Ken Merwin

Ken Merwin served on the camp staff from 1948 through 1956, starting on the waterfront staff before four summers as camp clerk and another four summers as assistant camp director. He is one of the Scouts in a postcard of the Black Hawk Statue which was sold in Oregon for many years.

Back in the late 1940’s, Bob Wienke created a mold of the Black Hawk statue about ten inches high. He cast some copies, one of which he gave to Ken to present to President Harry Truman when he visited the Oval Office as a member of Boys Nation (an annual civic training event run by the American Legion). Ken states that was quite a thrill!

After Lowden, Ken taught classes in American history, government problems, and social problems at the high school level for eight years. He then returned to his alma mater, Millikin University, to work in their development department. He then moved to lead positions in development offices in Alaska, back to Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and finally Atlanta. He ultimately spendt over thirty-five years in professional fundraising for educational and health non-profit organizations.

He continues to serve in Scouting as a merit badge counselor, troop committeeman, district chair, and board member in Samoset Council (Wisconsin). He has received Silver Beaver Award and fifty-year registration recognition.

In 2006 Dick Mulford provided a photo of his father, Bill Mulford, shaking hands with Ken.

When shown the photo, Ken said,

Although the photo was taken in 1956 this is the first time I have ever seen it. It was to taken in the dining hall in presentations that Mr. Mulford (I never could bring myself to call him “Bill”) made to Ted Kjellstrom and me. It was the end of the years on staff for both of us. I am not sure what he has in his hand, but he gave each of us a carving that he had done. Mine was a beautiful ax about four inches long with the handle and the head in contrasting wood. I still have it on my desk. The photo shows better than words ever can the exact relationship which Mr. Mulford and I had. He was a surrogate father to me and the admiration and love you see in the photo says it all. I am deeply moved.

Aside from the fire [of the “H” building in 1951] and some unfortunate injuries to some folks, those were the greatest days of my life. Coming from a broken, dysfunctional family, I found my surrogate family at Camp Lowden and Mr. and Mrs. Mulford were surrogate parents.