WINTER 2024 | 13 46ers in 1987—Jay and Mark at the ages of nine and eleven. Mark became a Winter 46er in 1999. SR: Following in your footsteps, both of your children went to Camp Pok-OMoonshine. Did they love the experience as much as you did? PC: Yes, Mark and Jay were both campers and then counselors. Both my sons made lifelong friendships that continue to endure. My son, Mark, met his wife there when she was a camper. The camp changed its name in 1974 to Pok-O-MacCready after the nearby Camp MacCready for Girls was added along with a year-round outdoor education center. SR: You continued your involvement with Pok-O-MacCready Camps for over fifty years as camper, counselor, headmaster, assistant director, tripping director, and boating director. What spurred your desire to stay connected and give back to the camp? PC: Lifelong friendships. The trust I built with friends at camp having lived in a tent with them all summer, sharing meals together, hiking high peaks together, and all the other activities we did instilled a sense of family and a sense of community. Mark Gibson’s son was my son's counselor and then my son was his grandson’s counselor. More than 457 of the camp’s counselors and campers have become 46ers. I’m actually headed over to fix the oarlocks on some of the boats this week. SR: Like Ed Hudowalski you were associated with the Boy Scouts of America. You reached the Eagle Scout level as did your sons and were awarded the Silver Beaver recognition as an adult. Tell us about your leadership involvement with the Boy Scouts. PC: I went to the Cub Scout organizational meeting with the full intent of registering my son in a den and being done. I came home a den leader. Mary and I were both den leaders and then later I became Assistant Cubmaster, then Cubmaster, then Scoutmaster all the way up. We were fortunate because our son’s friends joined, and we had a strong bunch of parents who could help when we needed them. As I mentioned earlier, my Boy Scout troop never did things outside, never camped, so when I was a Scoutmaster, we got the kids out and we camped, and we did a lot of outdoor activities. With my camp background, Poko allowed us to use all their facilities. They had a tube hill for sliding in winter, they had a log cabin we camped out in, they had boats and canoes. How many troops can go on a canoe trip and borrow a 15-passenger van with a trailer and eight canoes? Camp Poko was wonderful. My loyalty was rewarded, and the boys benefited greatly. SR: You were awarded the Boy Scout’s Silver Beaver Award. Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given at the council level. How did you earn this award? PC: The Adirondack Council presented it. It was an honor to be given the award. Our program basically ran for ten months; however, we raised W for Mark on Cliff Jay and Phil on Allen Jay and Mark on Saddleback, 1987 Mary on Horse Hill toward Haystack
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