Ridgecrest Camps

As of 3PM today (Nov. 23), there are only 3 cabins that need a new roof along with the cabin extension.  Those construction workers are just going so fast!  There has been a lot of progress since the last Construction Blog.  They have finished adding the roofs and extensions on all Cheyenne cabins and Choctaw 14.  They are almost finished with the electrical work on Cherokee Hill.  And they are finishing putting up the T1-11 in Chippewa 1 and putting the finishing touches on it.  T1-11 is the wood that is going on the inside walls of the cabins.  I know I keep saying this, but the cabins look so good!

They haven’t actually finished a cabin yet, but they are getting the major stuff done first before it gets too cold.  Don’t forget, if you comment on any of our blogs, your name will be entered into our monthly drawing for a free store!

Construction officially began today!  As I walked through Crestridge this morning, I could hear the sound of chain saws cutting and hammers pounding.  In order to start the demo inside the cabins, everything had to be moved out.  That includes 240 beds, 240 matresses, 200 night stands, 40 dressers, and several small tables.  So, we called in some guys to come help us out!  Wayne, the Ridgecrest intern, and eight other guys spent almost 3 days moving all the furniture to the gym.  Now our gym, as you can see below, is filled with furniture.

I don’t believe I have ever seen an older cabin completely empty before.  You can tell from the pictures below that they need some help.  They are just a little dirty.

We had a couple Alumni come in this past weekend to save some boards from Cherokee 25 that were going to be replaced.  Since that cabin is designed different than the others, we were able to salvage some of the signatures.

The next step in the renovation process is to remove the roofs, take out the toilets and sinks, and remove the bathroom walls.  By 10:30AM today, they had almost completed those tasks in Chippewa 1.

It’s an exciting time here at Crestridge!  We are so thankful for the ways God has and continues to bless and provide for us!

We started pouring concrete footers for the New Cabins yesterday! Ron got in on the action, getting down and dirty to make sure the New Cabin on Shawnee Hill is just right. That’s right, if you are a 2nd year Shawnee, then you may get the chance to be in a brand new cabin. What will be different? Well, the biggest change will be that you will have a covered porch and a metal roof! It’s been cool to see dump trucks, cement trucks, and all kinds of equipment rolling around camp. Lots of cool stuff is happening! I’m excited for you all to see it when you show up this summer!

It won’t be long and we’ll be starting on the Spilman Lodge (Dining Hall) addition! We currently have an architect putting some final updates on the plans, and then we’re off and running! Within a few weeks, we’ll be pouring more footers. I think you’ll love this new addition! It will give you a new covered porch on the front of Spilman, with more places to hang out and enjoy the rocking chairs. Plus, we hope to add a new Foosball Table area, and of course a little more eating room in the Choctaw/Arap side of the Dining Hall.

I’ve noticed how much time the Contractor puts into the foundations of these buildings. They have to be inspected multiple times, and everything has to be just right. If the foundation of any building isn’t rock solid, then it’s sure to fall. I can’t help but think about my life and how I follow Jesus. If the foundations of my faith aren’t strong, if I don’t know what I believe or why I believe it, then my faith probably won’t withstand the hard stuff in life. So, what do we do about it? Keep running after Jesus, and do what we can to know him more. The more you know Jesus, the stronger your foundation will be. Real Life, the “good stuff,” is found when following Jesus.

Well, thats all for now, but check back soon for more pictures and updates. Be sure to Subscribe to this blog to the right… See you soon…

We’ve finished step one of the construction project!  The land has been cleared for the five new cabins.  Now all we have to do is build them!  Ron, Phil, and I have ordered the materials, taken construction classes, and have gotten our hard hats.  We’re ready to build!

Well, I’m glad that’s a joke or else no one would want to sleep in those cabins.  We are in the process of finalizing contracts and getting those signed.  Once finished, the footers will go up!  It won’t be long till we will hear pounding, sawing, and all those construction sounds.  Check out the pictures to see the latest view.  To see a larger image, click on the picture.

This space, along with the hut, will be used for a Staff cabin

This will be a Chickasaw cabin

The space where the hut is will be a new cabin.

The orange flags mark the start of the new cabin, built in place of the hut.

This space, right below the hut, will be a new cabin

This space, right above Boulder Junction and

across from Choctaw 2, will be a new cabin

This space along with the hut will be a new Cherokee cabin

As you can see, we are making great progress which is very exciting!  Continue to check back to get more updates.

Well, after several months of praying, planning, meeting with contractors, more praying, more planning, and more meetings with contractors, we’ve finally taken it to the next step!  As of Wednesday, September 24th, we officially began clearing the land for the new cabins.  It is all very exciting but also a little scary at the same time.  There’s no turning back now!  The leaders of Ridgecrest Summer Camps truly believe this is the direction God is leading us in.  We will now have the opportunity and privilege of impacting 400 extra campers between both camps each summer!  What an honor!  My goal is to give you weekly updates about the construction that may include pictures and short video clips.  So please check back regularly!

Looking down the hill at Chickasaw 3.

If you have the time, please visit our “Give” page to see how you and your family can get involved with the project.