It’s amazing how much you can accomplish with a little help from your friends!
It’s a mammoth task to get our old dame, Camp Ak-O-Mak, looking lively again after a long winter’s slumber. There is so much cleaning, unpacking and setting-up to be done, one could be forgiven for thinking it impossible to achieve before opening day. But when 34 volunteers show up with work gloves, tools, partners, appetites and bevies, it’s game on!
“There was dusting and cleaning a plenty.
There was sawing and nailing galore.
You want docks put in? We’ve got plenty!
So What? No Big Deal. We have more…….”
There were impressive reservoirs of talent this year.
Expert carpenters finished construction on the new Main House Porch and installed the porch railings on all of the cabins, removed each fall to prevent snow damage.
Sketchy trees were felled, cut and stowed for firewood.
Our band of muscular men and women hauled away the never-ending-piles of tree and construction debris…load after load….for hours on end…maybe in the rain…amid a few zillion black flies…(we vote them “MVP’s”!”)
The mowers were tuned up, repaired and turned out to the fields for the first trim.
The team of singing dish washers sterilized every item and square inch of our professional kitchen, while belting out tunes from a current sound track.
We were so grateful to have Chef Samson (of ‘Cooking with Sam’ fame) prepare the magnificent meals we enjoyed. And who are we kidding? Isn’t Sam’s cooking the main reason we all race to the volunteer weekend each May?!
The Fab 5 from Welland worked their magic making the hops, cabins, and Main House sparkle with a deep clean. The banter by this group during cleaning is an entertaining side benefit made the time fly. And if a Fab 5 team mate was temporarily missing in action?… you’d hear a solitary “Marco!” called out through the forest. An immediate group reply of “Polo!” quickly reunited the band of merry dusters, and on they went to the next house.
A weekend at camp is more than just work. We ALWAYS make time to play! And play we did!
Rosie T was determined this year to win the coveted “First One In the Lake” award. No matter that the ice went out a mere few weeks ago. Within minutes of arrival, she was beetling down to the Main Dock and plunged to secure the title, closely followed by Michael P. & J.Code. These brave souls, plus Hanna, Megan, Emma, continued the lake dips twice daily all weekend while rest of us (wimps) preferred fleecies and wool socks, thank you very much.
One of the best parts of the Volunteer weekend is sharing fine food, a few libations and many laughs with new friends, after a full day’s work each evening.
We are SO GRATEFUL to our wonderful volunteers! More than half of you have never even attended Camp Ak-O-Mak, yet you graciously gave your time and talent to help camp thrive. It is a daunting task to keep Ak-O-Mak going and it just would not be possible without you.
On behalf of our campers, parents and families and staff, THANK YOU to
Aaron B, Jen C , Jenna , Jessica C, Jess C, Rosie T, Herb D, Laurie & Chad, Shannon & Jamie, Penny, Laurie, Jo-Leen & Suzi, Joe, Colin and Kyle, Shawn & Victoria, Sheryl, Michael & Hannah P, Megan P & Nathan G, Emma P & Matthew C, Greg R, Samson M, Joyce M, and Sandi W.
Dianne and Catherine