1998 - 1994 (Written by Edie in 1994)
Now to continue our history from 1988 on…
The Saturday night of Labor Day weekend 1988, we had a delicious dinner of Prime Rib and all the fixings, topped off with apple pie ala mode. Afterwards there was an eight piece band for dancing, then at 11:00 p.m. we had a fireworks spectacular for about 15 minutes. The dinner and dance were held inside a very large circus tent. This all was set up and done by Ron and Jackie and their committee.
On Sunday we had our annual meeting, which only lasted 2 hours. Real short!! This was also held inside the tent due to the rain. After the meeting, Mildred and Walter had their open house in the big tent.An item I came across the other day, which I thought would be of some interest, was while talking to Susan Morissette, she said that the Articles of Incorporation for Solair in 1953 were done by her Uncle, Raymond T. Wheaton, Jr. Susan has been a full member here for two years.
One more thing about the bulletin board, I hope you all have noticed the stalls in back of it built as a place where the children can park their bicycles.With Bob Fagerquist as official camp photographer and Edie as camp historian, we have been working together getting pictures and film – the old and the new.
In October, 1988, Bob put all the cabins, buildings, and trailers in camp on film. Arthur and I went over them, and wrote down whom each one belonged to. There are a total of 123 now in the camp in 1988.
On October 8th, 1988, there was a Halloween party with a DJ held in the Arent Pavilion. About 40 attended. On October 22nd was the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Both of these programs were enjoyed by all that attended. This dinner closed the year for dinners.
We had a moderate growth of membership in 1989.
Roger and Herbie and many other workers put many hours on finishing the new gate during the summer of 1989.The town and state board of health permitted members to install holding tanks and other seasonal septic systems. A glider and some beach chairs were donated by Billy and Maryann.
We had a volley ball Tournament in September as well as tennis and horse shoes.
At our annual meeting, Tom Bosselait was elected President. Bob Browning, our President for the past two years, decided not to run. Welcome Tom.
Plans for the expansion of the Canteen are in progress. Solair Associates were offered a winter package for $75.00 per person or couple. This allowed them to come from October through March 1st.There were many dinners and entertainment during this summer (1989). In October we had our annual Thanksgiving dinner by Fred and also the Halloween party.
This was Rich and Bobbie’s first year as camp managers. The Arent Pavilion was completed in 1989. Charlie F. built a new and beautiful raft for the pond. The camp also purchased a computer for the office, a new truck and sander, and a new well was put in at the new office location. In 1990 things were going good once again. There were sleep-overs, pot luck dinners, other dinners, dances, auctions, etc.
The camp was a winter wonderland in January. February was the Be My Valentine weekend, and in March was a St. Patrick’s party. In April the survey of out boundaries was on its way to being completed. April is the month we have the beautification weekend. Everyone that is in camp helps clean it up after the winter months.
The beach was on its way to becoming a bigger and more beautiful area.
Some of the activities this year were, kids planting flowers, ice cream eating contest, President and Past President’s dinner, pot luck, bingo on the beach, cribbage tournament, also nude weekend tennis tournament, sand castle building, hayrides and square dancing, kids camping out on the beach, then our annual carnival for everyone. Paint T-shirts, treasure hunt, many nice dinners, dances, and a wine and cheese party.
One important item we all were asked to do was as follows:
Put can and bottles (soda) with 5 cent on them in a container by the canteen. Put glass jars and bottles (sorted by color) in containers near the dumpster. Mild and water plastic jugs in another container, cardboard (corrugated only) put into a box in the shed, also newspapers. Cans have to have labels taken off and be clean with tops removed.
Camp is growing in 1990. We have 219 full members and 97 associates.
We also have a nice library in back of the office with books for all ages. It’s an on your honor library. You take a book and when you are finished, you bring it back. More books are always welcome. This library was started by Millie and Roz, and they are the ones who keep it in order.
In 1991 we started our fund raising for a new canteen and assembly building. There was an auction to start off the fund raising.
The gun club is still going strong. We have had many great dinners with live bands for dancing afterwards. The season ended with Len and Jan’s Viking dinner. The sight of the Viking ship coming across the pond with its dragon head throwing out flames was a sight to behold.
Throughout these years we also have had our annual talent show directed by Edie, with most of our teens and some adults being in it.
This year Bruce and his daughter Lynn are running the canteen on weekends. Up until now, for a few years, Dick and Marlene ran it. Another item we always have is food sales.
The summer of 1991 brought some guidelines for recreational vehicles/golf carts in camp. Such as Insurance, safety equipment, right to operate, and responsibility. There is also a leash law for dogs in camp that should be observed at all times. Every year the flowers around camp are more beautiful. Thanks to the floral committee that plants and takes care of them.
This year has been one of the best years at Solair. Many new sites have been opened. There has been plenty of fun and games, dinners and good entertainment. Our new canteen fund has risen considerably.
Memorial weekend 1992 started off with the Hungarian Goulash by Milan and Erna with a live band and dancing. Then, Sunday, the kids had T-shirt painting and we had a surprise auction.
Horse shoe tournament, volley ball, and tennis tournaments plus a fishing tournament, a food sale, Mexican dinner by Eric and Megan, picnics on the green, carnival, parade, a BBQ, Monte Carlo night, spaghetti party, Junior Fest, Pig Roast by Jack and Gail and Al and Debbie, craft fair, wine and cheese party, Octoberfest, Bobbie and Rich’s party, Thanksgiving dinner, and Halloween party were all events of this year.
This year Laurel Ridge was granted a $5000 interest free loan by ASA to be used for the construction of the Fox Hollow bathroom block. This grant is referred to as the Glen Miller Fund (not to be confused with the band leader).
The Master Plan Committee has been working, as usual, to develop a plan for the future growth and expansion of Laurel Ridge.
Emergency Buttons were placed in the following locations. Above the couch on the first floor in the Arent Pavilion. Push 3 times. On the beach – across the road on side of building #112. If fire department or ambulance is needed the pay phone on the 1st floor of the pavilion is toll free for 911. Emergency first aid supplies are available in the dressing room of the pavilion and in the camp office. Life hook, ring and a torpedo buoy are on a large pine tree on the beach. Fire extinguishers are in all camp buildings. Each site owner is required to have a hose attached to the camp water supply located in full view on each site.
For those that don’t know, it is great having our own actors here at camp. Lolly and Randy. Randy was in the play “The Foreigner” and was excellent and very funny.
Each year, Caroll puts on his show which is enjoyed by young and old alike.
Zo and Chris, two of our teens, went to the Superbowl for Volleyball at White Thorn, and enjoyed the friendly camp.
For the past two years we have had an annual craft fair. Everyone who wants a table pays $15.00. This money goes into the building fund. Each year the craft fair has grown. It’s a fun time.
At the annual meeting, it was voted to release new sites for an impact fee of $1000 to offset the future cost of new roads and toilet blocks. Also at this meeting, members voted to borrow up to $500,000 for 15 years to complete the projects proposed by the Master Plan Committee for a new canteen, swimming pool, tennis courts and volleyball courts.
The year ended with a New Years Eve party and dance by Tom and Judy.
In March of 1993, the Master Plan committee retained the firm of Johnson and Richter (J & R) of Avon, CT. This firm will help us develop and expedite our plans in the best way possible. A final plan could be ready for our Memorial Day informational meeting.
Also in March, there was a Nude Swim at the Hartford YMCA and a St. Paddy’s Day celebration. In April there was the little kids dance and the big kids dance, as well as Easter at Solair, and Bobbie and Rich’s annual open house.
Bruce and Lynn will serve you once again on weekends and holidays starting Saturday April 17th and will close September 26th. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
As usual, there are many activities planned for the summer.
The Solair lawnmower racing association is still going strong with Ed C. as captain.
Memorial weekend started off with a Gourmet pot luck dinner and dancing to the “Country Ramblers.”
This past winter was a real old fashioned one. Snow, snow, snow. Rich and Roger did a great job getting up most of the debris.
During the summer of 1993, the Fox Hollow bathrooms were finished, the new extension of Fox Hollow sites were completed and filled, and work on the sites for overnight campers near the Fox Hollow bathrooms was well underway. Future plans for the complex has progressed with the help of engineers, etc.
The volleyball tournament had a very good turn out as did the tennis tournament. On Sports Day, the Solair Teens won over Dyer Woods in volleyball.
We now have horse shoe pits and a badminton court near the Beaver toilets, thanks to Vern and Martha.
We’ve had pot luck dinners and a few others. Our Bavarian Dinner was a big success. This dinner was put on by Paul and Linda S. In July we had the annual kid’s dinner by Marlene and Dick and a ‘50’s dance. We’ve had a Casino Night, country pig roast by Jack and Gail and Al and Debbie (Luther stayed up all night keeping the fire burning), kids carnival, T-shirt painting and a Halloween party for children and later for adults.
Our annual meeting was held on the first Sunday in September and was preceded on Saturday night by a dinner put on by Erna, Milan, and Fred with a Dixieland band.
Megan of Walter was the aerobic exercise leader for ’93.The auction was a success. It was chaired by Patty and John with Billie C., Jan B., Dick S., and Bill K. helping to supervise it. The whole camp seemed to get into the idea of it. A quilt was put together by Aleta and Edie. 57 families were represented and 99 squares were sewed together to make the quilt. The high bidder was Gordon of Kathy.
The Talent Show was a huge success. Christiana did a great job coating the little kids. Gordon rounded up the adults for it, and Dick of Betty did a fabulous job as M.C. 1994 has begun with different things happening. Our Master Plan Committee has been busy as can be seen by the changes in the scenery about camp. Trees gone, rocks split and the site of the pool building started. The pool building foundation finally was put in in July. The Road into camp has taken quite a curve with a few detour and safety signs along the way.
The tennis courts have been done over and finished. The old volleyball courts have had a new pole and a lot of sand added to it as well as the big rocks removed. We had our annual 4th of July golf cart parade organized by M. J. and Leo. Each cart was decorated in red, white, and blue. The parade was led by Caroll S’s real old fire engine sporting cowgirls and clowns. It was fun and everyone, young and old, had a good time either taking part or just watching the parade.
The water fall beyond the pavilion is being restored and looks real nice already. When finished, the water fall project will have a memorial garden for those members who are no longer here and are in the big nudist camp in heaven. August 3rd – 7th is our 60th anniversary party. Many interesting things are planned for those days. Our Solair Sunletter has kept everyone up to date on all the activities.
This winter was one of the heaviest snow falls we have ever had. The good side was the fun skiing, the Solair Luge, the Bat Sled, skating, etc. The ones who came into camp during the winter for different functions enjoyed it very much.
See you around the Camp,
Edie