September 6, 2016 at 8:35 a.m.
Local woman's family has deep ties to Camp Birchrock
Local woman's family has deep ties to Camp Birchrock
By Kayla Thomason-
Janet Kuhn's grandfather, E.A. Forbes, was involved with the Rhinelander Paper Company and he made sure that the supplies that were needed to create Camp Birchrock were available.
Kuhn's parents, Harley and Goodie Forbes, were part of the group that dug the well, built the cabins and cleared the ground.
Eventually, Kuhn and her sister, Helen Keith, were campers and pioneer scouts. Keith became a junior counselor.
Kuhn has many fond memories of her time at Birchrock.
"Beyond Deer Haven we built a pioneer camp and we tented, and lashed benches and tables and a work center, and we fixed all our food out there, ate out there," she said. "That was probably for two weeks."
Lashing was a primitive way of doing macrame, or a form of textile using knotting.
Her favorite camp activities included singing and sleeping in tents.
She and her sister attended camp from grade school through high school.
The next generation to attend the camp was Kuhn's children Eric Lundmark, Brad Lundmark and Kjerstin Lundmark. They were all campers and Eric Lundmark became a junior counselor in his last year at camp.
Her children attended from about third grade through sixth grade.
Her grandson, Dakota Lindgren, went to the camp with a friend for about three years. Kuhn and her husband, Wayne Kuhn, paid for both of them to go.
Her granddaughter, Courtney Lundmark, and a friend attended for three years, with fees paid by the Kuhns.
About 10 years ago when she dropped off her grandchildren and their friends at camp, she was pleased to discover that there weren't too many changes.
"That's the beauty of the whole thing, you go there and it's very rustic," she said, adding that there had been some updates to the plumbing. "Instead of having outhouses they had plumbing, flush toilets and running water."
Kuhn had heard that the camp lost a building a few years back.
"Most recently, I understand, a few winters ago the cabin up on the hill, which was called Bear's Den, the snow was so heavy on the roof that it collapsed so that cabin isn't even there anymore," she said.
The most recent grandchildren to enjoy time at camp were Nolan and Garret Lee, and they were there this summer.
"Nolan said that they went on a - (they) must have gone camping somewhere else - and a bear came into their camping area and stole their rice crispies and marshmallows," Kuhn said.
"Going to camp is a wonderful experience for anybody's child," she said. "Just being away from home and I love the fact that no electronics are allowed at camp."
Her grandchildren haven't remarked on not having access to electronics. She thinks that is because they were so busy with activities and having fun outdoors.
"I think it's wonderful (that Camp Birchrock is still going and hasn't changed much)," Kuhn said. "My grandchildren Nolan and Garret had a great time and no doubt they will probably go back next year, who knows."
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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