Former campers, counselors converge to reminisce on the bygone days at Camp Whitley
(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Seated along the logs near the lodge at Camp Whitley, and talking in small groups, campers of the past reminisce about their days at Camp Whitley. Below, former camper and counselor Chick Harker signs a banner signifying the camp's 80th year. Three generations of Harker's family have attended Camp Whitley. Below, in a photo provided by Camp Whitley, Pleasant Guy Stickler is shown proudly holding a Camp Whitley t-shirt. The late Stickler was a long-time supporter of the camp. Recently, his family donated some memorabilia to the camp for future generations to enjoy.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Pulling up the long gravel drive to Camp Whitley Saturday afternoon, a sense of nostalgia was immediately present.
Groups of adults, standing in small clusters, or seated together on logs near the lodge building reminisced about their days as campers…not so long ago, it seemed. 
Yet, the camp has now been opened eight decades, enough time for as many as four generations of the same family to attend camp at the same scenic spot on the shore of Troy Cedar Lake in northwestern Whitley County.
Saturday afternoon marked the 80th anniversary celebration for Camp Whitley and brought out dozens of former campers and past counselors to share their memories and take another look around a place they remember so fondly.
“I looked at the lake and it looked like is must have shrunk,” said Richard Phend who attended the camp between the years of 1944-1947. “I think I could swim across it now!”
John Pence looked at some of the older cabins on site and said, “I helped build some of those cabins.”
Laughing, Pence added, “And back in the day, as campers, we probably helped tear down a few too.” 
JoEllen McConnell didn’t remember what year she attended camp, but did recall she had been a Pirate and had won the best archer award that year.
Camp Whitley board member Carrie Gates, herself a former camper, said they are currently collecting stories and memorabilia from the past 80 years and hope to compile it into a book eventually.
With 80 years of experiences at camp, she said, “we’d hate for those memories to be lost.”
Gates said she hopes the book, upon completion, would be available for sale and a copy would also be given to the Whitley County Historical Museum for future generations to enjoy.
In a small display inside the lodge, a collection of recently donated memorabilia can be found. The family of the late Pleasant Guy Stickler contributed a booklet, a 1933 attitude award patch, ribbons and certificates from his stay at Camp Whitley in the early years. Several generations of Stickler’s family have been Camp Whitley participants.
As with any great experience, you want your children and grandchildren to experience it as well. Chick Harker said three generations of his family had attended camp there. Bill Kettelkamp’s family might mark four generations.
Ted Gruver of Phoenix, Maryland, remember great times at camp, is carrying the tradition on with his grandson, Patrick Anderson.
Anderson has never attended an overnight camp before, but accompanied his grandfather to Camp Whitley on Saturday from Maryland and will be staying there this week – a 13th birthday gift from his grandparents. Gruver hopes to eventually send his granddaughters to Camp Whitley as well.
“I thought it would be a great thing for him to come to camp,” Gruver said. “I have such fond memories here.”
Gruver and his family traveled the furthest to attend the 80th anniversary celebration Saturday.
Standing in the center of a circle of log benches, similar to the log benches campers have been seated around for decades, after each person present introduced themselves and talked briefly about their camp experience, Gates said, “Hopefully, Camp Whitley will be around for another 80 years.”