Stories – For the record…1974

50 years ago in 1974 at Camp Kiwanis, Ann Melichar was the youth director at First Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, charged with conducting a summer camp for teenagers at our Kiwanis Camp. This humorous story shares that experience and supports the Kiwanis defining statement about “improving the world one child and one community at a time.”

Kiwanis Club of Alexandria
For the record, there was no other place for kids in the summer like Camp Kiwanis in 1974.

“Times I Lost It Laughing” is a chapter in my autobiography listing 24 times I “lost it laughing”— in public. Number 13 on the list is as follows:

13.       Kangaroo court at Camp Kiwanis when the Smith twins tied me up for sounding a fire alarm drill at 3:00 a.m.

“Bobby and Billy, the Smith twins, were in charge of entertainment the last night, Friday.  With the help of a few other miscreants, they decided to hold a kangaroo court for outstanding campers, nat’cherly on trumped up charges. First to be accused, I was charged with setting off a false fire alarm and so was tied to a chair on the stage to await my “trial”, i.e., for the duration of the court proceedings, which were all hilarious! …”
– Ann Melichar

Read the full story here.

About the Author

Who is Ann Melichar?

NOW ….Every day is Saturday. Between playing with “Ruger”, the Doberman, and the cat, I mainly ride my recliner and watch YouTube documentaries. All part of “self-care” because Truman was president when I was born so something hurts every day. Discovering mystery novels of Josephine Tey. “Listening” through the bible this year. 

FORMERLY…Back when I functioned the other six days, here are some achievements I remember with gratitude:

• Dan and I have been in a civil union for 58 years; have a daughter who lives ½ block away with the Dobie; have a married son who lives on a whole other continent; 3 grandsons
• B. S. from LSU; paralegal career; chaired Pineville High Alumni Association, 2002; chaired Magnolia Dance Club, 2019; onstage and backstage theater work; taught Junior High, 2 years; Precept Leader and speaker for Stonecroft Ministries. 

HOBBIES…many and varied through the years, but most recently:

• Transcribing hundreds of original letters of Civil War soldiers for Shared and Spared, a website established to publish and preserve genuine communications of both Yankees and Rebels. Volunteers are needed to decipher and digitize the antiquated penmanship and style of expression used at that time.    
• Ancestry research for 6 individuals, tracing family lineages as far back as 17 generations, some into the 1400-1500’s. Discovered fascinating details such as the fact that they qualify for Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution; two ggggggms were born in Windsor Castle; gggggf managed the sheep for Thomas Jefferson and had a receipt for some ewes from President Monroe who lived down the road;  and the Sheriff of Hardin County really did run grandpa out of Tennessee!