Hi GFC friends and family,
I’m Beau Moore, Greene family Camp’s Facility Manager. I live here at camp full-time year around with my wife Alysa, who is the food service manager, and our three sons Talon (17), Landyn (15), and Kameron (10). I direct the day-to-day operations here at GFC with the help of my housekeeping and facilities team. We do everything from manicuring the lawns, plumping, electrical and mechanical needs, and maintaining the pools at camp, to ensuring that all spaces are clean and presentable to our guests during their stay here at camp. I couldn’t be successful without the help of my excellent team.
Camp is a deep passion of mine; been around it since my adolescent days as a boy scout all the way into my adult years as my chosen career path. It brings me great joy to see what camp could be and not “just” what is. I’m always thinking about how we can do this better or make it more exciting for those coming to enjoy our beautiful facility.
With that in mind, I want to introduce you to some very exciting projects that are taking place here at GFC. As I traveled around the property a few months ago, I noticed that there seemed to be a shortage in seating around our cabin sites. In fact, I learned from my 15-year-old, there had been such a shortage in cabin porch benches that there is a camper-created competition that’s been deemed “Bench Wars”. Campers, with the help of their counselors, sneakily try to acquire as many benches as possible for their cabin. While this game creates a sense of bonding for the bunk as they spend time, energy, and cleverness figuring out how and when to acquire a new bench, it also leads to a bigger cleanup for my crew and broken benches.
So, to make seating for everyone, I designed a bench that’s very durable, long lasting, and looks great. We use 2×4’s, 1×4’s, construction adhesive, and lag screws, then do a little sanding and some stain sealant. During Mitzvah Weekend at the beginning of March, our community members helped to build 25 of these benches! I must give a huge shout out to all those who could join us for Mitzvah Weekend by either being here in person or donating to the bench building project. It was such a joy to work with all the alumni, lay leaders, and the members of the GFC community. I was so impressed that a group of individuals, some of whom had a lot of building experience and some with none, could come together, united under one goal, to make camp a better place with a “can do” attitude. That’s mind blowing if you ask me. The benches now look beautiful, placed in front of each cabin. Putting an end to the bench war era, we will be bolting them down so that seating will remain available for everyone.
Mitzvah Weekend participants sitting on the 25 benches they built!
Also, another shout to Graham Gadd, The Science Dad (our summer STEAM program specialist) who also worked with a group the same weekend to make beautiful new signs, in English and in Hebrew, that are to be mounted on all our spaces around camp. These new signs will help our campers, staff, and rental groups navigate our campus easier! They look beautiful and are a tremendous help. Thanks again to Graham for all his help in making Mitzvah Weekend a success.
Debra Schultz and Chloe Johnson holding up one of many signs they helped make during Mitzvah Weekend.
More exciting things are also under way! The facilities team and I are also building custom bunk beds to be added to the sleeping spaces around camp that need more bunks. I did the research and discovered that I can build a stronger, more durable bunkbed that looks just as good as the current ones we have but for a fraction of the cost, making this project more sustainable long term. To purchase one bunkbed the cost is almost $700, plus shipping. To build one it is a quarter of that price, meaning we’re getting four beds for the price of one. WOW! Now that’s a saving! Other fun projects we are working on this spring include a new roof for the infirmary, new lighting around the outdoor chapel, and work at our pool area with new gates, fencing, and more covered seating. Fun, Fun, Fun!
One of many new bunkbeds currently being built by our facility team.
Thank you, GFC family, for letting me share my excitement with you! Can’t wait for what tomorrow brings here at Greene Family Camp.
Shabbat Shalom,
Beau