Stan Treadway's old car was so beat we called it "The Stanley Steamer." But it successfully conveyed several of us on a wonderful holdover weekend off--to a farm (where I then lived during the year) in upstate New York (in a village called Lebanon, 7 miles from Hamilton in the Chenango Valley).From left to right: June Kaiser, Bassem El-Hibri, Stanley Treadway, and Pete Paulsen. Bassem, VC of Totem that summer and Adventure Trip leader, was a brilliant handsome guy from Lebanon. He was very connected to the international YMCA and taught us at least a dozen songs, including "I Like to Eat" (apples and bananas) and "Father Abraham." Bassem fell for a Jewish counselor from Long Island and that was some trick negotiating (with their families) for them.
Bassem just loved the trip. He kept telling all the farmers we met, "I never thought I'd be able to go to Lebanon on my day's off!"
Pete Paulsen was a brilliant counselor - the very first, I recall, who suddenly realized a talent and passion for working with the dialysis campers. In boys' camp he was literally the first counselor to be assigned a dialysis kid in '75. His work with that boy was inspired. I'll never forget it.
