You know what they say – a picture is worth a thousand words. For Karl, a former director at the Y Epping, the adage certainly rang true when he and daughter Kristine sat down to look through old family photos from Camp Yarramundi.
The powerful sense of nostalgia recently compelled the 92-year-old to revisit the camp. For the team at Camp Yarramundi, it was not only an honour to join Karl for a stroll down memory lane – going as far back as the 1960s – but also a case of déjà vu.
“This happens quite frequently to us,” Community Experience Manager Hayley Mckenzie said. “People make lifelong connections at camp. The impact of what we do here really reaches for a long time.”
During his 30-year tenure at the Y, Karl was often called upon to help run school holiday sports programs at Camp Yarramundi. He would ship the entire family to the site, where they stayed in residential accommodation. His two children, now adults, have fond memories of being part of camp life, lending a hand and swimming in the river.
Back then, Karl explained, you would catch the train to Richmond Station and either walk or take a taxi with fellow camp users to get to the site. It was also not unusual to see team members from different YMCA sites pitching in and getting involved with camp activities.
And while some parts of camp were now unfamiliar, some structures and rituals closely resembled Karl’s own experience of camp.
Stepping into the dining hall, Karl reflected on his memories of children lining up for their meals, much as they do today. Ringing the lunch bell was one of his favourite tasks.
“These were all lovely memories that they held pretty close to their hearts and they’d made a conscious effort to come to site to enjoy it again,” Hayley said.
“They shared images of the original camp from when they attended, so it was nice to show them those locations and what it looks like now.”
The sacred nature of these memories goes to the very heart of Camp Yarramundi’s magic, which will remain part of its enduring legacy even as it undergoes a transformation for future generations.
Hayley said Karl’s visit was a perfect opportunity to “hear about the old campsite, show the current and explain what's happening in the future.”
“He was very excited to see we were making continued impact,” she said.
So much so that Karl believes one day there will be another 92-year-old doing exactly as he has done – revisiting a place of precious memories.
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