1983

Events of 1983 include movies, music, home video, sports (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB), Television, TV Show debuts, and big events of 1983.

Note: Not all events of the categories above are noted.
======================================

*** 1983 *** 

Movies:

Top grossing film- ($252,583,617- domestic)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of The Jedi

Picture Of The Year-
Ghandi (the movie)



Notes: 

1983 was a landmark year in film. More films have gotten an R-rating than any other year thus far.
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Home Video News: 
1983 was a time when home video players were becoming affordable for use in homes having dropped by half in a few years to around US$500. Pre-recorded tapes remained expensive creating the video rental industry with rentals sometimes including the player.

It was also a time known as the "format wars" with two major standards Sony's Betamax and JVC's VHS competing for dominance. Consumer camcorders were also gaining popularity with prices dropping below $1000.
-----------------------------------

Music: 
(Recognized artists from 1983 at the 26th annual Grammy awards, Feb 28th 1984)

Song Of The Year: “Every Breath You Take” by The Police

Record Of The Year- “Beat It” by Michael Jackson

Album Of The Year- “Thriller” by Michael Jackson

Best New Artist: Culture Club


Note: The 26th Grammy awards had the highest ratings in its history with 43.8 mil. viewers - a record unmatched as of 2013.

February 26- Michael Jackson's Thriller album hits #1 on the US charts, the first of thirty-seven (non-consecutive) weeks it would spend there on its way to becoming the biggest-selling album of all time.

February 28 – U2 releases their 3rd album War which debuts at #1 in the UK and produces the band's first international hit single.

March 2 – Compact discs go on sale in the United States. They had first been released in Japan the previous October.

May 16- The Motown 25 Special airs on NBC, celebrating a quarter century of Motown Records. The most talked-about performance is by Michael Jackson, who unveils his famous moonwalk dance move during an electrifying performance of "Billie Jean".

August 20 – The Rolling Stones sign a new $28 million contract with CBS Records, the largest recording contract in history up to this time.

September 18 – The members of Kiss show their faces without their makeup for the first time on MTV, simultaneous with the release of their album Lick It Up.

September 24 – U.S. rock group the Red Hot Chili Peppers launch their first self-titled album.

December 2- Michael Jackson's extravagant 14-minute music video for Thriller is premièred on MTV.

-----------------------------------------------------

Sports: 

College Basketball-
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
North Carolina State wins 54-52 over Houston

NBA-

NBA Finals:
Philadelphia 76ers won 4 games to 0 over the Los Angeles Lakers (115-108)

NFL-

Superbowl XVII: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA
The Washington Redskins win over the Miami Dolphins 27-17.

NHL-
Stanley Cup Finals:
Stanley Cup – New York Islanders win 4-0 over the Edmonton Oilers
(Score: 4-2)

MLB-
World Series:
Baltimore Orioles win World Series 4 games to 1 over the Philadelphia Phillies
(Score: 5-0)
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Big Events Of 1983: (not all are posted)


January 10 – Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States launch Fraggle Rock, a worldwide program advocating peace.

January 31 – Seatbelt use for drivers and front seat passengers becomes mandatory in the United Kingdom.

February 28 – The final episode of M*A*S*H is aired and the record of most watched episode is broken.

March 23 – Strategic Defense Initiative: U.S. President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars".

March 25 – Motown celebrates its 25th anniversary with the television special Motown 25, during which Michael Jackson performs "Billie Jean" and introduces the moonwalk.

April 4 – First flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

April 13 – California's largest retailer Target Corporation expands into California, opening 11 stores.

April 18 – The 1983 United States embassy bombing in Beirut kills 63 people.

April 18 – Channel broadcasting is founded by Disney (the Disney Channel).

May 17 – Lebanon, Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

May 25 – Return of the Jedi opens in theatres.

May 31 – The Philadelphia 76ers defeat the LA Lakers for the NBA championship.

June 13 – Pioneer 10 passes the orbit of Neptune, becoming the first man-made object to leave the vicinity of the major planets of the Solar System.

June 18- Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on the STS-7 mission.

August 24 – The Old Philadelphia Arena is destroyed by arson.

August 30 – Guion Bluford becomes the first African-American in space aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on the STS-8 mission.

September 17 – Vanessa L. Williams becomes the first African American to be crowned Miss America, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

September 18 – U.S. heavy metal band Kiss officially appears in public without makeup for the first time on MTV.

September 19- Wheel of Fortune begins its syndicated version, which still churns out new episodes to this very day.

September 26- 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident: Soviet military officer Stanislav Petrov averts a worldwide nuclear war by correctly identifying a warning of attack by U.S. missiles as a false alarm.

October 23 – Beirut barracks bombing: Simultaneous suicide truck-bombings destroy both the French Army and United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, 58 French paratroopers and 6 Lebanese civilians.

November 2- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: At the White House Rose Garden, U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill creating a federal holiday on the third Monday of every January to honor American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

November 2- Able Archer 83: Many Soviet officials misinterpret this NATO exercise as a nuclear first strike, causing the last nuclear scare of the Cold War.

November 2- Chrysler introduces the Dodge Caravan, the first "minivan".

November 3 – The Reverend Jesse Jackson announces his candidacy for the 1984 Democratic Party presidential nomination.

November 14- The immunosuppressant Cyclosporine is approved by the FDA, leading to a revolution in the field of transplantation.

November 20 – The Day After debuts on ABC.

December 29 – The Reverend Jesse Jackson travels to Syria to secure the release of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman, who has been in Syrian captivity since being shot down over Lebanon during a bombing mission.

1984

Events of 1984 include movies, music, home video, sports (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB), Television, TV Show debuts, and big events of 1984.

Note: Not all events of the categories above are noted.
======================================

** 1984 ***

Movies:
Top grossing film- ($234,760,478 - domestic)
Beverly Hills Cop

Picture Of The Year-
Amadeus

Notes: 

The Walt Disney Studios establishes Touchstone Pictures to release films with more mature subject matter than the traditional Walt Disney Pictures banner.

Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film.

Michael Eisner becomes head of The Walt Disney Company

Prince's first film Purple Rain is released.

The Motion Picture Association of America institutes the PG-13 rating, as a response to violent movies such as Gremlinsand Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
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Home Video News:

January 17- In Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., popularly known as the "Betamax case", the Supreme Court of the United States rules that the practice of "time shifting" constitutes fair use and that the manufacturers of home video recording devices cannot be held liable for copyright infringement by consumers.

Music: 

(Recognized artists from 1984 at the 27th annual Grammy awards, Feb 6th 1985)

Song Of The Year: "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner

Record Of The Year- "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner

Album Of The Year- "Can't Slow Down" by Lionel Richie

Best New Artist: Cyndi Lauper



Note:
January 27- Michael Jackson's scalp is burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial and he is admitted to the hospital.

February 28 – Recovering from the scalp burns sustained a month earlier, Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards out of twelve nominations, breaking the record for the most Grammys won in a single year. He wins seven for the critically acclaimed album Thriller and the other for his work on the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

---------------

Sports: 

College Basketball-
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship:
Georgetown wins 84-75 over Houston

NBA-
NBA Finals:
Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers

(Score: 111-102)

NFL-
Super Bowl XVIII – Los Angeles Raiders won 38-9 over the Washington Redskins

NHL-
Stanley Cup Finals:
Stanley Cup – Edmonton Oilers won 4 games to 1 over the New York Islanders

(Score: 5-2)

MLB-

World Series – Detroit Tigers win 4 games to 1 over the San Diego Padres

(Score: 8-4)

Television Notes: (Not all major events are included)

January 22- During CBS's broadcast of Super Bowl XVIII, Apple Computer Company heralds the introduction of its Apple Macintosh personal computer with the famous advertisement "1984", the only time it is broadcast on national television.

January 23- Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan defeats The Iron Sheik to win his first World Wrestling Federation (WWF) championship at Madison Square Garden; the match is televised by the MSG Network.

January 27- Michael Jackson's hair catches fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.

February 28- At the 26th Grammy Awards telecast by CBS, Michael Jackson wins a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards.

May 18- Character Bobby Ewing finds himself in the crossfire as a rival tries to gun down his brother J.R. on the season finale of the series Dallas.

July 14- In what became known as Black Saturday, Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) takes over Superstation WTBS' Saturday evening time period once occupied by Georgia Championship Wrestling. National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) wrestling fans and viewers are stunned.

September 10- The game show Jeopardy! returns to television by daily syndication with new host Alex Trebek.

September 14- Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler host the first MTV Video Music Awards at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, an event which included Madonna's performance of the song "Like a Virgin".

October 8- NBC broadcasts The Burning Bed, which features Farrah Fawcett as a woman who kills her abusive husband. The fact-based film is the highest-rated entertainment event of the 1984–1985 season.

December 27th- ABC purchases a majority stake of ESPN from Getty Oil Corp.

TV Show Debuts (Not all debuts are included)

January 22- Airwolf

March 31- Lifestyles of The Rich And Famous

April 14- My Little Pony

September 5- Heathcliff

September 7- Kids Incorporated

September 10- Voltron: Defender of The Universe

September 10- The Get Along Gang

September 10- Snorks

September 16- Punky Brewster

September 17- The Transformers

September 19- Highway To Heaven

September 19- The Cosby Show

September 20- Who’s The Boss?

September 25- Three’s A Crowd

September 28- Miami Vice

September 28- Tales From The Darkside

October 3- Charles In Charge

October 26- V (original series)

Big Events Of 1984: (not all events are posted)

January 1- Bell System in the United States is broken up.

January 24 – Apple Computer places the Macintosh personal computer on sale in the United States.

February 7 – Astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart make the first untethered space walk.

February 8–19 – The 1984 Winter Olympics are held in Sarajevo, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

February 26 – The United States Marine Corps pulls out of Beirut, Lebanon.

April 1 – Marvin Gaye is shot to death by his father, one day before his 45th birthday.

April 4 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan calls for an international ban on chemical weapons.

April 23 - United States researchers announce their discovery of the AIDS virus.

The Soviet Union announces that it will boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

May 31 – Six inmates, including James and Linwood Briley, escape from a death row facility at Mecklenburg Correctional Center, the only occasion this has ever happened in the United States.

June 12 - In one of the greatest NBA Finals ever, The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games to captured their 15th NBA Championship.

July 13 – Terry Wallis, a 19-year old living in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, falls into a deep coma after a severe automobile accident (he will eventually awaken 19 years later on June 13, 2003).

July 23 – Vanessa L. Williams becomes the first Miss America to resign when she surrenders her crown, after nude photos of her appear in Penthouse magazine.

July 25 – Salyut 7: cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk.

July 28–August 12 – The 1984 Summer Olympics are held in Los Angeles, California.

August 11- United States President Ronald Reagan, during a voice check for a radio broadcast remarks, "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes".

August 16 – John DeLorean is acquitted of all eight charges of possessing and distributing cocaine.

August 30 – STS-41-D: the Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on its maiden voyage.

September 18 – Joe Kittinger becomes the first person to cross the Atlantic, solo, in a hot air balloon.

September 20 – Hezbollah car-bombs the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, killing 24 people.

September 26 – The United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China sign the initial agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.

October 5 – STS-41-G: Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.

October 11 – Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan becomes the first American woman to perform a space walk.

October 23 – The world learns from moving BBC News television reports presented by Michael Buerk of the famine in Ethiopia, where thousands of people have already died of starvation due to a famine, and as many as 10,000,000 more lives are at risk.

November 6 – United States presidential election, 1984: Ronald Reagan defeats Walter F. Mondale with 59% of the popular vote, the highest since Richard Nixon's 61% popular vote victory in 1972. Reagan carries 49 states in the electoral college; Mondale wins only his home state of Minnesota by a mere 3,761 vote margin and the District of Columbia.

November 25- Band Aid (assembled by Bob Geldof) records the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in London to raise money to combat the famine in Ethiopia. It is released on December 3.

December 10 – Cisco Systems is founded.

December 22- Four African-American youths (Barry Allen, Troy Canty, James Ramseur, and Darrell Cabey) board an express train in the Bronx borough of New York City. They attempt to rob Bernhard Goetz, who shoots them. The event starts a national debate about urban crime in the United States.

Unknown Dates:

1983–85 famine in Ethiopia intensifies with renewed drought by mid-year, killing a million people by the end of this year. Date unknown.

Crack cocaine, a smokeable form of the drug, is first introduced into Los Angeles and soon spreads across the United States in what becomes known as the crack epidemic. Date unknown.

The Chrysler Corporation introduces the first vehicles to be officially labeled as "minivans". They are branded as the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, and Plymouth Voyager. Date unknown.

UofM Lung Transplant Educational DVD

Several months ago I noticed the University of Michigan (UofM) Transplant Center added their Lung Transplant Educational DVD to YouTube back in March 2013. I already have it in my Double Lung Transplant Journey album over on Facebook. Since I took part in the DVD, I received a copy back in Dec 2011, when it was finished. I'm on it quite a bit (my surgery, my family, etc.) When I had my transplant I was interviewed by Amy, whom filmed my transplant surgery and post transplant 9-day stay. I gave UofM permission months in advance before transplant. This is the full educational video, so if by chance you or a family member has a single or double lung transplant, you'll be given this DVD. 


* I’ve enclosed the clips where footage of myself or surgery is shown (nothing graphic). 

* Some of the information doesn’t apply to Cystic Fibrosis patients. 
=============================================


-- DVD created: December 2011 --



0:10-  My surgery


0:18- My donor, Gretchen’s lungs secured to Ann Arbor from Bay City.


0:21- Sadly, #499 has passed away, and to date 598 (as of Sept 12th 2014) lung transplant have been performed.


1:56- UofM Cardio Vascular Center- CVC. My family wheeling me in at 9:20 PM, Sat, Sept 25th. I could no longer walk far distance. 


3:59- My post transplant medication sheet


4:29- Left: my lung transplant doctor, Dr. Kevin Chan.


11:47- CVCICU prior to transplant, 10:30 PM, Sept 25th.


19:43- Dr. Andrew Chang, who performed my surgery.


26:11- My family and I basically killing time (10:30 PM, Sept 25th).


26:16- My family and I arriving at the CVC (9:20 PM, Sept 25th).


26:52- Sign-up for study.  I was having difficulty breathing, I couldn’t lay down and was up like this for nearly 5 hours. A mask made It harder, because I'd get hot. I did sign up for the study (which was being explained to me), basically they took the fluid(s) from my bronchoscopy post transplant for study purposes. 


27:28- More footage of the study being explained.


27:54- Signing papers for the study (11 PM, Sept 25th).


28:05- 31:42- This entire portion is of myself.
* Being checked over after my tubes and lines were placed. 
* Pulmonary Artery Catheter.

* 29:07- That’s me knocked out. This was pretty weird to see. 

* 30:45- Yes, that’s my surgery being performed. I didn’t need the heart/lung bypass machine, which helps in post recovery. 

* 31:30- I’m being taken to the CVCICU.

* 31:40- My surgery took 10 hours and this was about 3 PM ET. 


33:16- HA! I look so out of it. This was about an hour after surgery. The nurse (who was one of my favorites at the CVCICU) was cleaning (washing) the inside of my mouth. 


33:23- I actually somewhat remember this, I couldn’t even open my eyes yet, but I could hear everything going on around me. 


33:30- I finally woke up completely. I couldn’t talk, but I could write, well. . as good as a 1st grader could write. HA! 


33:47- I was in the CVCICU for 3 days. I actually think this nurse was getting ready to suck the secretions out of my mouth and preparing for my breathing tube to be removed. 


34:21- Those are my chest tubes. I had two large ones, and two small ones. 


34:48- 19 hours post double lung transplant, there I was walking. Slowly, but surely. I walked half the hall. 


35:07- Those are balloons my pre-transplant coordinator Jenny Berry sent to me.


35:11- I was transferred to the step down unit (6C) at UofM on day 4. This is actually footage from day 8 I believe. 


35:15- This was again day 8, as you can see, I could breathe in so much better then prior to transplant in the CVCICU pre-op. 


35:58- I never experienced being nauseating. At this point, I only had two small tubes, which I did go home on. I was able to empty the fluid from the small round balls you see on my side. Every 8 hours (or sooner) I emptied them for about 1.5 weeks. 


37:06- I used the spirometer quite a bit during and after my stay. 


37:33- That’s what fluid from your lungs looks like.


37:48- This was 7 days post transplant, by this time I was walking the halls (20 minutes) 6x a day. 


43:27- Luckily, I only take two anti-rejection meds, Prednisone 10mg and Cyclosporine (150mg morning, 150mg night). Each person is different. 


45:22- I'm preparing to swallow my anti-fungal medication, which I no longer have to take. To me it tastes like banana. 


46:32- This was day 8, as Transplant Pharmacist Linda Stuckey was going over everything. The transplant team will not let you go home unless you know how and when to take all your medication, including the staff on 6C. This includes knowing the side affects and dosage as well. 


46:53- Learning my medication and everything in-between was a breeze. 


47:30- This was day 8, and I think I was on solid foods on day 3. 


47:35- This was Day 9 in the morning, discharge day. I was going over my meds for the morning. 


47:42- This was me on the phone. 


50:37- There’s our previous car. Discharge!!

Camp Onkoi Benek: Year One

Colored by: Jesse Richardson

Colored image of our camp '88 t-shirt. Click for original copy.

Wednesday, July 23rd 2014

   

     If I had to describe my first year at Camp Onkoi Benek with one word, it would be special. For those reading this and don't know, Camp Onkoi Benek (Indian for To Conquer Tomorrow) was a summer camp for kids, teens, & adults living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) that took place in July outside of Battle Creek, MI (cereal capital of the world) in Dowling, MI. I went to CF camp for 8 years until it was discontinued in 1996. The camp is actually called Camp Clear Lake and is operated by the Battle Creek Public Schools, but for that week it was called 'home' to us CFers and staff members. The counselors (staff), cooks, and others were a reason why camp was so special. A lot of adults took their vacation time during camp, which meant they were away from their families to be with us. That's something special.

     During my senior year in high school I was on the yearbook staff ('97 as well) and our yearbook theme for that year was 'Unlocking The Magic' and I remember day dreaming about camp when we chose that theme. It described camp perfectly. Each one of us held a key to a treasure chest. By unlocking that treasure chest, we unlocked magical moments at camp, moments that we'd never forget. The most magical gem I unlocked that year was meeting Elizabeth Michalski a.k.a. Liz, who adopted our patrol for that week. She took me under her wing and made my week very special. If I had to craft that week into an image, it would be the one below.

Liz & Jesse: Camp '88 Dance

     I first got wind of camp in 1987 by meeting Brian Weber (left) and his Mom at Karate class (Taekwondo). I don't recall seeing Brian at Taekwondo class, but if so, he didn't go for that long, or maybe they were just checking it out, I'm not sure. Anyway, his Mom talked to my Mom about a camp for those with CF. We got more information from my CF doctor at Children's Hospital in Detroit. The rest is history.

     I believe I received my packet from camp in May 1988. I recall being excited to see the activities for that week, and the fact that there was going to be a dance. I remember packing for my first week at camp. Hawaiian style shirts (insert Miami Vice & Magnum P.I.) were very popular around this time. I think I had quite a few shirts from 1986-1990. The style that I had was different and a bit thicker. As I read the papers in my packet, I learned that a Beaver was our mascot and the theme for that year was WBVR, which was a fictional TV station. The weeks activities surrounded that theme. 

     My first year of camp was the first time that I was around other's with CF, besides the time that I met Brian and his Mom. This was the case for a lot of CFers who attended camp for the first time. Prior to camp, I didn't know what to expect. I just knew as a 9 year old it was going to be my first time away from home, and not just that, but for a solid week. Let the fun begin!

Camp Onkoi Benek (1972-1996)

     My first year of camp should've been in 1987, but my parents felt it was best I wait a year. I think they were hesitant about me going since it was going to be my first time away from home (besides with relatives) for that length of time. I would've been 8 back in 1987. In order to attend camp you had to be at least 7 years of age.

     That trip from Highland to Dowling was 2 hours long, but it felt so much longer. Some people travel even further.

     As my parents slowly drove up to the drop off area, I remember getting out of the car and all of a sudden I heard a man's thunderous voice say.

     "JESSSSEEEE!!!."

     My first thought was. "Who in the heck is this guy, and how does he know my name?"

     That guy was Jim Meyer a.k.a. Jimeyer, and little did I know then, we'd become friends right off the bat. He was my camp counselor for that year, along with Rob. Jim was the counselor for the kids, and to my knowledge always was until 1996. Jim came up to me and gave me a big hug, and still to this day we're friends.  He was the first person that I met at camp, and I can't say enough about Jimeyer, I really can't.

     Since its been 26 years, it's a bit hard to remember things, but on that day I started a lot of friendships that lasted for years, until sadly my friends passed away. This was back when Burkholderia Cepacia (B. Cepacia) positive CFers could be around Cepacia negative CFers (I was Cepacia negative), we just couldn't do our postural drainage (PD) together. We had to be in separate rooms. PD is basically when someone pounds on our chest (back and front) to break up the mucus so it can be coughed up. We could do our breathing treatments, share things, hang out, and eat together etc. Things were different in the CF community back in the 70's and 80's. For those wondering, B. Cepacia positive CFers carry bugs (bacteria) that other CFers who are Cepacia negative are more apt to catch, especially with a somewhat weakened immune system. When Cepacia positive CFers become sick (due to their CF) it's hard to treat their lung infections with antibiotics, because their bacteria is resistant to a lot of them.

     In today's world (2014) it's a huge no no for either (Cepacia positive & negative) to be around each other, and this includes non Cepacia CFers being around other non Cepacia CFers (6 ft rule, it us to be 3), and the CF Foundation is currently tightening things up at the CF centers across the U.S.  

     Chapel Hill and Pittsburgh are the only two centers that do lung transplants for those with Cepacia, at least to my knowledge. Lung transplants are very difficult for those with Cepacia, even though they have new lungs.  It's not so much the 10+ hour surgery that's complicated (any double lung transplant has its worries), but more so the aftermath. B. Cepacia can be tricky post transplant, especially when you still have CF in the sinus cavity.

                  (left to right, back to front): Rob, Jimmie LaFrance, Debbie, 

              Jesse Richardson, Brian Weber, Jason LaFrance, Mike Wilson, Jim Meyer

     I still remember when our patrol picture was took. I actually think Liz took this picture, but I could be wrong. It was when we were playing bocce ball. 

Being a rookie camper meant a few things, but one thing was certain. You were getting a swirly, and yours truly was no exception to the rule. I'm not sure who gave me my first swirly, but it might've been Willie Halpin, who the next year would become my camp counselor along with Ken "The Mail Man" Osterman. I didn't fight the swirly. I wasn't stupid. I knew that anyone could grab me at anytime and flush my head down the toilet. Maybe I over exaggerated on that one, but it's the truth. My rookie initiation was complete. My only thought was. . .  how come the girls didn't get swirlies?  :)

To see the photos above in their original size and form, please click below.

"Sailing" by Christopher Cross (1980)

Camp Onkoi Benek: Year One (Part 2)

 

My joy for volleyball started at Camp '88

     
     One of my favorite outdoor games that we played that week was Bocce ball, which was my first time playing, including four square and human pinball. I also played volleyball (above) and we did archery (above) that week as well. It was my first time with a bow and arrow.  I loved it. After I came home from camp that week, I recall taking up target practice in my back yard.

     As campers and staff, we were hardly indoors. With other activities like fishing, swimming, riflery, and sitting outside talking, there was way too much fun to be had outdoors. Even when it was raining (non storms) we were outside. About the only time people were indoors (during activities) was when they were doing arts & crafts or eating/snacking.

     Speaking of eating, one of the chores us campers had during our week at camp was being a table hopper, which each patrol (once a week) were chosen to set up the tables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I believe senior campers (at least when I was a senior) were hoppers twice a week. Of course in 2014 that would be a huge no no, due to germs.
     
       One of the fun contests we had during my first year was the turtle race. This was pretty cool. We each painted a pre-carved turtle made out of wood. I think I was the only one who painted my turtle yellow (image below). Hey, it was different. I'm not sure who won the race, but I recall it being difficult. I kept my turtle for several years after that.

           (left to right, back to front): Jesse Richardson, Jimmie LaFrance, 
         Jason LaFrance, Mike Wilson, Brian Weber

Another fun game we played indoors was Wheel of Fortune, which was part of the WBVR theme.  Game show! I actually don't remember this, but by Brian's face. . . he didn't win the car. Don't be silly!! Not a new car, a hot wheels car.  Our camp didn't have that type of budget. :)

Our camp didn't have the funds to get Vanna White and Pat Sajak for the evening, so Matt Jastrzembski a.k.a. Ski (far left) and Craig VanLaanen (far right) it was.

Photo courtesy of Damian Kiska

     So, what's the story about the monkey? It being 26 years ago, I'm sure I'm going to leave out some bits and pieces. I don't know how it came about, but Laura Varon Brown (girls counselor) had brought an electronic dancing monkey to camp. I started having some fun by dancing with the it. It was really fun. I guess by dancing with the monkey, it prepared me for our camp dance. I loved those shoes I was wearing. They were my favorite shoes. Sorry Reebox Pumps circa 1992.

     Another fun event at camp was the obstacle course, which was held each year and it was a blast (as you can see by the photo), but sadly, like so many things, I come up short remembering everything about it that year. It just didn't take place on land, but in the water as well. Fun is the best word to describe the course.

To see the photos above in their original size and form, please click below.

Camp was one of the finer things in life.

"Finer Things" By Steve Winwood (1986)