Yet another dining hall update...

Whoa! I realized that I haven't updated this blog with recent photos of the dining hall project. It looks great. I mean, I wouldn't necessarily want to eat in it yet, but the construction is happening so quickly, and the building is so much bigger than I thought. As you look at the pictures, remember that this is only the first floor (aka the basement that will hold storage space, our elevator, loading dock, and intern apartments). The second floor will look very different, and will be where campers eat their meals!
I hope you enjoy.

Everyone in the Ligonier office got excited about the above photo.

"Look, it's a door! It's a real, live door!"
(note: door is on backward. there's a purpose for that, they say. it'll be fixed for camp!)

Look how gigantic this facility is! It already is taller than the lodge, and it's only the first floor!

The indoor climbing tower is currently covered in plastic. We told Jim that was
because people were climbing in there, and he believed us, but only briefly!
(there aren't any holds!)

It's Not Too Late!

If you are still thinking about coming to Winterpalooza, but you see that your form says "Please return by Dec. 1", it's okay! We're still accepting forms. We've been overwhelmed by the number of campers excited about Winterpalooza, and we still have some beds empty. Please don't hesitate to visit our website, www.ligoniercamp.org, to print out and send in your form & deposit to hold your spot!

Remember: only those who attend will learn the secret to becoming Ultimate SuperFans!

A Cool Site!

Hey, parents and kids! This is a really cool initiative by the guy that created Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer. He believes that since kids watch (on average) 22 hours of TV a week, that we need to find ways to reach them through their television habits. He's created a television channel, JellyTelly, that's reminiscent of a Christian Nickelodeon. It's still in the works and running as an internet TV channel, but watch this quick video and check out the site for more info. Could be a great way for your camper to connect with quality television media that you can trust!

Economic Crisis & Camp Scholarships

I hope this post finds you all anxiously awaiting your summer at camp! Now, I know that big, delicious turkeys and sugar plums are dancing in your heads, (and maybe a Nintendo Wii topped with a Christmas bow), but it's already time to plan summer. Everyone should have received a registration form for Summer 2009, so go ahead and fill it out!

This year has been, and will continue to be, a challenging time economically. All of us here at the camp are experiencing the effects of our difficult economy, but we thank God daily for his blessings - our new dining hall, the beautiful snow flurries over the mountains, a good, hot coffee on a cold morning, and chance to celebrate these things with our families this upcoming thanksgiving.

While we know that truly, some of the best things in life are free, we are also aware of the difficulties this economy is causing with your families. Anxiety about lost jobs, buying Christmas gifts or Thanksgiving dinner, or even wondering when your next paycheck will come are all things each of us could be facing today.

We believe (and we hope you do, too) that camp has a lasting, permanant effect on campers. Because of this, we want to be helpful in any way we can. I'm not sure how much time is spent discussing our scholarship program for campers to attend camp. Our desire at Ligonier is that no camper will be prohibited from attending camp because of financial status. We provide over $20,000 in scholarship each year for campers who are unable to pay tuition fees. Just get your registration form and check the box labeled "Scholarship Information" in the lower right-hand corner (or near the bottom of your form online).

If you are struggling this year with providing an experience to your kids that they love, and that you want them to enjoy, we understand. Please do not hesitate to call and talk with us (724.238.6428) about ways that we can make this summer possible for your family, and we'll do the best we can. We'll be praying for you all!

Winterpalooza 2008 Theme Announced

Winterpalooza, our annual winter retreat for campers and friends, will be held December 30, 2008 through Januar 1, 2009. This retreat's theme is "Ultimate SuperFan", and all campers and staff should be prepared to dress as a SuperFan of their favorite team - we're talking jersey, hat, striped socks, feather boa, whatever it takes - to show that they deserve the title of Ultimate SuperFan. We all love different sports teams and activities, so let's show it!
If you're interested in signing up for Winterpalooza, the registration forms will be available at www.ligoniercamp.org.

Spaces are limited, so register as soon as possible!

Our Wonderful Kitchen

Well, it's not really the kitchen that is great - it's our kitchen manager, April! She does an amazing job planning meals for the Next Level camp in the summer, and all of our outside groups that come for retreats. And most importantly (ha ha), she prepares food for the year-round staff. Just kidding -but that is one of the great perks of having a great chef like April around. Not only does she have initiative - she wrote an essay that won Ligonier camp 1000 dollars AND a free kitchen deep-clean from the Dawn company - but she gets free samples to try out on our staff. So far we've experienced whole-weat Pop-Tarts, deep fried green beans & cheesecake bites, mini pork chops, and much more. We're always looking for new, healthier options for our campers, as well as a few items that make great treats. While fried green beans may never make the cut, the whole-grain Pop-tarts have been a big hit on breakfast-in-bed day!
Just today, April made a great breakfast and many of us were able to sit down and enjoy it together - eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, OJ and fresh coffee - what a treat! It's always a fun surprise to be able to sit and talk to everyone while enjoying a hot breakfast.
Thanks, April - you do a great job!

Weather report: snow!

This week, the weather report is calling for snow to fall on Ligonier - today, in fact! Our prayer is that the snow and ground freeze will both hold off a while longer. Our wonderful contractors and engineers are working so hard to get the essentials of the new dining hall finished before the ground freezes and snow takes over - so we're not quite ready for the flurries to fly.
It looks as if we won't have any "problem" snow this week - just some light flakes falling lazily to the ground, if they're lucky enough to make it without melting!
That said, snow is a beautiful event up here - everything gets quiet, and there's a little extra chill in the air, and we all curl up in our houses with our fireplaces roaring to enjoy a relaxed "mountain" evening at home. While snow definitely causes all kinds of concerns - driving, salting, plowing, freezing - it also has some pretty great perks!

Progress

Hello, camp friends! I wanted to post some updated pictures from the dining hall construction. The walls are going up so quickly. And we've even gotten used to the noise, except for when we need to use the phone - then it can be hard sometimes.
Thank you all for your prayers and support during this building process - please, come up and see how things are going! Call the camp at 724-238-6428 if you'd like to stop by.

This is how close the new dining hall will be to the lodge!

The east-west running center wall, separating level one and level two

Our tallest wall (the west wall)

Fall Work Day!

On November 1, 2008, Ligonier will hold a Fall Work Day. Beginning at 9:00 am, staff and volunteers will tackle a number of work projects around the camp, including raking, cleaning, and basic handy-man work. Ligonier is looking for volunteers to come and help to get camp ready for the winter. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers, and the day should wrap up around 3:00 pm.
Interested? Call Wayne Faber at 724-238-6428 x 110.

We'd love to see you there!

Walls!

Attention, Ligonier Camp: The dining hall has walls! Granted, they're not complete, and they're made of concrete blocks, but they are walls. It's so fun to see them going up quickly to prepare for next summer (but first, for the hours and hours of work to make it look like a dining hall!).

As soon as the camera is available, we'll have some more photos up to show how quickly these guys are working! Here's a big shout-out to the guys at Burchick construction who are doing an amazing job, as well as the architects and designers at Machlachlan, Cornelius, & Filoni. We coudln't do this without you!

Fort Ligonier Days

Many of you who have been here in the summer are probably curious as to how we are all able to survive the year in a relatively quiet, small town after all the hustle and bustle of summer camp.
Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

Fort Ligonier Days.

Fort Days, as the locals call it, is a chance for everyone in the town of Ligonier to either get out or get pumped for the more than one hundred thousand people that will come into town this weekend. From craft booths to food vendors to strolling musicians, Fort Days provides the opportunity to do what we all love best - wander around eating food and looking at things we don't need. It's also a wonderful chance to catch up with family because the local school district takes a day off, and families can choose to enjoy the day together. While Friday is less crowded, Saturday is the day that takes the cake. From an early morning pancake breakfast to an 11 am parade that lasts two hours to the final cheesecake served from Sand Hill Berries, Saturday is action-packed and entertaining. It's one of the things that makes this town great - and it's wonderful to have so many groups here taking advantage of the facilites that Ligonier Camp has to offer while enjoying one of the great events in the town of Ligonier. If you're in town this weekend, look for some LCCC staff members selling halushki, buffalo burgers, or great crafts as we get in on all the fun.
See you there!

Ligonier accepts that technology is real

Ha ha! Just teasing. As with many camps, Ligonier is definitely not as progressive in technology as much of the world. But no more - Ligonier will be launching a brand new website before the new year! Keep an eye out for great new things that will be available online - including online registrations!

Golf Outing!

The Ligonier Camp Golf Outing is coming up this Monday, October 6, 2008. We have 100 golfers signed up for the event, as well as tons of tee, green and prize sponsors, as well as many caring and generous monetary sponsors. This event is going to be a blast! Skill competitions include: closest to the pin, longest drive, hole in one, and "beat the directors". It should be a great, fun-filled day. The best part? The weatherman is calling for sunny and a high of 72! So not only do we get to celebrate our ministry, but we get to do so in beautiful weather.
If you're coming out Monday, we're looking forward to seeing you!

Posted Sign Day

Hey! One of our favorite days of the fall is "Posted Sign Day". Because we have such an extensive property, and lots of deer, this is a time of year where trespassing is very popular. Since having strangers on property could be a danger to local residents, guests, and employees (not to mention being detrimental to our deer population), we spend a day or two each fall posting signs warning others that they are entering private property and to turn around now. Now, I know it seems like a day of hiking around in the muggy wetness and ripping down old signs while posting new ones would get old, but it is the best. We got to meet some of our neighbors, become more familiar with our property lines, enjoy the beautiful fall colors, see birds all over, and pick delicious wild grapes! It was a great morning for us...not only did we get to enjoy God's creation, but we got to protect our property at the same time.
If you're driving down 711 and you see some shiny new Posted signs, you'll know who put them there! :)

Promotions

As soon as summer camp is over, we start getting ready for next summer. We make a plan of churches, homes and schools that we will visit to talk about camp. Many times, we will go to a church, speak during the worship service, visit Sunday Schools, and host an information table during coffee hour. At a home, we will meet with a family and their friends, share a meal or snack, and tell everyone a little bit about camp. At schools, we have a table and some fun gadgets and videos to watch so students can check out the camp. All of these visits are ways to attract more people to Ligonier Camp.
But most of them don't work as well as another way. YOU. You are the best way to get new campers to try Ligonier Camp. Parents, you can tell your friends about your child's experience, and campers, you can invite your friends! Most of our campers (and staff) come because Ligonier Camp has been recommended by a pal.
Want us to come visit your church or home? Want to invite your friends, but aren't sure how? Leave a comment, email the camp at summercamp@ligoniercamp.org, or call the camp at 724-238-6428.
Thanks for all you do to tell others about your experiences at Ligonier Camp and Conference Center!!

The "Off-season"

Ever wondered what goes on at camp after summer camp is over? After all the cubbies in the KYBO are cleaned out and the cabins are swept and the last dodgeball has been thrown? There are a lot of things that happen, actually. Much of the time is spent getting buildings and grounds ready for winter so that they stay in great shape for the next summer. Some building are used year-round for retreats - the girls kybo becomes one side girls, one side boys, the HPC becomes a bunkhouse, the infirmary becomes a house with bunkbeds, a kitchen, and a living room, and the Coleman Cottage is dressed up and ready for visitors.
Also, the fun adventure activities campers do in the summer continue to happen year-round. In the fall, groups of kids and adults will come to do initiatives, caving, climbing, high ropes, low ropes, zipline, and even the Vomit Comet! When it gets chilly out, we layer our clothes and put out some burn barrels so people can warm their hands. It's so fun to see everyone from a seventh-grade class to a group of lawyers try the pamper jump!
While it's never the same without campers around, camp is still a fun place to be. Plus, if campers were here ALL the time, what would any of us have to look forward to? See you for Winterpalooza in December, campers! Registrations will be ready soon.

It's that time of year!

Howdy, fellow Ligonier Camp friends! We're getting to the time of year where the Laurel Highlands are absolutely beautiful. It's just the best place to be, and we're all thankful for the chance to work at such a wonderful piece of God's creation. I just wanted to let you all know about some pretty great things that happen up in this area in the fall:

First things first, there are tons of farmer's markets in this area, with local farmers and vendors supplying everything from fresh tomatoes, pumpkins, apples, and flowers to homemade crafts, foliage arrangements, pies, jams, jellies, and more. And since next week is "Buy Local PA" week, it's a great time to get out and try some local fare. The weekly Ligonier Country Market is Saturday morning from 8 am until noon.

There are two weekends left for the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival held in West Newton, just under an hour from Ligonier Camp. The Renaissance festival is a great chance to experience the culture of the Renaissance while trying everything from turkey legs to jousting!

Many local towns and farms celebrate fall festivals, including folk music, Victorian home tours, ethnic celebrations, fall foliage drives, apple-picking, food vendors, arts and crafts, parades and more! Some locations include: Scottsdale, PA; Smicksburg, PA; Mount Pleasant, PA; Ebensburg, PA; Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, PA; Faranda Farm in Hollsopple, PA; Springs, PA; and Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Seven Springs, PA.

Finally (and my personal favorite), Ligonier Fort Days take place the weekend of October 10-12. This celebration takes the town of Ligonier from a population of 1611 (per a July 2007 survey) to over 100,000 people for the weekend. The festival includes a Friday kick-off at noon in the heart of town, with food vendors and craft vendors aplenty (just a tip: Ligonier locals get great deals in downtown shops on Thursday, October 9). The festival offers tours of Fort Ligonier, reenactments, a Saturday parade, and cuisine from buffalo burgers to halushki to funnel cakes supreme. You can't miss it!

If you've ever though about bringing a group of friends or family to enjoy the Laurel Highlands, make sure to give the camp a call! We have housing for all kinds of groups, and would love to accomodate your time enjoying all the Highlands have to offer. Feel free to call and request a tour, if your child is considering a week or two at summer camp in 2009.

Construction update

Hey, everyone! I hope you're all as excited as we are about the construction. It's getting noisier out there every day, which is a great sign! Today, we have a lot of large equipment here that's been leveling the ground and doing...other things. (This is Leeanne typing today, and I just don't know a lot about construction, but the place looks great!).
Here are some photos of today. I took some of them up toward the chapel of the pines, some toward the rec deck, one toward the pavilion, and one in the direction of the dining hall.

Isn't it amazing to see this place changing? I remember being a camper when they built the climbing tower - we had to watch it be "halfway" done for a summer, and then it was such a big deal to have a tower! I remember the rec deck being done and having Bible Studies there and "girl talk" during Action Options. This new dining hall is an amazing thing! I am so ready to see kids sitting around the tables, watching run-on skits where everyone can see them (not like now, when Unit 1 girls can't see! sorry ladies), eating delicious food, and making it easier on our kitchen staff & CITs to prepare and clean up our meals by having a brand new kitchen.

So what are you excited about with the new dining hall? Leave a comment!
(Note: all comments are moderated, so it will take a little bit for them to show up - safety first!)









Will you guys be in prayer for us for a few things?:

• That the weather will cooperate with this project so it can be done on time
• That we would continue moving toward our 5.5 million dollar goal for the campaign
• That we would be constantly remembering that God is in control
• That we are able to work efficiently and cheerfully despite noisy distractions
• And finally, praise God for the blessings at this time at Ligonier Camp.

Thanks, everyone! Have a wonderful day.

Golf Outing 2008

We're getting ready for our annual golf outing coming up October 6, 2008 at Ligonier Country Club. This outing is a great fundraiser for the camp, and a great chance to spend the day in the beautiful Laurel Highlands as the leaves are changing. Enjoy scramble format golf, lunch, dinner, homemade sticky buns, and great gifts and prizes. Most importantly, you help to support the ministry of Ligonier Camp and Conference Center.

Interested? You can sign up to play, to sponsor a foursome, a tee, or a green, or even be a prize sponsor. Call the camp at 724-238-6428 with any questions.

A Wonderful Groundbreaking

Great news, everyone. Our groundbreaking was great!

For those of you who haven't heard, we actually broke ground at the end of August on our brand new dining hall. I've included some photos of the process of the groundbreaking. Our favorite part, to date, has been watching the contractors extract an enormous tree trunk and roots and pull out the stairs behind the lodge. They poured concrete footers yesterday, so we're well on our way to having a new dining hall for summer camp 2009.

As for the official groundbreaking ceremony, nearly 110 former campers, board members, staff, and long-time friends of the camp were in attendance for the Saturday activities. A program was led by Dr. Joseph Lenkey and included comments by LCCC Executive Director Patrick Myers, past camper Meghan Adams, Board President Michael Pettit, Honorary Chair Doug Dunderdale, and many others. A rainy day offerred all the opportunity to view the turning of the sod by LCCC's executive team, design team, and staff, from under a sea of umbrellas. Appropriately, the events were followed by one final meal in the Summer Dining Hall, soon to be known as the Alumni Program Center.

What a celebration to thank God for his blessings in this capital campaign. We're at 3.65 million dollars on our way to 5.5 million, and every step of the way God has blessed this process. Thank you for your prayers and support of Ligonier Camp throughout the years.

If you have questions or would like to support the campaign, you can contact the camp at 724-238-6428.

Our design team

LCCC year-round staff

The beloved Sarah and Pappy

2008 Summer Staff visitors

Groundbreaking

Ligonier Camp is excited to break ground on our new dining hall, where campers will eat during Summer of 2009. We hope you'll join us for our official Groundbreaking celebration on September 13, 2008.

Hey everyone!

Hey Ligonier Camp campers, staff, and alumni! It's great to have you guys connected in on the web. Feel free to look around for cool links, announcements, and other info on the blog.

Imagine it's the first day at camp...what happens? That's right, a rules talk. Here are a few:

Please do not post any rude, profane, or explicit information or comments on this blog. All comments will be monitored by the blog moderator.

Please do not use our blog for "spam" or "scam" postings.

Please don't use any photos from this website without permission. Some of the photos are copyright protected.

Thanks! Check back for updates.