Projects for Incredible Volunteers
Oil/Stain Decks and Benches
Project: Much of the outdoor woodwork at Camp Magruder is drying out, taking on an old, gray look. If left too long, it will begin taking on water and rotting. There is work to do on several lodge decks and porches, and there are smaller scale projects for benches and picnic tables around camp.
Recommended Participants: Anyone old enough to hold a brush and scrub could participate, though several adults are recommended. Strong scrubbing will be required to initially clean out as much mold as possible, before oiling or staining the surfaces. Groups of 2-10 are recommended depending on the deck, porch, or bench being oiled/stained.
Projects identified for oiling: Bunch Balcony Decks & walls (1-6 hours est.), Guest House Porch (3-6 hours est.), Wetlands Trail Bridge (6-12 hours), boat dock pier (4-8 hours)
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Oil/Stain, brushes, rollers, trays
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours depending on the project and group numbers.
Deconstruct Old Dock Structures
Project: Camp Magruder has a few old dock structures at Smith Lake that are no longer usable that are eye sores and could pose small hazards for outdoor school students who do field studies near them. The group will pull decking off the docks and relocate it to be reused, burned, or sent to the landfill. Groups of 5-15 recommended.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers at the youngest, and people who can walk uneven terrain, pry boards that are nailed/screwed into wood pieces, and can carry planks of wood.
Helpful Equipment: Hammers, pry bars, hacksaws, work gloves
Estimated Timeframe: 4-8 hours depending on group size.
Trail/Campfire Maintenance
Project: Salal and Blackberry grows relentlessly on the Oregon Coast, and it only takes about 6 months for a cleared trail to look like it’s been abandoned at Camp Magruder. Groups will trim back vines, branches, and grasses that make trail works more tedious or open up campfire and outdoor chapel spaces.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly if mechanized tools are being used. Younger kids could be trusted with pruning shears and loppers, but parental discretion is advised. Participants should be able to walk on uneven surfaces and operate mechanized equipment. Groups of 2-12, as long as there is enough equipment.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps,
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 3-15 hours, we will honestly never run out of trimming projects
Chappell Hall Boiler Removal
Project: Camp Magruder recently replaced an old cast iron boiler system in Carrier Dining Hall. The boiler is still in the Carrier basement occupying storage space and should be removed to be hauled off for scrap iron.
Recommended Participants: Senior High and Adults. The boiler is pure cast iron and very heavy. It will take several strong individuals to lift the boiler onto a rolling cart that will need to be pushed up to a ramp where it can be hooked to a vehicle. Groups of 4-6 recommended.
Helpful Equipment: Work gloves, flat dolly
Estimated Timeframe: 1 hour
Top Shrubs for Improved Window Views
Project: Salal, blackberry, rhododendron grow fast and tall on the coast, and many are blocking the views from cabin/lodge windows. Participants will use hedge trimmers to top the bushes we’d like to keep and removing the pests altogether, so guests will be able to better see the beautiful scenery during their stay.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly because of the height requirements and the use of mechanized tools.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours, there are about as many opportunities as there are buildings.
Picnic Table Staining
Project: One of the great reasons for success during this pandemic summer was the amount of time spent outside. Nearly every meal this summer was eaten outdoors, and we’ve realized it is time to retire and replace several of our picnic tables. Once we’ve got the new picnic tables, we’ll want to stain them so they’ll last longer and look nicer.
Recommended Participants: Any age that can hold a paint brush
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Wood, Oil/Stain, brushes, rollers, trays
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours, there are about as many opportunities as there are buildings.
Paint Fences
Project: We have several small fences around camp that could use some paint. Groups will clean the fences up and apply paint. Clear skies and no rain in the forecast are necessary.
Recommended Participants: Children and older. This paint project is on the easier side and doesn’t not require the attention to detail one of our buildings would. Groups of 3-6 recommended.
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Paint, brushes, and trays
Estimated Timeframe: 3-6 hours depending on group size
Outdoor Chapel Clearing
Project: The Blackberry bushes and English Ivy have taken over the space in front of the Outdoor Chapel and are beginning to obstruct the view and creep into the Chapel Space itself. We hope to rebuild to railing and platform before next summer, and clearing the brush from this space will be the first step in the process.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly if mechanized tools are being used. Younger kids could be trusted with pruning shears and loppers, but parental discretion is advised. Most participants should be able to walk on uneven surfaces and operate mechanized equipment. Groups of 2-12, as long as there is enough equipment.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 3-10 hours, depending on number of participants
Flower Box Beautification
Project: Camp Magruder has many decorative flower boxes in varying degrees of repair and attention. Some have far more weeds than flowers, some are falling apart. We need a group who enjoy getting their hands dirty and have an eye for gardening. Bonus points for knowledge of native plants.
Recommended Participants: All ages can help on this project, though it will be helpful to have several people in the group with gardening skills.
Helpful Equipment: Gloves, gardening shovels & trowels, new planters
Funding Opportunities: Flowers and decorative plants, new planters, gardening tools and gloves
Estimated Timeframe: 3-10 hours
Project: Much of the outdoor woodwork at Camp Magruder is drying out, taking on an old, gray look. If left too long, it will begin taking on water and rotting. There is work to do on several lodge decks and porches, and there are smaller scale projects for benches and picnic tables around camp.
Recommended Participants: Anyone old enough to hold a brush and scrub could participate, though several adults are recommended. Strong scrubbing will be required to initially clean out as much mold as possible, before oiling or staining the surfaces. Groups of 2-10 are recommended depending on the deck, porch, or bench being oiled/stained.
Projects identified for oiling: Bunch Balcony Decks & walls (1-6 hours est.), Guest House Porch (3-6 hours est.), Wetlands Trail Bridge (6-12 hours), boat dock pier (4-8 hours)
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Oil/Stain, brushes, rollers, trays
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours depending on the project and group numbers.
Deconstruct Old Dock Structures
Project: Camp Magruder has a few old dock structures at Smith Lake that are no longer usable that are eye sores and could pose small hazards for outdoor school students who do field studies near them. The group will pull decking off the docks and relocate it to be reused, burned, or sent to the landfill. Groups of 5-15 recommended.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers at the youngest, and people who can walk uneven terrain, pry boards that are nailed/screwed into wood pieces, and can carry planks of wood.
Helpful Equipment: Hammers, pry bars, hacksaws, work gloves
Estimated Timeframe: 4-8 hours depending on group size.
Trail/Campfire Maintenance
Project: Salal and Blackberry grows relentlessly on the Oregon Coast, and it only takes about 6 months for a cleared trail to look like it’s been abandoned at Camp Magruder. Groups will trim back vines, branches, and grasses that make trail works more tedious or open up campfire and outdoor chapel spaces.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly if mechanized tools are being used. Younger kids could be trusted with pruning shears and loppers, but parental discretion is advised. Participants should be able to walk on uneven surfaces and operate mechanized equipment. Groups of 2-12, as long as there is enough equipment.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps,
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 3-15 hours, we will honestly never run out of trimming projects
Chappell Hall Boiler Removal
Project: Camp Magruder recently replaced an old cast iron boiler system in Carrier Dining Hall. The boiler is still in the Carrier basement occupying storage space and should be removed to be hauled off for scrap iron.
Recommended Participants: Senior High and Adults. The boiler is pure cast iron and very heavy. It will take several strong individuals to lift the boiler onto a rolling cart that will need to be pushed up to a ramp where it can be hooked to a vehicle. Groups of 4-6 recommended.
Helpful Equipment: Work gloves, flat dolly
Estimated Timeframe: 1 hour
Top Shrubs for Improved Window Views
Project: Salal, blackberry, rhododendron grow fast and tall on the coast, and many are blocking the views from cabin/lodge windows. Participants will use hedge trimmers to top the bushes we’d like to keep and removing the pests altogether, so guests will be able to better see the beautiful scenery during their stay.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly because of the height requirements and the use of mechanized tools.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours, there are about as many opportunities as there are buildings.
Picnic Table Staining
Project: One of the great reasons for success during this pandemic summer was the amount of time spent outside. Nearly every meal this summer was eaten outdoors, and we’ve realized it is time to retire and replace several of our picnic tables. Once we’ve got the new picnic tables, we’ll want to stain them so they’ll last longer and look nicer.
Recommended Participants: Any age that can hold a paint brush
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Wood, Oil/Stain, brushes, rollers, trays
Estimated Timeframe: 2-12 hours, there are about as many opportunities as there are buildings.
Paint Fences
Project: We have several small fences around camp that could use some paint. Groups will clean the fences up and apply paint. Clear skies and no rain in the forecast are necessary.
Recommended Participants: Children and older. This paint project is on the easier side and doesn’t not require the attention to detail one of our buildings would. Groups of 3-6 recommended.
Helpful Equipment: Scrub brushes and brooms, paint brushes and paint rollers, paint trays, breathing barrier masks
Funding Opportunities: Paint, brushes, and trays
Estimated Timeframe: 3-6 hours depending on group size
Outdoor Chapel Clearing
Project: The Blackberry bushes and English Ivy have taken over the space in front of the Outdoor Chapel and are beginning to obstruct the view and creep into the Chapel Space itself. We hope to rebuild to railing and platform before next summer, and clearing the brush from this space will be the first step in the process.
Recommended Participants: Teenagers and older, particularly if mechanized tools are being used. Younger kids could be trusted with pruning shears and loppers, but parental discretion is advised. Most participants should be able to walk on uneven surfaces and operate mechanized equipment. Groups of 2-12, as long as there is enough equipment.
Helpful Equipment: Electric or gas powered bush trimmers, small chainsaws, pruning shears or scissors, loppers, Weed trimmers with blades, gloves, safety glasses, protective chaps
Funding Opportunities: Power trimmers, blades, and accessory equipment
Estimated Timeframe: 3-10 hours, depending on number of participants
Flower Box Beautification
Project: Camp Magruder has many decorative flower boxes in varying degrees of repair and attention. Some have far more weeds than flowers, some are falling apart. We need a group who enjoy getting their hands dirty and have an eye for gardening. Bonus points for knowledge of native plants.
Recommended Participants: All ages can help on this project, though it will be helpful to have several people in the group with gardening skills.
Helpful Equipment: Gloves, gardening shovels & trowels, new planters
Funding Opportunities: Flowers and decorative plants, new planters, gardening tools and gloves
Estimated Timeframe: 3-10 hours