It has been awhile since we posted construction updates.  Stay tuned for news and photos in 2023!

January 11-12, 2021
Washing Up and Be Sure to Get My Good Side

With a new year we get a new dishwasher! This has been a long time coming intrepid reader. I'm sure most of our previous summer staffers and counselors will all agree that this is a glorious moment in the history of the CYC kitchen. I for one was giddy upon watching them take out a machine that has caused more than one stress headache. 
Currently we've got the old machine competely removed (and in the dumpster) and they're working on the framing and prep for the new machine, including a new wall and a new receiving window!

Not to be forgotten we started updating the siding on Dingman Lodge prior to the Christmas holiday and on a beautiful sunny day like today was able to snap some photos showing off Dingman's updated sides (and peep the new windows!). 

As always photos below and for keeping up with the dishwasher saga make sure to like the St. Thomas More Center on Facebook! (You know I had to get the plug in there).

December 4, 2020
Dingman Dining Make-Over

Happy Advent (and December...how did that happen so fast?)!
The painting of the Dingman Dining area has been completed! And let me tell you, it's looks like a much brighter an happier space. The stockings have been hung with care and we've got some other festive decorations taking up residence as well. 

Work continues on the outside of the Lodge, and they've begun the process of taking off and replacing the siding. We'll let them get a little farther along in that process before we snag some pictures. 

November 23, 2020
A Brighter Tomorrow

As the holiday weekend looms, we've got a lot happening down at the lodge today. Painters are continuing the journey of giving Dingman an indoor facelift, which as they told me...requires A LOT of taping. Though if I do say so, myself the ceiling is looking radiant.

And if this pandemic/quarantine, zoom calls, and tiktok have taught me anything these past fews months it's that good lighting is make or break for any make-over. Which is why we've got new lights (and fans!) in Dingman! It's definitely going to make cleaning much easier (much to the chagrine of our counselors). 

We can't wait to have campers bask in the glory of a brightly lit and painted dining area!

November 10, 2020
A Fresh Coat of Paint 

While the weather is wet and dreary, the inside of the dining room of Dingman Lodge is starting to look a little more light and airy. (Well, as light and airy as it can be considering we're also replacing the lighting). 

Along with painting the inside we were able to get some work done outside, while the weather was still cooperating. We've finished the roof and have some new concrete poured around the Lodge, and the thing I'm currently most excited about...new concrete steps to the pool!

Oh...did I mention we've got new doors? Guys, we've got new doors. Things are getting very exciting.

Check out the photos below, and keep checking back for updated paint photos and the send off we'll inevitably give our dishwasher when the time comes. 

As of this morning, PHASE II of our 2020 renovation project is officially underway!

Our 2019 Capital Campaign successfully raised enough funds to build new cabins (see the before and after video below) AND renovate our well-loved Dingman Lodge. 

Dingman Lodge was built in 1968 and originally served as a clubhouse and snack shack for lake goers. Built in a swiss chalet style, Lake Panorama News reported in 1969 that this lodge boasted a juke box, ample balconies, and multiple tennis courts. Father Tank DeCarlo's dream of having a permanent home for Catholic Youth Camp became reality when the lodge was purchased in 1983 by the St. Thomas More Center.

It's been over 35 years since CYC welcomed the first set of campers to our home on Lake Panorama. Since then, old pool dressing rooms were converted to our first aid station, the juke box was long sold (much to our sadness), and the snack shack morphed into a fully functioning camp kitchen. While the Lodge saw a few additions over the years, it's certainly time for an update. 

Here's what you can expect during Phase II: 

A very intentional focus on infrastructure that will provide for CYC for years to come. This vision continues to include an emphasis on camper safety and comfort. Come summer 2021, parents and kids will enjoy new outdoor patios, shaded areas, and additional seating. Dingman Lodge will have an entirely new "envelope" which includes replacement of the roof, siding, windows, and doors. Inside, a state of the art dishwashing station will be installed in the kitchen and the dining space will receive beautification upgrades like new lighting, fans, and flooring.

Catholic Youth Camp 2020 will go down in history as the year that God continued to provide for our ministry in a BIG way. While we were deeply saddened to cancel camp for the first time in 60 years, this unexpected "down time" allowed our team to begin planning an early start to Phase II construction. 

We can't wait to share with you all that we've been up to. CYC 2021, Here. We. COME. 

May 8, 2020
The Quarantine Diaries #3: 

I think I can be honest and say that none of thought that we would still be reading quarantine construction updates for so long, but here we are...and man the cabins are almost completely done! The insides have everything they need, and we walked through alarm systems and I now know where the master turn offs for sprinkler valves, water, power and the like exist (and I am very hopeful that this is information I won't have to use for a LONG TIME). 

Outside things have progressed quickly waiting on some final paint and then they'll grade, level and seed for grass!!

I'm keeping this short and to the point because I'm about to hit ya'll with A LOT of photos. Stick with us, we'll keep updating you until it's totally finished. Until next time, stay sane everyone!

April 14, 2020
The Quarantine Diaries #2: Concrete Reality

Wow, almost an entire month has gone by. I don't know about you guys, but I've been missing camp a whole lot. Last week I was able to sneak up to camp to snap some photos, check the mail, and see the progress being made on camp. 

EXCITING THINGS HAVE HAPPENED!
The interiors of the cabins are almost totally complete. A couple of finishing touches are still needed in the bathrooms; such as countertops, sinks, and toilets still need to go in. In the bunk area we have fans and the walls have been totally trimmed out.

OUTSIDE: They've started pouring the small outdoor patios AND the sidewalk from the boys quad up to the lodge! Hoping to sneak back up again soon to get some updated concrete pictures (the anticipation is killing me)!

Hope you're all having a blessed week and HAPPY EASTER! Don't forget to celebrate for the next 48 days! Check back soon for more photos!

March 18, 2020
The Quarantine Diaries #1

Well, we're in uncharted territory dear readers, and unfortunately because of this these updates may have to be halted for awhile.

However, the bright side is, the ghost of Esther and I have become real tight, one could even say, we've become "homies." 

We do have some excellent progress happening inside and outside the cabins currently, the big one is that they officially finished with the siding on the lower "boys" quad!! We'll* still have to wait on some painting but we're* very excited! Not only that but the interiors of the cabins are cruising right along now, we have the paneling done in almost all the cabins, with beams, and our fire sprinkler systems have starteed to go in as the pictures below will indicate! 

Keep the faith dear friends, and know we're praying for all of you in this time, and in the immortal words of the East High Wildcats, "we're all in this together."

*We're, and we'll obviously refers to Esther and myself. I hope you don't mind a bit of humor in these posts, just hoping to add some more smiles to each of our lives. 

March 3, 2020
Simply Beaming

My good and faithful readers, 
Thank you so much for your patience over the last month. Things are happening in and around the cabins, but nothing of the super exciting variety aka nothing to take pictures of. However, we've had some test walls and decided our course of action and the insides of the cabins are coming along nicely...and everything culminated to yesterday, walking into our first cabin that had lights and our cedar faux BEAMS! We love the way it looks in the cabins, but please pardon the mess, we're getting under way with the FRP siding in the bathrooms. I could write all day about these beautiful beams, but I'd rather just show you. 

...and don't worry dear readers, just because these updates are slowing down, it doesn't mean we're off schedule, just the opposite we're rolling right along towards summer 2020!

February 7, 2020
Dancing on the Ceiling

Dear readers, 
We made it to February, which I wasn't sure would actually ever happen. Apparently with February comes colder weather and dreary days. The siding is almost completely done on the upper quad and they've got the furnaces running inside and insulation in. 

The ceilings are being textured and they're mocking up some walls so we can decide what we like. Super exciting things.

Here are some updated shots, I started to get a bit artistic, I blame the quiet and weather for the black and white. 

January 20, 2020
Green with Envy

We've officially had our first snow day at camp, what that really means is that this update is delayed by couple of days because we couldn't get out to camp on Friday (though I definitely tried). Its usually very quiet on cold days like today, but since they're putting insulation in the new cabins right now, the perpetual hum of a generator is keeping me company (well that and the Jonas Brothers). 

We've had some new developments out at camp in the last week. We've got some dry wall up on the ceiling of one of the quads! 

But even more exciting is that the siding has started going up!
Take a gander at the photos to get the inside scoop. 

January 6, 2020
Inner Workings

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
We hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday and are feeling refreshed heading into 2020. The progress happening on camp may seem less dramatic since early December but things are happening, we promise. After our little holiday break I've finally put on some closed toed shoes and headed into the cabins to snap some shots of what's happening. 
It may not seem like much but the venting for HVAC is going in, and maybe even more importantly the showers have gone in! (Not all of the showers, but at least the inserts) This should help give you a scope of what we're looking at, and let me tell you, these showers seem like a luxury compared to what we've had. 
Now we just have to convince some of our elementary campers to actually shower...

December 13, 2019
...and just like that we have buildings

We've had some blustery, snowy, windy, cold days here at camp these past two weeks. Not ideal conditions that inspire construction photography.

However, it didn't slow down the work, and we now have cabins that are framed in with tyvek on the outside, shingles on the rooves,  and the upper quad even has windows! Now we just need some doors and I think Esther will start moving into her new space. 

Conditions aside: I braved the out-of-doors today to get some updated pics so you can all enjoy what's taking shape here at camp from the warmth and comfort of your own homes, offices, or whever you choose to read these updates from. 

November 25, 2019
Taking Shape

While the office is away the builders will play, and by play I mean get a lot of work done. CYC took our Roadshow to another level exhibiting at the National Catholic Youth Conference, it was a blast, but as Alex noted when she came in today, "it felt like Christmas Morning" to see the cabins actually have walls. So naturally, we took a walk through them just get the scope of them all. 

The ghost of Esther's cabin may be getting a little anxious to move into her new space, but I think she'll really enjoy all the natural light these new cabins will have.

November 15, 2019
Frame Job

It's almost like winter doesn't exist out at camp today. The sun is shining, I'm only wearing a light sweatshirt, and I can't see my breath when I step outside.

The framing started on the upper quad this afternoon and my guess is by the time I'm back at camp on Monday the entire upper quad will have some bones! 

Which makes it all the more sweet that the concrete slab has been poured for the lower quad, which is now blanketed and resting until it's their turn for the framing to begin. A couple new pictures to whet your appetite. See ya'll next week!

November 9, 2019
Something concrete...

Winter, it seems, has come to camp, and thankfully for us we got some concrete down on Saturday. It's like they knew I was going to be tempted to leave my mark, and came on a day when I wasn't around. I should be thankful they removed the temptation from my life.  The foundation has been poured for the upper quad, and it's lookin' mighty fine. The downside to our winter weather is that we've had to delay the pouring of the concrete for the lower quad, (fingers crossed it doesn't happen on a weekend).

Thanks to our intrepid executive director we've got some nice photos of that sweet smooth concrete slab, that's now currently covered in snow. Check out the photo albums to see the progress.  And be prepared as the winter sets in up at camp these updates may start to feel like diary entries... 

October 31, 2019
Plumbing New Depths

It was a cold a snowy afternoon as they started the work to get the plumbing for the new cabins into place. And while it's not the most visually exciting, for those of us who have ever plunged a toilet in the old quads, new plumbing offers it own kind of excitment. 

Once the plumbing is laid we'll begin to see the prep for the concrete slab to be poured (and I promise not to write in it, as tempting as it is). After concrete, the framing will begin!

The ghost of St. Esther's cabin seems to be resting easy these days which I think just means she's prepping to have some fun tonight.

Happy Halloween!!

October 17, 2019
Footprints and Foundations

We had a line of trucks running through camp today.

The footprints for both boys' and girls' quads have been dug, and today they started pouring the concrete foundations. We hope that by the end of this week/early next week, that all the foundations will be done and ready for the concrete pad. From there we'll begin to see the "upward" building of the cabins. Photos of the concrete pour and footprints have been added to the gallery. 

 Pray for some more dry days so we can keep up the momentum! As always keep checking back for updates on our new cabin construction. 

September 25, 2019
BOYS Quad

Camp is looking very different these days, but not in a bad way!

After some thunderstorms and waiting for the ground to dry out a bit demo on the lower (boys' quad) began in the morning. We also have begun the grading and soil work that will prep the areas for foundations of the new cabins as well. Take a look at our gallery to see the newest updates of what's happening at camp.

Keep checking back for updates on our new cabin construction. 

September 18, 2019
CABIN DEMO DAY HAS COME!

We started demolition of our cabins on Wednesday September 18th at 9 am and by 12:15pm the northwest quad, fondly known to us here as the girls quad was no more. We anticipate having both quads demolished and cleaned up by Friday September 20th. 

We're looking forward to continuing to update you on our cabin replacement project!

Watch the start of the demolition below!