Construction Projects and Work Weekends!

Construction Projects and Work Weekends!

lt’s hard to believe that just four years ago we were still hauling drinking water into camp with tanker-trailers and real electricity was limited to the Kitchen. But then came our central sewage system, the deep well and the Lower Shower House. Followed by the Upper Shower House and the first half of our water supply system. Then more buried cables for our self-generated power and an expansion of the water system to serve the entire camp. Last year saw a “fabulous” fund raiser that made expanding the Upper Fire Circle possible. We received our final permits from the PA DEP for our central water system and our preliminary Commercial Kitchen Licence from the Health Department.

All of this work has been preparing the way for the BIG improvement to the camp, the one we have been thinking about for years. Accommodations. A place to sleep, to meet together in foul weather, under a roof. And 2009 will be the year that it all comes together at Four Quarters. Eliza began the process two years ago when she took out a bank loan to finance the shop building at the Farmhouse, earning her nickname “Miss Mortgage.” The upstairs “Loft” of that building has been in use for meetings and overnights since summer. Right now the drywall is going up in the Loft and soon... Paint!

This spring we will break ground for our first in-camp sleeping dorm, located between the Main Stage and the Camp Kitchen. This will be a solid wood building to sleep 24, designed in “Craftsman Style” and we will be milling the lumber for its construction ourselves, on site. Some of the work is rather skilled, for instance the setup and operation of the mill. But owing to the design of the building, most of the actual construction will be simple, requiring many willing hands. So there will be a need for everyone, of any skill level.

Our due date for first use is late July, in time for SpiralHeart Reclaiming. (see pg. 35) To that end we have scheduled a number of work weekends this season, and they are not limited to work on the dorm, but include caring for the grounds too. These weekends are:

April 10-12, 2009; which is also a Full Moon Service
April 24-26, 2009; a New Moon Service hosted by Spiral Heart and The Lodge Quest Weekend
June 19-21, 2009; the Summer Solstice Weekend and a Full Moon Service
July 17-19, 2009; a New Moon Service Weekend

 We will be planning these work weekends on the discussion Forum, so please do stay tuned. The Summer Solstice weekend just may turn into a little mini open house festival in its’ own right. We will figure it out as the time draws nigh. Call with your questions and look for the folks covered in wood chips!