Hello everyone,
I sent this email to all parents of all First Session campers earlier today. Second and Junior Session parents got a similar email. But, I recognize that email can fall through the cracks, and of course our Four Winds community extends beyond the families that have campers at Camp this summer, so I thought it wise to post it here as well.
Not a lot has changed since I wrote this email a few hours ago – we’re all doing fine, we have meal plans through the remainder of First Session, and we’re hopeful that we can be back to a fully operating kitchen before the Second Session campers arrive, or just shortly thereafter.
Here’s the email:
Dear First Session Parents,
I’m writing to let you know about a fire that occurred overnight in our commercial kitchen. First of all, let me say the most important thing, which is that all campers and staff are safe. There were no injuries at all, not even minor ones, that resulted from the fire. Secondly, there is no damage to the main structure of the Lodge, to the room where we have Evening Fire, or to any of the historical treasures we keep in the Lodge.
There is, however, significant damage inside the commercial kitchen, mainly to the floor, but there is also smoke damage, and residue from the powder and foam from the fire extinguishers and compressed air foam system that were used to extinguish the fire. We are already in touch with a fire damage restoration company that is sending someone to Camp today to assess the job, and will have a crew on site tomorrow.
In the meantime, we are focused on solving the logistical problem of feeding our campers and staff without use of our kitchen, and on keeping Camp as normal and fun for the campers as possible. Our friends at Camp Orkila are helping us out with breakfast and lunch today, and we’re working on plans for dinner today and meals for the next few days. Ruth Brown, our founder, had a way of looking at wrenches thrown in plans as opportunities for adventure and delight, and that’s how we intend to make Camp work for these next few days. Obviously, those plans will change as we get more information, but we know that we can keep the campers fed and happy, and that’s what we’ll do.
This session has been fantastic so far, and it will end in the same fantastic fashion. Thank you for sending your children to Four Winds. I’ll be sorry to see them go on Friday, but those family reunions are just as much a great part of Camp as the rest of it, and I look forward to those as well.
All the best,
Paul