Camp Zoe Memories
Sunday Activities
Sunday was truly a day of rest around camp. We slept late and ate cold cereal and toast at the mess hall. A shuttle took kids into town for local religious services. An early evening vespers service was our sole obligation. Once they played a Marty Robbins record over the P.A. system.
I remember when Army air fighters buzzed the camp at treetop level. They were on maneuvers from the Air National Guard installation at Lambert Field, St. Louis. We never saw the fighters but we heard the sonic boom. Once as I suntanned on the gravel bar at the swimming area a silent fighter jet zoomed overhead. Then a split second later, boom! One didn't want to be riding a horse when this happened as it spooked humans and animals alike. Years later I learned that pilots used the Sinking Creek bridge on highway 19 as a mock target.
Vespers began after dinner in the new shelter. Each cabin sang a serious song with acoustic accompanyment (if available). One year our cabin did a rendition of "With a Little Help from my Friends". My voice had not changed all the way and I remember I attempted some high octave harmonies. I didn't have much of a voice. Oh well, camp was often about trying new things. In this atmosphere of friendship and support I tried all sorts of things. It's corny but true. Zoe was a real confidence builder for me in a lot of ways (singing like the Bee Gees notwithstanding).
Skit night began at the conclusion of vespers. I don't remember actually calling it skit night, but that's what it was. In the late '70s it evolved into the Camp Zoe version of the Gong show. The panel of judges, counselors in drag, kitchen crew, and the like, gonged the bad acts with pots and pans. We even had a guy outfitted for the "Gene-Gene the dancing machine" routine at the end of the show. In 1978, that camper was Patrick Worzer. At some point the gong show moved to the afternoon before vespers.
There were many memorable skits and acts that took the skit night stage. In 1977, our entire cabin participated in a mock horse race where we played horses with names like "Bird Poop" and "Kleenex". Our senior counselor Lonn called the race. The gag consisted of several puns. For example, when 'Bird Poop' cut to the inside Lonn declared "It's Bird Poop on the rail". Can you guess who won? That's right, "Kleenex by a nose". "Toilet Paper" cleaned up the rear. It was corny material, but perfectly suited for a group of 12-year-old non-equity actors. Years later I heard an old Spike Jones recording that covered the same material.