Susie Logan Gribbell - Lives in Freeport, ME, with husband, Ted and two daughters, Margie and Laura (CCC campers 2nd session this summer for their 5th and 3rd summers, respectively). Susie was a camper at CCC 1960-1967, Handy Ann 1968, and staff member in 1969.

I first arrived at Chimney Corners Camp in 1961. Back then the names of the cabin groups were bird-related — the Owls, Woodpeckers, Falcons and Lower and Upper Eyries (nest of a bird on a cliff or mountaintop). I started in Owl 1 (today the Construction Cabin) and ended in Honor Cabin South. The unforgettable Howard Smith, his wife and sons ran the camp — with love and tons of energy.

I also spent a lot of time in the infirmary (the now rotting building behind the barn) with various stomach ailments and colds. The sheets were always clean and white — and the rooms cool. It was a welcome respite from the cabin during those long eight weeks. One summer, when I was a Woodpecker, I spent one week in the Nest, suffering (watching TV and eating ice cream) from the mumps and being nursed back to health by Mrs. Smith.

The high points of the summer were in the second half, when we performed musicals (Sound of Music and Oklahoma) and Gilbert and Sullivan operettas (The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore). This early exposure to Broadway and the operettas was a gift that I still treasure and share with my children.

During the last week of camp, we also had the Treasure Hunt — a week-long activity with cabins competing against each other to find the Treasure. We were given clues through the week — and, as they were solved, accumulated points. On the final day, in the order of points gained, the cabins received the final clues that would lead them to an envelope containing the note saying, "This is it!" I’ll never forget the year my hand was the first to touch the envelope. My cabin mates and I received the treasure — candy, treats from the camp store and a trip to Friendly’s Ice Cream.

Other highlights of my nine years at CCC were my stint as a Handy Ann (similar to an Aid) and my year as a counselor in Lower Eyrie 7. Our cabin was a powerhouse — winning Song & Sign and placing at Wiff ‘n’ Poof. I also learned a lot about being a role model and having responsibility for others.

Philip "Spider" Alton - Lives with wife, Judi and three children; Zach, Spencer, and Bailey in West Newton, MA where he is the Director of Performing Arts at the Fessenden School. Spider was a camper at Camp Becket 1969 — 1970, CIT 1974 and staff member from 1975 — 1981.

When I was asked to write an article about my Becket memories, I was very excited about the prospect. I thought I could write about my experiences as a camper and staff member, the beautiful Becket days spent on the Frontier Green, the rainy days spent talking with friends and bunk-mates, or even the clear, crisp nights spent alone on the porch of the library, watching the stars in the night sky above, while hearing the gentle nudging of the rowboats against the dock below. All these were memories that flooded into my head. As I continued to reminisce and asked myself what specific Becket memories I had and wanted to share with other alumni, it became clear to me that we all have the snap-shots in our minds of different times, people, and events that we experienced during our tenure at the two camps. These snap-shots are ours alone, and no matter how eloquently we pen these thoughts, we will never do them justice. I am sure every alumni feels that their summers at the camps were the pinnacle years; with the summers before simply leading up to the best years, and the summers after not quite reaching the same heights. In reality, every summer at the camps is truly unique and almost not translatable into the written word. My last summer at Becket was twenty years ago, but I still find myself thinking what I might do for a cabin chat, or as I walk through a store, I will see something that I think would make a great project for the wood shop, or a game that would be a superb village activity. When I stop to analyze why I still look at life through Becket-colored glasses, the answer seems clear.

Becket has woven itself throughout my life, and since I drove away from camp, down YMCA Road in late August of 1980, it has acted like a lifeline in times of trouble, and a dear friend in times of happiness. When my first marriage ended (interestingly, I was married to a Chimney Corners woman), I came and spent time alone camping around Rudd Pond, getting reacquainted with myself and trying to figure what I was going to do to get my life back on track. The stars were still where I had left them years before, and the boats still made that soothing sound as they nudged the dock. I went back to my Becket roots to find the strength and that inner peace that I knew as a camper and staff member. I brought boys from my school on weekend trips. I looked up old Becket friends and got in touch with them. I threw myself back into the one place that made sense and that had meaning to me. During one of my school trips, I met a woman in the kitchen who was cooking for our group. After a year’s courtship, we got married in the Becket Chapel-By-The-Lake, had our reception at the Lane House, and we have lived happily ever after. Our family has been back to attend work weekends, my oldest son will be attending Becket this summer, and now I’m involved in the Alumni Council.

I’ve also gotten reacquainted with some of the people I knew as a camper and staff member, but now on a whole new level. Jen (Ford) Hazelwood and Kim (Armstrong) Silcox have become close friends once again. Our families have spent time together outside of Becket and Chimney Corners, but we have that bond that cannot be put into words. We even ushered in the new millennium together. Once again the camps are involved in my life in ways that I would not have predicted. So, yes, I do have some incredible memories from my years as a camper and staff member, and yes, the camps have helped form and guide my life. These memories and lessons are what have helped me throughout my life away from the camps. It is these memories that have brought me back. Some of the best memories are yet to happen. I am looking forward to them.