I was at the camp today and everything is secure. It was cool and there is still a lot of snow on the ground and on the hill sides especially the South slopes.

Dick Seals was at the camp a week or so ago and did an Accident Prevention/Risk Management survey. He should have that report out soon.

I would like to get started back on the camp projects hopefully by the end of February or the 1^st of March but I will not be available for awhile at that time because Joyce is scheduled to have another surgery on her back March 1^st at UMC in Tucson. It seems she has a narrowing in one her vertebras that is putting pressure on her spinal cord and causing a lot of pain. I will be available by calling my home telephone number. The Camp Committee Vice Chairman and Camp Committeemen will have to carry the ball for awhile. In this report I have listed some of the hit list items that need to be done.

Camp Banks

Bob Wills approached me and asked if he could have cabin banks made up and distributed to each Lodge at the January DD Clinic. As Camp Chairman I approved the idea with the thought in mind that it would raise funds for the camp and make members aware that we now have an Elks Youth Camp. If the banks were set in prominent place maybe members that don’t know about the camp would start asking questions and hopefully there would be someone around that could answer them. The cabins were not meant to replace the bartender’s tips or the charity boxes. I take full responsibility for the cabins and if there is any flack or adverse feedback please have them address their complaints to me.

Main Building

The front and back access doors need to be finished and trimmed. A small ramp at the front access door needs to be poured to relieve a tripping hazard. The roof needs all the roofing nails replaced with self tapping screws. The screws and driver bit are in the storage trailer.

Kitchen

The stainless steel sheet behind the stove needs to be installed along with the hood over the stove. The wiring is in place for the fan. The hot water tank in the kitchen needs to have wall vents to the outside install to comply with code. The vent going through the roof needs to be caulked and sealed. One of the folding doors should be put around the tank to isolate it. Formica needs to be installed on the service window counter top and a sneeze guard installed over the counter area.

Dry Storage

The dry storage area is sheet rocked. The ceiling over the dry storage area needs to have stringers run across it and sheet rock installed. The area can then be taped, mudded and painted. The floor also needs to be painted. Afterwards, the shelving can be installed.

First Aide Room

The first aide/craft room is sheet rocked, taped and mudded. The walls still need one more coat if mud then they can be textured and painted. A door from the main hall into the first aide room needs to be installed. The floor also needs to be painted. There are cabinets and a countertop on site that can be installed after the painting is complete.

Generator Room

The generator walls are up but need to be grouted. When this is done top plates and rafters can be installed along with the roof. The steel walk through door is already in place and a garage door can then be installed in the drive through door. When the building is complete the Onan generator can be put into place and hooked up to the transformer and then to the main electrical box. I have a mine electrician that has volunteered to do the hook up. The generator exhaust will need to be piped to the outside. The lower propane tank will be moved to the building site in mid March and it will also need to be piped into the building.

Restroom/Shower Room

As per my request Val Bianchini has submitted a drawing and plans to rebuild the restroom/shower room to where the girls have a separate shower and restroom and the boys have a separate shower and restroom. For plumbing purposes the showers will have a common wall and the existing shower room door will be sealed off. I hope to start this project in April depending on the volunteer help.

The lights in the restroom/shower room have been temporarily hooked up thanks to E.J. Williams. A potable water line has been run to the shower/restrooms but not hooked up. At the present time the rooms are still on creek water. There have been several toilets donated to replace the old, existing toilets.

Cabins

The cabins have been painted inside and out and the light fixtures and switches have been installed. The floors still need to be painted and some of the roofs on the cabins need to repaired and/or replaced. We need to have trenches dug to all the cabins from the restrooms for electrical conduit lines. We are also planning on redoing the shutters by hinging them on each side rather than the top for easier opening, closing and securing. The shutters will have to be split to do this.

Potable Water Storage

Last fall we poured a pad above where the potable water well is located with intentions of purchasing a 5000 gallon galvanized and along with the existing stainless steel and plastic tank, move them to this location for potable water storage. There will be more piping involved when the tanks are in place.

Fences

The Safford group has completed installing the back fence along with the access gates and will continue the project of replacing the front fence this spring. The old existing back fence and posts need to be removed.

Storage Trailer

We still need some work on the roof to make it water tight.  Tom Miller is looking in to getting several roll-offs for storage and getting rid of the trailer.

Creek Water Line

The creek water line that come from the dam to the head tank and boiler tank needs to be replaced. Garry Jones has a salesman willing to donate 1000’ of

1-1/2” polyethylene pipe. The line needs to be replaced from the dam to the existing steel line at the upper camp ground and from the steel line on the other end to where it goes under the road to the camp. We will need another 1500’ to complete the project. The line is important to the camp because it supplies water to the toilets and can be used for irrigation.

General Camp

There still remains a lot of berry vines, scrub brush, saplings and down and dead wood that needs to be removed and burned to reduce the fire danger. Some of the other trees need to be trimmed and the apple trees need pruning. Oak, walnut and juniper trees that need to be cut down should not be taken from the camp because they can be used for campfire wood.

There is some old hot water tanks and scrap metal above where the old barn was torn down that needs removing and brought to an area where they can be loaded and disposed up at a land fill.

Miscellaneous

Tom Miller has acquired lockers for the cabins and some equipment and supplies from a fast food restaurant that went out of business.

Sun City Lodge donated a deep fat fryer.

A Sun City Elk donated a small Onan portable generator, wheel barrow and miscellaneous hand tools.

Another Sun City Elk donated a wood lathe with attachments for other types of wood working.

A Pinal Mountain Elk donated a flag pole.

A Globe business man is willing to let us use his hydro-lift to grout the generator walls and Phelps Dodge will loan us a small pour bucket. If possible we would like to set the flag pole and water tanks at the same time.

Bill and Gail Gaffney are looking into acquiring polyurethane paint at an affordable price like they installed on the kitchen floor. We need enough to cover the rest of the floors in the main build and cabins which is about 3000sq. ft. Add another 500 sq. ft. for the restrooms/shower room.

We will start scheduling work parties as soon as the weather permits and it warms up enough so the ground dry out enough to support traffic.