Weeks 5 and 6 (07/21/2014 - 08/03/2014): Camp Easter Seals/UCP, HQ,
and Camp Spearhead
by Nick Julian.
After waning internet connectivity, it is my pleasure to update you on the "goings on" of the 2014 Build America Team! Since Camp Fairlee Manor and our trip to Washington, DC, we have visited so many places namely: Camp Easter Seals UCP in New Castle, Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Camp Spearhead in Greenville, South Carolina!
It has been a rather eventful past couple of weeks so let's start from our Week 5 stop, Camp Easter Seals UCP. Located in New Castle, VA at the near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Easter Seals UCP was established in 1957 and is "designed to offer children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy fun and challenging activities in a supportive and cooperative atmosphere" (http://www.campeastersealsucp.com).
It was an absolutely picturesque campsite and the campers and counselors made the entire visit special. From the moment we sat down for lunch we were embraced with hugs, jokes, laughter, and camp traditions! From "kissing the moose" to "doing the infirmary run", Camp Easter Seals UCP got us involved almost
immediately. We even had a "song showdown" on a camp song called the "Little Red Wagon" where we learned it one way at a past camp visit, and where it was done differently at this camp. Regardless, everyone had a blast. As far as our projects were concerned, we cleared a hiking trail, laid down some gravel built a pagoda, and set up a low ropes course.
Each project had its challenges and all were difficult, but we were able to finish our projects on the
day before our week had finished. As always, but seemingly more so, saying farewell to this camp and its campers was difficult. Possibly because it marked the point where there were only two weeks left to the ending of the 2014 Build America route.
Our spirits were quickly lifted, however, when the team visited North Carolina, the home of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity's National Headquarters. Our first stop in North Carolina was in the town of Belmont, where
we visited a long time partner of Push America, Holy Angels, a care facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Push America has been coming to Holy Angels since 1989 and it has been a relationship that has blossomed into a shared mission of helping people who are differently abled live to the fullest of their abilities. At Holy Angels, we were also able to meet up with Push America's Journey of Hope: South Route team. The Journey of Hope (JOH) is a bike ride across
the country that raises awareness for people with disabilities. This year's South Route, in particular, began in California and ended this week with their arrival in Washington, DC.
We spent the weekend in Charlotte, NC with the JOH team and were able to get to share our experiences from this summer. We also attended an event called "24 Horse of Booty" which was a constant 24 hour bike ride to raise awareness for cancer research. After visiting our
Fraternity's headquarters, we had breakfast with our Honorary Fourth Founder of our Fraternity, and then made our way to South Carolina.
Our camp visit in South Carolina was in Marietta at Camp Spearhead. This camp was by far the most resort-looking camp we have seen in these five weeks. It was built entirely with accessibility in mind and is run by the Greenville County of Parks and Recreation. Additionally, it is a camp with which Build America is not
unfamiliar. There is actually a trail and Archery Range with Pi Kappa Phi's name on it! Our projects in our sixth week included building a "Gaga pit", repairing a ropes tower, building a Hammock village, and clearing a trail to the Hammock village.
The weather was shockingly beautiful, making hard work bearable in the Southern sun. Trails were cleared within the first couple of days leaving them to help on one of the larger projects, building a hammock
village. At the Hammock Village, there was a deck with 45 posts that had to be dug, and a size of 20' by 40'. It truly was a significant project requiring many hands and a great deal of sweat and hard work. Alternately, for those repairing a ropes tower deck and building a "gaga pit" had a great deal of layout and leveling to do. Fortunately, with good weather ruling the skies, these projects were completed in good time, we even broke in the Gaga pit with some of the counselors and it was an
awesome time!
That's all for now as I am currently en route to the Birthplace of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Charleston, South Carolina!
The next time I will give an update will be at the National Convention of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity in Atlanta, Georgia! Farewell for now!
