It’s Been a Whirlwind Around Here…{New Carpet, Part 2}

I trust you all had a good Christmas.  I guess I can’t speak for the entire staff here, but for us personally, we had a wonderful day.  My in-laws came to spend the holiday with us, and let me say, having family here with us was an incredible blessing!

It seemed that we barely had the turkey leftovers packed away, and it was already time to start getting things organized for our New Year’s Family Camp.  Right after the Community Carol Sing on December 16th, Mark started ripping out more old carpet and installing the new in the Piano Room, Library, First Aide Room, and Staff Hallway. He got it all installed, and a few days ago, we put the rooms  back together again. 

Since everything was already so helter skelter, we used the opportunity to rearrange a lot of furniture around here.  Josh and Mark W. headed up the “lifting the heavy furniture” crew and were real troupers as I asked them to move nearly every piece of furniture around here!  {I offered them the name of a good chiropractor…}  Taryn and Natalie were the master dusters, vacuumers, wall washers, book arrangers, and head of the enthusiasm department.  {Hey, do you two want to come to my house  next??}

Anyway, after all dust settled and was wiped away, here’s what things are looking like now:

The Library…

…now has a corner dubbed “The Cranny” by the girls.  It is a distant relative to “The Nook”:)

 

{If you look close out that window, you can see a buggy ride in progress…}

 

The Entrance:

 

The Guest Library Lounge (How’s that for naming a room on the fly?) ~ Located in the New Wing:

 

A local church has donated some  books for our guests…

 

 

 

 

I know the pictures draw attention to the fact that we have a very eclectic mix of furniture around here.  Each piece has been lovingly donated and we are grateful…;)

Now our Family Campers have arrived.  The place is buzzing with people and activity, and we look forward to ringing in the New Year with them…

…And Happy New Year to you, too (a few days early!).

Community Carol Sing

This past Friday night was Homewood’s annual carol sing.  The carpet was all laid, the tree was up, and the Christmas lights were sparking.  The stage was set up for our staff kids’ nativity play…

 

Honestly, I forgot to even think of counting how many people were there, but it was nice to see most of the chairs in the chapel area filled with people.  We had a great time singing carols together and listening to some special Christmas numbers.  The kids acting out the Christmas story was a highlight for me…

 

Take an angel,

 

 

Mary and Joseph,

 

shepherds,

 

and some very active “sheep”…

 

 

…and the story of Christmas is brought in a special, memorable way…

 

 

 

~ Through the eyes of a child…

It was a delight.

 

Afterward we were treated to some delicious goodies from our kitchen staff…

 

 

Many thanks to those of you who joined us for this holiday tradition.  It was wonderful to see you!

The New Carpet…Revealed!

The last time I talked with you, the carpet install was just beginning.  It is now only 4 days later… 

Let me show you what’s been goin’ on.

The old carpet had already been removed and the floors prepped for installation:

Monday morning it looked like this:

                          {That light coloured square is where Alf’s prayer of dedication is written.}

Monday Noon:

 

Monday at 3:

 

And…here’s how it looks today {Thursday}…It’s ALL DONE!!

 

               {Notice how the new carpet also goes out into the hall?  Yep.  That’s finished, too!}

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

Before:

 

After:

 

The Nook Before:

The Nook After:

 

The pictures don’t show real accurate color, but here is a close-up of the carpet itself:

 

In the few hours since I took these pictures, a big Christmas tree has been brought in and decorated, and everything is getting all “festive” .

 

The first event to “break in the new carpet” will be our Community Carol Sing tomorrow night.

 

**And a fun fact…  Did you know the first event after the original carpet was installed was a wedding on December 31, 1978?  {Happy Anniversary, Steve and Sue!}

Dedicated

Today is an exciting day at camp.  The carpet for the Main Lodge has arrived, and is ~ as I type this ~ being installed!!  Of course I’ll be showing you the whole process…

But before it all began, while the floor was all stripped bare and awaiting its new look, Mark (our carpet laying maintenance man) came up with a very special idea.

He texted Irwin on Saturday and asked if Alf could write a prayer of dedication on the floor before the new carpet went down.

I admit, I’ve never heard of that before… But what a great idea it was.

I just saw it this morning and was touched beyond words.

Alf & Margaret Bayne (who founded the ministry of Camp Homewood in 1944, for those of you who didn’t know) chose the spot on the floor where our camp speakers/ preachers stand to write their dedication prayer.

Here it is:

“Oh Lord, we pray that whoever may stand here, being your voice, may have their feet firmly planted in your Word and may faithfully proclaim your Gospel of salvation through faith in the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Heb. 13:12  Alf & Margaret Bayne”

I think this is so fitting.  A new carpet.  A new look.  But an unchanging vision and goal for this camp…to lead people to the saving love of Jesus.

May all those who walk on this new carpet experience in some way,  the amazing love of their Heavenly Father.

Deckin’ the Halls & A Gift for You!!

Our new carpet shipment has been delayed (too bad…), but that hasn’t stopped the crew from deckin’ the halls of the camp for some upcoming Christmas events.

It does involve a lot of “boughs of holly”…

….fa, la, la, la, la…

la, la…

la, la.

This month includes some fun events here at Homewood. This Friday night is a Youth Banquet (private event). Next Friday night, December 16th, is our Carol Sing. If you’re in the area, we’d love for you to come join us. It’s your chance to join in and sing with us lots of Christmas carols, listen to some special musical numbers, and watch our Homewood staff kids act out the Christmas story (yes…that is the highlight!). Afterward, there are all kinds of yummy Christmas goodies for you to munch on as you visit with each other. It starts at 8:00, and if you want to walk across on the ferry, the Homewood bus will pick you up on the Quadra side.

Then…our BIG December event is our New Year’s Family camp from December 29-January 1. This tradition has been going for over 25 years, and offers the opportunity for individuals and families to join us here to “ring in the New Year”. It is a great time of fun, relaxation, fellowship, and great camp activities. Sometimes the weather even gives us the opportunity to toboggan down the main hill!

Here’s where our gift to you comes in… If you register for the New Year’s Family Camp before December 20, you will receive 20% off!

If you are interested in taking advantage of that savings, click on the link below for further information.

Carpet Out…

Some of you keeners may have noticed yesterday an oddity in the picture I posted of the “Lick-n-Stick” crew.  Yep.  What on earth is the piano doing in the Dining Room?

 

 

No,  I have not lost my mind in the furniture rearranging department.

That would be Mark.  He relocated the piano, along with everything else… including the carpet!!!  (Woo Hoo!)

 

 

Yep.  All the carpet in the main room is gone.

 

 

Mark is working  between groups to get things all prepped and ready for the carpet that may arrive as early as next Tuesday.

 

 

It’s so exciting!:)

 

{For those of you who’ve given toward the “Project Restoration” Match Your Money event, we can’t thank you enough.  We currently have reached approximately $8500.00 and have until January 31st to reach our goal of $30,000.00.  Every gift – small or large – adds up to do double the work!  The details of that event are given here, and will be updated occasionally on the Camp Homewood Facebook page.}