New Washstands
It’s been on the capital planning list for a long time. Finally, thanks to the generosity and talent from within our constituency, we have new washstands! Check them out!!
News
Fire in the Dininghall
In May of 1968, fire destroyed the original Silver Lake dininghall and this past Monday (February 7), 47 years later, a fire has caused significant damage to the same building.
At this point it looks like the cause of the fire was related to the embers from the large stone fireplace. Essentially, the embers found their way under the dining hall, aided by blustering winds, and smouldered underneath the floor. As you can see from the attached photos there is extensive damage to the dininghall – the most obviously is the floor which was removed to allow firefighters access. We have met on-site with various professionals and at this point we know the dininghall will require new insulation, new doors, some new windows, new drywall, new flooring and perhaps a new ceiling. Of greater concern is the condition of structural beams and posts under the floor, and we will soon meet with a structural engineer to assess that damage.
The neighbouring vestibule and kitchen has significant smoke damage but the restoration team is confident that a thorough cleaning and new paint should remedy any problems.
Thankfully, we have adequate insurance which will hopefully cover the majority of the replacement costs. This also presents an opportunity to improve the current facility (insulation with higher R value etc).
From a timing perspective, we are fortunate. We should have enough time to restore the dining hall prior to summer. We do rely on off-season rentals (church groups, schools, businesses and families) to provide much needed revenue throughout the year, however we also have business interruption insurance.
As you have read above, we have much to be grateful for and there is more;
- Nobody was injured
- The damage was contained to one building – the fire inspector was amazed that it didn’t spread
- We have an incredibly supportive community of campers, parents, volunteers and churches
We give thanks to God for these blessings.
Updated: May 5, 2011
After numerous consulations, with supporters and with various professionals, the restoration and enhancement project is well underway.
Over the past 3 months, we have been continually amazed by the unsolicited response, in prayer, helping hands and financial contributions from individuals and churches alike – THANK YOU. During our disurnment and consultation process, we had representation and input from across Ontario including Leamington, Niagara, Toronto, KW and surrounding area and we have overwhelming support for this project. After these consultations and meetings with our insurance company it was decided that the dining hall, vestibule and kitchen will receive extensive restoration work and various enhancements including energy efficiency upgrades with new windows, insulation and heating system. The total costs associated with the dining hall restoration and enhancement project is currently estimated at $700,000 (approximately $600,000 will be covered through insurance). We are working hard to ensure we have a functioning (not complete, but functioning) dining hall for July 1st. An addition to the back of the dining hall is planned for the fall which will see washrooms, volunteer and retreat space added under one roof. Though this fire does present some very real challenges, there are an equal number of opportunities before us and we prayer that as an organization we have the wisdom to allow the spirit to guide us as we move forward. Photos showing the construction will be added weekly to the album below – be sure to check back regularly!
Let’s not forget that 2011 is a year of celebration for Silver Lake. This fire is one of many challenges faced over the past 50 years and like many of the other challenges, it will make a great campfire story for years to come!
Celebrating God’s Green Earth
SLMC featured in Waterloo Region Record article
From TheRecord.com Published Saturday, August 21st. By Mirko Petricevic. View the article at TheRecord.com
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Celebrating God’s green Earth: Mennonite Summer Camp builds faith in nature
War games never had much of a place at Mennonite summer camp.
So when Dave Erb played a “capture the flag” game at Silver Lake Mennonite Camp 20 years ago, campers imagined themselves to be Menno Simons, founder of the pacifist church that bears his name, fleeing persecution during the 16th century.
“We used to play in the bush all the time,” Erb said during a recent interview at the camp near Sauble Beach.
A group of campers walks past a cross made of birch on their way to an afternoon swim.
As they scampered through the woods they laid waste to some of God’s green Earth. Hours of mayhem turned the forest floor into a bare surface.
But as people became more conscious about protecting the environment, the forest was made off-limits to young campers. A rope marked off the sensitive areas for several years.
Now a carpet of ferns and leafy bushes blankets the base of countless maple, birch, cherry and ash trees. The rope has been removed, but campers must still keep their feet on well-marked trails.
It’s one of the subtle ways campers learn to respect nature, said Erb, a Waterloo resident and the camp’s executive director.
“Camp has always been the place for kids to reconnect with nature,” he said. “Now, we’re more intentional.”
Staff and counsellors recently led some sessions for 13 to 16-year-old campers that were designed to be fun but also raise awareness of good environmental stewardship.
Counsellors lead campers in singing grace before lunch.
One group huddled around a big steel bowl heaped with locally-grown ingredients to make a granola snack.
“I didn’t think it would be this easy,” said Reka Rossignol, 13, of Toronto. “It’s really easy and fun.”
She said making granola from scratch is a good alternative to buying bars wrapped in foil and shipped in boxes. And using local ingredients, such as grains from a nearby organic farmer, is better than using ingredients shipped from long distances, she said.
“That’s just bad for the environment,” Rossignol said.
Another group of campers spent time in a small garden learning how to condition the soil. (Although pulling weeds under the blazing sun seemed to be building a love-hate relationship with nature.)
And another group, some shouldering guitars instead of garden tools, applied their talents to writing a new camp song based on a theme of environmental stewardship.
A copy of the Green Bible, which includes Scripture verses on stewardship printed in green ink, was on a bench beside Darren Kropf, creation care program co-ordinator for Kitchener-based Mennonite Central Committee Ontario.
Kropf said it’s important to involve teenagers in caring for the environment because they have creative energy that adults often don’t.
Also, it can be daunting for young people to try launching environmentally-friendly projects in their congregations because sometimes people resist new ideas and change, he said.
But summer camp is a safe place for young people to try new ideas, he said.
And the more young members of the church who live in tune with nature, “the more hope we have for the future,” Kropf added.
While the theme of environmental stewardship ran through some of the programs, those time-honoured summer camp activities — swimming, canoeing and dozens of games — remained at the forefront.
The rhythm of the day was frequently punctuated with peals of laughter — even while they pulled clumps of weeds from the garden.
“There’s no reason why environmentalism can’t be fun,” Kropf said.
More images
Click on an image below to view in more detail.
What’s Silver Lake All About?
Ask anyone who’s ever been a camper or counselor this question and it likely takes them several minutes to translate the variety of emotions that Silver Lake Mennonite Camp can produce. Last week we tried to capture this sentiment in a few videos that we filmed up here at camp. Below is a little glimpse of what makes SLMC great!
Many thanks to Tivoli Films for sharing their time, expertise and final product.