JEFFERSON GILBERT, 1979 – 1986 (I think)
Live in Toronto; have a weekend home in Prince Edward County – that Brian Blackstock – discovered and convinced my wife and I to buy in 1993 or 94.

Two boys – Wyatt (Kandalore) and Jasper (Hurontario). Married to Alison Billings (Oconto)

Have my own consulting firm, Gap. Point. Reach. [ non-profit leadership ] that specializes mainly in association management for library based groups. Currently serving as Exec Director of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council

Still see Geoff Pinkham, Chris Little, Mike Cunningham, Brian, Don and Patty McLean, Rex and Mary Ellen Taylor with some frequency.

Sean F. Boyle -Camp Mazinaw -1975-1977

Live in Toronto and have two children Spencer and Matthew Boyle.
Boys have gone to Kandelore and Muskoka Woods.
Created BOYLE Commercial Real Estate in 1999 and have been going strong for 11 years working mainly in the sale/lease of office space downtown Toronto with a focus on brick and beam “Cool” space for creative firms.

Still see Struan Robertson (cousin) , Eric Swan, and have seen Mike Hamilton , Steve Paken and Peter Ruz de Perez. Went to the last Mazinaw reunion.
Brother of Robertson (Robbie) Boyle who also went to Camnp Mazinaw.
Active on Humber College business advisory board, Vice President of LWCA (lake Weslmkoon Conservation Association) and Queen’s University alumni associaiton. Member of Granite Club and ski at Caledon Ski Club.

MIKE CUNNINGHAM (1978 maybe – 1986)

I live in Toronto and I’m a real estate agent for Bosley Real Estate. I’m currently single and have no kids. My office is across the road from David Latimer’s school (Mt. Pleasant and Davisville) and I see or keep in touch with many Mazinaw alumni – Jeff Gilbert, Sean Boyle, Tyler Merringer, Brian Blackstock, Tim DeGroot, Jamie Stafford, etc.

The best summers of my life were spent at Mazinaw! I started in about 1973 as a camper and was in the first LIT program together with Richard Colman, Paul Hitchcock, Scott Yamoka, David Kirk and Andrew Little. Latter advancing to a tripper and Councellor. I finished at Mazinaw around 1984. I wish I was still there!

I live in Oakville with my wife Anne and my three children, Connor (17), Bennett (11) and Ella (8). Both Connor and Bennet have gone to Kandalore. I am practicing law in a small firm in Oakville. http://www.Macdonaldandswan.com

It has been awhile since I have seen any Maz guys but run into Geoff Pinkham, David Kirk, Chris Cunningham, Mike Cunningham and Sean Boyle from time to time.
I still remember all the words to all the songs!

Camp Mazinaw 1976-1986

11 Great Summers – 10 Summers as a Camper – Algonquin for Life! Last summer – I worked for Paul McLean in Maintenance – Great Year) I had amazing Councilors such as David Latimer and David Kirk and an older brother (much older) Brian Stafford that watched over me and made my summers easier.

Grow up in Kingston and now live in Vancouver – No better place to be. I work in the Marketing and Promotions industry…Making our Clients look good.

Married to Ruth Santosham (Born and Raised) Owns her own Private PreSchool called Sprouts Academy.ca. We have two Boys – Quinn 6 (Yes the Mighty Quinn…get it from Maz.) and Dylan 3.

Kids Camps out West don’t compare to Ontario Camps. I might have to get in touch with Latimer and see if there is any space at Kilcoo. Sounds like another great Camp for Boys.

Still in touch with a few Mazinaw Friends but hear more stories than seeing them. I hope this website reconnects me with old friends.

I think it was earlier than ’78. Cabin one at least. Last year was ’85. LIT. Never quite made it to full staff…

So now that there’s a website, what about opening up the camp? My brother’s a real-estate guys. I’m hoping he can swing something.

As for me, I’m living in Menlo Park, California (just south of San Francisco near Standford). Been in the US since 2002 working in software marketing. My wife Carol and I have a 2 year old named Ryan. Life is good, but unfortunately we don’t get to Canada nearly as much as we’d like. I don’t bump into too many Mazinaw alumni down here, but would love to see you if you’re passing through.

Thanks for the great memories! Jeff Gilbert’s SPAM stew was a classic. After the hard sell to us, he promptly threw up after one bite. Still making that for the kids, Jeff? Lard bombs after the fondue. Pinkham in the craft shop. Bones. The rumor that Quiet Riot died in a plane crash. Rex and the J stroke. Brian never wearing shorts. Pat and Mike. Mike winning the paddle (with some help from Brian I’m pretty sure). Wish you were Here at every talent night. Captain Crunch. Red River cereal. Sunday night letters (which my Mom kept). Care packages. Wadds. Wheebles. Shine on You Crazy Diamond.

I do not recall the SPAM stew. Though I do hope I was consistent and still made you eat it.

In 1967 my parents put me on waivers at Pioneer Camp. My contract was picked up by Messrs. Hull, Blackstock and Hambly. Started in Cabin 6 (I think) and finally had my contract bought out when I was program director in the ’70s. Had a great experience with only a few lasting effects from the head injuries. Met superb friends Brian, Bruce, Ken, Jean and too many others to name…only partly because the lingering effect of too much consumption of 21-B from the Cloyne LCBO at Brian’s rendered portions of my brain almost totally useless. Really enjoyed my one year as counsellor. Had the little guys – John Dolan (who to this day accuses me of grand theft larceny of some imaginary care package), Mike Gee, Donny Jarvis (whose brother Doug turned out to be my most-recent brother-in-law’s attorney), Chuck Webster, Fraser ?? (son of a doctor my dad hired in our home town of Hespeler who was a great coroner with the same bedside manner!) and I’m probably forgetting someone. Did some magnificent things at Mazinaw and committed some unspeakable acts but all in all managed to survive and thrive.
Living in Oakville now and at this very advanced stage in life am the very proud father of my three-year old son Gabriel and his baby brother, seven-month old Samuel. Operate my own brand and marketing consulting company and spend most of my time storytelling for corporations large and small.

Some of the best summers of my life were spent at Mazinaw. I look back at those times with great affection and appreciation for what a great place it was.

Some of things I will never forget include: Tim DeGroot telling me that lots of people jumped off that 70 foot cliff at Bon Echo, and that I’d be a wimp if I didn’t do so (only to find out after doing so that he had never seen anyone crazy enough to do that); Jeff Gilbert showing me the fine art of making lard bombs; and, of course, all the great people I met there.

My wife Erica and I live in Calgary now, and we have a son, Max, who is almost two. We moved here from Toronto just over four years ago when my firm asked me join our Calgary office. I practice business law at the firm of McCarthy Tetrault, and manage to get away most weekends to go skiing in the Rocky Mountains.

I don’t see that many Mazinaw types these days, but still manage to catch up with Jeff Gilbert once or twice a year for a little skiing or a get together when I’m back in Toronto.

WOW
Just found this site recently, and it is a great start.
I will dig out and scan some of my old photos.
I was at Mazinaw in the late 60’s early 70’s
I am from Trenton ontario, so never got the bus ride to camp.
but my family’s business delivered all the supplies to tuck shop….Dad always put something on the truck for me and my cabin mates. That and having my birthday at camp may help others remember me…
my first year was cabin five with Ken Lockwood as counselor
my 13th birthday was in Porky pig….
i remember Dan Hayhurst, Doug Dean, Andy Ferguson in my cabin.
i remember gary rosenthan, Jeff Paikin, Steve Paiken several smart boys,
i remember their parents were the examiners for several of swimming exams.
i remember jumping from caseys rock and crow’s or hawks nest 63ft high rock just over from caseys..
I lived and worked in Trenton (80’s) after university at UWO in London.
then worked in West Indies and Toronto for 1990’s
moved to Ancaster a few years ago and have gone back to school recently to study Historic preservation (old buildings) see http://www.willowbank.ca
hope to hear from others, especially if there is a reunion.
Much More Later lots of memories i haven’t thought of in years.
Scott Tripp

Camper and Staff “56 to’66

This site has brought a flood of memories.

Mazinaw was an important part of my young life… perhaps the most important.

Now in my sixties and still paddling. Did my sixth arctic canoe trip this past summer.

My adult (?) kids are both paddlers. Hugh will be leading Camp Wanapitei’s two

month arctic trip summer 2011. I do a Dumoine most years with Chris and Andrew

Little.

I live in Gananoque and stock broke in Kingston. Married. Look forward to keeping

in touch. Reunion?

Well done, Jefferson, for final getting this website up and running. I am recently retired from Greenwood College School (8 years) where I ran the outdoor ed program and taught geography. I was 13 years at Crescent School before that and 10 years at Pickering College before that. I live in Newmarket with Mary-Ellen. We have two grown daughters, one of whom was married this summer. We spend several weeks a year in Kenya where we have many friends and run a small charity to send kids to school and support a mobile health clinic. In touch with Mike Akey, Steve Paikin, Peter Ostrom, Jeff Gilbert, Lori Edey, Don McLean, and many others that I’m too stupid to remember right now. Sorry. And Brian of course. Love to hear from anyone.

Camper for 4 years (I think) in the 70s. I was on the 3 week plan. Attended Pickering College and St Andrews and graduated from Trent U in 87. Spent some time in the Air Force and now live in Germany. I will share this great site with anyone I can think of. Well done to Rex and Steve for putting this together.

Happy Christmas to all!

As Faulkner wrote in Light in August, memory knows before knowing remembers. Don Kerr, 1 of 3 councellors I had during my 68-70 run, did in fact royally hose me of a pack of potato chips, some ton-o-gum (gotta a TMJ problem now?), a bag of gold (also gum) and a 6th Finger (the ultimate spy weapon). I vividly remember standing in Don’s cabin, staring at my disassembled care package while he explained how the chipmunks got it as my friggin’ chips shotgunned from his mouth. Don also forgot to mention Freddie Gorral as one of our cabin mates. It was a most excellent summer. Years later, Don and I discovered we were cousins (and we still are I think). I’m now in the tv and film game, currently showrunning Junk Raiders for the Discovery channel. The 2nd season goes to air in March. And Freddie, if yer out there, please get in touch.

John, you’ve come very close to eliminating the ‘cousin’ status with your horrid accusations. Don’t you remember the size of those freakin’ chipmunks? Regardless, it was in all likelihood my tent mate Bruce Macneil who relieved you of your care package…he was like that.

Cathy Vincent – 1981 – 1985
Hope it’s okay for a “chick” to post an update….believe it or not, there WERE girls at camp too! I started in ’81 as a kitchen wench and ‘worked my way up’ to doing the camp laundry! I have lots of great memories of Mazinaw! They were the best summers of my life. I didn’t get alot of sleep those summers thanks to the infamous “library nights” and reading far too many books! My best friends still today are the ones I met at Mazinaw (Sheila Wright, Holly Howes, Pat Browne and Suzie Compeau).
So when my good friend David Latimer asked me to work for him at Kilcoo Camp I jumped at the oppportunity! I worked at Kilcoo for 7 summers. Camp was in my blood!
Today, I live in Belleville with my husband Chris and our 2 sons (Cameron~10 and Carson~8). I have been teaching kingergarten here for 20 years now and love it.
Can’t believe it will be 30 years this summer since I first arrived on the shores of Mazinaw….
CHEER CHEER FOR CAMP MAZINAW…. :o)

Hey Jeff, Great site, I am going to see if I can find any old pictures . By the way what ever happend to Brian B?
Thanks

Alex Isbister (’53 – ’59)
Hokey Doodle! Such a lot of memories. I live in Collingwood now with my wife Sarah. I’m a psychotherapist and marriage counsellor with the Georgian Bay Family Health Team, and love it. We have four kids of whom three are hard core outdoors people and one of whom got a start at Mazinaw as well.
For myself, I paddle most summer weekends on the rivers near here (not on Georgian Bay – that’s kayak territory and while I have a kayak that will handle it, I’ve discovered that I will not).
Six or eight years ago, one of our kids asked me at short notice to join him on a canoe trip on the Spanish River – one of their foursome had dropped out. I spent 3 or 4 days trying to catch up, not remembering routines. But then I did catch up, started to pull my weight, and it has been a mainstay for me since – 3 or 4 trips a year, mostly 3 or 4 days, mostly with the younger set, sometimes with people my age (I’m 65). Last year I had just one trip but it happened to be the first solo of my life.
From time to time now, I think that I know I am OK in the world, in life, because of my early camping experience. I have lots to be grateful for, family not least, but camping is up there. And I am reassured when I see youngsters tripping these days too that the world will continue to be in good hands.
Oh – and those camping “routines” that I had forgotten? Who knew you could make camp without cutting down any saplings. Who knew you could wash dishes with no residue ending up in the lake? And who knew you should carry a shit kit that was more than just toilet paper? Some of the routines were brand new to me – and a better way of doing things.
Peter Camfield, Dick Blackstock, Orian Low, Peter Pierce, the Partridge brothers, the Deacons (I was often camping with Eric), John Simmonet was a little older, a friend of my brother John’s, George Thompson likewise, Doug Tisdale was older still, a tripper and counsellor when I was a camper. Terry Carr was a counsellor at that time. He worked later with Brian Blackstock in starting the Outdoor Ed school for the TDSB on Toronto Island.
Blackie, Harry, PK….
Thank you Mazinaw.

Sure miss the old joint during days like this. Was thinking just today that it would have been wonderful to send my boys off to Mazinaw (OK, not right now, they’re only 4 and 2) when they come of age. Kids next door just back from LIT at Kandalore. What a great life. Regardless, in a few years I’ll be seeking recommendations for my guys. Great training and experience for them and wouldn’t it be great to unload them both for six weeks every summer. I now understand my parents’ motivation soooo much better.

Wow is right. Sure takes me back. Alex Isbister, Chris Cunningham,……. names from the past.
I literally grew up at Mazinaw. Mazinaw started with me in a flood of homesickness tears back in 1953 when I was 7. I think Bill Deacon was my first councillor in Cabin 1 followed perhaps by Brian in 3 and Doug Tisdale in Cabin 5. That’s when my cousin Peter Palmer (went on to a career in the CFL) booted me from below up and out of the upper bunk one night. No per.. per… per.. per.. permanent damage that I’m aware of. George Thompson followed later in one of my senior cabins – what a great year!
Yup, best 13 (I think) years of my life. Went on to guide my whole career as a Forester and Director of an Outdoor Ed. Centre. Currently have 2 Chestnuts, a Deer and a Kruger, the latter I recently restored: (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150355276939289.395680.743994288&l=48e0dde18a&type=1)
and everytime I’m out, Blackie rides with me. I had hoped to get to Mazinaw this summer with my wife and maybe check out some of the old routes but 2012 for sure. Hopefully Alex the lake has recovered from all the bars of soap lost and those memorable wash tubs of hot bath water poured over your back before a frigid rinse!
So many memories and so much to be thankful for!
My wife & I currently live in the Annapolis Valley (NS) and would love to host any alumni if you’re down this way. Email: cherrick@xcountry.tv

How wonderful to find this Mazinaw site! I still tell people how I spent six weeks up in Canada every summer in my youth learning to paddle a canoe, sail, and live out in the woods and survive. Nobody believes we went on long trips with no Coleman stove or a cooler, carrying unrefrigerated butter and bacon in our backpacks in cardboard containers, washing the pans with sand at the shore, carrying canoes from one lake to the other, building fires from scratch, sleeping with porcupines in our tents, and digging our own latrines. (When cleaning out my parent’s home, I came across the letters I wrote from Mazinaw and one of them still had a few quills I kept from one of the trips and sent home.) They also don’t believe that the way I paddle a canoe is the right way and don’t seem to be able to handle an axe correctly.……

I’m not exactly sure when I started but it had to be in the early 50’s. Stuart Crothers and I were, I think, the only two campers from the U.S. although I faintly recall the Allen brothers being from New York. Stuart and I were in cabins 1,3,4,5,7 and 11 as the years went by and I remember names like Doug Frame, Robbie Smart, and Doug Tisdale as counselors. I know there were others but the memories fade. Campers while I was there included some I later caught up with at Queen’s: John Simonette, George Thompson, Dave Allen, Gordie I forget his last name (a Goliath), and John Isbister. None of us can forget Mark Hellinger. I remember Dave Deacon, Blackie, and Harry Hull and ran into Brian Blackstock one day in a bookstore in Ottawa years ago. There was somebody named Paul who (so the story goes) had perfect pitch and could tell you what note you struck on the piano in the main lodge. I ran into Bob Crowson (now a dentist, if I recall correctly) at a party in Kingston years ago. I remember Peter Camfield, Peter Partridge (who gave me an “insider’s tour” of Westminster when I was in London in ’63) There was Billy Wright in Cabin 1 who took forever to pass his 25 yard swim test so we could row up the lake a bit and pitch camp. I have never abandoned my search for a book called “The Diamonds” that our counselor read to us, chapter by chapter, during one of the summers. I also remember “Toscanni” picking the tunes after lunch.

I won the water-boiling contest at the end of my last summer. I have an arrowhead but I don’t recall what it was for. I “stole” the songbook and for years it was in the piano bench at my parent’s home. It disappeared but I’m glad to see it’s on the site now, a little upgraded, but my old favorites are still there. I have never forgotten the words to Green Grow the Rushes, Ho but am glad to have another look at My Darling Clementine and the Martins and the Coys.

The most wonderful summers ever spend in my life were at Mazinaw. There is a painting in my dining room that my grandmother did and it’s of Bon Echo rock from the camp shore, a little further up the lake. Perhaps I’l figure out how to post it. I have another small one she did of the same subject but from a different perspective that is in my office. Whatever photographs I may have had from camp days have long ago disappeared.

Me? Did my undergrad at Queen’s, worked in Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon and finally went back to New England where the mother of my children promptly filed for divorce. I went to Law school later in life and after graduating and writing the Massachusetts bar exam, followed a woman here to California. It didn’t work out. I got to take the dreaded California bar exam here and got lucky. I met my bride at a large firm I worked at in Palo Alto and struck out on my own in the late 1990’s. I’m still at it, figuring I’ll just die at my desk. I’ve two wonderful kids who are all grown up. Jennifer and Parker live in Victoria, BC, she working for the government and he teaching music in high school in Esquimalt.

Sorry this is so long but I’ve been waiting for this forever. Mazinaw !

Richard Jolliffe

My cousin Bill Scott who was at Maz in the 60s let me know about this site. My brother, Pete, also was at camp from the mid-fifties to early sixties. It’s great to see so many wonderful memories preserved here. Also it’s shocking to see how young I looked in some of the pictures!

My Mazinaw history (if my memory serves me correctly is:
1960 – Cabin 2
1961 – Cabin 4
1962 – Cabin 6
1963 – Cabin 9
1964 – Cabin 10
1965 – Cabin 12
1966 – Cabin 13
1967 – Tripper
1968 – Sailing Instructor
Also I came back late in camp a couple of times in the seventies to be a tripper for the last big week of trips.

How about since then? I did a BA in History at U of T (72) and an MA in Canadian History at Carleton (73). That year, I joined the federal government in the Immigration Foreign Service. After postings in the UK and Haiti, I switched to the domestic side and worked at Immigration Headquaters in Ottawa plus some time with other departments as well. In 1996 we moved to Winnipeg where I was Director General for the Prairies and the North for Citizenship and Immigration. I retired in 2008 and since have been doing some policy consulting and research into the history of Canadian immigration policy so I’ve finally become an historian after all these years. Not much canoe tripping any more, unfortunately, but skiing in the winter, golf in the summer and lots of travel.

I’ll dig up some pictures and send them off.

Rob Vineberg (rvineberg@shaw.ca)

Hey everyone!! Its great to have this site made. A big thanks to Rex, Steve and Jeff for making it happen.

I was a camper from 1979, LIT in ‘85 and a tripper in ‘86. And I can honestly say that those were the most influential years of my life. It’s great to relive those memories a little through this site. Eric Swan, I believe you were sharing a tent with Dave Kirk who was my counsellor (Cabin 1) in ’83 if I recall correctly. And how can anybody forget Jamie Stafford as Kaptin Kybo!!

I’m currently married and living in Milton, Ontario, I work for an IT consulting company and I have two daughters aged 9 and 5. Car camping is a regular part of our summer vacation and the girls love it. Bon Echo Provincial Park is a regular pick. Two summers ago, we rented canoes and paddled up Deadwood Creek to the damn at Buck Lake.

I’ve been having discussions with the wife to have our girls go to an overnight camp, but my wife wasn’t ready. She has since caved and we are sending them both to a Girl Guides camp for 5 days (this is a big step!!). Another Mazinaw alumnus Peter Ruys de Perez has opened a co-ed camp near Mazinaw called Cedar Ridge. Peter has enlisted a few familiar names on his Board of Directors, including Don McLean, David Latimer and Brian Blackstock. Its because of the Mazinaw influence that I’m considering this camp for my girls next year.

Paul Avbar

It is fantastic to have found this site. I think about summers at Mazinaw regularly. My experiences there really had a profound effect on my life. I was there every summer from the early 70’s to 75 or 76 I think. Ken Lockwood was my first counsellor – cabin 5 I think. I bumped into him in the Rockies years later when I was on a Rugby tour with Balmy Beach Club. I remember Mike Ackey and the others as well.

I went to school with Fred Gorrell and I suppose it was because of him that I went to Mazinaw. Last saw him at Queen’s as well as Don Jarvis who was there and Dan Hayhurst as well.
Mighty Quinn’s!!
Rick Pinto

I live and practice medicine near London in the UK. The last time I went to Mazinaw was in 93 but it didn’t exist anymore. I took my fiancee now wife on a canoe trip in Alqonquin and we drove to Mazinaw so I could show her what a magnificent place I had the luck to spend time at when I was a kid. I was so sad that to find that kids no longer had the opportunity that I had to go there. We drove to Smart’s Marina and it was nice to see Steve who probably to this day doesn’t remember who I was!

I came upon this site when I was looking for places to go next summer with the kids. We haven’t been to Canada for a few years and they want to see where I spent my summers. Awesome to be able to show them the pictures on this site.