zip Code ____________________
E-mail ______________________________________
Phone ________________________
Dues for 2012 are:
[ ] $ 50.00 Contributing Membership
[ ] $100.00 Active Membership
[ ] $300.00 Sponsor Membership
[ ] $500.00 Patron Membership
I would like to make a donation for the new beds and mattress. Cost is $30.00 per set.
Amount of Donation _________________________
WORK WEEKEND REGISTRATION FORM
Thursday - April 19
[ ] Reserve Dinner $8.00
Friday - April 20 (Board Meeting Date)
[ ] Reserve Lunch $5.00
[ ] Reserve Dinner $8.00
ALL Checks payable to OKKPA
Saturday – April 21
[ ] Reserve Lunch $5.00
[ ] Reserve Dinner $8.00
Amount Paid __________________________
I plan to arrive on ___________________________________________________________
I want to reserve a cabin at the camp
_______________________ Yes
__________ No
Please mail this form and your check to:
John P. McGuire
836 Mary Meadows
St. Louis, MO 63141
jpmstl@yahoo.com
If you have not mailed your registration in by April 12, please call John McGuire to inform him of your
intentions. 314-517-1986
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
Pearl of the South Fork
By: Audrey E. “Umpy” Osborn
July 2010 – Revised February 2011
The new era of Old Kia Kima 1948 – 1963: George Milford Billingsley was the first of ten
waterfront directors that graced the sandy beach of Old Kia Kima. An experienced waterfront man from the Camp Currier staff, he was the director from 1948 through 1951. From
his top bunk on the inside wall of the “Rats Nest”, he kept a watchful eye over the waterfront when he was off duty. He was quick to correct and expected the best from his staff;
his booming voice thru the waterfront megaphone was legend. His legacy was a long line
of highly trained waterfront directors starting with: Lou Pritchett ‘52–‘53, Steve Young ‘54,
Mike Moyers ‘55, Buddy Keltner ‘56, David Fleming ‘57-‘58, Bobby “B” Brown ‘59–‘60, Dick
Drake ‘61, Jim Moore ‘62, and Bill Harrison ‘63. The directors and their staffs ruled the
sandy beach at Kia Kima on the beautiful South Fork River with a strong demanding voice
and a firm hand.
It has been said that the misty South Fork River may possess mystic powers.
For many years entry to Old Kamp Kia Kima was via row boat from the meadow across the
South Fork River to the sandy beach of the waterfront or to an adjacent dock. This was the
appropriate entry point for it was the “heart beat” of Old Kia Kima”. Every camper would
deal with and come to love the many and varied facets of the waterfront.
The sandy beach and its tanned muscular staff were the envy of scouts entering camp. If
Kia Kima was the “Nest of Eagles”, the waterfront was the “Lair of “Poseidon”. His thunderous voice through the waterfront megaphone was frequently heard from Simonton’s mess
hall to Miramichee. We were fearful to be the brunt of George Billingsley’s booming voice
and one did his best to do everything according to the rules of the waterfront: keep that
elbow straight; feather that blade; where’s your buddy tag? We feared his booming voice;
Wow, I hope it’s not for me!!! “Uncle Dudley’s” waterfront staff ruled the only Sand Beach
on the South Fork from a tower and a whistle on a lanyard around their necks. If Hong
Kong is the Pearl of the Pacific then the Kia Kima waterfront was the undeniable “Pearl of
the South Fork” set below a limestone bastion at the very foot of a small Mountain called
White Horse. Whereupon sits our dear old camp nestled against the sky, the “Nest of
“Eagles”, Old Kamp Kia Kima.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
George Billingsley 1950, decked out in his stylish “megaphone hat”, overseeing the waterfront.
Adjoining the beach was what we called the island with tall hardwoods and one large tall black willow. A big rope was tied to a
large limb approximately 20 feet up, that the waterfront and other staff “Titans” would climb. It stood as a sentinel for the beach
and the islands large rich deposit of native sand. Little did I know that in 1953 I would be a freshman staffer and for one day be
a mining engineer for the excavation for a large quantity of this magnificent silica. It was an honor to be a Kia Kima staffer that
summer and most special was to share cabin number two with my cousin, Kenneth Ray “Ken” Osborn, my good friend, Eddie
Freiberg and Ole 97 brother, Louis, “Lou Pie” Pritchett. It was a hoot the six weeks or so with Lou who served as waterfront
director for two summers, six years total on the Kia Kima staff. He was also one of Kia Kima’s original Indian Dancers. His last
summer camp was 1953 before joining Procter & Gamble as a soap salesman.
Anyway, my biggest event was being selected the OA taskmaster for three OA ordeal candidates. It had been only one year
since I had taken my ordeal. I was 15 years old. I would conduct all alone the “task” for a scoutmaster, a large man at least 40
years old; Billy Stewart, future Kia Kima program director in 1958; and the famous “Gate Mouth”, Perry Gaither. He was a
freshman staffer like me and one of “Lou Pie’s” most faithful. Gaither talked constantly and modeled after Lou as an Indian
dancer. Perry like Lou became a waterfront icon and was a favorite of the campers. Like his predecessors his roaring voice was
a fixture on our sandy beach and revered by many. That Saturday morning started early with our simple tools: one wheelbarrow,
two shovels, and two rakes. The day was sunny and hot and stayed that way until the sun slowly dipped toward White Horse
Mountain. First we removed a layer of clay sediment above the sand deposit. The three candidates would load the wheelbarrow,
push it 50 or so yards to the beach, load, after load, after load; then spread the sand with rakes over the entire waterfront. Soon
the swift current of the cool South Fork was calling out to them but they could not respond. The candidates were not even allowed to put their feet in the river. I knew they would gladly drink their fill if only they could. I kept a watchful eye on their
every move and kept them moving except for measured brief shady water breaks spaced throughout the long hot day. I sat in the
cool shade where I could observe both operations, during their constant silence and drank lots of water. After this all day ordeal,
I understood why our beach was sandy and I had a deeper respect for the one and only sand beach on the river, the beautiful
“Pearl of the South Fork”.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
Time for “Buddy Call” during the afternoon free swim in 1950.
Billingsley and the other staff members’ had eagle eyes scanning the swimming area for the
“Buddy Count”. In the center, Gerald Robertson and Steve Duffey Troop Ole 97 buddies.
At our 1998 OKKPA reunion I overheard Perry Gaither telling an old Kia Kima buddy about his Order of
the Arrow ordeal. He talked about the relentless Ozark sun, his intense thirst, faltering fatigue and how
he longed to dive into the cold, swift current of the river. “Gate Mouth” said it was his hardest day ever
at Old Kia Kima. So demanding was the ordeal that he had no recollection of who the relentless
taskmaster for the trio could have been.
Here’s to the: “Pearl of the South Fork”.
There was nothing better than after a long, hot, humid day in
camp, in the evening shade to jump into the refreshing South
Fork waters and enjoy its mystic powers with your buddy.
Wouldn’t it be great to do it just one more time!!!
Circa 1951 Lou Pritchett & Richard Walpole, Command Tower, Buddy
Board, Staff Dock with reach poles with the large black willow in background.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
Dick Rohm, Dorris Goodman & Chigger Danciger, Indians on the
beach 1951. The Kia Kima “Tribe” liked practicing their dances
with the big drum booming down on the sandy
beach of the waterfront.
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Old Kia Kima Smoke Signal
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