Troop/Post 118
50th Anniversary Reunion of
1952 Encampment at Camp Neibel, Balsam Lake, WI
17 young men who survived close calls with tornados in two consecutive days
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High School ( FHS '57) classmate Louise Orndorff e-mail'd
me in late 2001 that she had read a magazine at her doctor's office
that had a story about a certain John Gerster with 3M™ being recognized
with a science award for a great discovery in the war against skin cancer.
"Could that be the John Gerster who was in the FHS Class
of '56?", she asked. "Most certainly it must be", I said,
"because John Gerster of Farmington has worked for 3M™ almost
from the time he left the graduate school of Chemistry at the University
of Arizona in Tempe." With all humility, John told our group the
story while on the fishing trip during the reunion of Camp Neibel Survivors.
As a proprietary invention, the royalties belong to 3M™, but the
pride of creation belongs to John. He has yet to be invited to eat Sunfish
with the 3M™ "suits" at the corporate lodge. Today (20
September 2002), my dermatologist told me with excitement that he enjoyed
my story, prescribes Aldara™
(IMIQUIMOD) frequently, and gave me the sample pack scanned in
these cells.
How sychronistic is the following? Not ten minutes after posting this page to my website, the boy from three doors away shows up in full cub scout uniform with his dad and they are selling popcorn for the cub scouts. I showed him my reunion canoe paddle and told him (very briefly) what I had just been working on. Alan Lubke -- 20 Sept 2002 Aldara™, 3M™ -- 3M and Aldara are trademarks of 3M |
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John Gerster is in the 3-tiered-blue polo shirt,
2d from right.
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Back (Top) Row:
Joe Auge, Don Johnson, John Gerster,
Roger Kuchera, John Birkholz, Norman Lubke, Jack McBrien, David Boettcher,
Raul Anderson.
Middle Five: Jerry Ericksen, Bill Swank, Richard Cox, Mike Morse, Jim McKay. Bottom Row and far left: A group from the Twin Cities. Wold-Chamberlain Field weekend for Explorer Scouts - circa 1955 Photo by Alan Lubke |
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While you are here, read the story of
The 50th Anniversary Reunion of Camp Neibel Survivors That's me below, Alan Lubke, holding the souvenir canoe paddle presented to the six survivors attending the reunion, July 29, 2002.  |
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September 18, 2002 Mr. Nathan Hansen Camp Neibel Reunion Story for the Farmington Independent by Alan Lubke. Photos need not be returned. A 50th anniversary reunion was held at Ruttger's Lodge near Lake Mille Macs on Monday, July 29th, 2002 of the Scouts/Explorers from Farmington's Troop/Post 118 who "survived" the touchdown of two tornadoes in two consecutive days near Camp Neibel, Balsam Lake, WI. Of the seventeen boys at the 1952 encampment, six were at the reunion, five are deceased, and six were unable to attend. The eleven present at the anniversary dinner included spouses of five of the six men in attendance. At the banquet, attending survivors toasted their deceased comrades. Following the Monday banquet there was a Tuesday fishing trip on Lake Mille Lacs arranged by John Gerster and the Gersters followed that with a barbecue the same day at their cabin on Big Sandy Lake. On Saturday, August 3d, the John Birkholz's hosted a lunch for reunionites at their summer home on Ten-Mile Lake near Hackensack. A reunion souvenir canoe paddle shown in the photo being held by Alan Lubke has been presented to each scout attending the reunion. More photos can be seen at his web site http://www.ojlubke.com/. Those attending the festivities were Joe and Dolores Auge, John and Sandy Birkholz, John and Cathy Gerster, Roger and Jeanne Kuchera, Alan Lubke, and Norman and Barbara Lubke. Deceased scouts honored were Leon Flach, Nile Foss, Fred Griebie, Kenneth Hanson, and Michael Minnick. Unable to attend were Richard Cox, Donald Johnson, Jack McBrien, Patrick Minnick, Jerry Schulz, and Charles Steadman. Sincerely yours,
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