Phantom Lake YMCA Camp Alumni

What years were you at camp?
Joe: Camper/SDP: 1976-1981; Staff: 1981-1990. When I came in for my AC interview in ’81, Sir G said, ‘Joe, I never thought I’d see this day.’ I responded, ‘Sir G, neither did I.’ I was an AWFUL SDP and thanks to the staff, time and self-inflicted bad experiences, I grew up.

Jean: I was never a camper at PLYC but I did serve on staff for Girls Camp and 2nd Coed the summer of 1987 and 1988. I also served as the Tripping Director for Girls Camp and 2nd Coed the summer of 1990.

What tents were you in?
Joe: Camper: Adventure unit (Buccos & Vikings). Staff: All of the units at least once. The Molemen (Seminole) I stole from an episode of Spiderman. It made no sense at all, but everyone seemed to take to it.

What job(s) did you have as staff member?
Joe: Land Sports & Craft Shop. Some of the more memorable (albeit not strenuous) events were Frisbee golf & suntan day at Land Sports. We had the Craft shop song to the tune of ‘Working in the Coal Mine’. Again, it made no sense, but the hook was infectious.

Jean: While on counseling staff, I took turns serving as Land Sports Director, Arrrrrchery Director, Riflery Director, and Waterfront staff (Lifeguard). My last summer, I did not counsel but served as the Tripping Director for the second half of the summer.

Tell us your 2% story? (Jean's perspective)
The summer of 1987 was my first year at Phantom. I had just finished counseling 8 year old girls in Laredo tent for 3 weeks when I was told that my next assignment was to counsel the oldest teen tent for a Coed session in Boot Hill—Oh no!

I was not looking forward to this change, but on the first evening of the session, with bad weather in the forecast, the camp assembled in the lodge for a taps talk led by a very charismatic and motivational speaker—Joe Diedrich.

I had not met nor been introduced to Joe yet, but we were counseling the oldest tents that week. He talked about love and how at camp, and in life, you should never be afraid to tell someone that you love them, even if you are a male speaking to a male.

Well, that speech touched me to the point of approaching this man when the oldest tents were using the bathrooms before bed. I simply introduced myself and asked him for a hug because of his great speech. He obliged.

Throughout the week, we had many opportunities to do activities together with our tents culminating in the canoe trip down the Fox River. I think Slim Gillin may have been co-counseling with Joe. He, of course, was instrumental in “pushing us” together. At the end of that session, I remember Joe finding me and giving me a dozen red roses and asking me to marry him (jokingly).

I told him to give me three years to finish college and to get rich in the meantime and I would consider it.

We kept in contact in the off-season and began dating in May of 1988. We got engaged on the anniversary of the moon walk, July 20,1989, and were married on July 14, 1990

What are you doing now?
Joe: Selling advertising for Old Cars Weekly Magazine & Oldcarsweekly.com. Someday I hope to arrange for Ted Anderson to ride in a vintage car at a show I attend. I’m working on it, Ted!!!!

Jean: “Indo Joe” and I will have been married 20 years this July. We live in Plover, Wisconsin (North of Madison 100 miles or 165 miles from camp). Since my last summer on staff at camp, I have been a stay-at-home Mom, Science and Math teacher, Home School teacher, Substitute teacher, and Driver Education teacher.

My hobbies have involved animals and nature. I am very active with the Izaak Walton League, a conservation club. We own 2 dogs, 3 rabbits, 4 birds and a bunch of fish (sounds like a Christmas song!). Our dogs have undergone or will undergo various service training exercises to be of use to the community. Keesha, our 6 year old mixed breed dog is a Therapy dog; she can go to hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Currently she goes to two grade schools in our area per week to listen to children read to her. She loves it! Our other dog, Marteenie, also a mixed breed dog, has more desire to run agility courses. She will be 2 in April so we will be getting more involved with agility soon.

Joe and I have produced 3 children.

Our oldest, Jameson, will be 19 in June. He has spent many glorious years at Phantom both at summer camp and winter reunions. He plans on pursuing a photography career in Madison.

Jeanna, our middle child, will be 17 this spring. She is a Junior is High School. She is enjoying driving herself to school and is looking into a career in Math or Spanish—possibly teaching (just like her parents). Jeanna has also spent many glorious years at Phantom at winter reunion and Girls camp—go girls!

Joseph is 10 and in the 4th grade. This summer will be his 4th year at Boys Camp at Phantom. We still have not managed to get more than one child to be at a camp session at the same time! Joseph is a pretty easy going kid who likes intellectual things.

What about your camp experience has influenced you the most?
Joe: The ability to make friends easily; something I hadn’t been able to do as a kid for a variety of reasons.

Originally, I didn’t want to be there but, due to the death of my older brother in ’74, my late mother thought it would be a good experience. Another in a long line of great decisions I didn’t make, proving again that I don’t know what’s good for me.

Jean: Everything about camp influences us in our lives today. Raising children, sales, teaching, and dealing with the world around us is all a little easier with the “camp spin” on things. When we put our kids to bed (now just Joseph), we sometimes “face the lake” and sing By Old Phantoms and think of our times at camp.

I have always enjoyed the fact that we can openly talk about God and the Christian way to act at camp. I believe that children and staff alike develop better habits and actions after attending even just one camp session.

Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello?
Joe: Everyone (staff & campers) from 1976-1990.
I always wondered what ever happened to Fuzz (Frezell Brown), Maduka Steady and Tim Genrich. Fuzz was a counselor of mine & Maduka and Tim were campers in my tent at one time. They were three of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.

There was also a camper who had a cleft lip & palate and was very undersize who won the MVP of the Land Sports flag football game as voted on by the campers. My youngest son was born w/ a cleft lip & palate so that camper remains unforgettable.

Jean: I stay in touch with past/present staff well enough by attending reunions and dropping kids off at camp sessions, but any camper or staff member attending camp the summer of 1987, 1988 or 1990 gets a special “hello” from me.

Would you like to share your email addresses?
We both use: Jx5@charter.net

Joe: Also look me up on Facebook. I’m fatter & balder; other than that I look about the same.

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