Skip Granger, 1960
After moving to Wichita in 1958, I was fortunate to meet the sweetest and most beautiful girl that I had ever met, a fact proven when I escorted her to our DeMolay Winter Formal, where she was selected as our Queen in her lovely velvet gown. The pleasure of dating her was mine. Judy Dalke’s family was also perfect, and her
brother, David, was studying at Friends University to become a minister, which he subsequently did. He reintroduced me to Judy later in life.
brother, David, was studying at Friends University to become a minister, which he subsequently did. He reintroduced me to Judy later in life. David had been a counselor at Camp Sheldon Woods and Camp Pike, and when you meet folks that are special, it’s time to become special to them as well. Camp Pike was a Methodist camp, and although our family attended Hillside Christian Church, and I was considering the ministry, this looked to me like an opportunity to grow. After climbing hurdles as high as Pikes Peak to be accepted in the position, off I went to Colorado.
The first week provided training to handle the campers at Camp Pike and ended in a full day of silent vigil and meditation. Those who know me realize how hard that was for me to remain silent for 24 hours! The second week ended in hiking with the campers to the top of Pikes Peak with all of their provisions on my back as well as a fat kid about to faint under my arm. The camp was Mennonite and thus did not serve any caffeine. When our Methodist minister leader drove by us for our short spell on the road, he asked how it was going. I told him that I would add another fat kid on my back to get to the top and buy myself a glass of iced tea.
Late one night, I heard the crack of a Winchester 3030, and as expected, our meat for a while had a gamey flavor. Poor bear! Looting the trash bin was not allowed.
My magic tricks offered a lot of fun for the campers. I was in charge of archery, a skill that I had never successfully mastered. But one day, I sat on the ground with the kids all looking at the target when I held the bow with my feet and hit the bullseye! I gained new fame and prestige among the kids for my lucky shot.
Ultimately, I went a much different path, becoming involved in travel, venture capital and winemaking. And I found another perfect lady, whom I married!
Colorado was a wonderful destination for so many of us attending summer camps. I hold some great memories of several summers in the state. Early in my life, I went with my family to Green Mountain Falls where we rented cabins and built our days around fishing and horseback riding. Then for four years we traveled to drop off and pick up a sister who attended Colorado College.
In high school I joined Young Life so I could go to Frontier Ranch—even working there one summer; my great achievement in the kitchen was making scrambled eggs for 200! I also loved helping GoldBrick in the kitchen and especially on the barbecue in the mountains, where he used a new kitchen string mop to cover the heaps of ribs with sauce.
I returned to Colorado in the winter for several ski trips when I was at WU. Then my husband’s first AF assignment after graduate school was Colorado Springs. My first two sons were born at the Air Force Academy.
So many East graduates found their way to Colorado sooner or later. My last camping experience was when I took children into the mountains on a daily outing. I had to keep order on the short bus trip, then teach archery at the camp, and finally search kids for trying to sneak snakes back onto the bus.