The Story of the BuDee Camp
This information is a portion of the journals kept by my grandmother about
this wonderful paradise. Though you may not understand who all of these
people are or what the background is of their visit to this place, if you
read carefully you will understand.
This place is special not only because of the profound beauty it possesses,
but because of the families that have shared happiness, laughter, tears, and
death. The memories of the heart are the things that no one can take away.
All the pictures stored in your heart of the first fish, the first water ski
tumble, the family gatherings, the smells…these special things create this
special place.
Let me introduce you to this special place. Once upon a time (all great
stories begin with one upon a time) there was a couple with four grown
children, who had children of their own. This couple came upon a piece of
forest service land that was up for lease and decided to create a hideaway
for their families to enjoy. So in 1965, the BuDee camp came to be, for $35
per year.
The land was beautiful lake front property with tall moss covered
evergreens, lichen covered rocks, multitudes of wildflowers, and an
abundance of small creatures. In the beginning was the city of tents nestled
in the midst of these pine trees. Meals were cooked over the stone fire pit
and enjoyed on the huge hand made picnic table. Washing was done in the lake
or under the big tree, which had been converted into a wash basin or fish
cleaning station, whichever was needed. Camp stories were shared atop the
hill over looking the lake around a stone campfire circle. Life was great!!
Soon a small cap trailer joined the tents on the fill. This became the
refuge from the rainy weather. A very cozy place to share games, and drive
parents crazy.
Over time the construction of the cabin began. All the families gathered the
special rocks to be used for the foundation. Young and old pounded the nails
in the wood that became the walls. Even though the construction took a lot
of time, there was always the sound children swimming, water skiing,
catching their first fish, playing hide and seek amongst the trees and
grasses, capturing the lake turtles or tadpoles or sunfish, or singing songs
around the campfire while the marshmallows toasted for the s’mores. Though
there was always work to be done, there was always time for fun.
The collection o journal entries begins in 1975, after much of the
construction is complete and some of the grandchildren are completing high
school. They begin as daily weather and people reports but soon the place
begins to affect the entries and thus will learn of this special place….