On the Road Again Towards Camp Comeca

Had a great weekend with our daughter' and the grandkids. Now that the RV has been repaired (thank you Lord), we are headed for Camp Comeca in Cozad, NE.  It is one of six camps owned and operated by Great Plains United Methodist Conference. Camp Comeca is about 4 hours due east from Cheyenne, WY, on I-80. 

 

 

    

Exit from I-80

Moooooo

We are on the right road

 

After exiting I-80 it is about 5 miles to the camp along fields planted to corn and hay. Up ahead we go over livestock grates and up a hill to see roaming cattle and the sign that welcomes us to Camp Comeca.

 

 

 

 



We went to the office and introduced ourselves to Justin Hoehner, Camp Director. He showed us where we could park the RV and asked Ron Schroeder, Maintenance Personnel, to give us a tour of the facility and discuss tasks that needed to be done.

 

Justin Hoehner (Camp Director)  and Danielle Cottrill (Admin., Kitchen Manager & Cook)

 

 

This is one BIG Camp!!! 200+ acres of rolling hills and valleys right next to a lake called Central Midway Lake, locals call it the canal(?)  

 

 

 

The Canal (maybe??)

 

 

 

The Camp has their own beach and boat launch

 

 

 

Since there was really no activities scheduled for this week and according to Amy (Justin's wife) the summer season for this camp was just about over  With that in mind we will dive right into giving you folks a quick tour of the Camp. Most of the pictures were taken when we explored own our own after a tremendous thunderstorm that came from nowhere quick.

 

 

The most prominent building is the imposing Wilson Recreation Center. It has an indoor heated pool, basketball courts, a really high climbing wall, shower rooms and hot tub.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then just to the right of the Rec. Center is a 2 story 20 room Hotel called the Overlook Lodge. Amazingly well kept facility with great amenities. Highly secure doors with modern Card Lock system and strong Wi-Fi

 

 

 

 



Front desk

 

 

Ron showing us a typical room at the hotel

 

 

Conference Room and Reception Area

 

Rear of the Hotel with a fire pit and viewing patio

 

You can't have a Camp without a proper Dining Hall that will feed the hungry masses after a full day of activities. It looks like the hall can seat about 100 - 130 people and it has a huge commercial kitchen right next to it. On one side is a an overflow area that can seat more folks or be used as a small seminar room. Behind the Dining Facility is an elevated viewing platform that looks over the lake and countryside.

Dining Hall

Overflow Area

Viewing Deck with fire pit below



There are a whole bunch of air-conditioned "cabins" scattered around the compound. Each cabin has about 5- 8 double bunks  spaced between two open rooms.

 

 

Typical cabin

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is soo  much more than I have space to show in this blog, if you are around central Nebraska, it would be to your benefit to drop by and take a stroll around the facility. The folks managing the camp are very friendly and welcome passersby and interested parties.

 

Now we come to the part that concerns our work in the camp. As mentioned by Amy earlier that the camping season was practically over which meant that there was not much work to be done until spring comes around. We were tasked to take care of some minor sheetrock repair in the bathrooms and staining an outdoor deck that a prior group of volunteers had built.

 

 

What a pretty place to work

 



Carol loved this part the most



 



Repaired drywall

 

What a surprise to see Wild Plums near the deck

 

 

There was work to do when the thunderstorms came - which came rather quickly and dramatically !! Warnings came over the radio for sever thunderstorms with hail right in our area. So we headed indoors and worked on changing our water stained ceiling tiles and window washing.



 

 



 

Ron needed to move Picnic tables and benches around the camp and I told him of a trolley that Camp Pend Orielle in Newport WA (see older posts) used to move over 60 tables in their camp - a one man operation in less than a day!!!!! Well that started his fabrication juices going and since it was raining he enlisted my help to drill holes and hold metal up while he welded away. Using a metal headboard frame, some hinges that he scrounged up and a round aluminum rod that he bent for a handle and viola a picnic table mover is bon. Look out MacGyver, Ron is in for some serious competition - might even patent this contraption!

 

 

 

 

After all the work had been done and we stroll to watch the sunset, we came upon the Chapel and decided to enter only to behold this magnificent sight. Praise God for all His Splendor and Grace !!

 

 

 

Thank you for allowing us the privilege of working alongside you folks and to build up relationship that will more than likely last a lifetime. We continue to pray that our Lord bless all those that work at Camp Comeca, those that come to visit and participate in the camp and those that manage and oversee the Camp's wellbeing.

 

As we get ready to leave and head for Vassar, Michigan to another project, we would like to leave you with another image of a cross that we saw on top of one of the hills in Camp Comeca, as you view this, think of the lyrics from the old song "The old rugged Cross" 

 

 

 

Continued blessings to all