A letter from Matt, October 4, 2007

Hey Bob, I still remember my first experience at Fort Scott, and it wasn’t even with my own cabinmates.

I think it was either my first or second day that 1st 2-week session in the summer of 1982 (I believe the big activity that session was the Olympics). I seem to remember being in a small group of campers headed up by Tom Fairbanks and we headed into the woods. It had rained the past couple of days, so the timing was perfect for the activity. We finally reached our destination: the Mud Slide. I must have gone down the Slide at least a dozen times, as I was covered from head to toe with all sorts of nature: mud, tree bark, and other things I couldn’t recognize.

I could hardly recognize anyone in the group, we were so covered. Tom let us know it was time to head back, as it was about an hour or so until supper at the Mess Hall. I headed straight for the 8 ½ and its showers. Soap and shampoo were as useless as trying to clean up an oil spill with paper towels. After 30 minutes or so in the shower, I still had nature in my hair. My clothes were then marked as broken in by the Fort Scott experience. I think it was like 4-5 days later that I finally had every bit of the mud and stuff out of my hair and off of me.

I do remember we had our group picture taken when we got back to camp, but I never did get a copy of it; wish I had.

I remember my first counselor that session, Brian Spears. That session was very memorable, up to the final nights, as I took down many camp awards, including the revered “Rec Tan Award,” and our cabin took first place among the Midget cabins for cabin clean up. I was glad I could make it to that awards ceremony, as I had become sick the night before. Brian took our cabin to the front field, where we joined up with some others for roasting marshmallows in the campfire. I still cannot get over what I did there with my marshmallow; I put it over the fire, allowed it to ignite, and watched it burn and expand to a large black charred bubble on my stick. I still cannot believe I ate it---I think that was what had made me sick.

All of my memories of Fort Scott, from the mudslide to being guest emcee at the Variety Show in the summer of 1988, to the numerous all-camp games of North vs South capture the flag (er...popsicle sticks), to all the other great times I had, will remain in my heart til I am long gone from this earth.

Matt