A Publication of CCHAlumni and CCH GoldenTipi
New CCH Alumni Association Planned
A rebirth of the alumni association is in the offing! The brain trust behind Music in the Mountains is putting the final steps into gaining official status from the Province as a society. Rob Pegg says, “I hope to mail the forms this week and have our Society “official” from the government by mid next month (April ’16)”. Brent Harris reports there was mid March meeting of organizers where a draft communication was to be developed. Plans are afoot to seek volunteers to help with the Society Board of Directors and Golden Tipi website operation, to find a Piffle editor, and to shout out to find more alumni and their email addresses for alumni communications.
Music in the Mountain Dates Confirmed
MnM organizers have set the date for this year event for Friday May 6th in the Ironwood Stage and Grill, 1229 – 9th Avenue, SE. Doors will open 6:00 pm, music at 7:00 pm. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward the creation of the alumni association and to helping kids attend camp. Visit CCHAlumni.com for more information concerning tickets, performers and the silent auction.
Memorable Programs Project.
The CCHGoldenTipi has launched a new section called Memorable Programs. The intent is to gather the history about programs from CCH’s past that deserves to record before it is too late.
The Wilderness I program launched in 1968 and running into the 1980s is the first program to make the site. Rich Harding, Marine Virtue and Sharon Woods have helped out with material to date. And Mike Saunders has already contributed a photo album.
Bruce Elkin and Duncan Dow are also collaborating on material for the Earthways Program that ran in the 1970s.
Fisera History of the Rocky Mountain YMCA close to posting on CCHGoldenTipi
Yvonne Fisera wrote a in-depth document describing the history of the RMY as a training manual for staff. This document deals with the history of CCH from 1930 through the 1980’s but particularly focuses on the period of her employment from ’75 through ’86. We will be posting the parts of this history on CCHGoldenTipi site over the next several months.
….Excerpt from Yvonne’s History of the RMY
To the Reader:
The purpose of this book is to remind “departed” staff of the past and for new staff to serve as a learning experience in the history of this Branch.
The following information was obtained from records at the Rocky Mountain YMCA and was reinforced in part by my own recollections of the past 9 years …
… PIONEER SECTION: (generally describing programs for 14 – 15 year olds)
1953 — The Pioneer section was ‘born’ – older campers built their own site on Hector leased land and christened it “The PIT”.
1970 — Program enlarged (still only for boys aged 14 – 16 years)
1973 — At the end of this year’s camp a proposal was made to make the Pioneer section into a 19-day session with only 2 sessions per summer – NOT CARRIED OUT! Director: Dave Bilkey.
1972 -1975 — Separate sections for boys and girls
1976 – 1985 – To date this program has continued to be run along the same lines; basically a co-ed camp for boys and girls aged 14 -16 years. Trips have been around 5 days in length and included hiking, canoeing and horseback riding. Traditionally the winter reunion for Pioneers and Wilderness campers has been held between Christmas and New Year; some years the camp was held at Hector Lodge and other years campers slept in dorms and hold activities in the Bowfort Lodge. In 1985 a change from previous recent years was made as campers shared in the meal preparation chores – sounds like a good time was had by all!
Recent Section Directors include: 1985 – Steve Prysunka, 1984 – Kim Cairns, 1983 -Brent Harris, 1982 – Kevin Klein, 1981 – Mike Swain, 1980 – Jill Bennett
Yvonne was hired by Gary Luthy to run the office at “Yamnuska Centre” in 1977. Yvonne lived with her husband Zdnek (Deny) and her two children at the Forestry Research Station in Kananaskis. After Zdnek’s research project was completed the Fisera’s moved to Edmonton ending Yvonne’s employment at the Y sometime in the late 1980’s. Yvonne passed away peacefully on February 23, 2009 in Edmonton, AB at the age of 79 years.