Project 365

This fall we are beginning the construction of a large 110' by 14' deck. It will be attached to our existing dining hall at The Point and will be a wonderful new addition to the facility. We will keep you posted with the latest updates. The projected cost for this project is $45,000.

Thanks to those who have donated to Project 365 over the years. In the last several months we have made The Blob (an awesome new beach activity) much safer.  By installing new 12' scaffolding with railings the campers are much safer when jumping off onto The Blob. Project 365 money was used to purchase two vehicles which are being used for town runs into Brainerd for supplies. Lastly, we completed the store move into Lakeview and the lower restrooms are now complete. Thanks to everyone who participated in the projects. 

Did you know that the camp store is moving from the old dining hall to a new location. The demolition began today and next time when you arrive at TLC you'll have to check it out.

On April 1, we submitted a rough drawing to Crow Wing Planning and Zoning to get a variance so that we could add a deck to the old dining hall at The Point. Currently, the dining hall is 69' from the lake shore and we would like to add a deck that is 15' by 110' so that we are closer to the lake. A new deck would provide wonderful outdoor seating since many of our guests don't even know where the lake is when they are in the dining hall. We will let you know if we get approval from the Crow Wing County. 

The walls are up and painted. Bathroom dividers have been ordered and glass board has been installed in the shower areas. The tile, which will be set sometime in the next couple of weeks, was purchased through a contact at Ceramic Tile Works in Maple Grove. They gave us a great discount and we hauled 5,600 lbs of tile up to TLC. Let's just say that the truck used to haul the tile to Trout looked like the rear license plate was hitting the road!

Thanks to so many of you who have helped get the dining hall restrooms renovated. Your donations and volunteer hours make a significant difference to the ministry. To date, we have torn out the cement floor, repositioned the location of stalls and showers, prepared the flooring for tile and sheetrock will be going up soon. 

Last year, many of you participated in Project 365 and monies were used to completely renovate the lower restrooms at The Point, build a new mini golf course...which is getting rave reviews, updates were made to the interior serving area at Shalom House, we purchased a lightly used passenger van, refurbished a 29’ pontoon and much more. In total, we made $90,000 of capital improvements. Guests and campers notice these upgrades which in turn helps us drive our vision and mission forward.

In 2011, we have more projects planned. 

In order to enhance the work at Trout Lake Camps, we want 365 people to give $1 per day to the ministry. It’s a small contribution, but it would add up to more than $130,000 per year, giving us the extra financial capacity to complete much of the needed work around Trout. I am writing you to ask you to make, or continue to make, a significant investment into God’s ministry at Trout by giving $1 per day or more. Your donation to Project 365 will further the ministry of reaching kids and teens for Christ.

Please consider making a donation of $1 per day to renovate the old areas of Trout.

Praise God for a huge step of faith by those guys who attended men's retreat. Two offerings were taken during the weekend and over $22,000 was raised to renovate the lower restrooms underneath the old dining hall. This project is scheduled to begin after the 1st of the year. Thank you men's retreat attendees.

Mini golf is being used by dozens of campers each day. The course plays like the modern mini golf course of today and it does exactly what it was designed to do. The rain doesn't pool on the course like it once did and it stays much cleaner. Also, campers and staff members have good conversations over their round of golf. The course record as of today is -3 by one of our counselors, Kyle.

A group from Calvary Church made headway on landscaping the mini golf course. Kids and parents worked 7 hours shoveling rock onto a grate to clean it. Then they sprayed the rock with water to remove the debris, loaded into a wheel barrel and placed it around the course. We know after a full day of work Advil was taken by the adults. Thanks Calvary Church.

Wow, the new mini golf course at The Point is looking amazing. The new design has a more modern feel when you play the course which means that kids, teens and adults will enjoy the memories made while playing mini golf. Our goal is to have the course playable by the first week of summer camp on June 20. Thank you donor and volunteers for your help with this project. We still need approximately $7,500 to complete the course (photo is Hole 1).

We are nearing completion of the lower restrooms. The new windows are in, fascia, soffit and the walls have been replaced, a new furnace was donated and is ready-to-go, and the tile is scheduled to be installed in the next couple of weeks. Much of the work has been completed by volunteers. 

Part of what Trout Lake offers is a summer experience like no other. It's in that atmosphere that God changes hearts and lives. While a new mini golf course is not a necessity for God to change lives, it will make a marked improvement in the experience Trout Lake can offer. And that improvement may be what brings more kids and families to camp. 

This past week the stumps were removed from the old mini golf course. Volunteers prepared the site and the retaining walls will be placed soon. 

Almost every camper at TLC remembers playing a round of mini golf at The Point. Actually, around 9,000 rounds are played each year at Trout. The loop-d-loop hole is one of the most memorable and after 40 plus years of play, the course is ready for a complete overhaul. We will keep you posted on the renovation which is scheduled to begin in late April.

Currently, we are demolishing the lower restrooms so that new flooring, walls, dividers and fixtures can be installed. The scheduled completion date is sometime before summer camp (June 20, 2010). This project was funded by numerous Project 365 partners and the attendees of the 2009 men's retreat.

We recently received a new regulation from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) which forced us to replace the Shalom House flooring in our food serving area because it was not to code. This was an unexpected state requirement that we were able to address quickly because of many people donating to Project 365, our dollar a day program capital improvement program. Thank you to many who partner with us. 

Thanks to the men from Galilee Baptist Church, Circle Pines who volunteered their time and skills at Trout Lake Camps. They put a new roof on the office at The Point and completed the project in less than a day. Project 365 donations help fund maintenance and repair projects throughout the "older" part of Trout which includes The Point and Shalom House. Thanks guys. 

Thanks to dozens of volunteers, financial partners and staff who helped finish the Shalom House renovation project. Over and over again we hear, "wow, Shalom House looks great" and "what a wonderful renovation." The completion of Shalom House is a reminder that with many people donating at different levels we can complete significant improvement projects at Trout. Praise God.

Shalom House looks completely different now that the siding is all on and the front has been painted. Just last week we installed the street lights, sprinkler system and completed the landscaping. There are only a couple small miscellaneous projects left like planting the flowers in the flower pots, installing the cultured stone and final painting. 

Thanks to all of you who helped with this Project 365 renovation project. It would not happen without you donating your time and money to Trout.  

Your donations have helped give Shalom House an entirely new look. The building’s exterior has cement board siding which has a life span of 40+ years. This investment into a higher quality siding product was made to reduce the amount of annual maintenance on 80 buildings at Trout Lake Camps. That’s stewardship.

Volunteers, like Malcolm (above photo on left) from Duluth, have significantly reduced the cost of labor which keeps the overall project costs down. Meaning, your donated dollars are extending further with the dozens of volunteers who have worked on Shalom. That’s value.

The next steps with the Shalom House Renovation are to paint, install the sprinkler system and complete the landscaping. If you are interested in volunteering to complete any phase of the project contact Mark Grindahl at Trout. That’s partnership.

See photo of Shalom

Thanks for your continued support to Project 365. It makes a huge difference in God’s ministry at Trout and kids’ lives are being transformed because of Jesus. That’s Trout.

The front of Shalom is changing daily as Mark Grindahl and Al Diers modify the building. Also, the windows are being installed during the month of December and installation will be completed before Christmas. These new windows will significantly reduce the heating costs during the winter. For those partners in ministry participating in Project 365, thanks for helping fund this project.

The exterior siding has been removed, the windows have been ordered, cement steps have been poured and the retaining walls are completed. Currently, the construction of the new covered entrance is underway, with Mark Grindahl and Al Diers leading the charge of renovating the exterior of Shalom House. Because of many financial partners involved in Project 365 we hope to finish this renovation in late spring. 

The second project is now 95% complete.  The rest rooms are usable and the only items we are missing are the dividers.  With an arrival date for the dividers still to be determined we are making adjustments in case they don’t show up on time.  Also, with energy costs increasing we have taken measures to reduce wasted electricity.  In our upper bath house renovation project we’ve installed light sensors, eliminating unnecessary energy use when campers and guests are not in the facility.

Again, volunteers have kept the project costs down as they helping in the following areas: electrical, plumbing, setting fixtures, painting, staining and caulking.

The next project we are considering is the renovation of Shalom House.  This project includes replacing the siding and windows and we are in the process of gathering information for bids.

The replacement of the main kitchen floor went as planned and the last phase was completed by volunteers at the end of January.  Throughout the project, Trout saved considerable amounts of money with volunteer labor and donated supplies.

Volunteers removed the kitchen equipment before the project began, they tore up the floor and moved the equipment back into the kitchen after the tile was set.  Approximately 1/3 of the tile was donated as well as all the grout.

Thanks for your involvement and because of your partnership the main kitchen meets Minnesota Department of Health regulations.  Now, we focus our efforts on completing the upper bath house renovation project.

By Joel Nelson:

Over the years I’ve logged quite a few miles in the old green camp van.  It’s taken me to every corner of Minnesota, from Pipestone to Cook, from Roseau to Houston, for a variety of programs related to Trout Lake Camps.  The van has carried supplies, presentation displays and TLC summer staff.  I don’t know how long Trout has had “old green” but I know it gets used.  And I know first hand that vans wear out...

In early January, Wick and I were heading from a meeting in Mankato to another in Willmar when “old green” broke down along Highway 71.  My first hand experience is Trout needs newer vehicles...trucks, cars, and yes, vans!  Project 365 is a great way to guarantee there will be reliable vehicles supporting the transportation needs of Trout.

The tremendous response to Project 365 has allowed for two significant renovation projects to begin this fall.  The first project is repairing the main kitchen floor in the dining hall on The Point.  The Minnesota Department of Health as indicated the current floor does not meet industry standards therefore floor surface correction is required.  The estimated cost of this project is $15,000.

On November 10th the second project on The Point began with a complete remodeling of the upper bath house near the health lodge.  The building plan will increase shower capacity from 4 adults to 10 adults, eliminate group showers and be proactive in responding to our greatest facility complaint from our guests.  The estimated cost - with volunteers helping in certain phases of this project - $65,000.