Camp Wawona News

Christmas Open House 2011

2011-12-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Want to help?

2011-12-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

Yurt Furniture

Now that the Yurts are up we need to furnish them! Quality bunk-beds have been found. All we need now are the means to purchase them. Thanks to our supporting donors, we only have 5 yurts left to furnish.

—$4400 furniture per yurt
(includes 4 sets of bunk-beds, queen bed & frame, heater & mattresses)

Bear Bins

For the safety of our guests and bears Camp Wawona needs bear proof food storage containers.

—$600 each

Bear Proof Trash Cans

Camp Wawona would like to keep unwanted guests, like bears, to a minimum. Therefore, Camp needs bear proof trash cans.

—$1,000 each

Volleyball Court

Volleyball is popular during Outdoor School and Summer Camp.With the changes in our recreation area, we need to incorporate a volleyball court. We have the perfect spot, but we need help.

—$6,000

Latest Improvements at Camp Wawona

2011-12-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

Yurt Snow Load Kits

Snow is coming and Camp is ready!

Volunteers spent three days outfitting the yurts with snow load kits.

Camp Wawona Lodge - New Entry

Camp Wawona is blessed to have a staff of many skills.

After a good sanding, finish, painting and laying of tile, the Lodge’s new foyer looks very inviting.

New Campfire Bowl

With great respect and a sense of gratitude for its many years of service, the old campfire bowl was retired and the grounds are being prepared for new construction to begin.

Getting Ready For Summer 2012

2011-12-07T15:15:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to see how the Lord is going to bless the efforts of our Year Round and Summer Camp staff as we prepare for the upcoming summer season. This past summer, we were rejoicing together as we witnessed God’s blessing over our camp.

The best part of Summer Camp is the Friday night program. Sabbath, being the last day before campers return home, is a special time together.

It is when Camp staff and campers unite with one purpose, to share the love of Jesus and His life changing power. After sharing a very personal and delicious Agape meal staff perform a play for the campers.

Throughout the week camper’s have seen many stories on stage leading them on a journey of understanding the Gospel. Friday is the culmination of this discovery.

Whether campers discover Jesus for the first time or feel a renewal of love for Him, many personal convictions are made during summer camp.

If a camper would like to take action and move forward with their personal commitment “decision cards” are made available to them.

Here are some of the decisions made last summer:

“I accept Jesus as my personal savior”

107

“I would like to start Bible Studies”

“I would like to be baptized”

Memorial for Church Pioneer

2011-12-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

“Oh we are the Pathfinder’s Strong, the servants of God are we, faithful as we march along, in kindness, truth and purity. A message to tell to the world, a truth that will set us free, King Jesus the Savior’s coming back, for you and me…..” - Henry T. Bergh

On August 27, Camp Wawona hosted a memorial service for Pathfinder pioneer, Elder Henry Bergh. Several generations were united as they attended the service. Many shared how their lives were impacted by Elder Bergh. Numerous testimonies were also given on how his life impacted our local Conference, Union, North American Division and our World Church.

Elder Bergh’s family was presented with various gifts in appreciation of his service. North American Division recognition was sent from Pastor James Black and presented by Central California Conference (CCC) President, Ramiro Cano. Executive Secretary, Ron Rasmussen, presented the family with a conference relic, the 100 year anniversary compilation of our church heritage in the CCC region where Elder Bergh also played a very important role. CCC Youth Director, Pastor Elden Ramirez, presented the family with a Pathfinder church flag and expressed his gratitude not only for Pastor Bergh’s ministry in the Pathfinder program, but also for his incredible contribution to the Summer Camp and Junior Youth Ministry of the Central California Conference.

Having lived his life for God, Pastor Bergh, will always be remembered as an honest and kind man full of wisdom and integrity.

Dixie Plata, Pathfinder Historian, describes Pastor Bergh’s journey,
“Henry became a treasurer for several conferences and for Pacific Press before becoming the Youth Director of the Central California Conference. It was here that he helped to begin 23 Pathfinder clubs, wrote a booklet “How to Start A Pathfinder Club,” started the Pathfinder Coordinator program, held the first Pathfinder Leadership Training, designed the Pathfinder flag (which Helen Hobbs made), and led the first Pathfinder Fair.”

Perhaps one of Elder Bergh’s greatest contributions to our church was the countless hours he dedicated to our beloved Camp Wawona. It was here where thousands of lives were brought to the feet of Jesus Christ under the leadership of such a Godly man.

Despite all of his accomplishments, Elder Bergh was a humble pioneer who preferred to keep a low profile. When asked to write a song he properly protested that he was neither a musician nor a composer and promptly dismissed the notion. He said,

“But along in May of 1949, I was driving to an appointment out on Monterey Peninsula about 70-80 miles (110-130 km) from home. I was thinking about our Pathfinders and how they needed a tune. Then I thought, well, at least I should write some words. So I tried to compose a poem. I thought about the MV Pledge—pure and kind and true, with a message to go to the world. I pulled to the side of the road, took a piece of scrap paper out of my Bible, and began to write...” (The Pathfinder Story)

“...Well, I thought, that’s not bad… I took off again for my Sabbath appointment. On my way home afterwards, I started humming a tune of sorts; then the words began to fit in. I pulled off the road again and jotted down some dots as I hummed the tune over. That evening I asked my wife to try and play this thing for me from the dots on the page. I still wasn’t confident that it was good enough for a Pathfinder Song, so I sent it to Wayne Hooper (a well known church musician and composer) and asked him to edit it. He sent it back and said ‘It’s a good song—go ahead and publish it!” (The Pathfinder Story)

Pastor Henry T. Bergh will be remembered for many of his accomplishments but one in particular will forever stand out - the words and music he wrote down as they were given to him from above.

‘Just Say No’ Event - Great Success for Camp Wawona

2011-12-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

Anthony Handal (Outdoor Education Director) & Kristina Wright (Marketing Director) participated in a back-to-school “Just Say No” event hosted by Central Valley Christian Academy.

Extreme motocross stunt riders, Ceres SWAT team, karate demonstrators, and other teen friendly exhibits were just some of the highlights.

The event was free for the community and inspired many to live a drug and alcohol free life.

“Our booth sparked a lot of interest and time flew as kids lined up to climb our portable rock wall. At the end of the day we had a long list of contact details from people wanting more information about Camp Wawona.” - Kristina Wright

The Final Yurt

2011-11-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Marketing Director, Kristina Wright, created a time lapse video (in this case, 8,000 pics combined) of our skillful staff constructing the final yurt.

Check it out!

More pics

NEW! Cardboard Baler

2011-11-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Camp Wawona is proud to announce its new "box crusher".
Saving both money and time, this cardboard compactor is well appreciated!

See for yourself!!!

Watch the video on YouTube

Paulette Bair
Food Service Director
"Seeing how it works"

National Youth Workers Convention – San Diego

2011-11-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Proving a success in 2010, Camp Wawona was excited to return to San Diego for Youth Specialties’ 2011 National Youth Workers Convention.

One of the largest conventions of its kind, NYWC presented approximately 70 exhibits to thousands of pastors, youth pastors, teachers, youth volunteers and youth ministry leaders. Camp Wawona representatives, Kristina Wright (Marketing) and Derek Wright (Associate Director), were eager to show off Camp Wawona and what it has to offer to churches and schools.

Camp Wawona’s booth, featuring Half Dome and an attractive display of Summer Camp photos, as well as a modern marketing set up – with a TV playing camp promotional videos, brochures, business cards, t-shirts and an Apple iPad - made certain attendees did not walk by without stopping at Camp Wawona’s booth. With sparkling eyes and animated faces, Kristina and Derek made sure they stayed awhile.

Derek Wright humbly shares,
“This year’s NYWC was a great success. We were able to share information with hundreds of potential clients and connect with other Summer Camps like Hume Lake and Mt Hermon who invited us to visit their camps. At the end of the day, office@campwawona.org already had emails from attendees interested in using our facilities, food service and activities. I’ve already made bookings for next year.”

Praise God!

"...sparkling eyes and animated face"

Lucky Draw Winner - Youth Ministry Leader

"It's not an apple it's an Apple"

Other booths

More displays

Yurts & Bathhouse Complete

2011-10-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you Constituents, Donors, Volunteers and Summer Camp Staff for your support, hard work and prayers. It is because of you that we were able to complete all eight yurts and the bathhouse. As of August, eight Yurts were completed and just this month the Bathhouse was also finished.

The Yurt Project has been a great undertaking. From the start, the weather was against us. In May, the rain pelted us as we worked and snow shouted, “surprise” as is fell out of nowhere when the volunteers arrived. On and off the weather was consistently - inconsistent. It left no time for us to make much progress on the Yurts. Thankfully, the volunteers gave their time to other projects needing attention and little by little they were also able to construct one Yurt.

Snow and rain continued its onslaught against us all the way through June – Summer Camp.

Summer Camp arrived, and with it, 60 staff members who love Jesus and believe in Camp Wawona’s Ministry. We knew we were blessed when this great team filled with young, energetic, good looking people were under the assumption that Yurt construction was “the coolest thing ever”! In fact, every free moment they had, the staff spent putting seven Yurt cabins together.

The Yurts did two things for our team:
1. Brought us all together - strengthening our bonds

2. Provided ownership - the feeling that you are a part of something - round, big and beautiful!

One of our Summer Camp Staff, Ben, shared with a grin and a wink,
"In a few years, I'll bring my kids here and show them the yurts - I helped build those"!

After listening to our new friends share their hearts while putting pieces of wood together, I had a profound insight (more of a reminder) of why I love it here. Camp Wawona is a haven, a refuge, a place of meditation and full of insights. It is a place to laugh freely and let joy abound in rich waves of glory. It inspires and it connects. Wawona means “a good place to rest”. Our guests would agree - the Miwok Indians got that right!

Camp Wawona makes people better. No matter what kind of dirty jobs we are doing, whether it’s cleaning a bed wetting or a plugged toilet, or doing the dishes, chopping wood, building a yurt or using all of our energy to make a camper's day, we are here for the greater good – God.

God brings people of all shapes and sizes and all cultures and colors together in unity. We are so blessed to have Camp Wawona, a place that during the summer needs at least 60 young, passionate people to come from all corners of the earth to serve.

God gave me friends for life. I’m so glad He was my first!

Want to take part?

We have had some queries about donating.
Now that the Yurts are complete, we need to furnish them!

If you would like to play a special part in our ministry there are three ways in which you can help:
1. Pray

2. Support - from afar, or volunteer!

3. Support financially - we accept checks, credit cards and cash

For more information:
(209) 375 6231
office@campwawona.org
8110 Forest Drive
Wawona, CA 95389

Blessings to you!

Summer Camp Staff stocking us up for winter!

2011 Summer Camp Staff

Record Classrooms Turn INSIDE>OUTDOORS!

2011-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Over 216 students attended our 2011 Spring Season of Outdoor School.
That is more students this past spring than we had all of last year.

…Better yet.

Last fall we had two schools, which was a good start. This fall, however, has taken off like a rocket with three schools traveling from Oakdale, Templeton Hills and San Jose to experience Camp Wawona’s classroom>outdoors. That’s not all.
There are five more schools yet to come!

…And it gets even better.

Spring season 2012 is completely booked!

To keep up with the increase in enrollment, Camp Wawona brought on board Shannon Taylor (featured left), an Outdoor Leadership Major from Southern Adventist University. Miss Taylor has already helped create new curriculum and teaching techniques as well as assisted with other camp duties.

Derek Wright, Associate Director, believes Shannon is a great asset to Camp Ministry. “Shannon is experienced in outdoor education as a student from Southern Adventist University, and now as a certified instructor. She is energetic and excited about her job and is technically proficient. Most important, the students and teachers love her.”

Executive Director, Elden Ramirez, is thankful for the multiple blessings we have received here at Camp Wawona.
“It has been a year since we opened the Outdoor School program and we are very excited to celebrate with you our success. As they contribute their gifts and talents, the entire Camp Wawona staff has been instrumental in making this program possible. With resources the Lord has provided, we are committed to continue to improve this much needed program so that every school leaves blessed and longing for more!”

Receiving positive responses from students and teachers alike makes for great news and represents our ministry’s success. Camp Wawona is proud to have a quality staff who offer top-notch instruction and fun. The love and support of Alumni and donors is greatly appreciated. Our staff are dedicated individuals who love God and believe in Camp Wawona and its Ministry – God’s ministry.

_____ _____ _____

Camp Wawona’s Outdoor School program turns classrooms “Inside-Outdoors”. Offering an extremely varied and flexible curriculum, from academic disciplines such as ecology and language arts, to adventure pursuits like the challenge course and hiking Yosemite Valley, Camp Wawona is building a reputation for a God centered environment with passionate staff who live to share their love of God and His creation.

RIGHT>
(Food Service guru, Paulette, preparing a 'cook out' for two schools in Yosemite Valley)

Winter Storms Knock Out Power, Topple Trees

2011-03-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Define Irony: On the calendar day marked “First Day of Spring” Camp Wawona receives the heaviest snow of the year, about three feet in 24 hours. Throughout the night, trees could be heard crashing to the ground under the weight of fast falling and heavy “Sierra Cement.” Two trees adjacent to the cafeteria succumbed to the snow but fell away from the building, only damaging a historic wagon.

Staff pulled together to clear the waist-deep white stuff form porches and roads in preparation for a weekend group of an estimated 100 people. Although power is out across the region, Director of Operations Anthony Handal is fighting to keep CW’s two historic generators in operation and supplying the facilities with enough power to continue functioning. Early PG&E estimates put power restoration nearly a week away.

With another large storm scheduled to hit before the weekend, staff are preparing for another set of long days to make sure camp stays open and safe.

Derek & Kristina Tie Knot in Costa Rica

2011-03-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

CW Staff joined friends and family of Derek Wright, Outdoor Education Director, and Kristina Malarek, Marketing Director, for their March 14, 2011 wedding on a Costa Rican beach. This added two more names to the long list of people whose marriages trace their roots to Camp Wawona.

Wright and Malarek met during Summer Camp 2009, but the sparks didn’t begin to fly until the following winter. The months flew by and immediately following summer camp 2010, the couple traveled to Europe for a Malarek family reunion. Just five days into the trip they were robbed of all their belongings - including the surprise engagement ring. In spite of their misfortune, Wright proposed in a creative fashion in front of St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.

The newlyweds will return to Camp Wawona from their honeymoon at the end of March, 2011.

Facilities Page Goes Live

2011-01-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Maybe you've never been to Camp Wawona and have grown tired of trying to visualize what everybody is talking about. Or maybe it's just been a long time. Either way, CampWawona.org just launched a facilities gallery so you can take an inside look at all of camp's lodging facilities from the comfort of your own home. So go ahead, take the tour!

Summer Camp 2011

2010-12-24T11:57:00.001-08:00

It's coming...are you excited?

Camp Wawona 2011 from Donnie Keele on Vimeo.

2nd Annual Party Deemed "Ten Times Merrier"

2010-12-20T14:48:00.001-08:00

They say that sequels are never as good as the first…we’ll apparently they weren’t at this years 2nd Annual Camp Wawona Christmas Party. While last year’s party was jolly, this years was ten times merrier. I’m serious…literally 10 times as many people came to this year’s shindig as did last year. Guests spent the evening in the lodge playing games, making Christmas ornaments and cookies, taking Christmas photos, and enjoying food, all to a background of live music! Guests also had a chance to tour though camp on a “magical” Kawasaki Mule, complete with Christmas lights and “reindeer horns”. As with last year, guests stayed late into the evening to enjoy each other’s company and bring in some holiday cheer to Camp Wawona. For a full gallery of downloadable photos CLICK HERE!

CW Finishes Construction of Yurt Platforms

2010-11-15T13:14:00.000-08:00

The new "Yurt Village" is finally taking shape with the completion of eight platforms which will serve as the bases for the yurt structures. Meant to replace camp's existing tent structures, the yurts will be larger and more useable for the duration of the yearly cycle as they are able to hold heat (to learn more about yurts CLICK HERE). Funds are still being raised to finish the yurt village but structures could begin to go up in the spring of 2011.

CW Cafeteria Gets TV

2010-11-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Several months ago maintenance director Jerrod Gabel built a wall to shield the kitchen entrance from the dining room. Now the wall has a second purpose, to give information to people standing in line. Stan Bair, father of food service director Paulette Bair, spent a few of his vacation hours modifying the wall structure to hold a new flat screen TV meant to play DVD's and possibly hook up to the internet to give information regarding weather and news. While a few modifications are still needed, the new TV has already been put to use displaying summer camp footage to guests as they wait to be served. Photos are below.

Camp Wawona Prepares for Winter

2010-11-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

The steady drop in temperature means winter is on its way. And with it brings extra preparations to keep infrastructure safe and running. The sprinkler system that keeps the new lawn green all summer must be purged of water using compressed air. Cabin pipes must be insulated and sometimes even heated. Plowing equipment must be checked and made ready. And of course, wood must be split and stacked. Staff spent a full 8-hour day splitting, loading, and then stacking over a dozen cords of wood. This ensures staff housing can be kept warm while lowering energy costs incurred by using the propane heaters. There are still a few things to be done but once finished, camp will be ready to safely weather the winter storms. SIDE NOTE: CW thanks the Robertsons & Greenups for donating their time and energy to repaint the barn in Old Town. It looks great! Photos are below.

Camp Wawona Finishes Fall Outdoor Ed Season

2010-11-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

Each Spring and Fall Camp Wawona turns into a classroom, though not in the traditional sense. Derek Wright led the CW team through Camp Wawona Outdoor School's pilot season last spring and they're back at it again and finishing the Fall season with Pleasant Hill SDA School 8th graders. From team building to trekking through Yosemite's beautiful back country, students learn from their surroundings and then use traditional methods (reading, writing, math, science) to record and document their experience. Even though the fall season of outdoor school is coming to a close, many schools are already standing in line for the Spring sessions. If you know a school that might be interested call Derek at 209.375.6231 ext. 703. Photos from this week are below.

CW Staff lead evening worship.

Students learn to work together to conquer to "The Muse."

Anthony explains the High Ropes Challenge Course.

Camp Wawona Exhibits at NYWC San Diego

2010-10-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Camp Wawona took the show on the road to exhibit for the first time ever (that we know of) at Youth Specialties' National Youth Workers Convention in San Diego, California. One of the largest conventions of its kind, NYWC is designed specifically for youth pastors, teachers, youth volunteers, and youth ministry leaders. Exhibiting as a resource to church youth groups, CW Staff met hundreds of youth leaders from all over California and the United States. One of a handful of exhibitors to have a drawing for a "big item", Camp Wawona generated quite a buzz and ended the weekend by giving away an iPad to one lucky conference attendee. Staff left the weekend praying that God bless their efforts to continue expanding the unique ministry of Camp Wawona. Photos of the booth are below.

Douglas Schappert Joins CW Team

2010-09-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

The year around season began with Camp Wawona missing a maintenance assistant. The CW Team spent each morning in prayer asking for God to send someone to fill the position and it wasn't long before Douglas arrived. Hailing from Wisconsin, Schappert's presence was noticed over night as many more things began to be accomplished. The CW Team is thankful that God answered their prayers by sending Douglas to help in the year round ministry.

Street Sweep Keeps Camps Roads Clean

2010-08-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

It sure does...It attaches to the skid steer and here's some photos of what it looks like.

Waiting to be put into use.

It even gets the curb...

Summer Camp Staff Enlarge Horse Corral

2010-08-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

It took summer camp staff a little over two weeks to tear out and rebuild a larger horse corral. At 30% larger, the new horse corral also includes built in benches. Photos are below.

New Corral

Built-in benches

CW Staff Build New Horse Paddocks

2010-08-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

True, it's old news...but it's still awesome. Started at the last work party, the new horse paddocks were finished literally as horses arrived for summer camp. The 10 year round staff put in extra long days to finish out and ended up with a project they could be proud of. The new paddocks provide a more organized layout and safer environment for the horse. Photos below.

New layout makes it easy to feed & water horses with one pass.

Wide isles make it easy for horses to enter & exit stalls.

Main Entrance Gets A Face Lift

2010-07-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

Camp Wawona is going green...literally. Thanks to a generous donation, CW's entrance went from dirt to grass. Volunteers worked in conjunction with maintenance director Jerrod Gabel to lay pipe and install sod in front of old town and white oak. The result is a totally new face to the entrance of camp. Photos are below.

Old Town pre grass

Old Town Post Grass

Camp Wawona Office Renovation Complete

2010-07-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

Camp Wawona Staff put the final touches on the newly renovated offices this week. The project, which nearly doubled old office space by removing a wall and refinishing the adjacent storage room, began during this year's work party. Volunteers spent hours measuring, cutting, and nailing, finishing most of the work in only four days. Camp staff picked up the torch and continued by laying down new carpet, painting, and installing new light fixtures. The new office provides enough room for all of the year round staff to have a desk with a phone and internet. Staff wish to thank all those who donated time and money to make the office renovation possible!

Storage space being prepared for renovations.

Gutted storage space.

Main office being gutted.

New door connects two spaces.

New door in the back allows for uphill access.

Summer Camp Staff marvel at new space.

New receiving office.

Camp Wawona Road Repaired

2010-05-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Camp Wawona has a long and rich history. Unfortunately, it’s road has experienced much of it, making the trip up the hill an exercise in maneuvering through a maze of potholes. That is until last week.

Employees of Toasted Asphalt worked for several days patching potholes from the entrance all the way up to horse corral. The road was then covered with a special sealant to hold the patchwork in place, also giving it a black finish.

The lodge parking lot also received an upgrade with a layer of special gravel that packs tighter and a layer of white gravel on top.

While still bumpy in areas, the road is now much smoother and safer for the traffic it services, giving it many more years of rich history to experience.

Before

After

Before

After

Task Force Staff - A Tribute

2010-04-27T08:13:00.001-07:00

User Groups - A Backstage Pass

2010-04-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

New Pool Cover Installed

2010-04-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

While ultimately a blessing, Camp Wawona’s Junior Olympic swimming pool can be a curse to keep clean. Each week staff must scoop out organic debris, dirt, and suicidal mice, all while trying to balance chlorine and PH levels.

Well no longer. Last week camp staff installed a new pool cover that will cut pool maintenance easily in half. Sure, water chemical levels must be monitored but overall water cleanliness just became a snap.

“I think it’s exactly what we needed,” said Jerrod Gabel, Camp Wawona’s Director of Maintenance. “It’s going to help keep the water clean and give us more time to work on other things.”

Installing the cover isn’t easy. Holes must be drilled into the concrete around the pool’s parameter and the special bolts that can rotate flush with the surface of the concrete when not in use must be installed.

The new cover, which was purchased with funds donated by Dr. and Mrs. Jack Sloan, will also assist in protecting the pool from thick ice, which can expand and crack the pool. It comes on the heels of a long winter spent chipping ice with poles, planks, and shovels so camp staff will have to wait another three seasons to see what the new cover is really made of. Still, covering the pool is just one more step Gabel’s plan to keep camp up and smoothly running.

The new cover is laid over the pool.

Jerrod Gabel installs a bolt in the cement.

Ryan Kloosterhuis assists.

The new pool cover (as seen from the low dive).

Where is Camp Wawona?

2010-04-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

CW Cafeteria Upgrades its Equipment

2010-04-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Cafeteria Director Paulette Bair scratched two things off her “must have” list last week with the purchases of a cold deck salad bar and tilt skillet.

“It’s about safety and being more efficient,” said Bair. “A better product means less waste.”

A new tilt skillet retails at roughly $12,000 while a new cold deck sells for around $20,000 . However, Bair new that she could acquire the tools she needed without having to break the bank.

“After doing some research I started combing the Internet for options,” said Bair. “I saw what I wanted and made offers. We ended up getting the tilt skillet and cold deck for $2,000 each. I couldn’t even build a salad bar for that cheap!”

The Tilt Skillet is waiting for a few parts to convert it from natural gas to propane while the Cold Deck was put to use immediately. Sporting a self-cooling refrigeration system, the new cold deck single handedly replaces two smaller, plastic decks by being longer, sturdier, and taller, making self-service easier and more comfortable. In addition, the new deck is equipped with special serving holes, essentially combining the workload of two cold decks, saving space and increasing room for traffic flow.

Once converted, the tilt skillet’s versatility will cut down food preparation time while creating a safer work environment as the machine assists lifting and/or straining hot foods.

The two purchases are part of Bair’s plan to improve the cafeteria program both immediately and long term as both additions can be transplanted into the new cafeteria later on.

Video and photos are posted below.

The tilt skillet arrives!

Staff work as a team to move the skillet inside.

The tilt skillet finds a new home and waits to be converted to propane.

The new Salad Bar Cold Deck.

Individual holes keep food organized and cold.

Longer means more people served at one time.

Camp Wawona Staff Finish Gymnastic Lessons for Local Community

2010-04-13T13:44:00.001-07:00

Camp Wawona Staff Finish Recruitment Tour for Summer Camp

2010-04-13T13:43:00.001-07:00

Camp Wawona Hosts First Session of New Outdoor Education Program

2010-04-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

The week beginning March 28, 2010 saw Camp Wawona’s new Outdoor Education program get off the ground with it’s first ever full session. Pleasant Hill SDA School students arrived on Sunday evening to find supper waiting for them before diving right into an overview and orientation of the 4-day education adventure on which they were about to embark.

The first full day saw students practicing teamwork and developing leadership skills through a series of low ropes activities and conquered personal fears by taking on the high ropes course.

Students found themselves in a different kind of classroom on day two as they received hands on lessons in Botany, Geography, and creative writing.

Day three had a surprise in store as students awoke to a few inches of snow on the ground. But the snow didn’t hamper the trip through the local community for a lesson in Human History and then on to the valley for a close up look at Geology.

All in all the week went well thanks to the hours of planning and implementing on behalf of Outdoor Education Director Derek Wright and his team of CW Staff.

“We learned a lot from this first week,” said Wright. “It went well but we can make some changes so next time will be even better.”

The next session of Outdoor Education is scheduled for April 18 – 21, 2010. For more information call CW’s main office at 209.375.6231.

Video and photos are below.

Students gather in the lodge for morning worship.

Teamwork is a must to complete this low ropes challenge.

A student climbs up the rope tube and onto the High Ropes Challenge Course.

View from the top of the High Ropes Challenge Course.

New Sign Points the Way to Camp Wawona

2010-04-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

To the local community, indeed to most living inside Yosemite National Park, "Camp Wawona" does not exist. Even though the camp facility has never moved or changed names since it's founding in 1929, mentioning "Camp Wawona" as your destination at any nearly any park entrance (with the exception of the South entrance) will have gate attendants scratching their heads and asking, "Where?"

Instead, it is known as "SDA Camp". The reason? A single sign located near the beginning of Forest Drive, the road that leads to camp, which for decades has pointed the way to "SDA Camp". Locals noted that, thanks to the sign, they have always known who the camp was affiliated with, but never knew it had a formal name.

That's about to change (over time perhaps) thanks, in part, to a new sign which now proudly points the way to "Camp Wawona". The signage change, made several days ago, is already clearing up some confusion among the local community as many are now making the connection that "SDA Camp" and "Camp Wawona" are the same place.

CW Staff hope the sign change will further their efforts to establish a positive connection with local residents and park employees in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Camp Wawona Receives New Chairs

2010-03-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

For many years metal chairs were the norm for visiting groups at Camp Wawona. But as time kept up it's steady march, the chairs, though made of a seemingly indestructible materials, grew weary from constant service. Staff were constantly fixing them and storage on metal carts (mankind's worst invention next to the Atomic Bomb) became increasingly impractical.

Indeed, it was time for new chairs. After a disappointing first round with a local chair company, chairs were finally ordered elsewhere and the shipment arrived on Tuesday, March 16. It took five staff more than three hours to unwrap and stack the 160 new chairs. However, once completed, staff were pleased to see the new chairs could easily fit into the storage space alloted, making setup and take down much more practical. After months of waiting, the chairs are unpacked and ready for service. The old chairs will be sorted with the sturdiest remaining at camp for overflow use while the remainder will be permanently retired.

Staff unwrap the new chairs one by one.

A stack of new chairs waits to go inside.

Derek unwraps a chair while several more wait their turn.

Chairs stacked inside add on side room at the lodge.

Cart used to move stacks of chairs.

They fit!

Close up of a new chair.

Camp Wawona Leads Week of Prayer at Valley View Adventist Academy

2010-03-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

On the last day of February, several CW staff hopped into a tan truck and drove the 4+ hours to Arroyo Grande, CA, with a portable rock climbing wall in tow. They were team 1 headed to Valley View Adventist Academy to start a Week of Prayer and recruit for summer camp. Team 1 was made up of Anthony Handal, Derek Wright, Jerrod Gabel and honorary staff Tiffany McMertty (please forgive the slaughtering of the last name...and possibly the first as well). The band of staff sang songs and shared stories with three different age groups each day, all pointing to the weeks theme "How Great is our God."

They were joined on Wednesday by Team 2 which consisted of Anthony White, Kristina Malarek (again...I apologize for the spelling), Donnie Keele, and two visiting summer camp staff, Chelsea Inglish, and Krista Turner. The combined teams led worship services together for one day and had high hopes for enthusing the youth about summer camp by way of the aforementioned portable rock wall. However, as the wall was being set up, a remnant of Noah's flood passed through, shutting down the operation. Team 1 headed for home while a portion of team 2 finished out the week with more songs and stories.

Team 2 departed VVAA with hopes that some seeds for God's kingdom had been planted and look forward to future opportunities to serve however and wherever God may call them.

CW staff lead songs

Jerrod imparts truth on young minds

Tiffany receives a warm welcome from the children

Kristina sits with the children and even participates in "Crazy Hair Day"

Anthony tells a spine-tingling story of God's protection

Anthony White Joins CW Team

2010-02-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day weekend didn't bring romance to Camp Wawona but it did bring extra help in the form of Anthony White. White, who has been a summer camp staff since 2007, took a year off to serve as a student missionary in the Galapagos Islands where he contracted a tropical illness after only 2 months of service. When the situation didn't improve, White was forced to seek medical treatment in the U.S. and could not return to the Islands due to mishandled paperwork by the institution he was serving. Wanting to finish the year of service he had started, White contacted Camp Wawona to inquire about filling the void left by Mary Ellen Barlow's early departure to prepare for medical school. After much prayer and waiting, White arrived at Camp Wawona on February 14, 2010. White assist in teaching classes for Camp Wawona Outdoor School's pilot season as well as organize Year-Round and Summer Camp marketing (among other things). Camp Wawona is excited to add Anthony White to the Year-Round staff as they seek to grow in ministry and advance God's kingdom.

Divine Intervention Spares Freezer Stock

2010-02-03T21:43:00.000-08:00

Camp Wawona's freezer miraculously stayed within legal temperature ranges for the duration of the power outage caused by January's snow storms. With power restored, CW staff faced a new problem: the freezer wasn't cooling...at all.

It seems that as Generator 1 failed because of the heavy electrical load it was carrying (due in large part to the unexplained failure of Generator 2) buildings camp-wide experienced electricity fluctuations commonly known as "brown outs". The power fluctuations caused the freezer compressor burn out, damaging it beyond repair.

Food Service Director Paulette Bair wasn't excited about the $3,000 bill but was even less excited by the idea of not having a freezer. With the part taking almost another week to arrive and be installed, God continued to preform a miracle and keep the freezer within legal temperatures in spite of daily highs in the mid 40's.
The freezer is up and running again after a new compressor was installed, but camp staff will not soon forget the mighty example of God's grace and power.

The burnt out compressor on the back of the freezer.

Camp Wawona's freezer miraculously stayed within legal temperature ranges for almost two weeks without a cooling system.

Power Restored to Camp Wawona

2010-01-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

It took close to forty electric crews almost a week to restore full time power to Camp Wawona but the wait was worth it. Steady power now flows through the lines, lighting and warming the buildings all over camp. Along with the return of electric energy came the restoration of phone and internet services.

Camp Staff, along with the outside expertise of the contractor in charge of the building project, are still working to assess the two failed generators in an effort to either salvage or scrap what's left of the 50-year-old behemoths. If the review proves the generators have breathed their last, Camp Staff are praying for God to provide new(er) generators so that the ministry at camp won't be interrupted by power outages due to weather. For now, however, camp staff are marveling at the wonder of the lightbulb and re-discovering the power of the internet all over again.

Power crews gather in the parking lot of the Wawona General Store.

Light bulbs shine for the first time in a week.

Neighbors Lend Camp Wawona a Much Needed Hand

2010-01-25T21:47:00.000-08:00

Misery loves company. But in Wawona, California the company alleviates misery. CW Staff woke up on Friday, January 22 to many challenges. A tree had fallen on the medical building, seven trees had fallen across camps road to the top, a tree had fallen in front of the cafe across CW's main power lines, and no chainsaw. M5, a Kawasaki Mule used to assist in plowing goes down as does CW's main plow truck and snowblower. The icing on the cake is the failure of Generator 1, causing camp to lose all power including phone lines and internet. With no chainsaw to remove trees, no vehicles to plow with, and no power to keep food cold or the office running, camp staff scratch their heads at what to do next.
Enter the local community of Wawona, CA. A phone call to the local school nets valuable advice on where to find help from Michelle, the teacher of the school. However, Michelle notifies another neighbor, Jaimie, of camp's situation and help begins to arrive. Jaimie notifies NPS (National Park Service) who promptly arrive at camp and remove the biggest tree from the road as well as plow all the way to camp. Another neighbor, Ed, arrives with two chainsaws for camp to borrow. Ed is followed by Jon, Jaimie's husband, who shows up to help camp staff diagnose the problem causing Generator 1 to fail. Though initially unsuccessful in their attempts to restart Generator 1, Jon returns to help again, and even spends more of his own time to research the problem from home. Camp staff were greatly encouraged by help received from the local community and wish to thank those who gave their time and energies to assist Camp Wawona in it's time of need.

Property Damaged as Snowstorm Continues.

2010-01-24T21:42:00.000-08:00

Snow continues to fall on Camp Wawona and the trees just can't take it anymore. Weighed down with the heavy, wet snow, branches, limbs, and entire trees crack and fall to the ground. While nobody in the local community has been hurt by the falling trees, buildings and vehicles have been less fortunate.

Cedar, Camp Wawona's summertime medical building, was grazed by one such falling tree. The building itself escaped with relatively minor damage, but the railing which lines the road passing in front of the longhouse wasn't so lucky.

"The tree twisted as it fell" said Donnie Keele, "that is what saved the building from massive roof damage but the railing is a total loss."

The cafeteria escaped untouched as a tree directly to the North chose to fall away from the building instead of falling backward and crushing the roof. Still, that tree took out camp's main power lines.

The Redwoods, a local business that rents outs accommodations, lost a plow truck to a falling tree.

Area roads were also effected by downed trees as all park roads were closed for two days. At Camp Wawona, four downed trees blocked passageway to to the top. Lacking a working chainsaw longer than 8 inches, CW staff were unable to clear the roads until a helpful neighbor lent two working chainsaws to the cause. NPS (National Park Service) also paid camp a visit to help clear the roads of downed trees and power lines.

A mule that got parked in an unfortunate location shows the amount of snow which fell in one night.

Cedar, Camp Wawona's summertime medical building is grazed by a falling tree.

Looking at the still standing trunk of the fallen tree. Note the demolished railing.

Because the tree twisted as it fell, Cedar escapes with minor damage.

The Redwoods plow truck is totaled by a falling tree.

A closer look at the totaled plow truck.

Generators Go Down in Heaviest Snowstorm of the Season.

2010-01-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

When it rains it pours…or in this case dumps. For five straight days Camp Wawona has experienced heavy amounts of snow with occasional breaks for rain. Power went out early in the week so camp staff turned to the two large generators in lower camp to fill the need.
After 15 hours of continuous use, Generator 2, which powers the office, cafeteria, and upper camp, failed to generate power even though the motor was running fine. With the fridge warming up and the phone lines down, God answered camp staffs prayer for help in the form of a generator repairperson who happened to be in the area. With some rewiring and calculated breaker switch-flipping, the camp was able to limp along on one Generator 1.
However, less than 24 hours later, Generator 1 experienced an excessive power load and had to be shut down to preserve its structural integrity. After the load was adjusted via the breaker panel, CW staff attempted to restart Generator 1 without success. With the failure of both generators camp is currently without power meaning a total loss of communications and a food supply in danger of spoiling as it warms. Neighbors of Camp Wawona have been lending a helpful hand in trying to diagnose the generator issues but with no luck. Park officials estimate power will not be fully restored until Friday, January 29. Still unsure of what is causing the generators to fail, camp staff face a repair bill ranging from $4,000 at best for new parts to $50,000 at worst for two new generators.

The Generator House located in Lower Camp.

Ryan Kloosterhuis measures power coming from Generator 1.

Anthony Handal and Ryan Kloosterhuis work on Generator 2.

The back of Generator 2.

Cafeteria Floors Shine with New Finish

2010-01-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

Camp Wawona’s cafeteria got a little brighter as camp staff stripped and refinished the kitchen and dining room floors with a high gloss wax. The process, which involved relocating anything not permanently installed and then applying a three-step refinishing system, took several days but paid off in the end with a like-new glossy shine. To protect the newly finished floors in the dining room, staff removed the old feet from the benches and installed new felt tips so each bench can easily and safely slide, protecting the floor and making it easier for visitors to sit at the tables. Staff finished re-organizing the cafeteria just in time for the Tri-Campus Retreat – the first user group of 2010! Pictures of the refinishing process and bench sliders are below.

Beginning the moving process.

Dining room floor before refinishing.

more items are moved from the kitchen into the serving area.

The dish room holds anything not nailed down in the kitchen.

The girls take turns using the buffer.

The serving area and dining room post refinishing.

Dining room floor shines like new!

Close-up of the refinished floor

New felt-tipped sliders help the benches slide without damaging the floor.

CW Staff Teach Ski/Snowboard Lessons To Wawona School

2010-01-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

Each Wednesday kids attending the small elementary school in Wawona load a bus and head to Badger Pass, the local ski hill inside Yosemite, for a winter sports day. As with swimming lessons in the summer, Camp Wawona staff volunteered to teach ski and snowboard lessons and help out wherever needed. So far, Ryan Kloosterhuis has taught all the snowboard lessons while Jerrod Gabel and Donnie Keele split the beginner skiing lessons over two Wednesdays. Earlier this year camp staff attended the Mountain Area Ski School training program which gave them valuable training and helpful tips on teaching winter sports. Camp Wawona staff look forward to each Wednesday as well as any other opportunities to serve the local community. Pictures of the last ski day are below.

Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite National Park.

Students gather for their winter sports day.

Ryan Kloosterhuis teaches Garret the tricks of the trade.

Donnie Keele observes Garret's awesomeness.

Ryan and Garret at the end of the day.

Jon and Donnie with their young ski pupil, Jade.

CW Student Missionary Callings Go Live on HeSaidGo.net

2010-01-12T07:46:00.000-08:00

Camp Wawona has a great full time staff, but they could always use a little help. That's why each year (starting in 2009) Camp Wawona hires an additional four Task Force Student Missionaries and without them the camp program simply wouldn't function as well. While God blessed us with four TF staff from our summer camp team this year, CW staff understood the need to put out an official call through the proper channels if they were going to receive staff for next year. HeSaidGo.net is the N.A.D.'s official organization that handles calls being sent out for both short term mission trips and long term missionaries. After a review period of several weeks, Camp Wawona's listing finally went live, making the call official. Please keep Camp Wawona in your prayers as God chooses four more young people to serve His ministry here at Camp Wawona in 2010-2011.

CW's posting on HeSaidGo.net. To see it for yourself click here.

CW Staff Roster Complete

2010-01-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

The final two full time positions on Camp Wawona's team have been filled, ending the 1.5-year search to fill the five positions that make up the full-time year 'round team (CW also hires four student missionaries each year). Jerrod Gabel and Paulette Bair officially started Jan. 1, 2010 as the new and much-needed maintenance director and Food Service Director.

Gabel moved from Chattanooga, TN where he was working on a masters degree in outdoor education. He has served for several years as horsemanship director and assistant camp director at sister institution Camp Mivoden.

Bair, along with assistant and friend Carol Krause, joined the Camp Wawona team from Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, Florida where they had served the past seven years.

The addition of two highly skilled, full-time area directors has proven crucial, making camp operations more efficient and professional almost overnight.

Maintenance Director Jerrod Gabel works to reorganize the shop.

Food Service Director Paulette Bair (left) and assistant Carol Krause (right) stand on the front porch of Valley Oak.

CW Hosts Community Christmas Party

2009-12-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas season + a desire to meet more of the local community = CW staff organizing the 1st Annual Camp Wawona Community Christmas Party. Year one set the bar high with the lodge rivaling Santa's house with Christmas decor. Party activities included sugar cookie decorating, face painting, a christmas ornament craft, ping-pong, various table games, and the option of a "Romantic Mule Ride" featuring a Kawasaki Mule decorated with branches and christmas lights. And what would a party be without excellent food? Camp Staff combined their culinary skills to impress party goers with such delicacies as a Holiday Cheese Ball with crackers, an assortment of holiday shaped Vegan Chicken Salad and Egg Salad Sandwiches, Muddy Buddies, Rice Crispy Treats, a Veggie Platter, Festive Punch, and a variety of Hot Drinks. A few guests added to the menu by bringing fresh ginger bread. Beginning at 4 pm, Wawona residents partied like it was 2009 until 8 pm but didn't depart before hearing some live christmas carols by camp staff and even a round of "Jingle Bells" performed by a young community member. By the end of the evening new friendships had been made and the Christmas spirit had officially been ushered into the Wawona Community. Pictures are below.

CW Staff Attend MASS Program at Badger Pass

2009-12-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

December 18, 2009 marked opening day for Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite National Park. It also marked the beginning of the Mountain Area Ski School or MASS program, which trains volunteers to effectively teach youth to ski and/or snowboard. This year CW staff are looking forward to being involved in the Wawona Elementary School's Winter Sports program and were eager to receive helpful pointers on teaching others how to excel at a winter sport. Anthony Handal, Derek Wright, Ryan Kloosterhuis, and Donnie Keele attended the all-day training seminars which provided practical ways to teach a beginner the essential "building block" skills of snowboarding. Of course, there was some free time to check out what Badger Pass had to offer.
"It's pretty small, " said Derek Wright "But it's a great place to teach somebody how to get into the sport."
"I think it's awesome that we're this close to a ski area," added Anthony Handal.
By the end of the day, staff had learned some valuable teaching tips and enjoyed a few runs before heading back to camp.

CW Staff Say Goodbye to MaryEllen Barlow

2009-12-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

Nothing is quite as sad as parting ways and it was no exception as CW staff bid MaryEllen Barlow farewell over pizza and Jamba Juice on December 16, 2009. Barlow departed Camp Wawona to pursue several job opportunities that would prepare her for medical school which she begins August 2010. Though saddened by Barlows absence (her cleaning buddy especially), staff wish her the best on a bright future and hope she knows she will always have a home at Camp Wawona.

Camp Wawona Gets First Snow of the Season

2009-12-07T18:39:00.000-08:00

Indeed, the white stuff started flurrying on Sunday night, dusting the ground just enough to hide the dirt. Satisfied with any amount of snow, Camp Wawona staff went to bed not expecting a large amount of snow to greet them in the morning. When they awoke, about two inches lay on the ground and it was still snowing. As camp staff met for worship they noticed it was snowing a bit heavier...accumulating at about an inch per hour. By evening the two inches had grown to 14 with a little over a foot of snow falling from 8 A.M. to about 3 P.M. The first snow gave camp staff a chance to operate the snow blower attached to the front of the skid steer. Mariposa County was kind enough plow Forest Drive so the camp plow trucks weren't needed just yet. Just as the sun was setting, the staff took a few moments to enjoy some sledding and a few snowboard runs from the pool to the cafeteria.

Wawona Staff Host Outdoor School Expo

2009-11-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

Camp Wawona staff were up early on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009. Leaving camp at 5:30 A.M., they set out for Fresno Adventist Academy to host the first ever Camp Wawona Outdoor School Expo. Close to 120 students grades 5-8 represented several Central California Conference schools as they participated in a morning worship service and then split into smaller, 16-person groups for various team building/experiential learning elements.
Each of the seven elements (team-building games) taught students the essential skills of teamwork and leadership as well as other life lessons reviewed in short debrief sessions following each element. Poor weather forced the groups indoors but students, faculty, and Camp Wawona staff alike enjoyed the day, sampling what the new Camp Wawona Outdoor School will offer. Pictures of the event are posted below.

Lower A-Frames Get A Small Facelift

2009-11-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

We love our A-frames...we really do. But some how we got stuck in a rut and the relationship got stagnant. Well no longer...we decided to start fresh by repainting the inside of the lower A-frames one at a time. Cabin Wawona was first with another getting an update each week until we finished with Yosemite last week. The relationship has never been better...check out the before and after pictures below.

Camp Wawona Prepares For Winter

2009-11-09T22:39:00.001-08:00

November has arrived and the temperature is steadily dropping. Camp Staff are busy draining pipes, adding insulation, moving summer items (such as rocking chairs) into storage, winterizing unused buildings and splitting wood for the winter months ahead. Anthony, Derek, and Ryan took some time to pressure wash years of dirt and grime from the covered wagons, restoring them to like-new condition before covering them for the winter. The before and after pictures are below. Thanks guys!