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A PERSONAL NOTE FROM A LONG TIME FRIEND

I would like to share a personal note from a long time friend and customer of ours. His note reflects why we are still in the business we are in and what makes it all worth while. I guess it’s all about the relationships and the people you meet year after year, establishing friendships and growing the camp to meet the customer’s needs, reflecting that personal vision and touch. We are a family owned business. Wendy and I started the camp 20 years ago from ground zero and Ruben Buse being a charter member was there right from the day we opened to see the growth and maturity of the camp, Wendy, I and our family. Input and encouragement from Ruben and other long time guests have included them as part of this growth and we have encouraged them to take an active role and encouraged input and suggestions to our operations.

June 16, 2006

Dear John, Wendy, Jonathan, Jordan and Joel:

I was too chocked up emotionally to properly respond to your celebration of all the years we have been coming to the Old Post. It was a magnificent surprise and those beautiful pictures are something we will enjoy and remember Lake St. Joseph every time we look at them. They will hang on our condo wall in places of prominence so all can see and enjoy as they come to visit. Wish you could see them. They enhance the while living room.

I can truthfully say that I have enjoyed every day spent at your camp. There were a few frustrating days in the early years when we could not get on the lake because of heavy waves and winds and playing cards was not a good substitute for fishing. It has been interesting to watch your camp grow into one of the finest camps in Canada. How do I know? I have been to more than a few over the 35 years I have been fishing in the north and compared notes with friends and acquaintances going to others. Your hospitality and facilities cannot be beat by anyone. Your camp speaks volumes about your entrepreneurial ability. It has been a real pleasure and a privilege to visit you camp each year, go back to all the favorite fishing holes, and never see another boat all day. I also admire your sensitivity to the native culture that preceded Old Post.

Over the years our party has been helped by many young people. Every one of them has been kind, courteous, and gone out of their way to help us. Some have even waded into cold water up to their chests to grab and stabilize a boat when the waves were coming over the back of the boat at launch. I cannot say enough good things about the kind of help you have always employed.

You can also be very proud of your family as well as the development of Old Post. I have enjoyed watching your family grow from the little guy in the Old Post news who used to like to come up to the fish house and want to cut open the fish stomachs to the fine young man Jonathan is now. Enclosed with this letter is the FIRST Old Post News that I have saved all these years. I thought you might want to keep it as a piece of history of the camp.

John, I count you as a good friend and still tear-up when I think of not being able to come back to Old Post. We will just have to wait and see how things go.

Thank you very much for everything. Norma also sends her thanks.

Very Sincerely,

Ruben