Changing Times
It is always a tough transition to face November weather and the annual schedule of closing up camp and storing equipment. Camp work is always more enjoyable when it involves campers during the summer months. This year has been very challenging, and there does not appear to be any less of a challenge on the horizon. We hope that some of you have checked online to follow our season and view more photos. (www.wildernessnw.org)
We started the year by initiating Phase I—rebuilding and restoring the walls of WNW. Old age and heavy use has rendered much of our facility defective, unsafe, or just simply gone. We had a project list of about 75 repairs consisting of everything from a broken faucet to new lighting, hot water tanks, raking leaves, new playground equipment, etc. We had about 6 groups come out from April through June to help with repairs and we saw some great effort demonstrated (much by Junior High and High School age). We ultimately completed about 25 of the 75 projects and chose to tentatively open camp on a restricted basis.
We are at a very real crossroads in camping at Wilderness Northwest. The reality is that fewer people enjoy rustic camping today than 20 years ago. We have plans for raising the level of accommodations to attract more people to our facility and have labeled it “Phase II—enlarging our borders”. We cannot begin Phase II though until we first restore our current facility to a safe and usable status.
Some 28 years ago WNW started out as a family project that soon attracted many of God’s people to lift a hand and help us build. In spite of the special effort from some of you this year, it has become harder to enlist volunteer labor than it was years ago, and it appears questionable that enough help will arrive in time to open for the 2008 season. We raised funds earlier this year ($7000.+) to purchase materials for our repair projects, but have not had enough qualified people to make necessary repairs. We may try to raise funds to hire some part time maintenance and service people to make up the difference but we are just investigating that idea..
Thousands of campers have walked the paths at Wilderness Northwest and marveled at the hand of God in creating as well as restoring. It is still our vision to use christian camping as a medium to present the power and authority of God’s Word to his people. We thank each of you who support us regularly and we ask that if any of you are considering a new ministry for support—Now is a great time for Christian camping.
The Creation Museum raised $28 million in a few short years with an average donation of only $100. With only 15% of our mailing list providing the financial support of WNW, it would only take another 15% to radically impact what we are able to do in 2008. Please pray for our Board of Directors as we seek God’s leading for the next phase at WNW and we will continue to give our God and Creator all the glory.