MEMORIES: SANDRA SCHERRER NORRIS (1958)
1958 was a summer of discovery for me. I was 14 years old.
My best friend's mother, who was a girl scout troop leader, invited me to camp with her troop at Camp Julia Crowell. I was not a scout! What intuition she had. My home life was not the best and a week in beautiful Richfield was just what I needed.
I slept in a tent for the first time, sharing it with 3 other girls. I learned that not all girls were as meticulous as me..I must say, that was an eye opener.
My love of singing (not saying I can carry a tune) started at the campfires and on the trails while hiking to meals in Garfield Hall.
I remember one of our leaders was named Thumper and she was always making sure we brushed our teeth at the outside spigot. That was always fun!
The lake by the mill was the best place for a 14 year old tadpole to learn to swim! Learn to swim.....maybe not, I sure tried my best.
What camp taught me was that I could try my best without any judgement or embarrassment.
I don't remember many times during my youth, but camping at Julia Crowell was an amazing time and I carried my memories of Richfield with me for all these years. The irony is that I lived in Rocky River in 1958 and stayed in the area through 1983. I met and married a young man from Richfield in 1978 and we moved to Richfield in 1993. During the 10 years between 1983 through 1993, we lived in Columbus and I became a Brownie leader for my daughter and then a girl scout leader. Because of my early experience with that one week of camp at age 14, I became a determined leader.
While I remembered the camping, I didn't remember it was in Richfield. It all came together years later in 2014 when my husband and I got involved with the Friends of Crowell Hilaka to help save the camp from development when it was for sale by the GSNEO. Again another happy accident. This 336 acre property has changed my life again.
My best friend's mother, who was a girl scout troop leader, invited me to camp with her troop at Camp Julia Crowell. I was not a scout! What intuition she had. My home life was not the best and a week in beautiful Richfield was just what I needed.
I slept in a tent for the first time, sharing it with 3 other girls. I learned that not all girls were as meticulous as me..I must say, that was an eye opener.
My love of singing (not saying I can carry a tune) started at the campfires and on the trails while hiking to meals in Garfield Hall.
I remember one of our leaders was named Thumper and she was always making sure we brushed our teeth at the outside spigot. That was always fun!
The lake by the mill was the best place for a 14 year old tadpole to learn to swim! Learn to swim.....maybe not, I sure tried my best.
What camp taught me was that I could try my best without any judgement or embarrassment.
I don't remember many times during my youth, but camping at Julia Crowell was an amazing time and I carried my memories of Richfield with me for all these years. The irony is that I lived in Rocky River in 1958 and stayed in the area through 1983. I met and married a young man from Richfield in 1978 and we moved to Richfield in 1993. During the 10 years between 1983 through 1993, we lived in Columbus and I became a Brownie leader for my daughter and then a girl scout leader. Because of my early experience with that one week of camp at age 14, I became a determined leader.
While I remembered the camping, I didn't remember it was in Richfield. It all came together years later in 2014 when my husband and I got involved with the Friends of Crowell Hilaka to help save the camp from development when it was for sale by the GSNEO. Again another happy accident. This 336 acre property has changed my life again.
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my friend, Patricia Stevens
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Thumper, on the right
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Sandy and her husband Pat became ardent advocates for the camp before and after it was acquired by Richfield!