History of CYO Camps
Boys Camp • Girls Camp
The first CYO Camp for Boys was a comparatively modest and primitive attempt to provide the advantages of Catholic camping for the youth of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The camp opened on June 29, 1946, when Father Francis Wocjik and his staff of nine seminarians from Sacred Heart Seminary (Detroit) met the first twenty five campers. The site of this new camp was located on the shores of Lake Huron, three miles north of Port Sanilac. Activities and facilities were comparatively limited for the first four seasons, although a permanent dining hall and Administration Building were built on the grounds.
In 1950, the CYO Camp for Boys settled on its present site, approximately three miles south of Port Sanilac and its original location being converted into the CYO Camps for Girls.
Ten years later, in 1960, a farm, west of the Boys Camp, nestled in 40 acres, was purchased and a unit in “Pioneer Camping” was begun. This new program was designed to meet the needs and interests of the teenage camper. The program was designed as an advanced “course” in outdoor living, cooking and campcraft skills. Beginning under extremely primitive circumstances, the Pioneer Unit has since become an established part of the CYO Camping program for youth and continues today with an additional Pioneer Camp at the Girls Camp. It was also at that time various priests of the Archdiocese were appointed to the chaplainries of both the boys’ and girls’ camps.
As a division of CYO, the Department of Camping Services was coordinated through the later 60’s by Mr. Henry Vassel, who brought many years of scouting experience to the position. Mr. James Coughlin, Executive Director of the agency, administrated the camping program through the 70’s and 80’s. Currently, the summer camp programs now fall under the Department of Youth Development.
The longest-serving camp staff member was Mr. George Davis, Camp Manager. George served in that position with dedication from 1956-1988. Among his many achievements at the camps have been the construction (as well as the design) of the camp bridge across the ravine, the staff house, and all of the buildings in the Pioneer campsite. His many years of faithfulness have provided stability through the years. After more than 30 years of dedicated service to camps, the campers, and the staff, George retired in the Fall of 1988. Perhaps “retired” is not the most accurate term, as George continues to lend his expertise to the camps.
Since those first years, a definite CYO spirit has been established through the efforts of hundreds of staff members and campers. Of our alumni staff members over fifty have been serving as priests in the Archdiocese; many others are serving in the fields of education, social work and psychology. The results of our work with the many hundreds of campers who have passed under our influence is very seldom known, although we number several among our present staff members.
Now, more than ever, each staff works to keep the established tradition, spirit, and reputation as one of the finest Catholic camps in Michigan flourishing. It is that spirit which holds us together and makes our efforts possible. Although we may never see the results of our work, there is the self-satisfaction in working with and for campers that we can always rely upon for our reward. This is the spirit which must be kept alive if we are to meet with any degree of success in our efforts to mold and develop the campers as conscious Christians — the spirit of dedication and friendship directed toward every camper, the spirit of faith and hope in God that they will aid us in our efforts which, from a merely human standpoint, is far too great a task for any of us.
When the Boys Camp moved in 1950, Father Wocjik and an expanded staff of seminarians then set about the task of building up this new site for the increasing number of boys now attending the camp. The only building on the new site was used as an all purpose facility, until permanent dining hall and Administration Building were constructed. The boys were housed in eight man tents mounted on wooden platforms at that time. The following season saw a semi-permanent chapel; it was later converted into a staff house when the permanent chapel was built.
In 1952, the first change in the directorship of camp occurred with Father Arthur Krawczak (today, Bishop) taking over for Father Wocjik. It was at this time that the age group system of camping was introduced at CYO. The shift to decentralization was accompanied by a modest “back-to-nature” movement with the inception of cook-outs.
After weathering the storms of change for one season, Father Krawczak became Archdiocesan Director of Youth and the directorship of the camp was assumed by Father Michael O’Leary, professor of philosophy at Sacred Heart Seminary. With an almost totally “green” staff, Father O’Leary began the work of perfecting the group system and building up the physical facilities of the camp.
In subsequent seasons, nine permanent cabins, new staff quarters, a combination Recreation Hall and Craft Shop, beach stairs and a clinic were added to the existing facilities. It was at this time that the number of campers and staff were increased to their present total.
After six years of devoted service to the CYO, Father O’Leary resigned the directorship which was then taken over by Mr. Paul A. Huetteman, a former camp director and president of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Youth. Under his leadership, the group-system was advanced even further with the introduction of the units. A number of other changes were begun at this time in order to make the schedule of activities much more flexible, as well as a significant increase of camper participation in the planning and execution of the camp program.
In 1961, the most significant and sweeping change took place in the personnel of the camp. It became increasingly difficult for the seminarians to continue staffing this camp in addition to three other camps in the Archdiocese. As a result, a staff of Catholic college students, teachers, and three Canadian seminarians took over the counseling chores from the over-recruited Sacred Heart seminarians. With a “grand total” of two experienced staff members, Mr. Paul Huetteman and Father Patrick Shanahan, chaplain, began the Herculean task of rebuilding the staff. Having accomplished what many thought to be an almost impossible task, Father Shanahan became the Director of the Catholic Youth Organization, while Mr. Huetteman turned over the camp directorship to Dick Styles. Dick began his work in 1963 after nine seasons of experience at CYO, having been a group counselor, unit leader, and assistant director of camp.
1967 saw Ken Seguin assume the directorship of the camp, after five years as health officer, unit leader, and assistant director. In the three years of his directorship, and the ensuing eight years, through 1977, as business manager, health officer, or assistant director, Ken’s popular style of establishing rapport with campers and staff through jokes, stories, and camper-centered conversation did much to establish CYO Boys’ Camp’s reputation as friendly and personable.
In 1970, in his eighth year on the camp staff, Joe Doran became the camp director, having served as Assistant Unit Leader and Unit Leader, Joe’s dynamic style, particularly with storytelling and jokes, made him a popular personality in camp, especially with campers who returned year after year. Joe’s administration saw many program innovations and developments, among them horseback riding, an upgraded camp-out program, trampoline, rafting, and travel camping. Joe Doran served through the summer of 1974,
In 1975 Don Ancypa became camp director, having worked in the camp for thirteen years as group counselor, assistant unit leader, unit leader, and assistant director. Don’s contributions to camp have included development of evening programs and the institution of the travel-camping program at Drummond Island in the Upper Peninsula, a program which has seen the resurgence of the Pioneer program for teen-age campers. Don built a team of administrative staff that added much to the camp including Matthew Lipinski, Andy Stevenson, Cathy McPherson, Karen Scheele, and Joe Fleming.
In 1980 Don decided to retire from camp life. In 1980 the directorship was taken over by Brother Chester Freel, csc. Brother Chester knew he could not make a long term commitment to camp but he set out to show everyone that he was not going to be an intern leader. He changed the administration of the camp into a program team concept and was able to act as an outsider looking in to force changes of long-standing tradition wherever it made sense to do so. Chet changed the Pioneer program into the Leadership-in-Training program to meet the changing needs of these youth. Chet also introduced the Family Camp Weekend.
In 1982, Robert Fisher assumed the directorship having served previously as an assistant unit leader, unit leader, and camp health director. In addition to his duties as summer camp director Bob also worked as the year-round Camping Services Director in the downtown CYO office form 1983 to 1986. Bob developed a program team that dedicated itself to maintaining the foundation and spirit of the CYO Boys Camp through out the 1980’s.
In 1989 Cheryl Robisch took over as the Boys Camp Director having previously served on the Girls Camp Staff as well as the Boys Camp Health Director, Program Director and Specialist Unit Leader. Administrative staff continued to work to maintain the foundation and spirit of the CYO Boys Camp. They worked hard to create programs to keep interest and traditional alive while competing with specialty camps. Cheryl served as the Boys Camp Director through the summer of 1994 and currently remains at-hand for administrative support.
The summers of 1995 and 1996 brought change to the Boys Camp as the Directors during this time period were placed on an interim basis. The consistency of the administrative staff and alumni volunteers guided these summers without flaw.
In 1997 and 1998, Greg Ruvolo led the Boys Camp as Director. Greg’s CYO career began in 1991 as a group counselor and progressed throughout the years as he wore many hats such as CIT Unit Leader, business manager, and Assistant Director. Greg realized that the information technology boom was upon us during this time and steered the camps toward it with the “Email-a-camper” program and the launch of the camp web site, CYOCamps.org. Greg continues to volunteer his services with camps keeping the website current and up to date with camp and alumni information.
Having a vacancy in a key position after Greg left, Steve Johnson, Camp Services Director from 1997 through the spring of 2001, to fill the position as Boys Camp Director for the summer of 2000. Steve brought with him many years of experience through his days as a counselor, unit leader, Assistant Director and alumni.
The summer of 2001 brought lots of change as Caroline Krucker, an outsider to the CYO Camps program but not the CYO agency, was hired as the Camp Services Director, to oversee both the camps. The Boys Camp Director vacancy still existed and Caroline filled the position from 2001 to 2002. Those two summers were spent re-evaluating all camp procedures, policies, and practices to make sure we were providing the best overall service to our campers and staff. Realizing that she needed to spend more time overseeing both camps to implement some necessary changes, Nick Thornbury was hired on as the Boys Camp Director the summer of 2003. Nick remained two summers as the Boys Camp Director and in the summer of 2005 Joe Koss, the Assistant Camp Director under Nick was hired to fill the position. In 2006, Caroline Krucker returned to fill the position as she mentored Robin Carter who took over the position in 2007. Robin will be returning for the summer of 2008.
The CYO Girls Camp history is in need of some work. Although much the same growth and expansion as that of the Boys Camp, the Girls Camp History has been lost throughout the years. This piece will be updated as we learn and find out more information.
We know that the camp property was originally purchased in 1946 and was the site of the first Boys Camp. The Girls Camp was established in 1950 after the purchase of the new Boys Camp Property.
Since it’s inception in 1950 this camp has served many girls throughout the summer. The longest running Girls Camp Director is Mary Pat Brennan having served 16 years from 1979 through 1995. Heather (Kearns) Schimmel served as the Girls Camp Director from 2001 until 2007. She began at CYO as a camper and moved her way up the staff ladder. We are saddoned to see Heather leave us but look forward to the future.
