We have been working very hard on not only a new website but also a new registration system for CYO/Camp Howard. As we try to get all the bugs worked out I know it can be a little frustrating but hang in there folks, it is going to be a great system when we get through the newness of it. Special thanks to all who have been working hard to get things in place.
Larry Woods is a remarkable man! Talented and gifted in so many ways! How lucky are we that he is our neighbor at Camp Howard? Larry is a retired forester who worked very hard in life. Along the way he learned a lot about the forest industry and also about mechanics, welding, building with metal, painting metal, etc. He rebuilt our camp luggage trailer a couple years ago and it was really a work to behold including some pin striping! He rebuilt the hitch to make it easier for a couple of gals to operate (Karen and I).
Currently he has been working on removing the Alder growth that tries to get a stronghold in new plantations of Douglas Fir. He has really made some great headway on that project. One of the most interesting things he is doing is building “rock cribs” for us out of metal. Now you are wondering what a rock crib is! I will have to do a special posting one of these days on rock cribs from Eastern Oregon. Maybe some of my friends will send me pictures of rock cribs to use?
Anyway a rock crib is one of those special little devices that has a variety of positive attributes. It provides a space to place rocks that farmers don’t want in the field because rocks break up the equipment. So they build cribs to put the rocks in and keep them out of the way. The cribs are built along fence lines because they help stabilize fences. The weight of the crib would anchor the fence. In some places in Eastern Oregon, it is hard to dig into the ground to plant a fence post so the rock crib became the anchor for the fence post as well.
What are we going to do with them at Camp Howard? We are going to mark the boundary lines of the camp with them for starters. Then we are going to use them to anchor the new fence and gates we will replace along the front edge of the property along Camp Howard Road. These rock cribs will last a lot longer than the ones my Grandfather built out of wood.
I would like to hear some comments on your own experience with Rock Cribs…
Larry Wood in his shop where he has built a prototype rock crib for Camp Howard.
Isn’t it a blessing when you truly have a day off? I went over and picked up my Mom and we went for a drive. We went to Camp Howard to visit Karen and see what was happening at the camp. She went with us on a tour around the camp and showed us what was happening. The pictures tell the story!
Going down the road to Camp Howard. Notice how clean the edge of the road is!
Larry was removing alder from the Douglas Fir plantation. Nice job, Larry!
Karen von Borstel Talking about her plans for what is happening in Champions Hall and around the camp.
Everything is getting a fresh coat of paint, new wainscoting, lights, etc.
A Unit is a group of cabins. This is Aldergrove Unit freshly re-roofed!
Outdoor School hired a person to teach branch art several years ago at Camp Howard. Still standing – I really like it.
Twins munch on Camp Howard edibles as their Mother keeps an eye just outside the photo.
CYO Swimming is setting records for number of participants. We are over 800 kids this year which is a great
thing for competition. At the conclusion of each of our sport seasons we have a championship event and there are
some fantastic finishes that take place. At the conclusion of the meets (it takes two meets to swim all of the
participants) we do the math and add up the score…Congratulations Our Lady of Lourdes for another fantastic
finish and winning the coveted CYO Swim Championship for 2015!
Our Lady of Lourdes, Vancouver, WA wins the CYO 2015 Swim Championship!
Winter Camp meetings have begun. The leadership team for the summer program reviews notes taken at the weekly meetings during camp
in effort to make improvements. At the conclusion of the meetings which lasted about 4 hours, we toured the camp to check on the progress
of the All Saints Cabin which had been knocked off its foundation by a tree. Then we checked out the renovations inside of Champions Hall.
Special thanks to Candi, Leila and Karen for the great job they are doing making Camp “look great!”
Bill Fogarty, Candi Trap, Leila Blake, Karen von Borstel
Picking indoor colors for inside of Champions Hall. New wainscoting will be added after the painting is finished.
All Saints Cabin Update – Porch back in place, cabin on a new foundation and floor repaired!
You may or may not wonder….how do the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon feel about such things as the Superbowl?
Lots of Seahawk fans!
Part of the Sisters daily routine is Evening Prayer which is said just before the evening meal.
I had to take a photo of the note posted outside the Chapel because this just doesn’t happen!!!
St. Cecilia – 7th Grade Girls
Head Coach: Heather Gentry, Assistant Coach: Scott Szulczewski
Team Members: Isabelle, Haley, Kristi, Molly, Malee, Zoey, Amber & Lola
It was a hard-fought battle all the way to the end of the game as St. Cecilia lost the first set and came back to win the second and third!
St. Cecilia 7th Grade Girls win CYO Championship 2014
St. Pius X – 8th Grade Girls
Head Coach: Mark Gregory Anctil, Assistant Coach: Natalie Bolton
Team Members: Iesha, Amelia, Emily, Morgan, Grace, Brynne, Paige, Seraiah, Grace & Payton
St. Pius X had a tremendous championship run winning the CYO Spike Championship for 2014.
St. Pius X Eighth Grade Girls win CYO Spike Championship 2014
Cathedral – 6th Grade Girls
Head Coach Christian Buchholz, Assistant Coach Jenni Valentine and Eric Valentine. Team Members: Claire, Alison, Abigail, Ava, Scout, Meg, Aiko, Grace & Cierra.
The Cathedral 6th Grade Girls followed suit with the 5th Grade Girls and won the CYO Spike Championship for 2014
6th Grade Girls Champions for the CYO Spike Tournament CATHEDRAL
CYO/Camp Howard 