Memories - Ann Marie Niziolek
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Ann Marie worked for Girl Scouts of Lake Erie Council every summer from Junior High through college. She started at age fourteen, working as a day camp counselor at Margaret Bates. At age sixteen, she transferred to Hilaka where she served as an administrative assistant, based at the camp office. “I liked that job because they mostly left us alone there.“
She became the Nature leader, High Ropes facilitator, and general all around “go-to“ person. “I was the second person to be up on the High Ropes course”, she rembers the view far above the ground amid the tallest treetops between Mable Smith Shelter and Fernwood. “The problem is…I’m afraid of heights!” When asked why she took that assignment, she explained, "I was volun-told”. Her supervisor insisted she do it. “They needed people to run the program, and I had the most flexible schedule.” She was trained by instructors from the company that had installed the equipment. “There was a lot of swearing involved”.
In all her years of working at the camp, she devised strategies to avoid out houses. " I never used a latrine. Just wasn’t going to happen." When I pointed out that this was a remarkable accomplishment, considering that she was living at camp all summer, every summer. She would not divulge the details of her avoidance techniques, commenting only, "I have a bladder of steel”
She wasn’t much of a swimmer or a hiker. “I like hiking well enough, but only as a means to an end”. The reason she kept coming back to camp year after year was the people. Shamrock (Dawn) was always at Wonken Tonken. Sheila was always in charge of Whispering Woods because there was always a little bit of light there. Froggy (Julie) ran the waterfront. Amos was the camp director until the year she got pregnant in the middle of the season. Then Cricket (Bridget) was appointed to take over. There was always a contingent of ten or twelve international staff, recruited from agencies to be camp counselors. The local councilors would take the out-of-town staff home on weekends. The male staff were assigned to sleep at Cook’s Cabin, but once there was a tent for them on Gund lawn, across from Green Trees. Sunshine (Verla Custer) and [Irma Lang?] were the council staff overseeing camp. There were a lot of lesbians. "Why not?"
One summer during Ann Marie’s college years, the kitchen staff was caught stealing food. They walked out. The camp was desperate. Ann Marie’s mom had run cafeterias in the Parma schools. She got recruited to fill in as the cook for the rest of that summer. The council had a terrible time finding any other kitchen help, so all program staff had to take turns running the dishwasher.
For her assignment as Nature Leader, Ann Marie was given a book called Sharing Nature with Children which was full of immersive nature activities. She showed the girls how to play “Predator/ Prey” in the woods behind the boathouse. She led the night hikes. There were always owls calling to each other from Wonken Tonken to Hickory Hill. Anne Marie would have the girls listen to the owls along the gas cut, as they walked down the hill in the dark. If the group was camped on the west side, she would take them across the creek and up the hill on the other side. If they were camped in the north they would walk upstream along the creek.
She once rescued baby mice whose mother had died in a trap. She stowed the babies in her bra to keep them warm next to her skin. But sadly, they all suffocated within a day.
She loved being in the Nature Hut. ”You could see everything from there.” She loved the evening campfires. The admin staff got to grab a golf cart and go around to visit all the different units at night. "They were all so different."
On Thursday nights, there would be all-camp campfires. The girls would start out singing on the front porch of Gund, singing fast and crazy songs first to burn off energy. Then the whole camp moved down the trail to the lake. When all the girls were assembled on the beach, fires would be lit at the island on the far side. The flames could be seen gliding across the water, torches held by councilors in canoes. It was a mystical and memorable ending to camp. Only the councilors knew the secret that the torches were made of Maxi Pads tied to sticks and dipped in kerosene.
Cricket’s Corners was another favorite place at night – a place to launch wish boats. An Marie found the Secret waterfall on her own, by accident, and went there sometimes on breaks to think about things. It was there she decided to turn down a marriage proposal from her boyfriend.
Fernwood had a beautiful view. She loved both Fernwood and Far Away Pines because they were off the beaten track. Last Chance was too far to go- and forget about the road up to Windy Hill! They didn’t use Mable Smith much, but they were always at the ball field.
Kirby House had a flower garden and a pond on the side of the yard past the fire circle. There were always wild flowers there. Mr. Jim took care of it (Jim Brigham, the Julia Crowell Manager)
Ann Marie has stayed at every site at Crowell Hilaka, except Gemini.
After resident camp was over for the summer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation ran day camps at CH. One year a race car driver brought his Indie car out for the kids.
Ann Marie learned to drive at camp. Stan (Stan Polo, the Hilaka camp manger) taught her in the camp truck. Unfortunately, she ran into a pole and bent it. It’s still there like that. “Stan was wonderful. He’d rescue us when we got into trouble."
Blue Jeans Benefit was a wonderful party in the woods. An adults-only fundraiser held in the fall. Parking was at Richfield schools and guests were shuttled down on busses. All the houses were open, and there were activities at a lot of them. There was a basket raffle inside Gund. Alcohol allowed, very casual.
Ann Marie became a Science and Math teacher. It was not because of her camp experience. Her aunt who was was a teacher inspired her. She taught fourth grade at John Muir for ten years. Her classroom was on the second floor. One day there was a fire drill. She had a seizure and could not evacuate. She was subsequently written up for insubordination. She left and was “snapped up” by the principal at Densler in Parma. She taught third grade there for ten years, and won awards for excellence in teaching.
In 2009, Friends of Crowell Hilaka elected Ann Marie to be their representative to GSNEO’s Vision 2012 camp evaluation. Everyone knows her. Everyone loves her. At the time of this interview, she continues to come to the Richfield Firefighters clambakes and Friends' events every year.
Interview October 16, 2023. Published with permission.
She became the Nature leader, High Ropes facilitator, and general all around “go-to“ person. “I was the second person to be up on the High Ropes course”, she rembers the view far above the ground amid the tallest treetops between Mable Smith Shelter and Fernwood. “The problem is…I’m afraid of heights!” When asked why she took that assignment, she explained, "I was volun-told”. Her supervisor insisted she do it. “They needed people to run the program, and I had the most flexible schedule.” She was trained by instructors from the company that had installed the equipment. “There was a lot of swearing involved”.
In all her years of working at the camp, she devised strategies to avoid out houses. " I never used a latrine. Just wasn’t going to happen." When I pointed out that this was a remarkable accomplishment, considering that she was living at camp all summer, every summer. She would not divulge the details of her avoidance techniques, commenting only, "I have a bladder of steel”
She wasn’t much of a swimmer or a hiker. “I like hiking well enough, but only as a means to an end”. The reason she kept coming back to camp year after year was the people. Shamrock (Dawn) was always at Wonken Tonken. Sheila was always in charge of Whispering Woods because there was always a little bit of light there. Froggy (Julie) ran the waterfront. Amos was the camp director until the year she got pregnant in the middle of the season. Then Cricket (Bridget) was appointed to take over. There was always a contingent of ten or twelve international staff, recruited from agencies to be camp counselors. The local councilors would take the out-of-town staff home on weekends. The male staff were assigned to sleep at Cook’s Cabin, but once there was a tent for them on Gund lawn, across from Green Trees. Sunshine (Verla Custer) and [Irma Lang?] were the council staff overseeing camp. There were a lot of lesbians. "Why not?"
One summer during Ann Marie’s college years, the kitchen staff was caught stealing food. They walked out. The camp was desperate. Ann Marie’s mom had run cafeterias in the Parma schools. She got recruited to fill in as the cook for the rest of that summer. The council had a terrible time finding any other kitchen help, so all program staff had to take turns running the dishwasher.
For her assignment as Nature Leader, Ann Marie was given a book called Sharing Nature with Children which was full of immersive nature activities. She showed the girls how to play “Predator/ Prey” in the woods behind the boathouse. She led the night hikes. There were always owls calling to each other from Wonken Tonken to Hickory Hill. Anne Marie would have the girls listen to the owls along the gas cut, as they walked down the hill in the dark. If the group was camped on the west side, she would take them across the creek and up the hill on the other side. If they were camped in the north they would walk upstream along the creek.
She once rescued baby mice whose mother had died in a trap. She stowed the babies in her bra to keep them warm next to her skin. But sadly, they all suffocated within a day.
She loved being in the Nature Hut. ”You could see everything from there.” She loved the evening campfires. The admin staff got to grab a golf cart and go around to visit all the different units at night. "They were all so different."
On Thursday nights, there would be all-camp campfires. The girls would start out singing on the front porch of Gund, singing fast and crazy songs first to burn off energy. Then the whole camp moved down the trail to the lake. When all the girls were assembled on the beach, fires would be lit at the island on the far side. The flames could be seen gliding across the water, torches held by councilors in canoes. It was a mystical and memorable ending to camp. Only the councilors knew the secret that the torches were made of Maxi Pads tied to sticks and dipped in kerosene.
Cricket’s Corners was another favorite place at night – a place to launch wish boats. An Marie found the Secret waterfall on her own, by accident, and went there sometimes on breaks to think about things. It was there she decided to turn down a marriage proposal from her boyfriend.
Fernwood had a beautiful view. She loved both Fernwood and Far Away Pines because they were off the beaten track. Last Chance was too far to go- and forget about the road up to Windy Hill! They didn’t use Mable Smith much, but they were always at the ball field.
Kirby House had a flower garden and a pond on the side of the yard past the fire circle. There were always wild flowers there. Mr. Jim took care of it (Jim Brigham, the Julia Crowell Manager)
Ann Marie has stayed at every site at Crowell Hilaka, except Gemini.
After resident camp was over for the summer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation ran day camps at CH. One year a race car driver brought his Indie car out for the kids.
Ann Marie learned to drive at camp. Stan (Stan Polo, the Hilaka camp manger) taught her in the camp truck. Unfortunately, she ran into a pole and bent it. It’s still there like that. “Stan was wonderful. He’d rescue us when we got into trouble."
Blue Jeans Benefit was a wonderful party in the woods. An adults-only fundraiser held in the fall. Parking was at Richfield schools and guests were shuttled down on busses. All the houses were open, and there were activities at a lot of them. There was a basket raffle inside Gund. Alcohol allowed, very casual.
Ann Marie became a Science and Math teacher. It was not because of her camp experience. Her aunt who was was a teacher inspired her. She taught fourth grade at John Muir for ten years. Her classroom was on the second floor. One day there was a fire drill. She had a seizure and could not evacuate. She was subsequently written up for insubordination. She left and was “snapped up” by the principal at Densler in Parma. She taught third grade there for ten years, and won awards for excellence in teaching.
In 2009, Friends of Crowell Hilaka elected Ann Marie to be their representative to GSNEO’s Vision 2012 camp evaluation. Everyone knows her. Everyone loves her. At the time of this interview, she continues to come to the Richfield Firefighters clambakes and Friends' events every year.
Interview October 16, 2023. Published with permission.