t h e b e m e n t a l u m n i a s s o c i a t i o n the bement … special 2_2.pdf · now sittin’...

T H E B E M E N T A L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N

Volume 2, Issue 2, February 18, 2011

The Bement Special

Our purpose is to save Bement and

restore it to productive life

Newsletter of the BAA a 501(c)3 corporation Volume 2, Issue 2 February 18, 2011

Welcome New Members! Member Time at Bement Sarah Shermeta 1999 - 2000 Jessica Robertson 1986 Helen Andrews-Plant 1983 - 1986 Marshall Seibold III 1981 - 1984 Eleanore (Andy) Parke 1943 - 1951 Bucksteep Manor

Board Meeting will be Sunday February 20, 2011, St Pauls in Gardner, at 1:00PM All BAA members are Welcome.

If you can not attend in person come by phone, email: [email protected] for instructions

Minor Bylaw change:Change the “Principal Place of Business from Sutton to Rutland. To be voted on at the March Board meeting.

Revision to read:

Article I – OfficeSection 1.1 Principle Place of Business: The Principle Place of Business of the Bement Alumni Association (herein after “the Association” or “BAA”) shall be in Rutland, MA. The BAA is a not-for-profit corporation.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


2 Volume 2, Issue 2, February 18, 2011

T-shirts are Here!

New T-shirts with our “Make Me a Happy Camper” are available at our online camp store, savebement.org/store. Other items will follow such as window clings, bumper stickers and more.

T-shirts $10.00 plus $5.00 Shipping

The Camp Store

The BAA is looking for your old Bement shirts! In our camp store we would like to feature new and vintage camper and staff shirts. So if you have a shirt from the 90's, 80's, 70's or beyond please send us a good picture or scan of it to us!! If you can’t Photograph or scan you can mail us the shirt. We promise to take good care of it and return it to you as soon as possible. Thanks!!!

New items coming keep checking the store

We have Bumper Stickers now$2.00 each plus shipping


Volume 2, Issue 2, February 18, 2011 3

From Alan (Bibs) Taylor 1981 - 1989

I was so lucky to have had staff that filled in all the holes that I missed.First day of swim tests with Ian Motgomery shouting: “well done”, well done indeed and Ian never changed. He was also a superb guitar player and photographer. Polly on the tennis court. Dick Forest on the first session, chilly, water -kkkkkold- sitting in the first two feet from shore helping non-swimmers find confidence. Netta skipping lunch because she wanted everything perfect before the kids came in- aand- oh- there was always some parent without the physical exam sheet- how to handle knowing the child was not at fault. ouch

Names and faces: Peter and Mary, the Brown girls from All Saints Worcester, good solid counselors from North Adams to Northboro.. Waterfront staff that finally knew how to run a good solid waterfront with safety first- never never horseplay on the dock. Sarah singing “When the Great Ship Went Down” in Arts and Crafts, don't empty the ice cream makers on the grass. Bill Eakins teaching the meaning behind the musicals. Lenny burning the Poison Ivy from the tree trunks. Povey and the VBS crew hiding all the silverware in staff week. Big T welcoming kids “You look like a million bucks: all green and wrinkley” parents got it anyway!

Super Chaplains and some who needed a little guidance that we weren't a Jr. SeminaryWooley Bear and Jr Hi challenges - Alan Kettle and the phone calls to God about Ginger Kelly - always the Good Samaritan skit at morning meeting.

Curt and the Dining Hall floor with a mirror finish, the kitchen crew and shaking the pots - next stop Lechmere. Lentils lentils lentils, Eddy from Belise “Hey Bibs, where's the meat??” Man could he pack it away. Now that's just a few in many categories- Great cooks from Dan Barker to Chip.

Great caretakers from Curtis to Dick Powers- Chaplains - George Back from Brookfield, now retired Dean of Oklahoma City Cathedral, Larry Provenzano of North Adams, now Bishop of Long Island, Dick Knight telling us we don't find God through sitting on a rock in the woods, and quiet soothing Jack Lawton. Then we had leaders: Peter and Mary to Bar and Holly. When the last Jr Camper left, I knew I could revert to custodial status while he did the rest. John Cosby let me do the program and staff week, he set a good example for me. He was much more knowledgeable than I re: diocesan business.

Great nurses- Jean Baker's mom, Junesie, Anne Gillis, Sandy, many stories there.

Yesterday at a church book club meeting I saw on the blackboard, don't look behind you, you're not going that way. I can dig that but there's just so much to remember about Bement...seeing all the postings on Facebook says that Bement lives and is more than a piece of property.

When asked what he missed the most about not being at Bement, Bibs replied “The ice groaning in the winter with the hootie owl sounding on down the end of the pond”

Bement lives on as long as we remember and tell the stories.Thank You Bibs for your service to Bement and her children.

Our Directors

Newsletter of the BAA a 501(c)3 corporation Volume 1, Issue 12 December 18, 2010

4 Volume 1, Issue 12, December 18, 2010

Our New Official Camp Bement Song Book

We span over 60 years, each of us has favorites some of which were either not written down or the copies have been lost over the years.

If you feel a song should be included send your recommendation to [email protected]. Be as complete as possible, but if all you have is a fragment, a verse or even a phrase send it and through the community of alumni we will try to put it together. If it is a modern song that is copyrighted we will track down the copyright holder and get permission. Most would be pleased to have their song included.

Once a month a page or two of songs will be published in The Bement Special. In time we will compile these pages and publish our songbook for everyone to have.

A new way to help! Sell something on ebay! Follow this link: eBay Giving Works - About My Nonprofit - Bement Alumni AssociationYou can designate from 10 to 100% to saving Bement! For more info email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=44121http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=44121mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


Volume 1, Issue 12, December 18, 2010 5

The Candle by:Nick Deysher

Chorus:C G A thousand eyes, look to the skiesAm F-F9 A thousand stars are looking ba-ackC G For a million years, they’ve seen our tearsAm F-F9 And now they see our happiness

Verses:Em Am When hearts are breaking, and we feel aloneF G There comes a smile on our faceEm Am Because we know that we can count on our friends F G And that we all have our very own place

Be-Bement CampTune of Johnny B. Goode (a twelve bar blues), play in E capoed up at least 4 to Ab. Original is in Bb.

EWell let me tell y’a story ‘bout this place Bement

We’ve got our Lakeside Cabins and our Oakwood tentsAThe counselors are absolutely wonderfulE(Insert Name) is a monster (guy/gal), that ain’t no bullB AWe hope that next year you all will trampEBack to this monster camp

ESing a B! (B!) Be-Bement Camp

Sing an E! (E!) Be-Bement Camp ASing an M! (M!) Be-Bement Camp ESing an E! (E!) Be-Bement Camp B A ESing NT! (NT UH-UH!!) Bement’s the camp

Em Am And now we have to go our separate ways F G But we know that the Spirit is nearEm Am To guide us and watch over our souls F G And protect us from all of our fears

Em Am We’ll all light a candle, and hold it highF G And let it shine on for daysEm Am It’s like a blanket spreading out o’er the hills F G To say “I love you” in a thousand new ways

Now sittin’ at the pool’s Christina Mancini or (Insert Name)And she’s in charge of the Bement Cement SeaAnd if you go to boating you’ll find Lauren KohlAnd Jesse or (Insert Name) in those kayaks man he rocks and rollsWe hope that you all learn to swim and diveOh baby that ain’t no jive

Now we’ve told you all about this camp so very fineWhere else can you get great food when you come to dineOur campers, they come from all aroundWe’ve even got some kids from the lost and foundNext winter when it’s cold and you’re feelin’ lowThink about Bement… WHOA.



American Pie GraceBy Bement Staff 2001With special help from:Bill Ames, Jay Taylor, Dan Clinton, Eric Combier, Chris Wells, Chris Henry and Norma Hancock

A long, long time agoI can still rememberHow noontime lunches were in styleAnd I knew that if I thanked the Lord,For this camp that we adored,Maybe, I could make Liz smile.

But the morning air made me shiver,When the clangs were deliveredContract on the doorstep,I couldn’t take one more step.

I was eating a bone of fat,That I got from a Kitty-Cat,To Gordy I tip my hatThe day we say Good-Bye….

My, My, How this week seemed to fly,But I say that’s okay ‘cause I’m ready to dieI need a good tall drink like some coffee or chi,Saying bring it to my quickly or I’ll cryBring it to me quickly or I’ll cry.

Did you write the book of songs?And do you remember to sign along,If your contract tells you toDoes Jesus really Rock and Roll,Can veggies save your fruity soul?And can Linzy teach me to swim real low?

Well I know that you were at Bement,When I saw you move that cement,Our checks get kicked to Liz,Oh but that’s why we’re in the Biz

He was a handsome teenage bruckin’ buck,With a helpful mullet and I big camp truck,And I knew that he believed in God,The day the toilets clogged…


For ten weeks now we’ve been gone from home,And now we think of college loansIt back to the way it used to be…

When Jesse danced with Good old Bar,Then paddled to music from a car,And I didn’t know Dave could hike that far

Well Jay is bidding 4 in pitchWhile Wells and Rachel fall in the ditch,The poison Ivy begins to itch,

The day we say goodbye…


Helter Skelter in the summer swelterThe mold grows deep in the Oakwood shelterSo bring me a maglight fast,The townies partied on the grass,And Matt Harding caught a small mouth bass.

The Vinton air was sweet perfume,The water seeped and the sewage spudedWe all got in the pool,That idea was so cool.The campers tried to take the fieldThe Grinch and who’s refused to yieldUnder the paint our epidermis peeled,The day we said goodbye…

Oh then we were all in one place,And Dan asked us, who had grace,No time left to write it now,So come on Darcy be nimble, Katie be quickEllyse sweep up that icky, ick, ick,Cause dishes are the kitchens only friend.

Electric Celebration was on the stageWhere is Come Way? Was said with rageSome one too the sheetBut Wells and Corbs can’t be beetAs the search continued through the nightWe got it back without a fightCome away came back with delight,Before we said goodbye…


I meet a girl at Applebee’sAnd I asked her for my soda please,But she just smiled and forgot my food,I went down to the swimming shoreWhere I’d gone sweeps years beforeBut the health board said the water wasn’t good

And in the kitchen Gladwin diced,Gordy fried and Kristin iced,But not a word was spoken,The walk-in still was broken.And the three men I admire mostMark, Liz and Mr. Clinton,All wished they lived in Vinton,

The day we said good-bye…



Amen



Announcements:Board Meeting will be Sunday, February 20th

St Pauls in Gardner, at 1:00PM

All BAA members are Welcome.

If you can not attend in person come by phone, email:

[email protected] for instructions

Committed Volunteers needed for the following Committees:

Membership: Contact: Carolyn Johnson

Fundraising:Contact: David DeSantis, Kevin J. McCarthy

Property Acquisition:contact: Kevin J. McCarthy

Tech:contact: [email protected]

Marketing:contact: [email protected]

Bylaws:contact: [email protected] or any Board member

Auditing:Needed: someone who is not a Board Member to chair this committee Preferably a CPA or someone with extensive Bookkeeping experience, plus at least 2 others also not serving on the board

contact: [email protected] or other Board members

All Registered BAA Members are invited to serve on any committee or provide information and advise as set forth in the bylaws.

Share with your fellow Bementers your favorite memory or what you are doing to help save Bement in the next issue of our Bement Special

Send to [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]?subject=Membershipmailto:[email protected]?subject=Membershipmailto:[email protected]?subject=Fundraisingmailto:[email protected]?subject=Fundraisinghttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000018261161http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000018261161http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000018261161http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000018261161mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]?subject=Bylawsmailto:[email protected]?subject=Bylawsmailto:[email protected]?subject=Auditing%20Committeemailto:[email protected]?subject=Auditing%20Committeemailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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