July 19, 2019


Northern High-Lights 1.0 July 19, 2019 https://northernhigh-lights.blogspot.com/
Rev. Jeff Childs, Mission Volunteer

Some have asked me for a mailing address, so for those of you who might want to, you can write to me at Birchwood Camp, PO Box 670049, Chugiak, AK 99567. I have discovered that though mail is picked up almost every day, out going mail only seems to go out at the end of the week. It seems most campers and staff do not write much.  There is much more texting and tweeting among the younger staff and phone calls and emails (and blogs) from the older volunteers and staff!

Last Saturday the camp entered a float in the big weekend at the neighboring community of Elk River. It had a camping theme with a couple canoes, a tent, trees and a fake campfire (dry ice in water created steam rather than smoke.) Our summer intern staff took a couple days to construct it and did a fantastic job. I got to ride along and wave to the crowds from the campfire. It has been a few decades since I last rode on a float. The parade was an hour long and in the end, we were informed that our float came in first place!


The other projects that I helped work on this week were repairing and refinishing an old picnic table and bench and the major job of painting and installing two windows in the camp office. All the buildings here are log construction so enlarging the opening for the slightly larger windows required a chainsaw and lots of elbow grease. The logs had twelve-inch spikes holding them together for support and it took two of us with a large crowbar to work them loose from the logs. We sealed them in with insulating foam spray and this coming week will work on refinishing them on the inside and out.


For the past two weeks we have hosted a camp for stringed instrument students back to back for elementary, middle school and high school students. Hosting for me was making sure these was plenty of coffee for the conductor and instructors and then helping to welcome parents and guests and help them find parking spaces for the final concert at the end of each of the three or four day camps. We also had a youth canoe camp this week with 4 of our summer staff and 9 middle schoolers out canoeing and portaging along a set of lakes in a remote area a couple hours away.

This weekend we have a family reunion and a wedding on the premises. There are no camp groups and now camp meals so for the next four days it looks like left overs or meals in some of the restaurants in the area. I know many of you are experiencing the heat wave in much of the lower 48. It is 63 this morning going to a high of 68 this afternoon. One nice thing about Alaska, at least here I'm cool!

Comments

  1. Lorrie BJuly 20, 2019 at 1:43 PM

    Sounds like a lot of work for retirement. Lol!! I don’t think you’d be happy sitting still though. I’m sure just being in the surroundings of Alaska makes any work worth while.
    Glad the temps have cooled down. I’m happy you are sharing your adventures and the many going on’s that you are getting to experience.
    Have you seen any bears?! I’d be all about the many birds and animals.
    Sunday’s are different without you, but I’m glad you are having an amazing time, Pastor Jeff ��. Happy and blessed trails to you!! Lorrie Beal

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pastor Jeff ChildsJuly 20, 2019 at 1:54 PM

    Thanks, Lorrie, I have seen no bears but a couple people here had seen a moose wandering round camp. I keep looking. I have seen eagles and there are a couple loons here, but they look and sound different than the common loons we have in NY.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RobertAugust 24, 2019 at 7:30 AM

    I love northern lights adventures. In Alaska you can see northern lights and you can also enjoy the different adventures. Come and enjoy northern lights trip.

    ReplyDelete

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