From the Director’s Desk- Building Trades and a Builder’s Farewell
Dear Camp Friend,
Early last spring, a metal storage shed near the dining hall was violently blown into the woods during a storm. The shed was a 2017 Camp Ondessonk Gala auction item acquired by Camp Friends, Marge and Tom Downey. With no need for a shed at their home, they immediately donated it to Camp. It was then erected by a couple of volunteers during a spring, 2017 work weekend. After the storm, I volunteered to build a more permanent wood-framed replacement shed in my “free time.” I even pledged to have it finished by the beginning of Summer Camp. I failed miserably to meet my Summer Camp deadline, though I did find time to rebuild and level up its wood deck during the first half of the summer. The lumber for the new building sat lonely under tarps until the job was kick-started by our partnership with a construction class from Vienna High School. Evan Coulson, who leads Camp’s community outreach programs, asked me to work with the group. He must have felt sorry for me. Though only for an hour at a time, the construction class’s contributions have forced much-needed progress. No promises, but the students and I certainly should finish it by 2026 Summer Camp.
Scott Martin, Camp’s Director of Maintenance, recently announced his intention to vacate his position at the end of the year. The job has long been called Camp Ranger, but I often use the more descriptive Director of Maintenance title to avoid confusion. Scott assumed the role in April of 2024. He’s done an excellent job, especially considering the very big shoes he filled when Ranger Mike Jennings retired in 2024. We are very sad to see him go so soon. Scott made the tough decision to resign after realizing the sometimes life-consuming nature of the role is not what he wants at this point in his working career. Before relocating to Southernmost Illinois in 2017, Scott left a very demanding position at his family’s concrete contracting company. He moved down here partly to pursue a greater balance between work and non-work pursuits. He became one of Camp’s Assistant Rangers in 2021. Scott’s strong leadership and organizational skills, along with his even-keeled patience and kindness, have served him well at Camp Ondessonk. Many longtime Summer Camp maintenance volunteers shared their admiration of Scott with me after working with him. Though his farewell is much sooner than we all hoped, his many lifelong Camp Ondessonk Friends wish him well.
Scott has assured us of his intention to remain actively involved in the Camp Ondessonk Community. He understands our collective assignment to keep Camp in our lives for the rest of our lives. Many thanks to Scott, and thousands of people just like you for doing so.
Sincerely,
Daniel W. King
Executive Director
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