The cliché of course is that you should not start thanking people who helped with a project because you might leave someone out.

But the history exhibit was a collaborative effort so I’ll do some thanking—and I won’t leave anybody out.

There are three persons without whom there would not be an exhibit.

1. Sherwood Pomeroy who is camp facilities chair, carpenter extraordinaire and like me, a graduate of Miss Herman’s Gutterson Grade School kindergarten class, as well as Murray High School—Sherwood did most of the interior wood work.

2. Jim King, a former Service Building kitchen boss, provisional Scoutmaster, Reservation director, professional Scouter and chair of the alumni association—Jim helped every step of the way.

3. And of course the corporate “person,” the Berglund Family Foundation, represented here today by Ken Berglund.  Steve Nelson is foundation legal counsel and acted as liaison with the Scout office.  Incidentally, he is another Murray High School graduate.

Camp director Mark McCabe guided the project.  Jeff Sulzbach from the Scout office helped a lot; so did John Andrews and Jim Schwieger.

On site, Mike McKim and Phil Gruenhagen assisted. 

There are the mostly unknown persons who took the thousands of pictures from which I could only select a few for the display.

All living former reservation directors contributed, as did Ed Tribble’s son, Bob.  You will see their names and stories on one of the panels.

Retired Scouting professionals Ron Phillipo and Lloyd Knutson were great resources and contributors. 

I got several boxes of memorabilia from Rolly Bowler’s family.

I had a nice chat with Bepsie Jensen about her father, Aksel Nielsen’s, sale of the camp property to the Boy Scouts.

Good help was given by former staff members—Don and Carol Kelsey, Dave Albrecht, Bill Dorgan, Larry and Mike Moser, Dale Martin, Bob Albright, Dave Fihn, Dave Franks, Steve Flood, Chuck Perkins, Joe Deal, Joe Capistrant, Paul Ries and Keith Johansson.

Tim Dybevik from the State Fair staff did a neat job with the pathway of the exhibit.  Tim Pieper headed up the excellent work on the panels by DigiGraphics in Minneapolis.

Claudia Nicholson at the North Star Scouting Museum opened up her records and provided photographs.

I spent several hours at the Washburn County Museum, and with Marsha Stelzer of the lake preservation association gathering material about the history of Long Lake and this area.

The idea for the display and final edit of all copy came from my wife, Karen.

Finally, the board of the Tomahawk Alumni Association and all its members were helpful and supportive—there, that covers anyone I might leave out. 

I’d like to add a word about the alumni association.  You can learn more on the panel that is part of the history exhibit but this is also true: staff alumni have been and will continue to be actively engaged with the camp’s future, the development of its current staff and improvements to its infrastructure.

The TAA board was active in selecting the location and purpose for the building and exhibit.  We wanted to start at the very beginning, with the way the land and lakes were formed, and follow through to today and then go on.

The Tomahawk history exhibit may never be done because camp history does not stop.  But with the completion of this phase, the alumni association will now look for new ways to support the camp.

For me putting together a history exhibit of this camp was an honor and a joy. 

I came here as a camper in 1955 and served on the staff from 1960 to 1965.  As John Andrews said, I was a waterfront guy.  I’m reminded of my last trip to my doctor for a physical exam.  After hearing about my history of baking in the sun eight hours a day, for three months every summer for five years, he sent me to a dermatologist.

She asked me about my past exposure to sun and when I told her about Tomahawk, she said her son had also worked here.  I said, given her profession, what advice had she given him.  She said she sent him off to camp with three bottles of the best sunscreen available.

And at the end of the summer, he returned—with the same three bottles of sunscreen!

Along with many other staff members, I can say that much of the way I have lived my life since camp had its own historical foundation in those years.

Then as now, Tomahawk camp staff members were from all over but we came together in this place to develop its programs and facilities, guide its campers and look after their welfare.

In the process we learned and refined our own skills at paddling, lashing, shooting, cooking, climbing, and even cleaning up.  And we became resourceful, self-reliant and, maybe to the consternation of our parents when we returned home in the fall, independent.

We learned the true meaning of words such as cheerful, trustworthy, helpful and friendly—and to a lesser extent, even obedient.

And now, history is still being made.  As I said in my small portion of the display, as part of the “future” panel:

Every time a Scout takes his swim test, hits a bull’s-eye, identifies a plant, cooks a meal, sings a campfire song, climbs the fire tower, earns a merit badge or just sits by himself looking at the lake another bit is added to the historical record.  It has been and will continue to be one of the nicest stories imaginable.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy the exhibit.