By the time the sub-zero temperatures fade and the snow disappears, the work list becomes long. For 2025, there are a variety of tasks that we could use help completing – some which involve getting the camp ready to receive energetic campers, and some that involve large-scale projects to improve or upgrade the facilities. Many of our work teams and volunteers enjoy coming to Alaska to physically get involved with these projects. For others, if their schedules do not permit them to come, they may decide to contribute financially to a project. Additionally, churches may like to “adopt a project” by raising funds and sending a team to complete the project. Regardless of the scale of involvement, our teams and volunteers invest. It goes without saying that this ministry could not exist without their partnership.
Li-Wa’s vans are a major part of our ministry: used to transport campers, staff, and our many work teams all over town and sightseeing. During the 2025 season, our aging vans became a major point of concern. Ideally, Camp Li-Wa should have 4 operating vans, but by the end of the summer we were down to one old mid- 90’s Dodge van. We are praying for one nicely used van, which can be purchased for $40,000, and for an additional $6,800 to put a new transmission in our 2010 Ford F-350 van (our nicest van). Our goal is to have 2 operating vans for our winter programming and a third van by summer 2026.
Camp Li-Wa’s new lodge will be a multi-use building with space for an upgraded kitchen, dining area, and ample meeting space. The lodge has been under construction for a few years now and is approaching completion. Finishing this project is paramount to the growth of Camp Li-Wa programs moving forward. In the last five years, we have seen an overwhelming increase in both our summer and winter programming – reaffirming the immediate need for our new lodge to be “on-line”.
Due to the increasing number of campers, staff, and volunteers, our infrastructure at Camp Li-Wa has been unable to support the amount of people we wish to accommodate. During peak times in the summer, there is not enough water volume to keep up with the demand. In 2025, we were able to build a 30×40 building that will house the water storage tanks and act as the distribution point for the new lodge, Woodside Lodge, the Ranch buildings, lower camp bathhouses, and our fire suppression systems. We are excited with all the work completed on this project over this summer and are anticipating the tanks and interior plumbing components to be installed in 2026, as the Lord supplies.
As the program grows, the infrastructure at Camp Li-wa has to be upgraded. Perhaps not the most exciting project on our list, installing a septic treatment plant has been our plan moving forward for over 20 years – now becoming a priority with the completion of the new lodge. Due to the lake and surrounding wetlands in close proximity to the camp, the septic generated must be treated, and we are blessed to have the support, planning, and engineering help from Lifewater Engineering as we start this project. We hope to prep the site and have a structure in place to receive the components for the treatment plant in 2026.
Our ranch camps and horseback riding programs continue to be very popular. To grow with the demand, Camp Li-Wa has been upgrading the barn facility. During the spring of 2025, our 100 x 200 outdoor riding arena was completed. Welded pipe rail fencing was built to stand the test of time and the groomable footing is a wonderful improvement for the horses. The size of the arena makes larger classes achievable and the bleachers allow spectators to enjoy watching the students. Thank you to all who donated time, expertise, and funding to make this all possible.
Li-Wa has many volunteers and visitors that bring their R/V as an accommodation. For a few years now, we have been parking them in any spare parking lot we had around camp. In 2025, we plan to artfully remove trees and underbrush to create a small R/V park that would accommodate 6 full-size R/Vs. Our goal for 2024 is to put in a circular drive along with the camping site. Then, as the Lord allows, in 2026 we plan to add sewer, water, small fire rings, picnic tables and electricity so each site would be self-contained.
Please Note: All donations are given to Camp Li-Wa to be used at camp’s discretion.