• Friday-What'sUP June 18 - 07:18 am

We gave Mary the day off to get a head start on Bridgefest. Many other events are scheduled around the region this weekend, including an Open House Saturday (tomorrow) from noon to 5 at Gitche Gumee.

Do you remember how you first discovered the Keweenaw Peninsula? For me, it was by way of being a camper at Gitche Gumee Bible Camp, back in 1965. We actually moved here in 1988 to work with the camp, after semi-retiring from the software industry. Working with other non-profit groups in the Copper Country led us to Still Waters in Calumet, where Pasty Central was born almost a decade ago. So I guess you could say, if it wasn't for Gitche Gumee, there would be no Pasty Cam.

Congratulations to the board and staff for 75 years of service. Since the days of the Great Depression, Gitche Gumee has introduced thousands of families to the Keweenaw. Take advantage of the opportunity this weekend to tour the camp and meet the staff, and pick up a free Pasty Cam 2005 Calendar while you're there.

Don't forget Pasty Fest 2005 is only a couple of weeks away. There's something happening every weekend throughout the Summer here in the Keweenaw, so come on UP !

Stayed at the Eagle River Inn a couple times and always made time to walk around the camp - very nice.

Spent several summers at the camp, and had many fond memories of Gitche Gumee. Never slept so well as in the boys bunkhouse across the footbridge. Oh to be young again!

Good morning Charlie!

Thanks for your history of attending Gitche Gumme and eventually moving to the CC! Bet there are lots of good stories like that out there! And a lot of us who hope to make our own story like that someday!

Congratulations to Gitche Gumee on their 75th and the blessing they have been to so many lives over those years. Here's to 75 more!

Thanks for another great memory!

I know that I should remember this, but what does GITCHE GUMEE mean again?

Gitchee means "all powerful" and Gumee means "lake". Lake Superior was known by the native people as the "All Powerful Lake"

Lived there how long and did not know what Gitchee Gumme meant! Thanks. Never too old to learn something new.

I'm re-reading Longfellow's "Hiawatha" and enjoying the Native American volcabulary: Adjidaumo- (tail-in-the-air, squirrel), Ahmeek-beaver; Keneu-great war eagle; Kenozha-pike; Nahma-sturgeon; Gitchie Manito-Master of Life; Mitche Manito-Spirit of Evil; Odahmin-strawberry; Opechee-robin; Sebowisha-brook or river; Cheemaun-canoe; Suggema-mosquito; Mondamin-the friend of man-maize-corn; Wah-wah-taysee-firefly; Wawa-wild goose -- and many more. I recommend the read to you all.

JAD, Oskar: thanks, as a lover of language and Superior, I will definitely take your advice.

JAD, thanks for the language lesson

When I was at Tech (1969-'73) the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship chapter often used the camp for outings and retreats. (At that time, I believe the camp director was also pastor at the Baptist church in Calumet.) The winter retreat always included shoveling snow off the roofs of camp buildings - an activity I never heard of elsewhere. Of course, it was accompanied by an appropriate amount of horseplay: snowballs, sliding down the roof into the snowpiles, filling your buddy's parka hood with snow, etc.

For those who loved the sunset photo's from
Michigan city lighthouse, I have uploaded 18 more shots from last night that Kent sent me.

https://pasty.com/pcam/albup57

these are spectacular sunset shots.

Speaking of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's most popular work, "The Song of Hiawatha" ,,,

Did you know that at least the meter of the poem (trochaic tetrameter) was adapted from the Finnish epic Kalevala?

Some say, and I would agree, that "Longfellow transferred the entire form, spirit, and many of the most striking incidents of the Finnish epic [Kalevala] to the North American Indians. The resemblance is so close that it cannot be accidental", see, for example: Song of Hiawatha Kalevala's Cousin?

The first time I ever visited the Keweenaw, was when I went to camp Gitche Gumee with a group in college. It was a short visit, but long enough to get a taste of the Keweenaw.

I wish our 'Campus Crusade for Christ' group at NMU had had retreats at Gitche Gumee!

Congratulations Gitche Gumee - I have so many fond memories - as a youngster, too young to be a camper, I was there with mom (Martha Hocking Bryan) who was cooking there and I trusted Christ as my Savior the night before Rev. Rader, the founder, died - July 4th, 1957. My twin and I also worked as waitresses for many years so we spent the entire summer there and that is where I met Phil Hart, who became my husband and very best friend. He is a nephew of Charlie Hart's. Charlie was the director for many years after his father-in-law, Rev.Rader died as well as our pastor at First Baptist in Calumet. We met many wonderful people over the years from many parts of the country. My Christian faith grew because of my wonderful parents, my church family and also the ministry of GG for which I am eternally grateful. God Bless Gitche Gumee for many years to come.

Julie,

The year I went to Gitche Gumee was with Campus Crusade for Christ at NMU about 5 years ago. It was the fall retreat. We started going to Lake Ellen or Helen after that. Where do you guys go now?

Hello,
My sister tolld me about Keweenaw years ago. Now,
don't get mad I thought it was in Canada. After a hectic
week in Minocqua, I told my husband I wanted to
driveup to Gitche Gumee. Behold, on the map was the
Keweenaw! That was 5 years ago and we have been
coming up ever since. Each year we say" I can't
believe the beauty" and each year we are in awe. We
even have distant relatives in Houghton. Now, a few of
my "old" students go to Tech. (I"m an art teacher so
please forgive my punctuation). We have some of my
kids visiting you as well. See you in July.

There's a plane at the airport, oh how I wish I was on it.

halwine. MI -

I am way before your time! I was a member of Campus Crusade at NMU back in the 1970's and we didn't have regular retreats. {Tho the trip up Hogback when my roommate & i were the only girls almost turned into a retreat!!}

Does anyone know if Pastor Charles Hart is still
alive? I remember attending Bible School at the
First Baptist Church and Church Services there.
Pastor Hart was a great preacher.

Dear Downstate Don,
Yes, Rev. Charles Hart is still alive - he just celebrated his 90th birthday. He was a great VBS teacher - I learned so many things from him especially during Vacation Bible School. He and Joyce spend winters in FL where their daughter Patty who lives with her family, around Orlando, I believe. And they are back in the Copper Country for the summer. Three of their kids, Carol,Ginger and Jack live in Grand Rapids with their families and Lois lives on Catalina Island, CA.

I guess I'll jump in here and add a couple of things that impacted our family with GG. Our uncle Charlie Hocking from Ameeck (rats, I'm spelling that wrong) became a Christian at the very first camp when GG opened. He went on to become a missionary with his dear wife in Brazil for about 40 years. They were fluent in the language, and had such a heart for the people hating to leave when their health failed them. We also had a brother John who heard of the ministry of Trans World Radio at GG. He was a single guy, had some skills they needed so left to spend the rest of his life in a ministry that spread the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. He died in an accident on the island of Bonaire in 1976. These two men were supported by churches and individuals in the Copper Country that understand that we're called to share the love of God to the ends of the earth. We were/are blessed to have them in our family. If any of you see Uncle Charlie during the festivities this summer, please give him a really big hug from Twin B in CO. I miss him so much. So many lives have been changed and blessed by Gitche Gumee Bible Camp. Go check it out....

In regard to Charles and Joyce Hart: There will be a mini-documentary presented on WHWL Radio this weekend. WHWL has been streamed live on the Internet for over a year, courtesy of Pasty.NET.

The program about the Harts will be broadcast both on Saturday and Sunday at 3pm.

It was 1989 and friends invited my husband and I to join them in Eagle Harbor. As we drove through Houghton, across the bridge and north on M26 towards Lake Linden - questioned where we were going as we marveled at the ruins of the smelting plants. On our way through Larium, Calumet more excited on our adventure and it was when we came around the curve into Eagle River realized what we had found, by the sign and GG camp to stay at the Shoreline cabin with 2 adults and 4 children. Though it was a tight fit that night we became hooked immediately and have traveled to the upper pennisula every summer since. What a find! the keewenaw pennisula! Can't wait to get their this August again! We are starting to count the days down

Thank You Susan Hocking Hart for letting me know
about Pastor Hart. I am so happy to know that he
is still alive and still spends his summers in the
Upper Peninsula. He was good to my family and he
certainly was a good VBS teacher and a vibrant
preacher. The song, The B-I-B-L-E is just the book
for Me,often comes to mind. A song that was often
sang at the services.

Would anyone know how I could see the documentary
on Charles and Joyce Hart that is going to take
place over the weekend on WHWL Radio? I will not
have access to my work computer over the weekend.
Thanks

We will be posting a Real Audio version of the broadcast this week. Stay tuned to the Pasty Cam for details.

Hope to be by the shining big sea waters soon, loving nature as the native americans did.

should add as the native americans did then and do now.

Yeah, I have alot of good memories of Gitche Gumee. I went to camp there every summer that I could, Junior Camp thru Youth camp. I also attended the church in Calumet under Pastor Hart and then Rev. Nolan.My brother and sister also went to camp there. My kids attended camp there until we moved to Arizona. As a matter of fact my daughter Mary flew back last summer to spend a week at camp there. We sure do miss it. Hi to Sue and Sally Hocking.

Just another note of interest concerning Charles & Joyce Hart: They will be celebrating their 65th year of marriage next Wednesday, June 22!..and still in love!