I had the pleasure of working with Pat Lundemo on Camp Parsons staff for my first three summers. Pat was one of the few whose genuine enthusiasm for scouting and summer camp didn't waver for the length of the summer. I can't think of a time when Pat was ever in a bad mood or anything but positive. You may not always think of a camp ranger as a big part of program, but Pat was always there to joke around with staff, chat up adults, and get to know the scouts. (When I joined the staff in 2008, Pat was the one person who knew who I was from when I was a scout.) Every week, he cheered scoutmasters on in their makeshift golf game and hardly a day went by when you didn't see Pat sitting at the tool room door singing and drumming along. His heart was always in the right place, always going out of his way to meet the needs of the scouts as well as being a friend to the rest of the staff. I especially enjoyed visiting with him (and his cat Rusty) and hearing his stories and also catching a ride on the backhoe across camp after a meal. Plus "Where's Joe Boo!?", "Two single file lines, one behind the other please.", "If you break something, just tell me, I'll fix it."
I want to elaborate a little more on Pat's relationship with the staff. When there was someone who had a rough start on staff that caused them not to be one of the more popular staff members, Pat had a knack for seeing past that to the good person they had the potential to grow into. Rather than casting them aside as dumb kid or a screw up, Pat would do what he could to help them along, making a big impact on their time at camp and on their life. There was one instance I remember when a few CITs drew on a table outside the dining hall on their first day. Your first thought may be to send them home, but Pat sat them down and explained the importance of camp to him and how drawing on a table is more than just graffiti, but is a disrespect to the staff and to camp and its history. After their talk (which didn't involve any yelling or punishment - apart from sanding the table), there wasn't a dry eye among them. He cared enough about them as people not to cast them aside right away, but use the opportunity to teach them and it worked for most of them, who stayed on as CITs and did a great job.
Most of my greatest memories in life come from Camp Parsons, with Pat playing a big role in my first years on staff. He cared deeply about all of us on staff (when I visited him last month, all we could talk about was what everyone is up to now). I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Pat at camp, as well as to have him as my friend. He made such a positive impact on the lives of so many of us and I'm really going to miss him.
