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The Hebron Center Ministries Committee met the next day. As quickly as possible,
emergency needs of campers and staff who lost their belongings
were met with donated funds. Later, the Committee also applied
to the Presbytery for a major part of the proceeds of the sale
of the Meikleknox Retirement Home in nearby Cambridge. The grant
was made (although the final amount turned out to be less than
at first anticipated), and some of the funds were used for immediate
safety upgrades. Although the Center has always met fire and safety
codes, the fury of the cabin fire reminded the whole Presbytery
that extra safety measures are appropriate.
Then the Committee began to plan. They consulted experts on Presbyterian
camp and conference facilities and were told that a long-term
plan would serve much better than a quick replacement. An architect,
Paul Mays of Butler, Rowland and Mays, was hired to lead the Presbytery
through a careful study of future facilities needs.
Mr. Mays attended the Presbytery meeting in June, 2003, at Silver
Bay. He listened carefully to a range of views about the mission
of the Hebron Center and the buildings that might be needed. He
supplemented the meeting with a questionnaire. Additional feedback
was solicited from churches.
All this research led the Committee to several conclusions:
- Camp facilities for children and youth are
the highest priority of Hebron Center. A new building to replace
if not replicate the one that burned is a necessity to bring
the camping program back to full strength.
- The rest of Hebron buildings, now four decades
old, must be renewed and renovated for the camp program and
other purposes.
- A new, comfortable facility, geared to adults,
would be used year round by the Presbytery and numerous other
groups. Many of the improvements that adults would require (such
as accessible facilities) would benefit the program for children
and youth as well.
- Mission matters. The project should be shaped
with outreach in mind.
Armed with these conclusions, and with the 40th anniversary of
the Hebron Center fast approaching, the Committee asked Mr. Mays
to produce a design.
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The Project
On February, 2004, Albany Presbytery, meeting at Brunswick Church,
unanimously approved an exciting plan for the future of
Hebron Center and a financial campaign for $650,000 to meet the
costs.
The drawings illustrate the bricks and mortar part of
the project:
- A new, flexible, all-season lodge,
designed to house children for camp and comfortably accommodate
adults at other times, will be built. It will be attached to
the existing Dining Hall (called Central Lodge on the plans)
and have a kitchen, lounge, five comfortable sleeping rooms
that each accommodate one to four persons, and several shared
bathrooms. This building is the largest part of the project.
It will cost about $525,000.
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Proposed New and
Existing Lodges
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Interior of the Proposed New Lodge
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- New roofs and flooring will replace the 40 year-old materials in existing buildings.
- Old single pane windows will be replaced by new, insulated glass to improve energy efficiency,
lighting and ventilation.
The total cost of the project is about $750,000, some of which will be met by insurance and the remainder of the
Meikleknox funds. The goal is to raise the rest - at least $650,000 - from churches and individuals in Albany
Presbytery. This campaign addresses Hebron Center's immediate needs. A long-range master plan has also been
developed that details future maintenance and renovation priorities.
[ Top ]
The Project's Mission
The new and improved facility will be wonderful, but it is not the main point of the project. The main point
is the mission of Albany Presbytery and Hebron Center, which will be greatly enhanced in many important ways:
- The construction of a new lodge attached
to the renovated Dining Hall/Central Lodge will create a flexible
space for children, youth, and adults. This flexibility is critical
for Hebron's central mission - providing high quality summer
programs for children and youth. Since the fire, the summer
program has been cramped for space, and there has been no counselor-in-training
because housing for CITs has to be reserved for campers. The
new lodge will make it possible to return to full scale operations
and to expand in the future.
- The new lodge will make possible new uses for adults. upgrading our current facilities will help us
provide a more comfortable space for the many members and churches of the Presbytery who need a place for meetings that
deepen the love of God, neighbor and God's beloved world. Church groups will find the facilities more usable and
inviting, and the Presbytery itself, which has made a commitment to offer at least two retreat experiences a
year, will be able to use its own space for these important programs.
- Welcoming, comfortable buildings will also
attract a wide range of church and community groups into the
transforming and recreational experiences which Hebron Center
can provide, including many who do not use Hebron now because
the facilities do not lend themselves easily to some purposes,
like preparing food for smaller groups and housing persons with
physical challenges.
- There are abundant opportunities to reach
out to our surrounding area. For many years our summer camp
program has worked with social service agencies of Washington
County to provide camping experiences for children in need.
The new and upgraded buildings will allow Hebron Center to expand
our ministry to this under served region.
- This project will lay a base for Hebron Center
to move toward financial self-sufficiency in the future. Plans
for ongoing capital renewal and maintenance are being devised
as part of this project.
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Updates
Groundbreaking actually happened in May, though we had our "official" groundbreaking ceremony
on Saturday, June 4 at which about 100 people were present to enjoy a day of fun, sun, games,
food, wonderful music - provided by Selah (a Christian rock band from Scotia) and Bonnie
Williams (a local celebrity in the theater in Albany, from West End). A wonderful barbeque lunch
was provided (by Biscuit's Catering, a member at Valatie).
The Building Commission, which the presbytery appointed, is busy,
meeting just about every other week to oversee the work as it
progresses. It seems there are many details each meeting to be
discussed and decided. The work is moving along and is on track
according to the schedule. The new Lamar Lodge is moving toward
a late November completion date. The deck is on, the windows are
in place, the roof is finished, the fireplace is in and the sheet
rocking is complete.
Saturday June 3, 2006
We dedicated our new facilities on Saturday, June 3.
A party was held to celebrate the successful
conclusion to the most comprehensive project this presbytery has
ever undertaken since the actual purchase of the property in 1963.
The day the building was dedicated, there was music,
games, swimming in the pool, and a barbeque.
[ Top ]
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