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Writing Prompts

by Tim Stuart / Jeff Guillebeau

In 2003, a handful of old-time Deerwoode attendees proposed getting together at Camp each year to shoot the breeze (and maybe a few rifles), and talk about the old days at Camp. We swapped email addresses and kept in touch. Robert Adams became the event organizer, and Jeff Guillebeau ramrodded most of the email communication. For a few of those years, Jeff designed “homework” assignments to get the ball rolling and promote lively face-to-face discussions.

2011

The first one (that I noticed) was sent in 2011 (and has been slightly modified):

  1. First Memory of Deerwoode?
  2. Favorite Memory of Deerwoode?
  3. Greatest Achievement at Deerwoode?
  4. Memory of Deerwoode You’ve Tried to Forget, not related to TM (The Man)?  Greatest Failure at Deerwoode?
  5. Best memory of either the Rifle Range or Archery?
  6. NATURE MAN – Best memory of Nature Class?
  7. Best memory of the Craft Shop?
  8. Most notable/memorable Cabin Inspection story?
  9. BLADE DUTY?  Give up your best story?
  10. Dubious run-in with The Man?
  11. Favorite River Trip Memory?
  12. Favorite Dance or Spaz Day Memory with Illahee, Keystone, etc.?
  13. Open Question:  All Day Trip?  Ghost Town?  Five Day Trip?  Hank Lewis Story?  Jim Hicks Story? Tug o’ War?  Renegades?  Farmers Pioneers Indians?  Wild Ride?  Swimming Lake?  Dining Hall?  Canteen?  Treasure Chest?  Crazy Jack?  Cabin 13?  All Camp Capture the Flag?  PC?  Best story of fellow counselor?  Fellow camper?  And finally, Camp Fire?
2012

The 2012 entry (Again, with minor modifications):

Focusing on the SENSES [sort of]:

  1. Sight – Greatest visual memory?
  2. Site – Best or top of mind spatial or physical location memory?
  3. Touch – Physical recollection?  
  4. Smell – Try to conger one beyond the unique smell of Deerwoode?
  5. Taste – What’s the best dining hall memory?
  6. Fear – What scared you most?  Headless Hattie?  Step and the Drag Man?  Black Panther?
  7. Embarrassment – Son, Embarrassment is a cornerstone of Deerwoode life.  Limit to one or two.
  8. Triumph – How can you whittle this one down?
2013


This year, your task is to recollect the STORIES from camp.
Give us your accounts of Ghost and other Stories….  
“NO FIRE, NO STORIES!” – Major Jim Hicks, Riverside Military Academy, Retired.
Also, what do you remember of:

  • Headless Hattie
  • The Step and The Drag Man
  • The Black Panther Saga
  • Crazy Jack
  • [The Three Sisters]
  • Other Ghost and Camp Stories


Day is done, gone the sun, from the lakes, from the hills, from the skies, all is well, safely rest…God is nigh,