SUMYT Service Weekend

SUMYT Service Weekend
By Allayna Farmer

The Seattle United Methodist Youth Team worked together to tidy up Camp Indianola in preparation for its recent retreat!

There is something to be said about giving back. So many times in our daily lives we create the illusion that money can replace a simple ‘thank you’ or an act of showing appreciation. And while we all are guilty of this from time to time, the SUMYT team wanted to show Camp Indianola how grateful we’ve been that they’ve hosted our retreat for so many years.

Upon arrival, we were directed to the ‘Mowich’ cabin, where the team would call home for the next few days. Needless to say, the memories of past retreats were crossing our minds with an excitement that could only be bridled by a good night’s sleep. The following morning we got up, had a delicious breakfast and were given our job assignments – which ended up being yard work outside our cabin! The problem was not so much inconvenience of the overgrowth, but more so the aesthetic appeal and safety. We wanted to make sure that the forest wouldn’t overrun the camp that needs all the space it can get!

So, we began trimming away at the weeds growing up the trees and bushes that were overgrown and kept going until we uncovered what we really wanted; dirt. Eventually, this dirt would be leveled and seeded with the hope of a few larger grass fields. About six hours and eight trees later, our area was clipped to the bone, and the view to the ocean from the back of the camp was even clearer.

It should be dearly noted that with the hard work and tenacity of the new grounds keepers at Indianola, the ocean could even be seen in the first place! So much dedication to this camp has taken place since SUMYT 2014, and we are excited for our retreaters to see these improvements that have taken place.

Our greatest thanks goes out to Indianola (thanks Josh, Kielan and Darrin) for providing us with guidance, tools, and hospitality. With our team and service, we helped reduce the amount of time it would normally take for two people to complete a project like this.