Arrowbear's 85th Reunion
September 6, 2026

85 Years of Melodies and Memories

Eighty-five years ago, Mr. Ohlendorf and a group of junior high honor orchestra members from Long Beach gathered here for an outing in the mountains. They had no idea what they had started or the legacy they would leave for all of us. Today we are here to relive some of those memories from the past. I have come to believe that there is something special about this place. Each time there is a reunion, Arrowbear comes alive with memories and music. It’s as if we were all teenagers again. Many changes have taken place at camp over the decades, but summers here are still full of young musicians rehearsing, singing, and having fun together. If you were to drive into camp during the summer, you would hear groups rehearsing and see young people building lasting friendships just as each generation has done before them.

One memory that I remember is the campfire program after the Choral session concert. This program had a special acronym, “MISALFI.” The initials stood for Musicianship, Integrity, Sincerity, Artistry, Friendship and Inspiration. The campers would gather together at the campfire bowl. The program began with the beautiful duet Indian Love Call sung from the top of Happy Gap. Next would be a flute solo followed by the campers singing a campfire song. The final part of the program was Mr. Ohlendorf reading, “I Am Music.” The parents and guests would go home, but many campers stayed overnight and enjoyed the final dance of the session. The next morning a bus arrived in camp and took most of the campers home to the parking lot at Long Beach City College.

As we gather for our 85th Reunion, I hope that you take time to share some of your memories with old friends and with the new friends you will meet today. It’s important that the history of the camp and the memories we have are shared with new generations of campers. Take the time to visit your favorite places at camp. Remind each other what remains the same and what has changed since your time at Arrowbear.

So, enjoy the music, the laughter, the nostalgia and remember how lucky we all are to have been part of this wonderful place. Your donations help keep Mr. O’s memory alive with each new summer of music, music, music.

Cliff Kusaba

President

85th Reunion Photo

Photo for Printing

This button links to a file that is

suitable for enlargements

up to 11 x 14.

It is 4800 x 3200 or 10 MB in size.

It will automatically print an 8.5 x 11

on your home computer.

The Concert

Reunion Choir

Alleluia…………………………………………………

Nights at Mulligans………………………………

Vitrum Nostrum Gloriosum………………….

Heart Doth Beg You’ll Not Forget………….

Randall Thompson

Cameron Keys

Arr. Mark Hays

Anonymous

Orlando di Lasso

Conductor: G. Cameron Keys

Accompanist - Ady Taylor

Violin - Marie Gonzales Luedtke

Brass Choir

Fanfare for a New Age…………....…...........………. Goff Richards

Conductor: Jack Hollander

Reunion Orchestra

G Minor "Little" Fugue…………………...………

J. S. Bach

Arr. Michel Rondeau

Conductor: Branden Muresan

Jupiter - Bringer of Jollity…………………...……

Gustav Holst

Arr. Vernon Leidig

Conductor: Albert Jeung

Berceuse and Finale (Firebird Suite)….....…

Igor Stravinsky

Arr. Merle J. Isaac

Conductor: Dennis Dockstader

Reunion Shirts

We do have a limited number of Reunion shirts available for purchase.

There is one small, three large,

seven XL, one 2X, and one 3X.

$25 donation

Contact Laura at

arrowbearmusicassociates@gmail.com OR

562-716-4898

Camp Singing

1/1

Reunion Souvenirs

Ann Rasmussen Brenton created this beautiful tote bag for us to raffle off during the Reunion. She donated her time and materials to our organization. We thank Ann for her thoughtfulness and generosity. We raised $239 for scholarships. The lucky winner of the bag was Craig Gibson. As he was buying his raffle tickets, he said, "I feel lucky."

Lylah Hill Bradford brought all her supplies with her to the Reunion to create these wonderful key chains in a multitude of colors. Alumni were thrilled to purchase them. Lylah graciously donated all the proceeds to our scholarship fund. She raised $210 for summer camp scholarships.

Who Attended
the Reunion?

This was the largest Reunion yet. There were over 145 people in attendance. We had alumni from the 1950s all the way to current campers. Many alumni brought their children. The rain didn't dampen their enjoyment of the day.

So, who made it up to Arrowbear? You can download a copy of the contact information for all alumni who made it to the event.

Contact List

Rain, Rain, and More Rain!

Hurricane Marie off the coast of California was our constant companion throughout the day and into the evening. Everyone kept checking the weather app on their phones hoping for a break in the forecast. We all had our hopes up that it would stop in the late afternoon. Nope. It just kept raining. Fortunately, it was never a complete downpour. It was just relentless.

Somehow, the rain didn't dampen the spirts of the alumni and their families. People gathered together in the dining hall which was the warmest location. We had our morning rehearsals, camp singing, and the concert in the Orchestra Bowl/Ohlendorf Bowl with the rain falling around us.

We usually take the Reunion Photo on the ramp or on the volleyball court. This year we squeezed everyone into the dining hall to take the photo. It will be a unique reminder of the 85th Reunion - the one where the rain shared in the memories of the day.

The Kitchen Symphony

For many years, Arrowbear put on a dinner and concert for the Lions Club during the second week of High School Session. Campers acted as waiters, bringing the dishes to the guests during the delicious dinner which was served in the dining hall.

After dinner, the guests enjoyed a concert played by the orchestra, the band, and the jazz band. Then the guests got to hear a special performance of "Variations on a Kitchen Sink," known at Arrowbear as "The Kitchen Symphony."

This piece was a favorite of Dr. Clarence Sawhill who was the band director during that week at camp. The soloists were members of the staff and their "instruments" were common kitchen items like pans, a skillet, a pie tin, an egg beater, and metal spoons.

Dennis Dockstader asked that we include this piece as part of the 85th Reunion celebrations. Volunteers offered to play and a little bit of camp history was replicated for new generations of campers in attendance.

Who Made it Happen

There's always a group of people behind the scenes that help to make every Reunion successful. Many, many thanks to the Reunion Committee and the alumni who pitched in. You made the event a success.

Larry Kohorn and
Eric Frankenfeld in the A Building.

Dolores Loera for printing and organizing the music into folders and helping to sell raffle tickets.
David James and Ross Durand for acting as song leaders for Camp Singing.
Jeff Haberman for designing and ordering the Reunion shirts.
Jim Garrecht for taking photos and filming the concert in the rain.
Claudia Hoskins Fitzpatrick for organizing the Happy Gap Hour.
Laura Collins for helping with Registration all day.
Vincent Felix, Marian English, Boedy Reisner, and Tyler Jacobson who answered our call for assistance with kitchen setup and cleanup.
Ady Taylor who accompanied the Reunion Choir.
Kirk Watilo and Jeff Haberman for being the MCs for the day.
Allen Carroll, Dennis Dockstader, and Jacob Rogers who shuttled alumni from the parking area at the lake up to the camp and back all day long.
Our cook, Susan Marroquin, who spent the entire day prepping and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was delicious!
Breck Dockstader for designing our Reunion photo.
Laura Dean Kusaba for managing Online Registration.
Cliff Kusaba for leading the Reunion Committee and overseeing all the details for the event.
Dennis and Larke Dockstader for coordinating with the Reunion Committee and allowing us to have the event at the camp.
Our conductors: Albert Jeung, Branden Muresan, and Dennis Dockstader who conducted the Reunion Orchestra, Jack Hollander who conducted the Brass Choir, and G. Cameron Keys who conducted the Reunion Choir.