Where is She Now: Joan (Bunting) Lennon Tiamalia 1955
“In the 1940s and 50s, gender roles were rigid. The men were home from the War and the women were back in the kitchen. Alice Lee changed that for me. She was my mentor, role model and hero. She taught me how to change a tire… and fix a toilet. She taught me that gender has very little to do with most tasks. ”
Came to Nyoda from: Montclair, NJ
Returning to Nyoda this summer from: Home in the Adirondack Park in northeastern New York
Memory of first summer at camp: I loved it but, at 7, I wasn’t very good at making my bed. Ellen Cartwright always seemed to get Best Bed. I remember singing the “Here’s to you” song to her a lot.
Returned because of: The singing. I love to sing but don’t have a talent for it. At camp, I could sing my heart out. The activities. I get bored easily but at camp there was always something new to do. The swimming. My main passion and at camp I could swim twice a day. The people. There were such cool people at camp. Counselors, campers, the Farmhouse, the kitchen staff, even Mrs. Snyder who taught us to ride a horse. We had to take the Station Wagon to her farm to have riding lessons and that was very cool. The Team Shows and being on a “team”. This was my first time on a non-family team. I learned that a team can be any 2 or more people united in a goal, not just a family clan.
Summers spent at Nyoda: 13 – 3 in Junior Bung, 3 in Intermediate Bungs, 3 in Senior Bungs and 4 as Counselor. (1947-1959)
Favorite camp memory or things in life that bring out your Nyoda memories: The bugle at reveille and taps. Corn fritters with syrup. The smell of the woods. Living in the Park brings back memories of the beautiful place we call Nyoda. Woods, lake, mountains. I’m looking forward to going back. “I can’t wait ‘til I do it ‘cause that’s the place I’m dreamin’ of.”
Nyoda traditions that you keep alive daily: One tradition stands out but it is not a specific thing, it is an attitude. In the 1940s and 50s, gender roles were rigid. The men were home from the War and the women were back in the kitchen. Alice Lee changed that for me. She was my mentor, role model and hero. She taught me how to change a tire. She was 5 months pregnant at the time it struck me that it was time for me to learn how to do it. She taught me how to fix a toilet. She taught me how to be a Team Captain, not an easy job. She taught me that gender has very little to do with most tasks. Thank you, Alice Lee.
Long-term Impact of my time at Nyoda: The ability to work in a group. At camp, I learned how to be part of a team. In the 1940s and 50s, there was no Title IX. I didn’t “do sports.” It wasn’t lady-like. In college, my sport was Water Ballet, now Synchronized Swimming. In those days, it was not competitive. It was ballet in the water. At camp, I learned how exhilarating it is to work together and do something I couldn’t do alone. I learned that being a leader didn’t mean telling people what to do but working with them toward a mutual goal. I was honored to be a Team Captain but learned that it was not just an honor but hard work. Alice Lee straitened me out frequently. To my eternal gratitude. To this day, my greatest pleasure is working with someone else to get something done.
Current Work life: I am fortunate enough to be retired, so most of my work is “service to others.” I get to choose what I do. Helping my husband with his business. Working with the Friends of the Library. Knitting for charity, just like Chi-wu. Each year at camp, we would be invited to go to the Farmhouse and see what Chi-wu had knit that year. It was amazing. It has inspired me.
Current WoHeLo-related goals: In my work, I plan to ease my husband into retirement, not an easy task, and to continue to give service. I plan to “hold on to health”. Walking, yoga, gardening. When I married my husband, we were both 50. At the wedding, we invited everyone there to join us for our 50th anniversary. We both plan to enjoy that celebration in good health. Beyond the love I have for my husband, family and friends, I plan to continue share the Nyoda Love that I learned at Camp with each and every person I meet. Really looking forward to Reunion!