Rebuilding After the Lodge fire of 1976

Date Set for opening a new building in 2.5 years

Board meeting January 28, 29th 1978 Cathy Cardell, Sally Carmen, Bob Guerrin, Ken Hennig, Dan Hollands, Ellen Hamilton, Suzanne McNamara, Jack Osborne, Joe Malkiewicz, Chuck Jamieson, 

Discussion on New Building, What do we want and why  - Brainstorming.  Discussion on timing in regard to new building.  Jack to develop schedule with TARGET DATE June of 1980.     editor note:  THIS date was met!!

Hugh Anderson, Director Joe Malkeiwitz, Suzanne MacNamara, Ellen Hamilton, Dan Hollands 

Dan Hollands letter setting up Telephone Campaign

Sept 1979 Financial situation - trying to pay for lodge and Summer bills

Groundbreaking Ceremony June 1979 at Unirondack

Dan GottfriedWed, Feb 8, 2017, 10:05 AM

Can you tell me a few more details of what happened after the fire (in a couple of paragraphs), leading up to and including the building of the new lodge and wh

Devin Hollands <devinhollands@gmail.com>Wed, Feb 8, 2017, 11:27 AM

to Dan

directly after fire.  Channing  1 was cancelled.. the staff rallied around Eric Nasemann who stepped up as director of camp.  Eric Antonson was crew chief and he and the staff cleaned up camp and set up temporary kitchen in Gilman with lounge by fire place (couches).  Some staff went home and were called back when camp was fixed up. 

 Camp resumed.

People from all area churches drove up pots pans tables equipment to help rebuild.

The staff knew if the continuity stopped the camp could be done for.

that is 1976   I went to family camp and it was camp as normal   we had kids sleep over in Gilman and all the normal stuff.

1977  Joe Malkewitz came back as director   the break in continuity hurt the teen registration second 1/2 of summer lost a lot of $

  spending Fire insurance $ to sustain camp operations

OLD board dissolves  and NEW board members come in some old timers (Susan MacNamarra )  some active campers. Some from leasing church (Jack Osborne)    My dad heard rumors of selling the camp so jumped in to assure its continuance.   Tom Cutter brought energy to new board.  

Architect Hugh Anderson Selected from Rochester Church (camper) to design new lodge

    Staff wants OLD lodge back   Board has no $$ to recreate old lodge

1978   Ballou NO REGISTRATION  it was the kids that missed the week or so in 1976   so we have Channing for 4 weeks..  mid summer change..    Board brings architect and plans to summer camp to show the staff.. get input  Older staff upset that NO kitchen dining hall in new lodge  it is NOT the old loge..   THE play room was not in the plans presented so that was something added with the input from the meeting.

large $ campaign tried but little $ comes in  MacPhee John  brought in to lead the campaign - but was frustrated by lack of $$ coming in.

Susan Macnamara is president and drives the new lodge process...   Jack Osborne works with Hugh and oversees all details of construction..   (I went with him several weekends to work on the lodge finishing inside..)

board personally guarantees Loan $ to start the project  (fire proceeds really down due to spending)  Vetch gave loan to get started with contractor...

1979 local contractor builds all summer  - camp goes on with little notice to the growing building.

1980 'Year of Our Lodge'  we called it on staff  New lodge open   volunteers worked  Fall and spring on all insulataion and pine boards on inside

Dan and Devin  add wood floor

Art Glass lamps donated by staff in memory of Don Kress (father of steve, Audrey and Brian)  all staffers

bit rushed today  but that is the story  not too much exciting stuff..    THE STAFF REBOUND is most important to the camp..

--Devin Hollands

Staffer Erik Antonsonn shows desire to build new lodge  Feb 1979

1979 Building new Lodge, Fiona Stewart, Brian Hortendofer, Mark Stevens, Laura, Peter Bury (Rugrat), Horace, Mark Lenkei

1977 Early Hugh Anderson design for New Lodge

  some concepts made it to final design - like Open meeting rooms to the Lounge around central fire place and small office rooms on second floor

Camp store with sales counter on the porch.