Project- Organization

When I got to camp last May, the entire place was in shambles. Buildings filled with piles of broken or old or just unnecessary furniture, piles of junk and garbage, shelves and cabinets filled with old papers and basically garbage. Outside there were piles of more broken furniture, more junk, dead boats and vehicles, and rotting wood. It was clear that it had been years since anyone had cleaned, organized, or even paid attention to all of the stuff that camp had accumulated.

I started out motivated and ready for the challenge. I was going to clean up, create systems and get the place organized. Quickly, I realized what a massive project was ahead of me and last summer, I often felt overwhelmed and frustrated. I wish I would have taken pictures the first day I arrived. No one can possibly understand what a terrible mess it was.

Throughout the month of May, my staff and I worked HARD and moved more furniture than I thought possible.I threw away or burned a MASSIVE amount of junk. It was an improvement.

This year at work weekend, I had several big strong guys helping and they moved even more piles, furniture and junk. More improvement.

This week, we have a small number of kids, and instead of putting staff in the kitchen, tripling them in cabins or making them take time off, I decided to assign Counselor A to a special project- organize camp. She loves organizing projects and we've talked about it before, so it was a natural assignment and also something she was excited for. I was excited too because I've wanted to do these things, but just haven't had time.

She has been an organization tornado, swirling through buildings, moving things around, creating systems, getting rid of more junk, going through shelves and cabinets, labeling everything and I am BLOWN away by what she has accomplished. We now have a beautiful and ORGANIZED office/copy room. A room of programming supplies. A books and games area for kids to sit. A specific lost and found site. And so much more. Camp looks beautiful. We also have plans for turning an old building that is being used for staff housing (but should be something else since it is at the front of camp) into a Welcome Center and also plans for a "Camp Archives" which will be a great place for photos, old stuff we've found, etc.

I am so excited to see camp becoming what I have envisioned since I arrived. We are making progress like you can't believe. It is energizing and thrilling and I am so proud of this camp. Less and less often I think of it as "dirthole junk camp" and more as a life changing place of beauty and fun. Each week seems to bring more and more wonderful things and I couldn't be happier.