Help Us Raise $340,000
For The Pavilion

WHY WE NEED THE PAVILION

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW

  • To advance our programming
  • To assist with our programming in inclement weather
  • To provide a much needed pre & post camp rental. This is important because Ak-O-Mak is a large, older facility that requires regular maintenance and up keep. We like to keep our tuition at a moderate level and in order to do so, camp requires other revenue sources

BENEFIT OF THE ACTIVITY PAVILION

  • Help to secure camp for the future
  • Expansion of programming
  • To give camp the potential for other revenue sources

IMMEDIATE NEED

  • To complete the inside of the building
SEE THE COST BREAKDOWN

OUR VISION

‘Well, when we have this Pavilion, we can…’

The purpose of the Pavilion is to continue the enhancement of programming here at Camp Ak-O-Mak and to provide a space for campers in extremes of weather. Our vision is to have a large, flexible space that opens up in beautiful weather that can be enjoyed by not only our campers, but other visitors as well for events, gatherings, or even weddings.

HERE’S WHAT YOUR DONATION WILL DO

In order to get the Pavilion up and running there is still so much that needs to be done! With your help, Camp Ak-O-Mak still needs:

  • Wall insulation
  • All boards and inside walls to be stained
  • Inside walls to be installed
  • A generator
  • General supplies
  • Additional gravel
  • Tree work around the building
  • Re-level the field due to the build and maintain grass
  • Screen in yoga area
  • Donation wall
  • Hardware for doors
  • Heat source for cold weather and off-season activities
  • Unforeseen items
  • Equipment:
    • Activity mats for the concrete floor
    • Dryland equipment
    • Spin bikes
    • Yoga equipment
    • Basketball free standing nets
    • Sport nets and balls
  • Future:
    • Water Source
    • Septic / Hop

Help us tackle our biggest project
since Ak-O-Mak’s inception

HERE’S WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR…

Phase One: The Dream

  • Historically, when planning the schedule during inclement weather, Jocelyn and Dianne would jest “Well, when we have the Pavilion, we can do this……” of course, there was no pavilion; nonetheless, we always dreamed…one day…
  • An alumna introduced us to an incredible group called Volunteer Builders (please visit their website to learn more about this wonderful group VolunteerBuilders.org). In 2017 – 2018, Ak-O-Mak was interviewed and selected by VB as the recipient of their 2019 construction project.

  • Ak-O-Mak’s 90th celebration on Labour Day weekend 2018 marked the unveiling of the Pavilion concept and announcement that Volunteer Builders would commence basic construction by spring 2019. The “kick off” of Camp’s Pavilion Fundraising Campaign for materials started.
  • In September of 2018, the design for the build began; a cooperative effort between the architects of VB & input from camp regarding the myriad of activities we’d hope would take place in the Pavilion. The design started taking shape encompassing a respect for the land, a nod to the past and vision for the future.
  • Challenge: In the Fall of 2018, 7 members of VB came for a site visit & advised Ak-O-Mak needed to be “foundation-ready” prior to construction. Surprised, we had not realized that the foundation had to be completed by us, by the middle of May 2019.

  • The final building design was approved and posted on the website.
  • Challenge: April 2019 was a struggle for both Ak-O-Mak and Volunteer Builders to obtain the required building permit in time. Our Pavilion was one of the largest projects the group had constructed. The Chief Building Officer classified the build as “Assembly Occupancy” due to both the size of the structure and the northern region with its snow, wind & ice loads. This literally meant back to the drawing board at the final hour to beef up the design, we needed to change the building from 50lbs per square foot to 100lbs load capacity.

  • Challenge: The change in building code classification changed the foundation plans to a sturdier, more expensive “slab-on-grade” design. Ak-O-Mak found a local engineering/cement company to design/build the foundation. The cost of the foundation (fully funded by donations) was twice as much as estimated in the original pillar type design.  The slab on grade, however, is the gold standard for the maximum weather loads/size of this building and the surrounding soil conditions. This foundation should never budge!
  • Challenge: Spring 2019 was one of the wettest on record and Ontario experienced very high water levels and massive flooding. The unusually wet conditions, saturated water tables and soft municipal roads created obstacles for our build. The high water levels were astounding. In forty-five plus years at camp, I have never seen the ‘big rock’ in front of the boathouse completely submerged.
  • Challenge: Although logistics were vast and affected almost 150 volunteers the build had to be delayed 2 weeks, until the first week of June 2019.
  • Challenge: The delays left barely enough time to pour the main concrete pad (but not the porches) for VB’s arrival. The foundation workers toiled into the night to be finished for the construction volunteers already arriving at camp, to be in place for an early morning start with the hammers. The volunteers arrived in the rain but thankfully they brought the sun with them!
  • Challenge: The drive across the field to the building site soon gave way under the soggy soil conditions and heavy trucks. No way around it, we had to construct a gravel road to the building site, not in the budget.

  • Building Materials had to be on site for the arrival of VB.
  • The truss company delivered a large load of roof trusses. Watching the trusses slide off the truck was like watching the big war canoe slide into the water.
  • McNabb Lumber delivered numerous truckloads of materials.
  • VB constructed the roof safely on the soccer field and the framing for the walls were built on ground next to the concrete pad. Each of these sections was then lifted in place by a huge crane, an impressive sight to see.
  • Unfortunately, no heroic effort would be enough to see the completion of the Pavilion given the challenges thrown at us by Mother Nature’s wet spring, imperfect results of rescheduling and the sheer size of the project.

  • Upon departure, Volunteer Builders left Dianne a 3 page detailed list of outstanding items to be finished to complete the “shell” of the Pavilion. First and foremost, it was critical to secure the building.
  • Challenge: Upon departure of Volunteer Builders, Camp was financially responsible for all the additional work to be completed. The ‘volunteer’ part was over.
  • Enter, “Joe”, one of the Volunteer builders who worked on the Pavilion from Day 1. So impressive were Joe’s skill, experience and integrity that Camp hired him as Ak-O-Mak’s contractor to finish the critical list and secure the Pavilion before winter. Joe has been invaluable to camp during this project and will be resuming work on the interior summer 2020.
  • Challenge: Joe’s critical list to hammer out before the first snow:
    • Pour concrete  for the porch and bump out section, cut and clean up site
    • Back fill / Grade around the building
    • Frame walls, storage building
    • Finish Board and Batten
    • Place posts & beams – F.C. (need saddles) for main building
    • Trusses for porch roof (plans and layout on sheet)
    • Plywood porch roof sheathing
    • Shingle porch & jut out roofs
    • Fascia/soffit
    • Interior – hangers, and 1×10 pine boards
    • Electrical service, local utility company to pull hydro
      • Wire the building
      • Put up all the inside and outside lights
    • Additional:
      • Sleeve anchors/epoxy
      • Simpson ties
      • Electrical fixtures
    • Paint all the remaining boards for the outside of the building
    • Seal all the windows
    • Install all the doors
    • Build and insulate the storage area
    • Rolling doors for the building installed
    • Locks to secure in off season

  • VB was able to install some rudimentary wiring for the building. Summer 2019 camp paid for the completion of all wiring plus installation of lights and outlets.
  • Extend electrical power supply to Pavilion: A local utility company RLS was hired to bury and install service according to Ontario Hydro’s plan…no small feat traversing camp’s fields.
  • Anticipating future needs, a panel was installed to accommodate backup generator to maintain power at the Pavilion during power outages. Challenge: generator to be purchased when funds become available.
  • Electrical inspection called and completed.

  • Ak-O-Mak is indebted to Joe and his long, long days for finishing the critical list and securing the beautiful Pavilion before snowfall.
  • The Building Inspector gave a “thumbs up” and the Pavilion is now Ak-O-Mak’s!

  • The dirt around the construction site was graded, a French Drain installed, and many loads of gravel applied to protect the building from water damage due to any heavy rains, ice, snow, freeze/thaw and erosion…all imminent in our northern climate.
  • First round of grass seed was applied in the fall and additional sewing to follow in spring.

Phase Ten: Challenge - Raise funds to complete the inside of the Activity Pavilion

  • Insulate the walls
  • Stain all pine boards for the interior walls
  • Install the 12-20 foot pine boards on walls
  • Generator: purchase/wire into panel
  • Heat source for cold weather and off season activities/rentals
  • Donation wall
  • General Supplies:
    • Hardware for the doors
    • Additional lighting
    • Sound system for classes and off season activities/rentals
    • Ceiling fans
    • Unforeseen items

  • Additional gravel/grading to protect the building
  • Tree work around the building as many of the trees are too close to the building
  • Maintain the grass and re-level parts of the field that was damaged due to construction work.

  • Add half wall around yoga area
  • Screen in yoga area
  • Mats for the floor

  • Activities mats for the concrete floor
  • Dryland equipment
  • Spin bikes
  • Yoga equipment
  • Basketball free standing nets
  • Sport nets and balls

  • Supplying material and installing the porch fascia

  • Water Source for the building
  • Build a Septic and ‘Hop’ (at Ak-O-Mak we call our washroom facility a Hop, House of Parliament where all the great thinking is done!)
  • To increase off season use we will need water and a washroom facility

This is where friends of
Ak-O-Mak past and present come into the picture.

Help us move into the future with the Activity Pavilion and make the remaining phases reality.

Recent Donations

$300Ruthie Calvin
$100Brett Saunders 
$200Robert Fortier 
$91Sam Fortier 
$325Becky Ensign Heller 
$200Beth Steel 
$100Reed and Phoebe Errickson 
$100Emily Rice 
$50Libby Culbertson Ernharth 
$100Melanie Sapico 
$150Kavin Miller 
$250Nicole Bures 
$100Lisabeth Ermharth 
$500Karen Caperton Swallen 
$100Richard Kane 
$150Libby Ernharth 
$50Vanessa Dickson 
$50Mary Duffy Morris 
$1000Jane Lawrence 
$50Beverly Walker 
$30Pam Rubio 
$100Mary Beth Fenimore 
$50Beth Shubert 
$100Perry Cohen 
$50Anonymous
$150Anonymous
$100Brenda Scott-Wood 
$1000Sue Porter 
$100Lolly Errickson 
$100Lydia Voigt 
$100Karen Stocker 
$25Anne Dal Vera 
$50Anonymous 
$100Susan Mooney 
$250Terri Goldberg 
$100Ellie Leap 
$75Elizabeth Sandler 
$100Lauren Korte 
$50Mark Burchfield 
$100Kay Hill 
$100Patti Huber 
$54Michael Somer 
$20Linda Bodman 
$200Joseph Kapp 
$50Geraldine Cortes Arege 
$25Alessandra Arege 
$25Isabella Arege 
$25Anonymous 
$100Stephanie Schlegel 
$250Leslie Boylan 
$100Patti Balchan 
$20Stephanie Jones 
$500June Smith 
$1000Jeffrey Bank 
$50Michelle Brafman 
$54Risa & Sharon Shaw & Gervasoni 
$200Sandy Welsh 
$100Bobbert Welsh 
$200Carolyn Birdsall Berg 
$180Deliah Rosel 
$50Amy Manson 
$50Emma Kamen 
$100Laura Mercer 
$100Julia Dexter 
$5Janelle Cwik 
$150Delouis Wilson 
$100Jane Cavallaro 
$100Anonymous
$300Nick Burkholder 
$200Emily Forney 
$100Amy Ensign 
$50Ayden Michaud 
$1000Anonymous
$100Donald Tikkala 
$50Kathi Rogers 
$20Erinn Theodossiou 
$150Rachel Cartwright 
$100Jenna Wall 
$200Heather Martin 
$50Katherine Waddell 
$150Katherine Harrison 
$150Libby Ernharth 
$100Ben Leonard 
$150Vanessa Young-Assel 
$100Sharon Suh 
$100Lauren David 
$100Sabrina O'Keefe 
$100Megan Taylor 
$100Sarah Burke-Hornby 
$25Rob Masson 
$25Brooke Saunders 
$40Krista Sipprell 
$50Shelley Jones 
$45Zuzana Putalova 
$500Jocelyn Saunders 
$100Nicky Duenkel 
$200Jane Stephenson 
$50Yiska Obadia 
$250Josie Sandler 
$200Sarah Rauber 
$50Penny Bowman 
$50Cathy Desgagnes 
$40Hollie Hayes 
$100Doreen Catterson 
$40Emma Thomson 
$500Jessica Clark 
$200Sarah Eubanks 
$500Beth Steel 
$150Kavin Miller 
$300Mike Moir
$80Joan Crawford
$250Edward Denney & Jennifer Miles
$300Edward Denney & Jennifer Miles
$226Libby Marshall Kinnealey
$3000Kavin & Mark Miller
$200Louisa Chafee & Joe Elorriaga
$25Cayley Pimentel
$1000Lindsay McGill
$100Linsday Churcher
$250Jerrery Eisen
$150Frances & Jonathon Betts
$500Sue & Jeff Manning
$100In Memory of Sam Freas by Denise Israels
$200David & Sharon Greenberg
$150Frederic Collin
$750Eve & David Grantz
$100In Honor of Catherine Hill by Liz Connolly
$1000Sheryl & Mike Puckering
$100Molly Levene
$15000Polly & Dave Middleton
$1000Wendy & John Browner
$25Meredyth Ewing
$2000Liisa Tikkala
$750Ted Prahl
$100Kathy Raborn
$400Pinegrove Home Improvements
$1400Anne Repath
$500Susan Errickson
$1000Pam Prahl
$40000Anonymous
$100000Anonymous
$2000Beth Steel
$1000Denise Israels
$100Lorriane Thomas
$100Nicky Duenkel
$250Susan Whelan
$200Sarah Eubanks
$200James Doheny
$1000Melissa Booker
$500Rebecca Rooney
$1000Susan & Mark Mooney
$50Selena Lavorato
$1118.7Mike & Sheryl Puckering
$75Noel Harrington & Beverly Plitnikas
$100Greg & Kim David
$50Peggy & Brett Bell
$25Louis & Carri Schneider
$100David & Meegan Conklin
$50Dawn & Adrien Royston
$50Jaime Rocha Font & Irma Aguirre Luna
$100Colin Vaird & Donna Grant
$100Mr. & Mrs. S. Barich
$100Kevin Toderel & Siew Hon Ang
$1048.18Joe Jazbec
$750Sandra Wilder
$200Chad & Christie Cradock
$200Barbara & Eric Jaffe

HELP ALONG THE WAY

Volunteer Builders

With the help of the Volunteer Builders, many trades people and volunteers, AK-O-Mak was able to save upward of $200,000 in labour to build the Activity Pavilion. They worked tirelessly to perform their miracle of construction and we can’t thank them enough.

Our Donors

Ak-O-Mak wishes to thank our gracious donors past, present & future in helping Camp tackle the biggest project since building the Main House in 1927. Thank you for the continued support in the constant improvement to our camp and for supporting many young ladies.

Let’s make it happen!