Note that this letter also appears on the Pok-O-MacCready Alumni
website.
Summers at Camp create great memories and develop special bonds that can last
a lifetime. I spent 50 summers at Pok-O and one of those special people was
Paul DeVries. We first met in 1958 in senior section. Paul quickly became
one of those “good friends” – solid, consistent, someone you could trust and
count on. He had a great sense of humor and was patient with others; a trait
that later would make him a great counselor. In January I received a call
from Paul's son, Chris. Sadly Paul had succumbed to a second bout with
cancer. Previously he had fought off the disease and had been given a clean
bill of health. Unfortunately it returned and this time took his life. Paul
was a loyal member of the “Camp Family” and will be missed by everyone who
spent time with him.
"The Making of a Friendship"
The summer of 1960 was historically known for the completion and dedication of
Robinson Hall. The old cedar log kitchen and dining facility were torn down
and replaced by what, for several years, was the largest “A Frame” structure
in the Adirondacks. The original fireplace was preserved and the new dining
area and attached kitchen were built around the structure.
A lesser known fact was the completion of the current Advanced
Section Lodge by that year's group of ADV campers. The members of that
section were to impact Camp for many years. Our Headmaster was Skip McCann
who the previous year had been instrumental in developing the initial
“Advanced Section” concept with Jack Swan. Skip made sure there was a balance
of skills instruction, experience working with the younger campers, and a
challenging tripping program. Of the ten campers who attended that summer,
nine were to become counselors, six were to have children attend camp, and
three of those children would be headmasters of the section.
I entered the Advanced Section that summer for my first experience in the
counselor training program. Paul DeVries, Jim Kobak and Eric Smith were the
sixteen year old returnees participating in their second year in the section.
During the summer we shared many memorable experiences: the Camp’s first
climb of the Seward Range, Poko's first trip to the St. Regis canoe area, and
the completion of the construction of the lodge.
The previous summer the section had lived in large Army tents erected on a
wooden platform. The pre-camp staff had started the rough cedar log framing
and the workmen on the dining hall had taken the old metal roof and installed
it on the lodge. As we got off the train in early July we were handed tarps
and told we would be sleeping under them in the woods until the building was
completed. For the next two weeks Paul and the rest of us cut and hauled the
cedars to complete the framing, nailed and stained the novelty siding and hung
the windows and door. Eric Smith ran the all electrical wiring under the
supervision of Colonel Swan (you’ll be happy to know it was subsequently
replaced by a licensed electrician.)
During the five day St. Regis canoe trip Paul and I were paired together in
the same canoe. Paul was tall and quite strong giving us an advantage in
completing the many portages with our canoe and gear. Meeting challenges and
adversity for eight weeks forges strong bonds and creates lasting memories.
Paul went on to become a counselor and we remained friends through the years.
Paul attended Yale along with another member of the section, Mark Gibson.
Later our sons all attended camp and we met each Parent’s Day. We watched our
boys develop friendships and share many of the same experiences that had
impacted our lives.
As the years passed we remained in contact and shared our memories at
subsequent Camp reunions. Naturally, with each retelling, the packs and
canoes became heavier and the portages and hikes became more challenging. We
had been in touch last spring and Paul was looking forward to this summer's
110th Reunion. This past September he called and announced that he and his
sister would be coming up to visit and wondered if I could meet with them to
tour the Camp. We spent a great day together, had dinner, and promised to
renew the conversation this August. Paul will be missed, but many great
memories will remain.