We had another very successful Spring Service Weekend May 19-21, 2006. We had 48 volunteers who attended at least part of the weekend. Eight had never been to a previous Service Weekend. NCF paid $696 for supplies - this included $136 for a new exhaust fan motor for the GBH. I am uncertain what we paid for groceries, but Chuck can tell you if you want to know.

The buildings at Camp are all about 50 years old now, and are beginning to deteriorate. We spent a good deal of time replacing rotten wood. We replaced fascia boards on the Staffhouse, Infirmary, and Education Building, soffit boards on the Staffhouse and Education Building, 1x6 roof sheathing on the Staffhouse, and framing and porch decking on the Education Building. We added 2 cedar posts in the Chapel and wired them with spot lights. We built 2 garden boxes near the road between the Staffhouse and BBH, in front of the BTH. We used 2x12's to build 2 garden beds 12'x4' and filled them with rotten wood chips and compost from the compost pile. Flip had started tomatoes, peppers, basil, and lettuce plants to fill the 2 beds.

During the winter, a tree blew down on the trail to Buttermilk Springs. We cleaned up the downed tree and brush. We spent a good deal of time hauling wood chips from the area next to the compost pile to the new garden area.

We swept the roofs, porches, and buildings. We built a new routed sign and installed it down at the fork in the road. But, mostly, we got Camp ready for the upcoming NCF Adult Session and the regular summer session. Joe Irby and Mark Chilton were the heroes of the weekend. Joe supplied the 10-ton jack to lift the Education Building porch for the necessary repairs and the 2 cedar posts that we used in the Chapel. Mark volunteered to paint all the new wood with carbolineum, and anybody who volunteers for that nasty job is definitely a hero.

The food was fantastic. Chuck and Jen ran the show with help from many others. We had spaghetti, many kinds of pizza, French toast, sandwiches and salads, many kinds of cookies, and many kinds of pies. We sang in the LS on Friday and Saturday evenings. We had a fire going in the LS in the morning because the mornings were chilly.

Thanks very much to Adelle, Alex, Amy, Amy, Andy, Anne, Ariana, Beth, Brian, Charles, Charlie, Chuck, Cindy, Doug, Ed, Elizabeth, Flip, Graeme, Henry, Issa, Jason, Jen, Joanne, Joe, Joe, Larry, Lars, Laurel, Leslie, Lyt, Maggie, Mark, Molly, Nancy, Paul, Peggy, Peter, Powell, Priscilla, Quaker, Rick, Robert, Robin, Ryan, Samuel, Shirley, and Walter for making this a very successful Service Weekend.

If you have any digital photos of the Service Weekend, please email them or put them on a CD and send them to Michaux. She will get a selection up on the website <www.naturecampfoundation.org>. You can reach her as the webmaster on that site. Thanks.

Jim Brooks Nature Camp Foundation Service Committee Chair