Welcome to the first post of the Camp Leatherwood Blog!
We will attempt to keep the latest information here for all who are so deeply interested in and love Camp Leatherwood. I’m leaving out a lot of information, thoughts and memories in this first blog in an effort to get something posted as quickly as possible.
A quick history on what happened for those who may not have heard…
On Tuesday night, February 2, 2016, a strong storm front moved through the area about midnight. Sometime during the storm, a fire started in the dining hall. By about 2am, the dining hall had burned to the ground. Blain Hooper captured the only known photo of the fire…
These photos were taken Wednesday morning. So heartbreaking! Thousands of campers and staff will have many fond memories of the dining hall and all the many camp activities it hosted.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but speculation points to an electrical ignition source of some kind. Fire department investigators did not pin point the source of the fire.
On Saturday morning after the fire, the Camp Leatherwood board of directors met to begin planning for a new dining hall. However, the first question was “can we have camp this summer”? The board came back with a resounding “YES”!! So we are committed to having a temporary dining hall (think big tent) and functional food preparation area set up by June 1. More on what that will look like later…
The second question the board addressed is “what will the new dining hall look like”? The board agreed the new dining hall should maintain the overall rustic appearance of the camp, and we all agreed it should be climate controlled for year round use. So the board will be busy in the coming months with planning and design, architectural renderings, contractor selection, putting the work out for bid, etc. Busy time ahead!
As is so often the case, our Lord will show his mighty hand in this tragedy. We lost a 30+ year old building that had served its purpose well. But this tragedy will allow the camp to rebuild in a bigger and better way!
So what’s next? Meetings with codes, health department officials, etc. to start the process. Check back here for the latest updates.
To address fund raising questions and “how can I help”? By the end of this week, February 12th, a “Camp Leatherwood Building Fund” will be established and checks can be made out to that name. I’ll post an address very soon.
The offers of help and support have been phenomenal. People are so anxious to help! The board members wish to convey their heartfelt thanks to all those who have made such generous offers.
Donny Mosley, for the Board of Directors
2/9/2016
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