denise1979

Hello Sunny Brookers!!!! My family went from '85(?) till '94. What great memories we have of the place! We were just talking about it the other day when i stumbled across this site! It's so sad that it is gone . Sunny Brook was located just east of Sherman's Ice Cream on Phoneix Road. I drive up there every so often for ice cream (it's still THAT GOOD!!!) and have to swing by Sunny Brook. All that was there last time was the house where you signed in and got the yummy sno cones. And the rec hall/kitchen/ dinning hall. Reading this made me pull out my old photos. Remember the bonfires and the silly songs? The talent show? Terrorizing the night guard? Raiding the kitchen for a late night snack? Our summer loves? The pool contests? The stuff we got away with? Haha! Go carts at Finland? Teen trips to the movies and Saugatuck? Breaking the car window with a water balloon sling shot? Deer Fores? The nature center? The tornado and everyone cramed in Nursey Land(?) and the theater? the on site theater? I could go on and on. I still have a few Sunnybook shirts and 1 hat that is still signed! Hello Jumpin Jeanie, Tiger Tony, ? Amy ,and all the rest. THANK YOU for a great time. My memories are priceless. I'm 28 and STILL wish I could go back to Sunnybrook. One last thing:

DA BULLS and CHEESE BALLS!!!!

zelphiacat

This is a funny thread.
Having grown up in Kalamazoo, we'd go to South Haven fairly often but not to Sunnybrook Farm. It did remind me, however, of going to the (what seemed) huge girl scout camp outside of Kalamazoo though. I think all the area troops went there in the Fall. We're talking late 60's, very early 70's... Anyone recall where that might have been?

michigan333

I was there every year in the 70's, lots of good memories but as a kid I thought the people there were kind of strange, everyone was way too happy all of the time lol.

I also remember the song "Sunnybrook Will Shine Tonight" but does anyone remember when they used to include the part "Fiedlemans will burn tonight?" I am not sure of the name exactly but it was the more expensive resort across the street. I remember never wanting to sing that part,just didn't seem right.

Don't get me wrong, I had my share of good experiences at Sunnybrook and I did love to go there as a kid but just remember it being kind of a strange place too lol.

kirbygiampa

Hey guys. Sunnybrook Farm in South Haven Michigan is not a resort anymore. It closed about 1994. That was the last time I was there. We went in August for about 20 years in a row. I wonder where Jumpin Jeanne Ott is these days. We found another resort near by called Pennelwood resort. We closed that one now too. Last year we went to Double JJ's near Muskegan. Its a nice place, but it too is having some tough times. Would like to hear from some of my old Sunnybrook buddies. Kirby

Rugerdooger

What I remember most about Sunnybrook Farms was the handsome Nightwatchman that worked there from 1987 thru 1989. Hi Jumpin Jeanne. How's life treating you?

Deek

[email protected]

Rugerdooger

Okay so the nightwatchman wasn't exactly handsome. But I sure had a hell of a lot of fun working at Sunnybrook those three summers. I honestly think the staff had more fun then the guests....and we got paid for it. Jeanne I hope you still check in on this forum once in a while. I'd love to hear from you. Hope your lovin life as much as I am. I woke up one day and I was over 40 with a wife and two beautiful daughters. The older I get the more I understand the Jimmy Buffet songs. I wish there was a Sunnybrook left in this world to take my family to. Hope all your family is doing well. I hope we can hook up some day. What ever happened to Ricky? I'll never forget that clown.

Peace out.

Deek the nightwatchman.

jumpinjeanne

Hello Kirby and Deek-
This is Jumpin' Jeanne. I am living in Florida, teaching, and taking care of my two sons! My parents live here in Cape Coral with me. My father is retired and my mother teaches one day a week.

Like you, I wish my kids could have seen the resort and experienced it. It is hard to get the "resort feeling" across to anyone who has not been there. I miss it; I know you can never go back, but somedays I wish I could.

I hope life is treating you all well. I did just publish a beginning teaching book with my husband and friends...www.smashingapples.com is the website for it. You can reach me via that site if you would like as I manage it.
Jumpin' Jeanne

aprince001

HOWDIE, I was fortunate enough to share the BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD!!I HAVE SO Much Love from that time going there!!! My name is AShley Dillman, and my family would come on the 1st week of AUG!!! I am able to sit here @ my laptop and go to all the different activities, and swimming, sandcastles, haunted barns, hayrides, snowcones, the big trip vans, pinball, hokie pokie, swingin @ the park, skipping on the sidewalks, it was the week of fun everytime!!! I LOVE U SUNNYBROOK

Pianopicker

Hey, JumpinJimmy! This is Sidedish Sheila. Weren't you an Andy Frane for the Chicago Cubs?

For the rest of you, I worked at the resort as a waitress from 1971-1973 and played the piano for the Monday Night (Drink) I mean Sing-alongs. So many fond memories. The all-staff dinner out each summer, beach parties, tonga juice, Thursday night talent shows, gathering down at the Phoenix Inn, going up to Saugatuck on our off hours, just to mention a few.

I'd love to hear from any of the gang. Those were the days of having fun, growing up, and meeting lots of great folks. I'm just glad I don't have to clean cabins anymore. My own home is plenty!

jenniferkg

It breaks my heart to learn that the farm is no longer there... My mother and I didn't have the best relationship while I was growing up... but we always had Sunnybrook... We went for a week in August, for years, in the late 80's, while I was in 3rd or 4th through 7th grade.... & now she is dying with hospice... I was hoping to find some happy memories there... and now it is gone... It brings me to tears... If I had a million dollars I would bring it back... for it meant that much to me... It is then when I remember my mom smiling... it was there where we connected... it was there where the rest of the world was gone... and there was only fun.................I just can't believe it's gone : (

Perplexed_1

I also remember the song "Sunnybrook Will Shine Tonight" but does anyone remember when they used to include the part "Fiedlemans will burn tonight?" I am not sure of the name exactly but it was the more expensive resort across the street. I remember never wanting to sing that part,just didn't seem right.

Sunnybrook will shine tonight
Sunnbrook will shine!
Sunnybrook will shine tonight
Won't that be fine and dandy?

Sunnybrook will shine tonight
Sunnybrook will shine
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up
Sunnybrook will shine!

Fiddleman's will burn tonight
Fiddleman's will burn!
Fiddleman's will burn tonight!
Won't that be fine and dandy?

Fiddleman's will burn tonight
Fiddleman's will burn
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up
Fiddleman's will burn!

I'm feeling a bit guilty already just typing that ;-)

Remember the many verses to "Fried Ham"? Not too PC, that's for sure? ("Same song, second verse, Chinese accent a little bit worse!")

Does anyone remember "The Princess Pat" and her Rickabamboo?

Cheers, fellow Sunnybrookers! Thanks for the memories.

JJ5

I had forgotten about the Fiddleman's verse. You reminded me.

My week was almost all Chicago cops and their families.

There was LOTS of non-PC stuff, and we also had a costume night. I can remember a bunch of cross dressers at that one.

Perplexed_1

There was LOTS of non-PC stuff, and we also had a costume night. I can remember a bunch of cross dressers at that one.

Well, JJ5, I was only age 5,6, and 7 respectively the three years I went to Sunnybrook, so that kind of stuff went right over my head! ;-)

Jenniferkg, your post is so poignant and so sad, and yes, I understand exactly what you mean when you say, "the rest of the world was gone... and there was only fun." Where DOES the time go?

Fried ham, Fried ham
Cheese and bologna
And after the macaroni
We'll have onions
Pickles and pretzels
And then we'll have some more fried ham
(Fried ham, fried ham!)

Same song, second verse,
Chinese accent, a little bit worse....

schwin29

My family ( Gersch )was also there the week of the fera's from late 80s to early 90s i believe. I know pete and sandy. I am 23 so dont have a ton of memories off the top of my head but sure the rest of my family does. I know we got a lot of video and pictures. I do remember my grandpa won the shuffle board tournment before.

JJ5

For those of you seeking something like Sunnybrook, there is a place near South Haven, MI right now that is not the same, don't get me wrong- but that IS a family resort. It is at that economic level too- maybe in the accomodations actually, a bit better. There are condos now as well. And it has a swimming pool, tennis etc. and also 1000 feet of Lake Michigan beach. My BF is a lucky Grandmother that has two boys over 40 years old now, but 9 grandchildren and with her husband and their spouses the entire family does the second week in June there, and has for years. Teenagers included.

It's called Sleepy Hollow.

http://www.michigan.org/Property/Detail.aspx?p=G6215

I'm not advertising, and I haven't been there myself in about 7 years, because I have a place on an inland lake myself in wine/orchard country MI and I LOVE it. But I can attest that the sunsets and much else will be spectacular.

Nothing could be like SUNNYBROOK now in 2009, IMHO. There is an entire attached perception and group awareness and fling of adventurous joy, especially in early years Sunnybrook, that could never be recaptured in this era. There was no suing, personal responsibility and group rules were supremely accepted- and there was a completely different sense of trust, safety, authority of adults over the kids etc. etc.- I could go on and on. Freedom in a single world, really. Freedom not to be afraid of the kidnapper or serial killer or whatever, all the way down the line to a cracked head incident or a 20 bee sting run to a doctor's office. And density and much else of crowds were much more commonly acceptable to the SunnyBrookers too.

Teenagers had there own dining tables and area, REMEMBER!

I do because my DD, got herself moved up at 12. LOL!

mariah333

wow... this is quite an unexpected blast from the past! I worked at Sunnybrook the summers of 77 & 78 and was just trying to find some of my SB buddies on Facebook. Decided to google and here you all are! Jumpin' Jeanne! How exciting...

My years at SBF shaped my life and friendships for a long time to come. Even though it was only 2 years, they were so important to me then. Now that I'm pushing 50 (yikes!) I'd forgotten about the song, but definitely not the fun...and the incredibly hard work if you were staff. The job was not fun, but the friendships made it all worth while. (I was a waitress and we worked really hard - sometimes 12 hours a day! Whenever my feet hurt I think of those summers!)

One of my most memorable memories of the families that came was Labor Day weekend...and one year a kooky kid at the teen table - King Munchie - who got in all sorts of trouble that week. And I still remember the line dance to the Car Wash. And hot dogs ala roushka on the salad bar... raw hot dogs mixed with some sort of relish stuff - who eats this! And the tooth..(don't ask, I won't tell).

Lived in Downers Grove IL when they put in the Shermans in the late 80s - before that we'd drive up to South Haven for ice cream. The staff of 77 had a 5 year reunion.

Had a bunch of photos I carried around for years. Just moved and decided they were too old, yellow and falling apart to keep carting around - so i just threw out my 1978 sunnybrook photos in January. Still have 77 though...

Its been really fun reading all this tonight. anyone out there from 77-78...?
Sandbox Sandy

zelphiacat

Someone should make a documentary.

JJ5

I think my very first time at SBF was '77. Then I missed 3 full years, and returned with a babe in arms in the summer of '81. We hit almost every year in the 1980's but 2 of them, I think. But none after '89 or so- which was the very last and when I also brought my parents. I can remember '82 especially well- because that's the year my DD pulled the coup of getting to the teen-ager table with her brother. She pulled off the stunt that they were twins (14 months apart- not even Irish twins)LOL! I caved.

Sandbox Sandy, you people COULD COOK.

I'm absolutely sure that SBF was the biggest quantity and best quality for that kind of family style eating that I have ever seen in my life. Not to mention the appetites that people worked up there! That must have been some workday!

Do any of the SunnyBrook Farm staff people here know how many people were at Sunnybrook during a week in July or August, for example? To me it is just mind-boggling- how the Ott family mastered that method with so many people and so much activity. And feed them 3 plus times a day, at the same time.
And for one inclusive cost! They must have been real taskmasters.

All of you had to work your butts off at least 12 or 14 hours a day. I observed that too! Thanks, all of you.

My DD slept at the Field Museum in Chicago with her 2 boys and Cub Scout Troup Friday night. They explored the top floor from 4am in the morning until they left much later- using flashlights- creeping around.

I never mentioned this thread and she happened to say yesterday.

"They think that this was a big adventure. The worst outcome was that someone lost his flashlight. Mom, this group was NOT Sunnybrook prepared- bravery wise, or adverse conditions wise. The wild animals were even stuffed."

And I did laugh. Because the part about adventure and bravery, oh SBF was an original.

mariah333

I love the documentary idea...this whole site just makes me laugh and half cry at some of the memories coming back. One thing about SBF there was never a dull moment.

I started to think about the food - and remember having to ask people if they'd like "soup or oatmeal" for breakfast. The joke was "super oatmeal". I'm not remembering much about the food - sauerkraut & sausage and grilled cheese sandwiches is all that's coming back. (fortunately we didn't have to cook - Florence and Oneida were in the kitchen when I was there!)

I really felt like I'd never forget a minute about Sunny Brook, but its all pretty distant. I had my first beer at Fidelmans my first night there - and my first sloe gin fizz at the Phoenix...along with those awesome ham sandwiches.

Staff parties at the beach, and dancing at Coral Gables in Saugatuck are some of my favorite memories.

I loved that people would come every year the same week. I loved the little kids and families at my tables.

Oh yeah, and the teen lounge under the main house was still there the first year I worked there. And the phone booth. As staff we also cleaned rooms every Saturday after everyone checked out and at the end of the season. That was a highlight let me tell ya.

Good night SunnyBrookers!...

BigChris

Gee it has been a long time since I have seen this many people talking about SunnyBrook Farm. I work there in the summers of 1969,70,71,and 72. I worked various jobs, nightwatchman, lifeguard, maintenance and in the kitchen. We werea big family with the Otts at the lead. All of us who worked there enjoyed all of the guest and their families. I just retired and moved to the Chicago area and hope to run in the some of the people that I met there. Jumpin Jimmy Budka works for TBS, I have been in contact with him in the past. Anybody reading this and you might have been at SunnyBrook any of those summers email me at [email protected]