1988 was the final summer for Camp Avalon. 
Lots of reasons and lots of girls with wonderful memories.

The summer of 1988 was like so many others at Avalon. Kathy "Macko" Mack was Head Counselor for the third year with Jan Crosbie as Head of Sailing for the second summer.  The JCs put on the wake up music each morning (many thanks to James Taylor) and then stumbled back to bed.

Laff harassed the counselors for staying out until all hours and identified the returning hour and date for each and every counselor correctly.  New and old songs were sung at unnatural volumes in the dining room over hot dogs and baked beans. Donuts and bacon were enjoyed on Sunday mornings after which some cabins were cleaned - and others were not. Sunday letters were hastily written to parents. Inspection winners enjoyed sundaes at the Laffey's while the losers claimed they didn't care about winning an extra All Day.

Girls got blisters on their hands from the mainsheets, passed come-abouts and jibes in turnabouts and struggled to learn how to make moorings.  Girls had collisions devastating the camp boats and Laff never got mad (at least not in front of the campers). Blues and Whites were worn by all on the ferry to Nantucket. Cabins snuck out at night aggravating the counselors on patrol.The boys danced with the girls on NA day and all of the other "important" dances. Girls with summer birthdays were spanked by all as they ran up and down the DR. The CD stood at the top of the hill screaming for campers with phone calls while campers played endless hours of tether ball. 

Girls dressed up to ride the bus to Hyannis Melody tent on Thursdays. It rained for some All Days while other cabins returned from Nauset Beach and Pilgrim Lake looking like lobsters. Prospective CTs spent the summer on their best behavior hoping to be asked back as CTs. Old campers squealed with delight when they found out who their Little Sisters were while others cried. New girls were threatened with walking the plank and more than one camper said "I, say your name" when reciting the Club 22 oath. 

The "Sound of Betty" was a great success at Banquet despite the counselors complaints that they couldn't go out at night and the campers complaining that they were stuck down hill the afternoon of Banquet.There were tears all around as the bus pulled out and campers promised to keep in touch. The counselors worked at lightning speed to pull all of the boats from the water and put them away up by Sleepy Hollow. Steaks were enjoyed by the counselors at their final dinner before saying goodbye after lunch on Wednesday and promising to visit each other at school. Some counselors had money left for their paychecks while others had spent it all during the summer.

Everyone received giant hugs from Betty and Laff and best wishes for the school year before pulling out and waving a tearful goodbye to the remaining counselors outside the office. No one knew, not even Betty and Laff, that the Summer of '88 would be the last.

-From the "Tide's In" book printed December 1989