The Business and Operations teams continue their work to be ready for outdoor ministry programs to move to Templed Hills in 2018. The Business Team has agreed on the framework of a business plan and is now fine-tuning. It is also setting benchmarks for success and developing financial projections for the coming years.
One of the recommendations is a reintroduction of “traditional church camps” to be offered alongside the specialty camps that have become the mainstay of our programs. The Business Team expects this kind of programming to appeal to campers who are not ready to commit to one particular area of focus and will become a feeder to the more specialized programs in the other camps. Other parts of the plan include a focus on adult groups and improved marketing programs.
The Operations Team has evaluated the needs at Templed Hills and established priorities for the coming months. In addition to general maintenance and cleaning, work is underway to prepare the manager’s house, to finish the new maintenance building, and projects to address drainage problems at Heritage Hall. Other items that are in the planning stages are an accessible restroom on the main floor of Skipper Lodge (the dining hall) and air conditioning of several key buildings.
New cabin at Templed Hills. Volunteers demolished the old cabin and built the new one.
Several churches have sent work teams to tackle some of the projects at Templed Hills. Special thanks are owed to Middleburg Heights Community UCC, Sylvania UCC, and Westerville Community UCC who each sent groups for multiple days. They helped clear trails, clean, paint and clear items from the old maintenance building. They have even tackled some demolition and construction projects such as the cabin shown here. There are several individuals that have also come and worked on numerous projects around the camp. All of these efforts are appreciated.
However, there’s still much to be done! Not only was there deferred maintenance at the time that Templed Hills was put on “sabbatical” three years ago, but very little has been done in the interim. Consequently, all the buildings require some degree of attention, from basic cleaning and painting to plumbing and electrical work. Jim Ditzler is leading the Operations Team. If your church can send a work team for one or more of the jobs, listed below, please email him at jditzler26@gmail.com. While the current list is pretty physical, later we will also need people with other skills. For instance, we will need to purchase furnishings for Heritage Hall and want to consider redesigning some of the bedrooms to make them more flexible. So, if you have skills in this area, please let Jim know.
Here’s the current list of jobs which need to be done:
- Install new light fixtures;
- Rebuild the entrance deck/ramp at Heritage Hall. (The current one will be destroyed by excavation to solve drainage problems.)
- Clean out the old maintenance building;
- Someone who is experienced to operate JD tractor and brush hog to get some needed mowing done. (This is for potential athletic facilities, not just maintenance of the site.);
- Someone who is good with operating JD tractor with front forks to manage and consolidate a log pile;
- A team of at least medium-skilled carpenters to install insulation and paneling;
- A team of semi-plumbers to remove bathtubs in Staff House, a shower at the Manager’s House, and other appliances;
At least 1-2 electricians, preferably licensed, who would be available on weekdays; - A group with a lead plumber to handle modest interior plumbing jobs;
- Persons in our churches with professional engineering skills who would be willing to offer no-cost advice.
For those who have not read all the history: The Board of Directors moved all its program to Pilgrim Hills and put Templed Hills on an extended rest since 2015. After much time evaluating the two sites and the conference’s ever-changing financial picture, the board voted in February 2017 to sell its Pilgrim Hills site and move program back to Templed Hills beginning in Summer 2018. A farewell to and decommissioning of Pilgrim Hills is scheduled for Saturday. Oct. 7.
Read more background about the decision about our camps.
To whom would I speak about the possibility of reserving Templed Hills for a non-church gathering in September of 2018?
Reservations are handled by our management company -- United Camps, Conferences and Retreats (UCCR). You can reach them at 800-678-5102. They will be glad to help you. Keep in mind that they are located in California so you won't be able to reach them early in the morning, but they'll still be in the office after business hours are over in Ohio!