During the 2010-2011 winter there was damage to the roof of the Lodge which enabled water to pour through the ceiling. This caused damage to the walls and floor in the Lodge and a decision was made to repair the roof and replace the flooring. After the end of our main Guest Group season, work was started on the Lodge. Work began on the roof first and of course it was snowing that day! The flashing around the chimney was replaced and the roof re-sealed in places where water was coming in. Additional ice melt was installed to prevent the ice dams that had caused many of the problems.

Once the roof was re-sealed work began on lifting the old floor. We are grateful that more than 15 people showed up that day to assist with this huge part of the job. What a great opportunity for fellowship while the work was done. It is true that many hands make the work lighter!

Once the old floor was removed, a new underlayment was nailed down and sealed. Again we are grateful to the help of Bob Wheeler, David Larter and John Cole who came down to help Larry and Stacy. Several attempts were made to try to remove the old adhesive that held down the previous vinyl tiles, but eventually the new boards were placed over the top.

Work went more quickly once the new underlayment was down. The decision was made to use an industrial grade flooring that should provide many, many years of heavy use. Unlike the vinyl tiles, the edges are welded to make it much more difficult for water to penetrate the flooring. Again having many hands to help made this project go down much more quickly. If you ever have some time to spare and want to be a help to camp, contact Larry to find out what projects are coming up next!

The final product looks great too! We have already kid tested it during our two winter retreats and it help up well. We hope you will join us at camp this summer and enjoy seeing many of things of the projects that have been completed since you were last with us!

By the way, two other Lodge projects were completed about the same time. Those who were here for the Teen Winter retreat this year will remember that the furnace in the Lodge failed on the first night of the retreat making the Lodge a cool place to hang out! A new furnace has now been installed and comfortably heats the entire Lodge. Along the way, a decision was also made to replace the rickety staircase to the attic in the office. We now have a sturdy metal ladder that no longer requires a little wooden box to stand on to open the stairs!