Camp Manitou Manitoba 1971

This is the program guide for Camp Manitou in 1971 just outside Winnipeg. The Y and several other service groups in Manitoba started the camp in 1930. It was a partnership of Rotary Club of Winnipeg, Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg, Kiwanis Club of Winnipeg, Optimist Club of Winnipeg and the YMCA. In 1949, it incorporated as a non-profit charity. By 1953, the Lion's club of Winnipeg joined the group and for decades camping took place along the Assiniboine River.

In 1971, Winnipeg was not yet unified as Unicity. Camp Manitou was just across in Headingley but it was fairly rural even in the western part of St. James. By the time you arrived at the turn for Camp Manitou, it was farm country till you got close to the river. And then it gave way to river forests.

The Y ran day camps for kids and the buses travelled all over town. My stop was Carpathia Street with mom or dad taking all three of us for the pick-up and drop-off. We would walk although our family had graduated from Volkswagen Bug to Plymouth Suburban station wagon.

We went three years as we generally went camping every year till high school. I was in Odako according the age grouping. Still remember all the camp songs for bus trips and at camp.

The Y had CITs or Counsellors in Training, usually high school and university students who ran the programs. Canoeing, archery, swimming. The pool there was the coldest.

The Camp Manitou song went something like this:

High above the silvery river

Gleaming through the trees

Lies the banner of Camp Manitou

Floating in the breeze

rah, rah, rah

Here we learn to live together

Work and play and swim

Camp Manitou we will always

Learn to win!

Hey, with a beebo, with a bibo

With a beebo, bibo, bum

Johnny and the ratchup

Bigger than the ketchup

(repeat)

Rago, rago sis boom bah

Manitou, Manitou

Rah, rah, rah!

For Odako:

We are the best

We are louder than the rest

We are so glad

We'ee from Odako

Councillors are great

And the kids they really rate

We are so glad

We're from Odako

Oh, Oh Oh Dee Eh

Eh, Eh, Ay Kau Oh

Oh Dee Eh Ah Kay Oh

Oooodako!