• Holiday Greetings - Meilleurs voeux des fêtes
• As it was in the Beginning J.R. Warren 1939
• Sept Jours au Parc de la Vérendrye   Antoine Ipperciel 14 ans
• Five Days in Papineau-Labelle  Jack McCrudden 12 years old
• In Memoriam: Jean L.R. Van Wagner (nee Ritchie) 
• Alumni Association News / Nouvelles de l'association des anciens
• Tumpline Submissions - Soumissions pour cette lettre de nouvelles

Holiday Greetings - Meilleurs voeux des fêtes

As it was in the Beginning J.R. Warren 1939

It was with a great deal of trepidation that early Saturday morning I drove over to Park Avenue station with the rest of my family to catch the train to Nominingue. The station concourse was milling with hundreds of people: campers, counsellors, parents, siblings and other well-wishers. Campers were all dressed in jackets, grey flannel shorts, white shirts, ties, white socks and good shoes - our city clothes; the counsellors travelling with us, in their red McGill blazers and white flannels. Everyone was dressed as if they were going to church, most men in fedoras. Seeing someone off at the station, even your kids, was an important function, worthy of dressing up for. Thus was life lived in the 1930s...Little could I know that, climbing aboard the train that Saturday morning marked a turning point in my life; a turning point in the life of a shy, mousy, overprotected kid. 

The trip went on forever which, because I loved travelling by train and since I was nicely ensconced with a bunch of friends, suited me fine. There was a restaurant in the Ste-Agathe station where the train stopped for a twenty minute break. The passengers could get off, grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich, or a bowl of soup, before rushing back out onto the train. The Camp Nominingue mob, however, was confined to the train - maybe to make sure that any kids who would rather be going elsewhere didn't try to escape! A burly counsellor guarded each end of our coaches to prevent such a happenstance. The camp, however, had seen fit to pass out its own sandwiches, a soft drink and chocolate bar, so we wouldn't starve during the voyage.

After this break, the troops began to get restless until one hotshot thirteen or fourteen year-old dreamed up a good way to get rid of the soft drink bottles. The country we were now travelling through was fairly rugged with a lot of rock cuts and outcrops. By leaning out the train window, and with a good eye and a sure hand, you could toss an empty coke bottle against a passing rock with a satisfying crash. This did not sit well with the counsellors who tried to maintain a sense of order and decorum, consistent with the circumstances. As there was a finite supply of ammunition - one bottle per boy - this pastime quickly ran out of steam. It was not considered good form to grab a coke bottle away from a smaller kid while he was still drinking from it...

Sept Jours au Parc de la Vérendrye   Antoine Ipperciel 14 ans

Jour 3

Nous nous sommes réveillés à 8h00 aujourd'hui. Je me suis rendu au firepit pour commencer un feu. Une fois terminé, je me suis offert pour cuisiner le déjeuner, mais PQ insistait pour le faire. C'était du bon vieux gruau. Il y en avait beaucoup. Nous avons eu de la misère à le finir. Ce matin était comme tous les autres : après avoir mangé, nous avons rempli les sacs et sommes partis tout de suite. Nous avons donc pagayé sur le lac Carrière. Nous avions un vent dans notre dos d'environ 20 km/h. Ce fût un soulagement pour moi, car mes bras étaient encore fatigués de la veille. Après quelques heures, nous étions devant McLaren Creek. C'était une petite rivière parsemée d'herbes. La traverser fût donc très dure. De plus, il y avait des barrages de castors à plusieurs reprises. Soudain, il y eut deux chemins. Nous ne pouvions pas les voir sur la carte que nous avions, car c'était trop petit. Nous avions donc essayé de prendre le chemin de gauche. Une demi-heure plus tard, nous avons remarqué que ce n'était pas le bon chemin. Ce fût un peu décourageant! Les moniteurs ont donc décidé de nous donner des barres tendres. Ensuite, nous reprenions la route. Une fois arrivé au lieu de séparation, nous prenions le chemin de droite. Après environ trente minutes, nous remarquions que ce chemin était lui aussi le mauvais. Nous devions donc retourner à note point de départ. Tout le monde fût très découragé après avoir reçu cette nouvelle. Nous sommes donc retournés sur le lac Carrière, mais cette fois avec un vent de face!

Nous nous sommes arrêtés à un site non loin de l'endroit où nous avions couché la veille. Je suis sorti du canot avec un sac et me suis précipité à la poursuite de bois afin de pouvoir partir le feu. Après environ une demi-heure, tout était prêt. J'ai commencé à faire bouillir de l'eau, car on mangeait du Kraft Dinner et thon pour le dîner. Une fois que j'eus fini de cuisiner, tout le monde mangea, mais il n'y avait pas autant d'humour dans l'air que les derniers jours. Mes camarades semblaient déçus. Quelques minutes plus tard, on reprenait la route sur le lac Carrière. Un horrible vent d'environ 35 km/h. nous fouettait en plain visage. À la fin de la journée, vers 17h30, nous ne pouvions plus aller plus loin que le site sur lequel nous avions dormi la veille! Le souper était des burritos au riz et lentilles. Ce n'était pas mon mets favori, mais au moins, j'étais rempli. Environ, trente minutes plus tard, tout le monde était endormi!

Five Days in Papineau-Labelle Jack McCrudden 12 years old

Day 2

We awoke the next morning and we were on our feet immediately because we really needed to make good time that day. Thunderstorms were predicted in the forecast for that evening. While we packed our bags, Oderah cooked some awesome eggs and bacon. Afterwards, we proceeded to our first portage of the day, 1.6 km to Lac Montjoie. The portage was hell. Most of our packs were still really heavy because it was the beginning of the second day and we still hadn't eaten much. The first six hundred metres was complete mayhem. Oderah and I had to stop around every corner because the others kept tripping on rocks. The next kilometre was easier because I started off first and didn't have to help anyone with their pack. Huffing, puffing and cussing because of the weight of my pack, I finished the last part of the portage in one shot. Finally getting to Montjoie, we crossed the lake hastily through some big waves. 

We arrived at our evening campsite just in time to have Kraft Dinner with tuna, a meal so big we couldn't even finish it! Right after we finished eating, a downpour started. Five minutes later, peering out into the rain, we saw two canoes, noticing immediately that this was the other five day trip. We were going to do a double-campsite that night. By the time the other group had set up their stuff, it had turned into a complete storm. Oderah and I were struggling to dig trenches to keep water away from our tents with sticks and a tiny shovel. When we had finished, I noticed that I had been wearing my dry clothes and that they were soaked! We joined some other campers and counsellors in trying to save the food and the tents from the onrush of water. A short while later, we finished our meal, eating beans and pork straight from the can. When we got into our tents, we were fortunate to know that our tents were dry! But, unfortunately for me, someone had left lily-pads in my sleeping bag.

In Memoriam: Jean L.R. Van Wagner (nee Ritchie)

Our dear wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend left this world to join loved ones beyond the horizon. Jean's last weeks were filled with family and friends, stories and laughter, tears and farewells-she never faltered and held on to the end with the familiar strength that marked her character. She will be greatly missed by many.

Here are Jean's parting words written in her own hand:

"Jean Lewis Ritchie Van Wagner Born June 28, 1931 on a farm in Saskatchewan. Lived 49 years in Pointe

Claire, Quebec. Died November 30, 2012 at the age of 81. Predeceased by my mother, father and sister, Betty; my first born daughter, Shannon Lee and her only daughter, Alice Soren aged 3 years and the light of my life.

I leave the following people to continue on their journey; Peter my husband of 54 years and wonderful father of our children; my daughter Elisa and son Jay (Gisele); grandchildren Rachel and Emmett (father Michael Blakey); Joffre and Marie-Claire and extended family, Mike and Leane of Beaverlodge, Alberta; and sister Helen in Saskatoon. Relatives in Saskatchewan, BC, USA, Barrie, Deep River and Ottawa, Ontario, Westmount and Chateauguay. To all, continue on your journey through life until we meet again.

Special thanks to the following people without whom my life would not have been so complete; Dr. Jonathan Wan and all the staff at the MUHC Montreal General Radio-Oncology Department; Gloria Timmons at NOVA; wonderful friend Grant McKenna (Genevieve), director of Camp Nominingue for his honesty, humour and dedication; Shannon's friend since grade 2, Maryanne Van Oyen for her loving support and the beautiful orchid. Thanks also to our precious neighbours in Pointe Claire, Patsy and Erik Palmen; Donna and Mark Babin; Martine and Pierre Martineau; Gail and John Dixon; Paula and Terry Tobin; and Laura and Pierre-you are counted among the best."

At Jean's request there will be no funeral or visitation; in lieu of flowers, please give generously to the West Island Palliative Care Residence and NOVA West Island. After cremation the final leg of Jean's journey will bring her to rest beside Shannon and Alice beneath the birch trees at Camp Nominingue. A fond and friendly memorial is planned for spring 2013.

Alumni Association News / Nouvelles de l'association des anciens

The CN Alumni Association held socials in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa in December. Nine alumni made it out to the first Toronto social at the Bedford Academy in the Annex. Close to twenty alumni made it out to the second Montreal social at L'Amère à boire. It is a great opportunity for alumni to re-connect or stay in touch with the Nominingue community.

On the weekend of September 7-8, 2013, the CN Alumni Association will be hosting an Alumni weekend at camp. This is the first time that alumni weekend will be organized separately from Family Camp. More news to come in the New Year!

Dates and locations of all socials will be posted on Facebook on the Nominingue Socials Group page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/NominingueSocials/.

To get involved with CN Alumni Association, please contact John Christou at campnomininguealumni@gmail.com.

Tumpline Submissions - Soumissions pour cette lettre de nouvelles

We are looking for submissions for our newsletters from campers, staff and parents... from this summer, as well as from recent and less recent alumni. These submissions may be general memories of camp experiences or specific memories about a canoe trip, about a favourite program or a funny experience. Please send your submissions to grant@nominingue.com. You may submit your stories and memories in English, French or Spanish.

Nous sommes à la recherche de textes de campeurs, parents et de moniteurs de l'été 2012... et de souvenirs de nos anciens campeurs et moniteurs des années récentes et moins récentes. Vos textes peuvent décrire vos expériences en générale ou une excursion de canot, un programme favori ou une expérience drôle. SVP envoyez votre texte par courriel à grant@nominingue.com. Votre texte peut être écrit en français, en anglais ou en espagnol. 

Camp Nominingue | Tel. 450-458-1551 | Toll-free 866-910-1551 (Canada & US)
Email: info@nominingue.com | Web: www.nominingue.com

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Winter address: 112, rue Lippée, Les Coteaux, QC J7X 1J4
Summer address: 1889, chemin des Mésanges, Nominingue, QC J0W 1R0