Timeline Part Two!

We left last weeks blog on January 20th with the tin roof going up on house number one.  Our volunteers continued to support us in the framing stage and on January 25th Dustin and Brian were back out helping us move forward.

February 10th - the electrical rough-in was happening.  Remember this list the electricians left?  It's in electrician code as smash plates doesn't really mean go to Ken's kitchen and smash plates and borrow four pots!

By March 1st (happy anniversary Bev!) - again with the help of our volunteers, house number two was very close to being framed.

The next step was insulation and we recruited our winter staff to help.  Here they are on March 13th insulating away.

On March 31st we started drywalling the ceiling so that we could get insulation up in the attic.

You might be wondering why such a long wait until we really started building again?  Some of us here at camp were wondering the same thing.  We were waiting to make sure the frost was completely out of the ground before continuing as both homes began their downward journey of inches to final settlement.  The homes sank enough that we had to adjust the front decks.

Near the end of July we were given the go ahead to start drywall and by July 26th we were well under way.  You could tell very quickly that this was not the drywall crews first rodeo.  It took just a couple of days to finish both homes.

On August 12th we poured the garage concrete.

August 18th was the transition from house number one and two, to the Red House and Green House.  Calling the green house the Green House was a little confusing at times as some of us pictured growing tomatoes.  I can assure you that Ranger did not think tomatoes, he was still thinking of tin roof ice cream.

 On September 5th, Arnold who dug the basement holes was back to install the sewer and water.

October 20th saw Ben and Andrew's first trip to install the cabinets.  A HUGE thanks to Ben for custom building our cabinets with a great deal of skill and love - at no cost to camp!  Han started his stonework and was able to finish in spite of some pretty cold mornings.

By November 17th the tile in the Red House was finished and the hardwood was well under way.

And my final picture for this blog is Craig taking off the cleats from the roof of the Green House.  We're not talking soccer cleats.  The Siders needed cleats to help them side the homes without falling off the ice cream - I mean tin roof.  Thanks again Craig and Kingsmith homes for your incredible support in allowing us to build both homes for what we anticipate will be under half their retail value.

We are trusting that the excitement, support and momentum will continue as we now transition to the new lodge.  If you have not yet made a pledge to Reaching Higher I would ask you to consider.  It is only through your support that we will be able to continue to move forward and see more lives transformed by the power of Jesus.

Thanks again for your continued support.

Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director

Finally...Some Rain!

We had a good downpour on Monday which was much needed.  The ground around camp was quite dry and our Fallen Timber Creek is almost down to a trickle in some places.  We are in our second last week of summer camp and if this was last year it would be our last week of camp.  You may remember we added one more week of summer camp this year so we could reach more children with the Good News!  Please continue to pray for us that we would have a strong finish.

 
Last Saturday we poured the concrete for both garages and basement stairs.  The taper started taping and the Hardie boys are here this week as well.  By Hardie boys we're not talking Frank and Joe Hardy, but the crew coming to side the homes with James Hardie Plank.

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Andrew Baerg is deep into his biking 4 evergreen, travelling this morning from Coaldale to Medicine Hat.  You can follow Andrew on Facebook as he is updating his travels regularly.  We're thankful for the awareness he is bringing across Alberta for our need to Reach Higher with a new lodge.  You can check out his website here.

The final numbers for this summer won't be in for a couple of weeks, but it looks like we will have just over 90 more children and youth campers than last summer.  Our two family camps filled up this year with about 220 campers and so our total for this summer will be just over 1,200 campers.  However, the most exciting number for us is that through six of our eight camps, 380 campers that we know of have expressed spiritual growth.  Sometimes its hard to focus and push through at the end of summer when we're tired, but we're excited that children are coming to know the Lord this summer.

Our fall season will be very busy.  Last year we had the highest number of guests come through camp in the month of September.  We're not sure if we will match or beat that number from last year, but we are already calling for help on weekends.  If you are able to be one of our weekend heroes please contact Lane here in the office for more information.

Thanks for your continued support.


Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director

Halfway Point

Summer camp continues to move forward and we have now just crossed the halfway point.  Here are a few numbers for you.

23,400 - plates of food will be served from our kitchen this summer
1,163   - total number of children and family campers registered to date
267      - significant faith decisions/spiritual growth we have seen through  
               the first four weeks
111      - Bibles given out to campers
90        - more summer campers than last year
66        - volunteers have joined us through the first five weeks
47        - seasonal and permanent staff
2          - number of hospital runs so far this summer

As with every summer we are not immune to challenges and stress.  As I write this blog we are wrestling with our lodge hot water system (again).  We disconnected a sensor and are hoping and praying it will now last till the end of summer!  It seems that every day we work with challenging situations.  However, at the same time campers are learning skills, meeting new friends and experiencing the life transforming Gospel in chapel and in their cabins.  One of our goals is to make sure our campers week at Evergreen is the best week of their summer.  For the vast majority of campers we accomplish that goal.

 Here are a few thoughts from our campers.

"I'm going to take my Bible everywhere.  I'm going to take it to church, I'm going to take it to the swimming pool..." - from a camper who received a Bible

"By showing people love, you can be like Christ to them"

"I learned not to dwell on my past or my mistakes, but to move on and rely on God"

After all these years in summer camp ministry its still exciting to see God at work each summer.

I mentioned in last weeks blog that there was some progress on the two staff homes.  It's been a while since I could post about progress so I'm excited to update you where we're at.  We were waiting for the homes to settle their downward trend and we believe they have hit rock (clay) bottom!  Jacques and David started boarding the homes Wednesday morning and finished both homes well before lunch on Saturday.  It was obvious that they have worked with a lot of drywall.

Kevin, Kurt and a couple of their guys worked two very (very) long days getting the garages ready for concrete and finishing up the grading around the homes.  Both garages are now ready for concrete and Kurt needs one more day to finish preparing the basement stairwells.  We're hoping to see concrete sooner than later!

It's exciting to see progress and the homes have a new feel with the interior walls now having drywall.  We're looking forward to seeing more movement in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks again for your continuing support.

Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director

välənˈtir

Volunteer - noun - a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise (Camp Evergreen) or undertake a task (scoop poop at the barn).  Volunteer - verb - freely offer to do something (lead a cabin of campers). 

We've had a total of 58 volunteers join us over the first four weeks of summer camp.  Why do I like volunteers so much?  Two reasons.  The first is very practical.  Simply stated there is no way that we could run summer camp without volunteers.  From helping out in the kitchen, to keeping our flowers watered, to mowing lawns, to washing lost and found, to scooping horse poop (our horses poop an awful lot), to teaching activities, the list could go on and on.  We need volunteers because the size of our ministry is too large to do by ourselves.

The second reason I like volunteers is because they are inspirational.  When you volunteer and are willing to help us out, we feel your energy.  We feel your encouragement.  We begin to think, we can do this, we can push through one more week.  Suddenly the ministry before us doesn't seem quite so daunting.

Let me share with you - from just this past weekend - why our volunteers are so encouraging.  We've just finished up three weeks of summer camp.  If you've served at camp, you know first hand how tiring it can be.  We are supposed to take the weekend off to rest.  However, one of our volunteers decided they would spend most of Saturday sanding picnic tables - instead of resting. 

As I was walking Saturday night, I met a second volunteer cleaning and vacuming the kitchen window right by the stove.  In case you missed that, this was Saturday night around 7 pm.  How encouraging is that?  They wanted to make sure the window was clean for Ken and his kitchen crew.  A third volunteer was dropping off their RV Saturday night so two nurses who don't have an RV have a place to stay while they are here at camp.

And finally, if that's not enough (that is certainly enough in my books) first thing Sunday morning I bump into a fourth volunteer who is up early watering and taking care of our flowers at the Welcome Centre.  Isn't that awesome?  Can I get an AMEN?  You four know who you are and I just want to say a HUGE thanks for not only serving us, but for encouraging us. 

I mentioned in an earlier blog, "there is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer."  At Camp Evergreen, I've witnessed that first hand - over and over.  To the remaining 54 volunteers who have served us so well this summer, may God richly bless you for your service!

We are still looking for volunteers (Heros really) to join us in August and also into September and October.  Your gift of time will bless us beyond what you can imagine!

Oh and by the way - we are reaching higher this week on the new homes.  More on that next week!

Thanks for your ongoing support.

Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director

Scaffolding - Again?

Back by popular demand (or maybe we're too full!) we've asked Rolf to put the scaffolding back up at the Fort again to create some more space.  Last night, our first campfire of the week, 8 or 9 staff could not fit in the circle and were asked to sit outside.  If you remember back in July 2015 we put up scaffolding and started expanding our fire ring.  We continue to grow and $6,000 will allow Rolf and our volunteers to finish the ring.  If you would consider making a donation to camp marked "The Fort" that would be greatly appreciated as we continue to reach higher.  I'd love to take my mug selfie during the construction to keep you up to date!

A HUGE thanks to our volunteers this week!  We have volunteers who stay months and others who stay a week.  We are grateful for their service and want to say thanks for serving us and encouraging us.  Volunteers really are a breath of fresh air into our tired lungs.  We're still looking for kitchen and barn volunteers for August.  Please contact us here at camp for more information.

What about those houses?  We are close, oh so close to saying - GO!  Scott and the painters were back last week finishing up the window batten trim.  Scott is now ready for the Hardy Boys - I mean Hardie Board.  (siding)  Craig will be back this week to see if the homes have stopped their downward sinking trend before he declares - GO! (hopefully in a loud excited voice)  Once Craig says go - siding, drywall and the basement floor are next in line.

Week number three is well under way.  Ignite 1 is our second oldest camp with campers entering grades 7-9 here at the main site.  Roughin' It Boys 1 are down at the teepees.  We're excited that Brennan Dyck from Dalhousie is our speaker this week.  I was at our morning staff meeting where the cabin leaders were sharing what is happening in their cabins.  It was good to hear stories of God at work in the hearts and lives of our campers this early in the week.  As we read each campers evaluation at the end of the week, growth is definitely evident this summer.  Last week we gave out about 30 Bibles to campers who came to camp without one.  How cool is that?  (Very!)

I also love seeing staff and campers return.  Back for his second summer on Pit Crew is my friend Josiah.  Fun fact?  Josiah's dad was a cabin leader for me when I was the director at Camp Valaqua back in the early 90's!  That means I've had the privilege of serving with both father and son!

 Thanks for your continued support.

Bob "Ranger" Kroeker
Executive Director