[captionpix imgsrc=”/wp-content/uploads/canteen-2011.jpg” captiontext=”Campers at Maywood Christian Camp (photo source Dennis Washington, Maywood Christian Camp, July 2011)”]
Plans are in the works to replace the camp canteen destroyed by fire earlier this week.
Camp Administrator Jeff Goff said Thursday he is working on plans for a temporary location for the canteen and camp store for this year’s summer camp. Goff said he hopes to have a permanent replacement completed in time for summer camp 2015.
The existing canteen was destroyed by fire earlier this week. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined by investigators, although Goff said Thursday on Facebook it may have been “electrical.”
News of the fire spread quickly Wednesday afternoon to thousands of people on Facebook and Twitter, evoking a range of emotions. While many people expressed sadness over the loss, most also recalled happy times at camp and expressed gratitude the fire did not hurt anyone or damage other parts of camp.
Dale Jenkins, a member of the board of directors, recalled the canteen’s history at Maywood Christian Camp:
“Originally, canteen was held at the door of the kitchen,” Jenkins said. “Then, for about five years, it moved to a small, one-window “concession stand” building on the side of the ball field hill — that’s where concessions were “sold.” Each cabin had it’s own “bank” the counselors kept for the campers.”
Jenkins said the canteen later moved to the area that is now the craft hut.
“Those were the days of glass bottles,” Jenkins said. “At that time, the craft hut was in the area where the now-burnt canteen resided. For a time, the canteen and craft hut shared the space that is now the craft hut.”
A new canteen was built in 1993 under the direction of another member of the board of directors, Bill Brown.
“It was designed to look like an old country store,” Jenkins said. He estimates as many as 600,000 soft drinks passed through its windows during the past 20 years, but says the good memories will live forever.
“MANY good memories, but the heart of Christianity thinks forward!!! So on to the future we will go with faith, hope, trust and expectation.”