Ernie Bailey, longtime Camp Old Indian Camp Director and professional Scouter, passed away on 2/22/09. I was very fortunate to have served as "Bailey's" Program Director for 3 summers from 1988-1990. I will always be indebted to Mr. Bailey because he gave me the opportunity to be the Program Director of one of the best Boy Scout camps in the Southeast. Bailey was tough, but fair. He expected his staff to give their best and provide the best experience possible for the campers. Those of you who knew him, also remember him as being able to squeeze a nickel like no one else. Bailey and I had many a good conversation on his cabin porch or on a bench in the meadow (with a pouch of Levi Garrett)....I learned alot from that man and I fully believe I would not be where I am today had it not been for men like him. One of the greatest men to ever walk across the meadow at Camp Old Indian. I'm a very fortunate guy...William Murphy gave me my first job at camp washing dishes in 1980 and I ended my summers there in 1990 as Ernest Bailey's Program Director. Here's to you Mr. Bailey!!!

What a great Camp Old Indian staff reunion May 3, 2008!!! Great to see alot of guys at this reunion that were not at the last one two years ago. Ches Martin, Chris Koon, Eric Blore, Aaron Smith, Jay Koribski (sp), Rusty Bost, Mike Despeaux, Ted Kinsler, and Ronny Franke were a few of the guys that I worked with during the 80's that were at this reunion. As always it was very good to see William Murphy and Ernest Bailey....two of the best leaders to ever walk across the meadow at camp. I picked up Mr. Murphy and drove him to the reunion; therefore, I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to spend some additional one on one time with him. The stories he had. Also, I drove him around camp, Lee McAbee joined us, and we made the tour up to the new water tower, the amphitheater, and up past big rock around the hair pin turn to the Museum campsite and back down by Rattlesnake and the Health Lodge. I think I enjoyed that as much as Mr. Murphy did.

I do wish I could have visited more with the guys in attendance, but I had to spend a good bit of time on the grill(with Tim Hunt's help) and even missed the introductions. But, it was still a great day and I'm already looking forward to 2010. A special thanks, to John Worthy, Tim Keaton, Tim Hunt, Matt Kubler and Lorin McCollough for their hard work in making this reunion happen. I do hope we can have a great turnout for the next reunion in 2010. Be on the lookout for some new things that will be coming out in the near future regarding a web page for the association for all of us to keep up with everything going on at Camp Old Indian.

Final plans are coming together for the second Camp Old Indian Staff Reunion on May 3, 2008. It looks like we will have a large group of staff members in attendance. I've heard specifically from staff members from the 70's, 80's and 90's.

The final plan of events will be determined and emailed to the attendees no later than April 3, 2008. If you have any questions or have not received an email from the reunion committee, please do not hesitate to email me at hamptonjohnson@hotmail.com so that we can add your name to the listing.

Please continue to spread the word about the reunion and I look forward to seeing you on May 3, 2008.

The second Camp Old Indian Staff Reunion will be held at Camp Old Indian, May 3, 2008. Please spread the word and if you have any questions please email me at hamptonjohnson@hotmail.com

More details to follow, hope to see you then.

Hamp

Alright, those of you that know me from the mid 80's know how much I loved tinkering with the cannon that was used for Wednesday afternoon assemblies. I loved firing that old cannon, my goal was to always try to make a shotgun load of powder so that it would create a smoke ring when it fired. It was pretty reliable the first few years it was in operation. No problems closing the breach and pulling the string on the firing pin pretty much always worked. But as time evolved, that thing became a bit more cantankerious. Pulling the string was the first thing that started to go....remember we had a hammer to hit the firing pin just in case the string didn't work, then the thing wouldn't close all the way because the firing pin was stuck in the "fire" position. That thing was like electricity, didn't have to be afraid of it, but you sure as hell better respect it or it could bite you. Well it bit me in the summer of 84. I had that cannon all set up and when it came time to fire it, I hit the firing pin with the hammer and it went off. Well, some smart butt must have put a rock in the barrell because most of the concussion came out the back end, even the shotgun shell splintered. Most of the load came out the back end, a piece of metal grazed my face and another piece of metal went into my chest. Put a hole right in my world jamborre patch in my uniform and a pice of metal from the shotgun shell was sticking out of my skin. Even a piece of the shell hit Buster Andrews who was standing in the staff line. My ears rung for a week!! The backfire didn't keep me from firing the cannon, I just kept a better eye on it prior to assembly and didn't load it until the scouts were marching around the meadow. We even did some mischievous things with the cannon like putting it in the back of the old white truck and firing it off during the middle of the night during JLT week or firing it in the middle of the night during the last week of camp....put it right outside of a staff cabin and BOOM!! I know I'm probably going to pay for these pranks one day, but at the time, it was pretty funny stuff. Or maybe someone did get even with me by putting a rock in the barrell!!!