U N C O M M O N P L E A S E U R E

These came from an old Monthly Chapter Bulletin from November 1980

     Where can you find a forest preserve with abundant wildlife; eight lakes teeming with fish; a shooting range; uncrowded campsites with clean air, clear skies, billions of stars; and incomparable comradery?

     Ask anyone who ventured to William Logan State Park for the annual Florissant Valley PAMPER CAMPER.

     Deny, thwart, disappoint, are words foreign to those who attended the campout on the most beautiful week-end of the year. Pamper means to cater to, gratify, accommodate, give loose rein to, indulge the whims of, humor to excess. This once a year fling is well named; for men of good will gave loose rein to barbershop harmony around a substantial campfire after a plentiful meal and a day of peaceful enjoyment.

     When we arrived at the Park near Silex, Mo. on Friday evening we were greeted by the hale and hardy Outdoor Four and others. After consuming scads of hot dogs, and quaffing multitudinous libations we rang barbershop chords until midnight. The vary hardy slept out under the stars; the hard hardy slept in tents; the squeamish slept in campers.

     Morning broke early with the sound of rifle fire. Disk Olson was already in the woods before 6 A.M. in quest of game that might net him the fish and game trophy. Another ear;y riser in pursuit of the same trophy was Al Rubin who was wetting a successful hook in the nearest lake.

     The trophies were outstanding in every way and the chapter owes a real salute to Bob Blake for his role in acquiring them. Trophies were awarded for the quartet contest; horseshoe pitching; the egg toss; and for fish and game.

     Vince Cavanaugh has a picture of the horseshoe which made a ringer of a very high branch of an old oak tree. John Knoderer, Duaine Hechler and all the kids played Uno in John's answer to Brink's armored trucks.

     Special guests included Jerry Kohr of St. Charles Chapter and Frank Osborne of Silex, Mo. (a former member of St. Louis Number One Chapter.) Though a septuagenarian, Frank sang with the same lusty vigor as Kevin Keller, and outlasted everyone except Ernie Morrow.

     The food was exceptional. Al Ruin's and Larry Forristal's salad was most impressive. Also impressive were the two red fox squirrels which Dick Olson bagged. Not so impressive was the cleaning of them!

     Had a trophy been given fr snoring, Vince C., would have been high in the running. His back-pack tent vibrated so with the sonorous emanations from it that other members of the Outdoor Four felt compelled to awaken him with a stick, when barbershop chords failed to do the trick.

     The Outdoor Four outdid themselves in making this an uncommonly delightful event. If they are gracious enough to host it again next year you'd be wise not to miss it for anything.

     Wanna see my trophy?

          Joe Hale