Serbian History 101

The PATH OF ORTHODOXY issue gives us THIS information about this year's Camp season.  I hope everyone reading this can go or send someone they know.  The experience is NOT TO BE MISSED!

Website for further info:

http://www.easterndiocese.org/

Kids+Summer+fun=SHADELAND

    That's the equation for our favorite summer pasttime:  SHADELAND!

    For many of the children in the Eastern Diocese and beyond, summer just wouldn't be complete without spending at least part of it at St. Sava Camp, Shadeland, PA.  For three weeks, Shadeland will once again be filled with the familiar sounds of children's laughter, the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and support staff, and voices raised in prayer and worship.  The children make lifelong friends.

     The 2009 camp season begins on Sunday, July 12 and will end with the Diocesan Day picnic on Sunday, August 2nd.  

Week One:  July 12-18          Ages 7-18

Week Two:  July 19-25          Ages 7-18

Wk Three:   July 26-Aug. 2    Ages 9-18*

(Tammie week is the 3rd week!)

* Children who are 18 years entering their high school senior year are also eligible to attend.

What is Shadeland?

Games, swimming, hiking, crafts, boating, bowling and the ever-popular trip to Waldemeer Park.  While Weeks 1 and 2 are open to children as young as 7 years old, Tammie Week (Week 3) is more structured with days and evenings filled with dance and music rehearsals in preparation for the Diocesan Day Program.  Our instructors Nikola Jovic of Niagara Falls for Dance and Nicole Bellich of Pittsburgh for music are already planning yet another fabulous and entertaining show. 

(Anyone who has ever been there can attest to THIS truth!!!) 

Once again, the Standing Committee on Christian Education is preparing a program that will educate and enlighten.  Last year's theme was "Face to Face with God," where the children learned more about Icons!

This included the role of icons in worship, an interview with an iconographer history of icons in the Orthodox Church, and the tradition of miraculous icons. 

    If you haven't considered sending your child or grandchild to Shadeland, now is a great time to start making them part of the equation.  Space is available, though limited.  Room for 76 campers each week!  Sign up early!

      Be sure to learn more about registering though your local clergy and also in PDF format on the website of the Eastern Diocese.  Click here below!

www.easterndiocese.org/shadeland.

Shadeland Picnic---let's make it a BIG ONE!

The annual Shadeland Picnic will take place on Sunday, August 2 at the end of Tambura Week.  His Grace Bishop Mitrophan, clergy, parents and faithful will gather in worship and then enjoy the traditional picnic.  As is customary, the children from Tammie Week will perform a program of music and dance for all to enjoy!  (This will melt your heart, too!) 

 Make Shadeland part of your Summer Holiday!

 You'll be glad you did!!!!

 All finished now.... little by little with good direction!

 Here are some OLD Shadeland Camp photos taken by the master photographer, Milan M. Karlo, my dad.

Milan graduated from the prestigious Rochester Institute of Photography in New York.  The feat is rather remarkable, considering that Milan was totally deaf and had to rely on his excellent lip reading skills and friends to help him "translate" what was being said.  He lived very frugally in the YMCA and your hostess treasures the letters that went back and forth between Milan and Laura while he was away, and she was "manning" the store while taking care of Milana and Roseann.  (Alexandra came later!)

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Beautiful Manor House in the Summer- our first camp building, also the Old Folks Home for our Serbian wards.  We loved to run around in the whitewashed cellar, imagining the slaves that were hidden there as part of the Underground Railroad! (Erie County Historical Records attest to this!)

The Manor House in Winter.  This was a Christmas card my father sent out to Milan and Dara Tomich in 1961.

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(I forgot to turn off the flash when I copied these photos below!) 

In this first photo, I see sister Rose (2nd from left in front row) talking to Mary Ranick, our Sunday School teacher.  Behind her is Dorothy Conway.  Bet you can recognize a lot more too! 

These guys were always ready to ham it up for the camera at Shadeland Camp!  Did you know that Crown Prince Aleksandar was also a Shadeland camper?  King Peter II was thrilled with the news of the second cabin building when he saw the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph full-page spread on Shadeland while he was visiting the SNF offices in Oakland, and decided then and there to send his son to camp!

"In Pittsburgh they sold pogachas baked lovingly by one of their 'Babas'; iin Youngstown the merchandise  was candy; and in Canton, Ohio, flowers.  From such sales and contributions, Sunday school groupings in the East defrayed some of the $21,000 cost of building Cabin No. 2.  Each Sunday School tot was to contribute $2 to cover the cost of a concrete block." 

 No one, NO ONE, cooked more for the kids than our beloved Teta Mileva Mrvosh.  Dorothy Conway and Fr. Irinej Kovacevich look on.

Fr. Irinej:  Priest/Director/Farmer 

Fr. Irinej, officially the priest-director for the 1400-acre estate, had graduated from Dorchester College in England in the late '40's, and picked up his Master's Degreee at Columbia University.  He was tremendous in getting people to work for the common good.  He was rightly called "crowd hypnotist, bold and imaginative planner with the zeal of a missionary, engineer of all the progress up at Shadeland from paper draft to finished construction."

Vjecnaja Pamjat to these Camp pioneers!

I think this is the Aliquippa committee turning over the first shovel full of dirt for the Lake!  Every colony gave something.  Aliquippa donated the lake like Wilmerding (Monroeville) gave the playground.  The two Pittsburgh Parishes  raised money for a cabin, etc.  That's how we moved ahead.  Everyone working together!

"$5,000 Project of St. Elijah Aliquippa (PA) Parish Folk:  Spring of 1959, a big hole, the size of a football field (2.5 acres!) was dug, its outer layer covered with sand for a beach.  Water was piped in from a spring on the top of the hill (on the other side of the highway).  Drive leaders were George Zatezelo and Eli Rebich, two young men active with their families in Shadeland Camp life.  Dorothy Reback was secretary, Dorothy Maravich, financial secretary; and Sam Urick, treasurer.  President of the parish was Sam Tatalovich, who helped in the drive which Aliquippa conducted under the slogan of: 'Go BIG LEAGUE or don't go at all.' " 

"Kuma for the Lake project was Elaine Vincic.  The bulk of the monies raised was individual and family $5 and $10 donations.  Almost every family in the parish gave something and just about every merchant doing business with the parish people.  The largest sums were contributed by the organizations--the church congregation, the Serbian Club, the Mother's Club and the CIO Steelworker's Local 1211." 

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"Our Shadeland" was once world-renown as one of the finest Clydesdale horse farms in the world.  As you can see from the above ad that appeared in the prestigious THE CENTURY magazine, Shadeland was owned by the Powell Brothers, from Crawford Co. A New York Times article from Feb. 2, 1907 lists a 2 yr. old trotter horse owned by the Powell Brothers of Shadeland, PA as selling for $810.00 in a sale of 482 horses at the Madison Square Gardens in NY which realized $175,230.  The Powell Brothers horse was much more than the average sale horse.

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The front cover of the Shadeland Spomenica, marking the first 10 years as the Serbian Orthodox Children's Camp.  Almost all the photos were taken by Milan Karlo, who absolutely loved Shadeland and recorded the scenes for posterity.  He was recognized for his great zeal as "one of Shadeland's most enthusiastic supporters and one who rates high on her list of constructive builders and boosters. His Grace Bishop Dionisije, who purchased the property, led others "in tribute and recognition to the person who did to much to keep Shadeland, its needs, its problems, its progress and its growth foremost in the minds of our people over the past ten years."

"It would have been completely impossible, and out of the question, for the Diocese, the KSS, Savez and the Shadeland Board to even begin to hire someone to accomplish the tremendous task performed by this one man.  Truly in Milan Karlo Shadeland has found a devoted friend, supporter and benefactor.  The publication of this book, with professional attention to photography and excellence in the telling of Shadeland's story, is largely the work of Milan Karlo." 

Outdoor religious services had to do until we built the church years later. Always, as the photo caption says, flanked by the Serbian and American flags.
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The architect for Fr/ Irinej Kovachevich's grand plan known as "The Shadeland of Tomorrow" was George Vojnovich, better known now as the Father of U.S. Senator  George Vojnovich.  The late +George graduated from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), and besides being one of the leading architect-designers in the Cleveland area, he also had an intimate knowledge of all things Serbian.  (He designed the St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church in Aliquippa!)  George Vojnovich was a generous benefactor of Shadeland.  He designed the two cabins for free, in fact, he gave almost $100,000, ranking with the top five monetary contributors to the estate! 

"His two boys frequently accompanied him to Shadeland.  It could be that what he is doing he is doing as a momento to his boys."

"George is a rare credit to the few native-born, depression-educated youth who have given of their not inconsiderable talents and money for Shadeland, their heritage, and for their posterity.  Thank you, George!  You are remembered!

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When you visit the cemetery at Shadeland, be sure to say special prayers for all the wonderful people buried there.  Look how Tima and Marija Bukvich gave their entire $10,000 estate to Shadeland!  That's at a time when people were lucky to be making only a few thousand dollars working for a whole year or more!

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If only I could find the REAL photos my father had of these Shadeland Charity Home Residents!  They were magnificent  8" x 10" portraits  which could easily be classified as winning pictures in any photo contest!  My father would develop them himself, perhaps making 20 or more pictures until he had just the exact exposures/development he wanted!  I remember Vujo and so many others, always with a smile for us campers.  He worked so hard on his Shadeland garden!

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"Here we stand like birds in the wilderness, birds in the wilderness, birds in the wilderness, here we stand like birds in the wilderness, waiting for something to eat!"   Joi!

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The Picnic Glen with the tall trees was always so beautiful and cool.  We loved running around and then finding our parents and grandparents after we were exhausted or wanted more tickets for drinks!  As far as your eye could see would be parked cars from all over the USA and Canada.

Group after group of happy campers from the 1960's

People from Pittsburgh and elsewhere enjoying the picnic with Bishop Dionisje, on the right.  He was the one who purchased these Holy Grounds for us.

 This is Cabin #1 of the "Shadeland of Tomorrow" Complex--- the wooden cabin was really first.  This is the FIRST camper building made of concrete blocks.

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October 16, 2008   American SRBOBRAN -"We Get Letters" section, p. 33.

"Enjoyed the pictorial about Shadeland ("Celebrating Shadeland," September 3, 2008 by Mim Bizic) and recognized some of the people who worked so hard for the enjoyment of others.  I remember Mrs. Simich, Mrs. Kobac, and Mrs. Mrvosh.  I was a "camper" at Shadeland in the late 1950's along with Mrs. Simich's duaghter Danielle (DeeDee), Bob Conway, Terry Kulics, and Norman Winowich, to name a few.  I've seen Terry's photos in the Srbobran, but where are the others?  Was surprised o see that the Manor House had been demolished.  Shadeland was a great place to attend picnics with plenty of time to slip away to Conneaut Lake Park, now closed.  More memories.  Some people claim you can't go back.  Maybe physically, but you can certainly remember the good times.  

Joe Cupurdija, Mechanicsville, Virginia

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Bishop Mitrofan, Metropolitan Christopher, & Fr. Zivojin J. with our great campers, 2006.

Shadeland is a WONDERFUL experience for children!  Take it from a FIRST YEAR Shadeland Camper, and then Shadeland Counselor, whose son Nick was a camper, and then a counselor, and we counted tonight, it will only be five more years before the THIRD generation of campers will attend in our family!

2nd Generation of Campers

Shadeland Camp @ 1980-82

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This  house was directly across from the Manor House & was the first Nursing Home  facility for our Serbian pioneers.

If you can remember this statue of Mercury that was encompassed by the tree at Shadeland, you must be over 50 years old!

 This wonderful Shadeland phenomenon was real close to the house with the SHADELAND name on it, directly across from the HUGE white Manor House. (Both now gone.) Here we have +Steve Yorgin & our Ujak, Milosh Klaich, who is in his '80s now, with MERCURY, the messenger of the Gods!

Manor Home in Winter  Picture Postcard Perfect!

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In May of 2006, I was traveling throughout Serbia visiting our beautiful monasteries.  One lady on the trip said to me, "I think I remember you from Shadeland Camp from a long time ago.  You had a cousin with a funny name who I remember because he always made us laugh."

Knowing immediately who she was talking about, I did a Rumpelstiltskin trick.        "Was it my cousin Paul?"

"No....."     "Was it my cousin Joe?"

"No....."   "Was his name JULES?"

"Yes!  Jules!  Jules Bobik, from Pittsburgh!"

Oh, how we laughed and rejoiced on that bus, bouncing along on the roads coming from St. Basil of Ostrog Monastery!

Immediately we embraced and started singing,

"We are the Shadeland girls, we wear our hair in curls, we wear our dungarees, way up above our knees, we are too big for toys, but oh so right for boys, if we don't get our man, we do the Can-Can!"

Didn't believe me, eh?

 We were so silly, but loved it!

It turns our that "lady" on the trip is now a Matushka at the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Washington, DC.  Kathy Siljegovic and I and her husband, Deacon Blagoje, are now VERY close friends! Originally, Kathy lived in Lackawanna.  Her sister and her friend ("Kuma") Monica Damjanovich were also on the trip.  That's what's special about attending camp.  You get to meet so many people from ALL over!

Deacon Blagoje grew up only BLOCKS from Shadeland when his family came here from Serbia!  The family still owns a small farm nearby, and it was great seeing Deacon Blagoje again at Shadeland 2008!

Here's another great story about Matushka Kathy that you'll love.  When we went to Lelic Monastery, to see where Saint Bishop Nikolai is buried, we were surprised to find there was a photo from the American SRBOBRAN on display of Kathy when she was a young girl and was an angel for a special Christmas production.  Bishop Nikolai was in the audience.  Kathy had the same photo that appeared in the display with her on the trip and we all delighted in seeing it!

We also sang this Shadeland song:

"Shadeland Camp all fellows fall in line, and we will have a good old jolly time, and for the camp we love and love so well, we're gonna yell and yell and yell and yell and yell!" 

We asked each other...

"Do you remember singing around the campfire,

'Each campfire lights anew, the flame of friendship true, the joy we had in knowing you, will last our whole life through!"

And it did!!!

Shadeland Camp, that's US!

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The Shadeland Playground was donated by the Wilmerding (now Monroeville) PA parish since they sent the largest camper contingents each year, with Mimi Smith and Emma Swencki camp chairmen or aides.  Pastor at the time was Fr. Mitrofan Kresejevich, for many years the right hand of Fr. Irinej.

The seed was planted with Fred (Shorty) Polojac, Mike Basara, and George Eremic.  They held a "supper" which instantly totaled $1200.  They "pushed, prodded, coaxed and begged the remainder with an ad book, a bowl jamboree, and another supper.  In the Spring of 1960 they loaded their purchased equipment on a couple trucks and proceeded to install it on the grounds of Shadeland.  Later, a miniature-sized concrete basketball floor was poured.  Mary Wukas was Kuma.  Sam Milanovich of Aliquippa contributed the backboards and hoops for the basketball court. 

Other committee aides were Nick Trkulja, John Karas, Goerge and Mary Vuick, Emma Swenky, casey and Ann Visnick, Sophie Vislay, Helen Sarver and Milka White.  Exceptional aid was rendered by the Mother's Club, the KSS Sisterhoods from Export and Wilmerding and the SNF Lodges and the SRBOBRAN newspaper.  The Danny Kukich, Mel Ray and Zabadava tamburitza orchestras contributed their services." 

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Administration Building Dedication Plate:

All told, the POLICH Family gave $100,000.00!

Inside the Administration building with stage being used as Chapel. Great oil paintings of the benefactors, Todor and Andja Polich to the left, and founder, Bishop Dionisije to the right.

This is the house where all the priests and Bishop stayed.  To the house's far left is the cemetery.

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Bob Samardick from Omaha, Nebraska, freely parted with his money for all Serbian projects. This shows him giivng $6,000 to purchase the sheep herd; $5,000 for the gas piping which is STILL helping Shadeland!

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The Simich Family worked tirelessly in all ways, even though this shows only MISTER Simich, Mrs. Milka Simich mopped floors, cooked, washed dishes and did whatever it took to lead the ladies in her KSS  role.

Trisha Simich, from Cleveland, was Chairman of the Lay Board at Shadeland, and shared the $10,000 cost of the gas pipes with Bob Samardick.  He also gave $2,500 for the Cabin Drains.

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Willing Hands and Open Hearts.... Scores pooled their resources, energies, talents to lick the unfairly pinned "Jama Bez dna" (Bottomless Pit) stigma of early days at the Estate.  For this reason, these people deserve to be mentioned-and remembered-by posterity!

Manojlo Topalsky (Akron), Fr. Vlad Suka & Paul Kobac (Farrell), Dan Kovacevich (West Palm Beach, FL), Elmer Garber, Lou Obradovich (Duquesne), John Peters (Cleveland), Spasoje Vincic shown above.

Literally, scores of people have given "Shakom and kapom" or worked their fingers to the bone, for Shadeland. Other donors mentioned besides those above, Mrs. Clements and John Hall who were Shadeland neighbors. Mr. Hall was the PA State Agricultural representative, and his activities got Drs. Greer and Dr. Clements involved (General Practioner and Dentist. ) Mrs. Hall threw open her home for visiting dignitaries!

Elijah Vracarich (Youngstown), Branko Generalovich and Spiro Andrich (Farrell), V. Rev. Petar Paunovich (Youngstown) and M. Milich.  Paso Vincic (Aliquippa),  Elmer Garber and Peter Mamula (Pittsburgh), Nick Borata & Alex Matich (Cleveland).

 "Incredible hardships confronted these people.  Everything was in a raw state.  The dwellings were in disrepair; the land overrun with weeds.  Operational costs were running to $40,000-$50,000 a year and only a fraction of that was coming in.  The FRIENDS of Shadeland then could be counted on the fingers of one's hand.

Wonderful ladies who did the cooking and anything else that needed to be done!

This was our FIRST cabin. (Before that, we stayed in the Manor House for camp!) Our new WOODEN cabin wasn't far from where the big Manor House was....same side of the road, perhaps where the Church is now.  It was the ultimate at the time! As counselors, we loved listening to Elvis Presley on the radio at night, singing "There Will Be Peace in the Valley" and "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear."

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All about Fr. Irinej and the many roles he played. Held a Master's Degree from Columbia, yet never hesitated to get on a tractor and work too.  Whatever needed done, he did it.  He was best at getting others to help us! 

This wishing well held money that well-wishers threw in to help support the camp.  It was located right in front of the house with SHADELAND on it, and the Mercury statue covered by the tree was down to the left, towards the old picnic glen.  (Found out that the boy on the right in the shorts is our own Mark Zatezalo, another one who loved (Still LOVES!) Shadeland!)

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"Uncle" John Milusnich, Protonica Marianov and Mrs. Milka Simich-great cooks and friends to all! We loved them!

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Buses used to come from far and near.  This Beaver Valley Motor Coach came from Aliquippa, PA.

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Photos of the Cemetery where so many of our Pioneers  are buried.  Always well cared for. The cemetery project was undertaken by the Farrell Community with $6,000.00. The first person buried there was the V.Rev. Fr. Pavle Markovich, in 1956.

Our departed pioneers are not forgotten.  Here are our 1st week 2008 campers & 4 priests remembering the Serbs buried at St. Sava Shadeland.

Go to this link to see who is buried in Shadeland, thanks to the Conneaut Valley Historical Society and others who helped with the info.

http://www.cvahs.org/ 

Vujo by Milan M. Karlo

"Dreamer of Lofty Dreams"

Thanks for the photos, Dad!

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Also, be sure to check out other Diocesan Camps in Libertyville, IL, Gray's Lake, IL, Jackson, CA, St. Mark's in Sheffield Lakes, OH, and other places as well.  You make friends you'll have for the rest of your life! 

 We understand that the 1st week at St. Mark's is Soccer Camp.  For more information, contact Fr. Mile Matic at

matic68@yahoo.com