Page 24 - voices-2023-06
P. 24
QUARTER NOTE
Waxing Nostalgic
David Freedman, PM2
What do you do when the new overlays the old? trouble. It was obvious, however, that it would need
Recently, for the first time in six years, I went on to be replaced. The outside steps had begun to rot
an annual retreat with my choir to my old summer or were repaired more than once. The tables and
camp. Camp B’nai B’rith sits on Devil’s Lake and chairs inside the mess hall seemed more like picnic
was a significant part of my formative years. When tables, particularly since the seating was on wooden
we were much younger, we went to family camp benches. When the mess hall was completely rebuilt,
with our parents, and as I got older, I returned I acknowledged that many of the changes were
for summer camp from fourth to eighth grade. for the better. It was far more accessible than the
I remember vividly at the end of my last year older building. The kitchen was up to date, and the
as a camper when I sadly realized that I would tables and chairs were more comfortable for long-
probably never return to B’nai B’rith. Then, much term use. Best of all, the building was acoustically
to my surprise, over a decade ago the Portland excellent, making it a great place for a large chorus
Gay Men’s Chorus started going to the camp to practice its repertoire. Nonetheless, it was also
for our annual retreats to prepare for our Pride apparent that this part of my childhood was now
concert. I was overjoyed to return to B.B. Camp, forever gone.
but it was apparent that there had been more than The cabins likewise remained the same
a few changes over the years. Several buildings throughout most of our tenure, dark brown
I remembered from my youth had either been one-story buildings that had housed many campers
replaced or completely torn down. Case in point: over the years. However, over the six-year interim
the mess hall was eventually rebuilt during our that we’d been gone, the cabins had been torn down
retreat years. Like the rest of the camp buildings, and replaced with more modern two-story buildings
it was deep brown in color and could house all of that could easily house more campers and likewise
the campers and counselors without too much were far more accessible than the original cabins
24 ONE COMMUNITY
