Blue Lake NOMADS Project - part 2

Completed bunks at Dogwood

Bill putting together bunk bed for Dogwood 3

Lon & Billie, Bill & Kathy, Duane & Linda, Jeff & Joyce, Larry & Linda, Dave & Joy

     We continued to work on many different projects at Blue Lake Camp. The ladies finished painting the north end of Oakwood, demolished old beds at Pinewood and built and installed new bunks as replacements, cleaned the 4 Dogwood housing units, painted the new wood storage sheds. The guys worked on building a Gaga pit, installed 9 bunk beds in Dogwood 3, replaced missing blocks in the back of 3 buildings at Pinewood, installed support frames at Pinewood, designed and built paddleboat storage racks at the Pinewood and Dogwood beaches, repaired dryers, installed water fountains. Other tasks were done but have slipped my mind for now.

The ladies removing old beds at Pinewood

Joy putting bunk bed together

    NOMADS usually love to eat out and this crew was not about to change that tradition.

Eating ice cream @ DQ after we had BBQ

Enjoying BBQ @ Hooks Smokehouse

The Pickers would love this place 

Cross reflecting on the lakes

We went to Fort Walton Beach with Billie and Lon

     All in all we had a very good project at Blue Lake. Larry and Linda Schluer did a great job of leading this project. We had first time NOMADS, Dave and Joy Tabor join us as well. I don't think we scared them off, so hopefully we will see them again in the future.

Blue Lake Camp - Alabama - NOMADS part 1

     We arrived at Blue Lake Camp on Friday, March 8th, to settle in for our 3 week long NOMADS project. Upon arrival we were greeted by Larry and Linda Schluer our leaders for this project. They are from Ohio. A couple of hours later  Joy and Dave Tabor, campground owners from northern Wisconsin, arrived. They are new NOMADS and this is their first project. 

Our campsite @ Blue Lake Camp

     Saturday morning we headed into Andalusia to pick up a few supplies and have a trailer tire repaired. (we picked up a nail) Shortly after we returned to Blue Lake 2 other NOMADS couples showed up; Bill and Kathy Waters from the southwestern tip of North Carolina, Lon & Billie Labumbard from Spooner Wisconsin. A while later on Duane and Linda Wakefield from Cape Elizabeth Maine arrived making our team complete. Sunday we all went to church at First United Methodist in Andalusia, followed by lunch together at Beef O'Brady's.

Sunday evening we had our initial team meeting with a tasty supper provided by Linda & Larry. 

 Duane & Lon tearing down old playground equipment

Duane and Lon painting the door they repaired

     Monday morning we met at 8 for devotions and were welcomed by the camp director, Phyllis, who gave us a tour of the camps. There are actually 3 separate camping areas here at Blue Lake. There are 300 acres of property surrounded by the Conecuh National Forest. The camps occupy about 3/4 of the lake frontage with each having their own swimming areas. We were given assignments and went off to work after our tour.

Bill working on firewood storage shed

 Bill cementing water line together

Dave running the trencher

 Joyce & Lon cutting wood for new bunk beds

     Some of the work assigned for week #1 was: replace 12 faucets, plumbing repairs, painting rooms in the north wing of Oakwood, installing 3 water lines and bubblers for drinking water in recreation areas (1000' of pipe), repair doors, tear down playground equipment, cut wood for new bunk beds, build 2 firewood storage sheds, repair noisy dryer, etc. 

     The camp was kind enough to feed us several times as well. I will continue with more about our time here at Blue Lake Camp next time.

Visiting Flame & Pyro in Texas

     Friday, March 1st, we hooked up the trailer, said good-bye to our fellow NOMADS, and headed east away from Phoenix around 8 am. We drove east on I-10 past Tucson and on in to New Mexico, stopping near Deming for the night.

We camped at Rockhound SP, which is nestled up against some jagged mountains.

Our campsite @ Monahan Sandhills SP in west Texas

    The next morning we headed down the road and rolled into Texas at El Paso. We drove until mid-afternoon when we arrived at Monahan Sandhills SP.

 Nearing sunset

People rent plastic saucers or sleds to slide down the dunes

    We got one of the few remaining sites that would fit our trailer and headed for a walk on the dunes after setting up camp. The next morning we were off to an early start and drove to about 60 miles south of Dallas where we camped at Lofer Bend Campground (a COE cmpgnd). In the morning we drove to Pyro & Flame's home near Edgewood where we would enjoy the next 3 days visiting our friends from the AT. We went to visit an old estate of Mrs. Lee who had planted a boxcar load of Daffodils around the property years ago. Late afternoon we went for a nice walk on the trails around Flame & Tom's land. That evening we were pleased to meet Flame's sister Norma, niece Carla and her 2 children. They came all the way over from Tyler to meet us. Thank you.

Flame spent most of last summer painting their house a new color scheme.

The carport they had installed last year was a valuable addition.

 Tberry & Flame in front of Mrs. Lee's cabin

Monday afternoon Flame took us to Mrs. Lee's Daffodil ranch.

Dozens of acres of yellow beauty. Very nice!

 Salt Palace Museum

     Tuesday Flame took us to visit the Salt Palace museum in nearby Grand Saline. After that we visited the Southwest Dairy Farmers Museum near Sulphur  Springs. Very interesting time at both places.

When saw this fellow and immediately thought of our long distance hiking/biking friends Snake Hips and Spud from the AT

     Wednesday morning we headed to Mineral Wells SP to meet Jeriatric, who lives near Fort Worth. The 5 of us went out for a 6 mile hike thru the park. On the way home that afternoon we drove by the stadiums that the Rangers and Cowboys play in. We stopped at Mr. Biggs Smokehouse for some great Texas BBQ. Yum, yum! The next morning we headed east again to begin the trek to Alabama for our next NOMADS project at Blue Lake Assembly camp near Andalusia. It was hard to leave Flame and Tom's after having such a nice time seeing them again. Thank you again for the wonderful hospitality you showed "the Yoopers". We hope it works out for us to host you at our place in the not to distant future.

Our campsite in Roosevelt SP near Jackson, MS Thursday night

Glendale UMC - NOMADS Project

     We recently completed 2 weeks of volunteer work with a NOMADS team at Glendale UMC in Arizona. Our team leaders were Gary & Phyllis Prichard from the local Phoenix area. Gary & Linda Williams from Missouri and Lois & Wayne Babcock from Michigan were the remaining team members. Pastor Kim is pictured on the right. We did a wide variety of projects while at Glendale UMC:
Painting doors, replaced 3 doors, painting conduit and exterior walls, painted playground equipment, repair ceiling and countertop backsplash, etc.

Joyce painting exterior doors

 Wayne working on repairs to barrier free ramp

Lois painting stucco wall

The 2 Gary's it appears are having way too much fun!

Linda painting playground equipment

     Gary and Phyllis invited us over to their home for dinner one Friday evening.

The meal was great and the time together was enjoyed by all. 

Gary made an amazing desert

We camped at Calvary UMC and drove to Glendale to work everyday

Epworth UMC Phoenix - NOMADS Project

The NOMADS Crew @ Epworth UMC

Donna, Bobby, Jeff, Joyce, Lois, Wayne, Pastor Bev, Jan & Bob

Removing a fence around an acre or so of playground

     We arrived to begin our 3 week project on January 26 at Epworth UMC on the west side of Phoenix. Our NOMADS crew consists of 2 couples from Michigan and 2 couples from Arkansas. We joked that we are well covered for medical emergencies due to having 2 nurses, a retired doctor along with a retired minister. We have had a lot of fun with this group of NOMADS both on the job and during off hours activities. We are keeping busy with several projects that were requested by the church, including; remove fencing around a playground, build new storage cabinets along the back wall of the fellowship hall, painting the fellowship hall and kitchen, removing a pond and making improvements in the memorial gardens area, relocating some electrical in the sanctuary, changing over 60 bulbs in light fixtures, power washing the building exteriors, etc.

                            

     During our off hours we had game nights (Mexican train Dominos), went out to eat together several times, and went hiking in the mountains twice.

     Today we head to UMOM to meet with other NOMADS who are on projects in the area for a potluck lunch. It has been an enjoyable, rewarding time these first 2 weeks on our project.

Sunrise from our RV spot