October & November 2009 CAMP GETS READY FOR WINTER; 200+ IMAGES SHOW PERM SITES
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER -- Colorful leaves have turned brown on the Hillside forest floor as evidenced by the October & November slide show (above). Bill and I visited Hillside Nov. 15 to hike around and check campsites. It was a beautiful fall day with temperatures approaching 70 degrees with bright sunshine.
Creek Road got some widening and is ready for the winter’s snow. Camp is closed for the season and the staff has gone home awaiting their return in five months. Dave and Cody met us at the door and we chatted. Bill decided to remain with Dave while I went hiking around camp with camera in hand.
In the above slide show you will see pictures from October after your view the November images. It was 60 degrees with bright sun when I began my tour in the Village Circle. Lots of leaves cover the ground waiting for staff and campers to deal with them in April and May. Village sites are fine with the normal branches here and there waiting for this spring’s campfires.
The water was flowing nicely over the falls at the camp’s lower level.
Lavender Lane sites look great. The warm weather and bright sunshine prompted me to shed my clothing as I proceeded to the camp’s many areas. The Crystal Palace looks neat in the sunshine. Smith Lane sites were looking good and all the tarps and covers were in place. I miss the oil lamps at the Harrisburg Boys Site but I’m sure they will be back again in the spring. Everything looks normal for this time of year.
The many sites on Smith Lane are looking good. It is time to head up the first hill towards NNS. The few sites going up the hill are in good condition. The NNS site is in fine condition. From time to time I can see a deer or two. I was able to catch one for this slide show to prove that winter at Hillside really belongs to the animals that are protected by the more than 200 acres of private property that makes up the camp.
Perm sites along Hillside Heights look good and, of course, I had to stop in front of the mirror at Keith and Jack’s to take a self-portraits in case the Webmaster includes it in the slide show (and he did!). I continue to Hummingbird Lane where everything looks good with all covers and tarps in place waiting for the winter's snow.
I round the corner to see that Franco’s place is fine as are all sites beyond Rings. I love the Canadian flag, which one day will be covered with snow. Cumalot looks good, as does the Hog Ranch. I enter the Memorial Garden pathway and stop at the Memorial and say a prayer for those who have passed on before us. I shed a tear as I say a special prayer for Gregory B. who recently passed on. I exit the Memorial Garden and head for Wanderlust, which is doing well. The Perm sites along the way look good. Site 60, hillside’s largest community site, is still green.
Wickie Dickie and site 60B look great, as do all sites along the roadway. The new trailers here and there look good. The footbridge going to the Barber Pole is a nice touch. Again, all sites and trailers and buildings along the way look fine. Having walked around camp twice since it closed in late September I can appreciate that Hillside is indeed one of the largest all-male campgrounds in North America.
Everything is good at the Cross Roads so I head up the roadway to the cable sites. These are the highest sites at camp and they certainly deserve their title. It is well worth the trip up if for no other reason than the vivid winter view. All sites along the way are in good shape.
The Compound looks fine, as is everything in that area. I swing around the corner and head down the road where I find lots of leaves on the ground. The Tin Man looks good as does all the sites heading down the hill past the flamingos on Flamingo Road. I continue down the hill pass several sites – all in good shape. I pass the pool, take a look at the Rec Hall then head down the Landing Strip where everything looks fine. The cactus is still green. It may be another month or two before it goes dormant.
I turn around and head towards the in-ground pool for a quick hike down the road. All sites along the way are great. It is now time to return to owner Dave’s home to continue our chat. We chat for a while before I and Bill leave. I hopefully will return after the first major snowfall for this winter.
All is well at Hillside.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Barely Bob & Bill
Donate material to HH Fund quilt Bill announces March 1 deadline
Here is the 2010 Quilt Project information you have been waiting for from Bill.
After shopping for material for myself I found way too many prints that were to big to use. So I had to re-think the idea and came up with this. I will use your supplied fabric as the background and appliqué 2 blocks -- one with a rabbit and the other a pine tree. The appliqués will be silver upon the background you supply. This will allow us to use larger prints.
If you are interested in helping please send to Bill Graham a strip of fabric 12' x 44" or a 1/3 yard of fabric by March 1, 2010. I will make one block each of the rabbit and a tree from each strip. I will use one on the first quilt and the other on the second quilt. The remaining fabric will be used for borders and fillers, if needed.
Direct quilt and requirement questions to Bill Graham.
Two quilts will be made. One with the logo in the centre and one without. Perms registered in the membership directory will be given first placement on a first come, first placed. Donations from weekenders and day campers will come be used next.
Please send your material to: Bill Graham c/o Bob Evancho 21 S. Church St. Carbondale, PA 18407
Below are possible designs substituting rabbits for pigs. The finished size will depend on number of donated pieces of fabric received by March 1, 2010. The quilts must get to the quilter by mid-April in order to have them back by Memorial Day for signing.
The quilt project will raise money for the Helping Hand Fund.
Please get your swatches to Bill ASAP.
Arts weekend had real bargains!
RESERVATION & QUESTION PHONE NUMBER (570) 756-2007 Call with reservations & questions any day after 10 a.m. except Fridays, a very busy camper check-in day. Sorry, reservation & site questions cannot be handled by e-mail.
THE HELPING HAND FUND Committee is selling rainbow bears to raise money to benefit needy fellow campers. Bears are just $5 each. All six rainbow-color bears with cookbook for just $25 Bears & cookbooks available at camp Office, Cafe, Store & at Sunday's BINGO! The Helping Hand Fund is a non-profit organization.
The Fund's mailing address is Helping Hand Fund, Inc, 948 Creek Road, New Milford PA 18834. You may e-mail the Fund at www.HelpingHandFundPA.org or click on the button below to e-mail the Fund.
TO SEND AN E-MAIL TO THE FUND CLICK ON THE IMAGE AT THE RIGHT.
BINGO! WILL BE BACK EVERY SUNDAY(except for holiday weekends where we may call the numbers on Mondays).
The fun begins again Memorial Day Weekend2010 and runs through Labor Day Weekend. Bingo is BIG at Hillside. Join in the fun with proceeds going to theHelping Hand Fund.
It all begins at 1 p.m. at the Rec Hall, rain or shine. It's worth staying an extra hour to watch or join in the fun! Perhaps you, too, will yell "BINGO!" and leave camp with some extra cash!
POTLUCK RETURNS EVERY SUNDAY
POTLUCK DINNER SUNDAYS at 6 p.m. are always fun. Join your fellow men Sundays for this social event at the Rec Hall to get to know others on a personal level. You won't find a better bunch of guys anywhere.
Please bring a dish to pass, if you can. Day campers are always welcome to attend this event as well as all public Hillside events.
Please no smoking in the Rec Hall or near the entrances since some campers are allergic to smoke.
Please wear proper clothing since food is being served. Shorts are fine. We hope to see you there at 6 p.m.
PICTURE POSTING POLICY: Camp pictures are posted on this site for the purpose of letting viewers know the many exciting and fun events that take place at Hillside. We're told the picture coverage of most events is what makes this site current and we're happy to provide this service. If your picture is in one of the slide shows and you wish for it to be removed please e-mail the Webmaster giving him the page title, the show title and the picture number starting with the title slide as picture number one. A description of the item that needs to be removed would be helpful (i.e., person at far left, in middle, person with blue shirt, etc.). All slide show pictures are protected so others cannot remove a picture for posting on other sites. We have no control over pictures that campers take and may post on their personal sites. If you are unhappy with an image on this site please let the Webmaster know and he will remove it as long as you tell him specifically which picture it is. IF you find your picture posted on a non-Hillsdie site we suggest you write the Webmaster of that site requesting that the picture be removed. In all cases the Webmaster will hopefully remove it. Thank you for your help in making this site useful to Hillside viewers.
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(c) 2004 - 2009 HILLSIDE CAMPGROUNDS. (This site is updated daily all year long!) The camp's mailing address is Hillside Campgrounds, P.O. Box 726, Binghamton, NY 13902. The physical location of the camp is Creek Road, Gibson, PA.
