At the bottom of this IPWG is a history of the physical development of DL on Whitaker Lake, beginning 1933…

When Dad Kunz moved DL from the “Oregon” location on the Kunjamuck River, we know that the ball field was cleared of its trees by Connie Baehr, his 1922 Buick, and several others on staff. Most other construction was “contracted out”, although men from the Plymouth Brethren Chapels built Dun Loggin.

Soon after I became Director (1982) Memorial Day and Columbus Day work weekends began to grow. The focus was preparing the facility for summer camp, and then closing things down in the fall. In our early years, Sally Jo would prepare the food for each weekend in our home in Greenville, we would load the food into coolers, and take it to DL. Our daughters, and wives who came with the work weekend men, assisted her in the kitchen at DL with final prep and clean-up.

In 1985 Brent Karner, then 25 years old, agreed to build “The Gazebo” during the summer. This log structure, with a roof 16’ above the ground, was to be located at the entrance to the DL facility – about 500’ from Founder’s Lodge.

This construction project triggered an intense Board of Director discussion as to the appropriateness of having DL staff and volunteers getting into the construction business. Points of discussion included:

• DL was a ministry focused on building young godly men….and volunteers were primarily older men
• When volunteers are used, it is difficult, too impossible to control quality
• Building construction increased DL liability exposure

I was asked to prepare a written report supporting the idea of having DL volunteers do building construction. After consideration of my report, and further discussion, the Board gave the go-ahead on a tentative basis.

The work weekends provided the opportunity for people to come together and focus their interests and abilities on the maintenance and development of the DL facility which, each participant knew, was for the building of godly young men. Most arrived on Friday in time for dinner at 7:00 and stayed through Monday breakfast.

The Sunday morning Breaking of Bread service was, perhaps for everyone, the highlight of the work weekend. For about 90 minutes we celebrated together the new life we have in Christ because of the death of Jesus Christ our Lord. With no human leadership, different men read portions of the bible, sometimes with brief comment, they believed would encourage our worship. Great hymns of the faith were sung a cappella, and then the bread and the juice were shared.

As friendships developed between like-minded people, the number of those who came increased. This past Memorial Day work weekend 123 came to work…and work hard. Well over 2000 hours were given during the weekend. On Monday morning Ken Hoffman, facility manager/maintenance director, brought the brief devotional. He pointed out that all of the work we were doing would, in time, decay…rot. But the godly young men the Lord uses DL to build will live, and live eternally. What a joy to work together to build His Kingdom.

As we live In Partnership With God, let us never forget this truth: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19-21

List prepared 2004

Dates of Deerfoot Lodge Development at Whitaker Lake Best guess – corrections welcomed!!

• Pre 1930 – Old Hardwood built by Halsey Page. There was also barn into hill where camp fires now burn.
• 1933 – Before camp opened, Halsey Page built a bunk house – which became craft cabin. Drinking water was from a spring 100’ towards lake from Ole Hardwood – the “refrigerator” was a hole dug next to spring.
• The ball field cleared by Connie Baehr using 1922 Buick to pull stumps – this had been location of saw mill – no big trees – many 4” saplings. Then Nathan Slack used 60 lb dynamite on rocks – big blast of large rock went up…and down through Ole Hardwood roof. Indian Island set up for oldest boys
• 1934 – After first summer bunk house built = this became the craft cabin…no side porches
• 1935 – Halsey Page was hired as US forest ranger for Hamilton County – sold his two buildings to Dad Kunz. Mom Kunz replaced Mrs. Page as camp cook
• 1936 – DL incorporated
• 1939 – DL purchased from IP 46 acres on mainland – 2500’ shoreline + Indian Island – $17,000
• 1946 – DL purchased from IP 560 more acres – property on North side of lake sold to DL families to pay for property
• 1946 – Dining Hall built – kitchen where tripping is now.
• All about 1946: Antlers built as recreation building uses included including wrestling and boxing -built by 2 men from Maine. Cal Wilbur tent replaced by log cabin – replaced by log cabin -2001
• 1950 – Original Eulie Davis and Halsey Page
• 1950 – Lookout tent, where mom and dad Kunz stayed, replaced by 1 room log cabin – logs from Island blow-down
• 1950 – Rt.10 from Speculator to Indian lake paved, became rt. 30 – road into camp shorted from 2 ½ miles to 1 mile
• 1953 – Mom and Dad Kunz retired
• 1956 – One story Health Center
• 1964 – Long House built
• 1964 – Founders Lodge built
• 1966 – Dining Hall – 1st kitchen addition
• 1969 – Lookout – 1st addition = 2 bedrooms
• 1973 – Lookout – 2nd addition = 1 bedroom became hall to 2 new bedrooms and loft
• 1981 – Dining Hall – 1st staff porch addition
• 1882 – Chief Chuck Gieser became Director of DL
• 1982 – Rifle Range re-located – shelter built – rebuilt 2001
• 1982 – Camp Craft moved from woods by dining hall to outside road that goes from parking lot to maintenance.
• 1982 – Survival moved from left of craft building to outside of road that goes from parking lot to maintenance
• 1983 – Porches built around craft building
• 1983 – Archery Range relocated from present volley ball court…which originally was clay tennis court
• 1984 – Lookout – interior walls pine paneled
• 1985 – Gazebo – bouldering wall added 1995
• 1987 – Health Center -2nd floor
• 1888 – Hutch cabin built – work weekend extended to week – built from log kit (week began with rain, ended in snow)
• 1989 – Maintenance Building – 1st addition – auto shop
• 1992 – Guide TiPis
• 1993 – Long House crushed by snow – rebuilt like original – yellow birch saplings bent to form arched roof
• 1994 – Mortimer B Lane Log Cabin – Allan B Mackey hired to teach – 16 people, 8 days & again next fall.
• 1994 – Generator Bld up on hill – …new generators
• 1994 – Water system – 2nd well drilled – 43 gpm – 5000 gal water tank (prior to this – water from spring house, then from lake used – chlorinated
• 1995 – Basket Ball Court enlarged
• 1995 – Craft Cabin enlarged- open area at back – 26 people, one weekend – trees cut, peeled, building built.
• 1997 – Jack Gill Lean-to built on Point
• 1997 – Wild Life building
• 1997 – Challenge Course built
• 1998 – Spring House moved across lake to property given by Masterson’s – became wild life blind
• 1999 – Diving Raft
• 2000 – Dun Loggin – porch became kitchen – porch added
• 2000 – Waldorf rebuilt – log structure…composting toilets
• 2001 – Wildcat replaced with log cabin
• 2001 – Cal Wilbur log cabin – replaced 1946 log cabin
• 2001 – Store paneled – counter replaced
• 2001 – Rifle Range Shelter re-built
• 2002 – Black Bear replaced with log cabin
• 2002 – Porcupine replaced with Log cabin
• 2002 – Flushing Tree rebuilt
• 2002 – Sailing Shed
• 2002 – Staff Parking Lot
• 2003 – Dining Hall – staff porch enlarged
• 2003 – Dining Hall kitchen enlarged – food storage – larger walk in cooler
• 2003 – Log Quiet Place
• 2003 – Lookout down stairs windows replaced
• 2005 – Owl completely rebuilt
• 2005 – Guide Lodge – radical remodeled “garage”
• 2008 – Maintenance Building mechanical greatly enlarged
• 2009 – Lookout loft paneled
• 2011 – Road around back side of maintenance building – loop

Unknown information

• Porch put on Ole Hardwood
• When Bunk House became Craft Cabin
• Porch added to Founders
• When following buildings 1st built: Bob Lines, Cal Wilbur, Eulie Davis, French Louie, Black Bear, Porcupine, Wildcat, Wood Chuck, Otter, Mink, Beaver, Wolverine, Timber Wolf, Dun Loggin
• When Eagle was floated across lake from location of present Masterson cabin

Let us remember that all of the work listed above will decay

But the godly young men the Lord uses DL to build will live, and live eternally.

Before God created man, He created the place where man would live. Six times God said about His own creation “it was good”. Genesis 1:10,12,18,21,25,31. The place, Deerfoot Lodge, is part of the perfect world God created, and fortunately, at Derfoot, human beings have not done much to what God created.

When old Deerfooters return to DL, many stand where the flag pole is, and look across the lake to the Dug Mountains. Often I saw tears on their cheeks as they said “this place is just as I remember it”. Deerfoot Lodge is God’s place physically as well as spiritually.

At Breakfast on the first Sunday morning of each session, I asked the campers go with their counselors into the woods. They were encouraged to take a close look at God’s handiwork and return to share one of the following:

• The difference between the world of DL, and the world where they live
• Something which they felt was a symbol of God – a reminder of who God is, what He is like
• A parable – an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, based upon what they had observed

After the campers have the opportunity to share with their peers, each Section Chief would ask about ten campers from his section to share during the morning worship service. Between the singing of hymns and the reading of scripture, those who were going to share came by section onto the low platform

I can still picture the large African-American camper wearing a new bright blue sweat suit. He stepped up to the microphone and, without a smile, said “at home we don’t have trees”.

When this young man arrived at DL, he had seen very little of the world God had created for him to enjoy. His world had been tall buildings, concrete streets, traffic lights, and noise. Perhaps he had never seen a lake – certainly not a lake with two loons gliding upon its surface. Due to pollution and street lights, he may not have seen a clear blue, or star filled, sky. Perhaps he had never “heard silence”. What did he think when experiencing his first lightening and thunder storm?

When I am at Deerfoot Lodge, I am reminded that there must be a God – a creative, powerful God. Paul refers to this fact when he wrote “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” — Romans 1:8

David was a shepherd boy. He had lived with rivers and rocks, bears and lions, the sun, moon and the stars. David had been chosen and protected by God. It is out of the context of his life experiences that he wrote:

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens…When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” — Psalm 8

God created a perfect world. I cannot justly blame God for the imperfections of this present world.

Our God remains an awesome God.

My challenge: to live in this imperfect world In Partnership With God.

Friends…

There will not be an IPWG tomorrow morning….
It is written but not edited…and I am whipped….

Sally Jo and I have just returned from my 50th college class reunion when we were with some great friends…and also watched a carefully prepared power point that showed us the names, with pictures, of those of our classmates who have died. The most recent was Rex White, just two weeks ago. He and his wife, Nancy, had registered for the reunion. For a period of time Sally Jo and I were the guardians of Rex and Nancy’s kids, if they were to die.

Another part of the reunion – I was asked to lead a hymn sing….two great piano players – two Steinway grand pianos. There were over 250 of us who whose hearts and voices were lifted as we sang ten hymns last sung together in college fifty years before. The intensity and speed with which we sang was close to when the DL staff has their last breaking of bread service. You would have loved it.

In September our family and friends learned that my brother’s 72 year old wife, Marge, had a malignant brain tumor. We spent time with Dick and Marge in February. They live in Wheaton, in the home where I grew up.

This time the focus of our time in Wheaton was to be my 50th class reunion, but this was quickly changed to a duel purpose. In the middle of the second night we were in Wheaton, Marge was taken to the hospital while having intense, uncontrollable seizures which continued for 4 hours. Seizures of some intensity continued for 48 hours…when she was heavily sedated for 48 hours. The seizures stopped …and did not return when she returned to a conscious state.

Try spending hours with Marge, brother Dick, their 3 married kids and 11 grand children while also participating in a class reunion. The great hymns of the faith, and friendships of over 50 years, take on new meaning.

I have many thoughts, some of which I will share.

Living in Partnership With God is wonderful…and very, very tough.

Good Night

chuck

“At home we don’t have trees.”

• It is easy to forget there are campers who have never seen a tree – or the ocean that is about three blocks from their home. Their family has no car and busy roads prevent walking to the ocean.
• It is easy to forget there are campers who have never seen the bright colors of a sunset, or a star-filled sky.
• It is easy to forget there are campers who have never heard wind blowing through the trees, a bird sing, or quiet.
• It is easy, at Deerfoot, to see huge trees with different barks and leaves, and large rocks with soft moss growing on them, and the Milky Way, and a moon reflecting off the water, and a doe 10’feet way, and two loons gliding by, making their strangely beautiful sounds.
• It is easy to forget there are campers who believe our world evolved over millions of years – they have been taught this in school, complete with pictures to show how human beings came from apes, which came from…
• It is easy to forget there are campers who have never owned a Bible. There are even more campers who can find a book in the Bible’s index, but have no idea what 1:21 means. Yes, this can be true of Indians new to DL. And it is good to be able to show a camper where the Bible tells us this world was created for us by God.
• It is easy to explain that the God who created this universe provided a book, the Bible, to teach us how we can best live in this world He made. The Bible is God’s guide book. It is satisfying to help a camper begin to read an age-appropriate Bible. And to know that, during quiet time, the camper can read the Bible so he can learn God’s way of doing things – and to learn about how Jesus demonstrated God’s way of doing things.

It is true, the Bible contains more words than any other book campers have ever seen – but when a camper learns there are “chapter books” within the big book, it makes reading the Bible seem more possible. When a camper begins to read his Bible, cabin devotions make more sense, as do the after breakfast Bible studies. As a camper reads the Bible, frequently he comes face to face with the fact that he is not living as God tells him he should. A choice must be made.

When I read the Bible, I re-read how I am to have only one God, how I am to love my neighbor as I love myself , and this means I am to respect and care for them as fellow human beings – the result of God’s creation. When I read my Bible I realize I must forgive – and somehow to keep no record of wrong. And the Bible reminds me to pray for those in government. And to be a peace-maker….

Yet, even knowing all of this, there are times when I have stopped reading my Bible daily – or even regularly. It is easy for me to rationalize: I have read every word in the Bible many times – I have a pretty good idea of what it says. But
I need the reminder there is only one God. I need to be reminded what attitudes I need to have, to live out. I need to be reminded to pray…to really talk with God. Yes, and somehow to listen to Him speak to me – often through the Bible.
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I also know that, even when I read my Bible, it is hard to understand the bad things that happen to good people. I know that, even when I read my Bible, and try to do what is right before God every time, there are times when God seems to have gone on a vacation.

At times like this, I know I must look back at my history with God. I must remember those times when I believe God has forgiven me, provided for me and protected me. I must look back and see how God used me as His agent of love and compassion. And I can look back at the Scriptures and be reminded that good and bad things happened to His people…and He remained a loving, redeeming, faithful God.

Sometimes all I can do is hug the camper whose family moved and he has no friends, or whose uncle was killed in a car wreck, or mom and dad just got a divorce – even though he prayed it would never happen! Sometimes all I can do is say I have prayers that I do not see answered. I don’t understand either. And I can also say God has proven His love for me many times. I can say to the camper, just as God loves me, he loves you. The Bible tells us so.

Please do not give up on God…. I haven’t.

There is a picture of Dad Kunz teaching the After Breakfast Bible Study in Ole Hardwood about 1935. This was his pattern for the 23 years he was Deerfoot’s Director. Day in and day out, in good weather and bad weather, the campers and staff were taught the historic truths of God’s word, while also being able to watch Dad Kunz live out the truths of what he taught. Almost every waking moment, Dad Kunz was being observed by someone. I wish I had a recording of his studies, a DVD of his life at DL!

The understanding of the Christian faith and life is greatly enhanced with an understanding of the Old Testament. Jesus and the writers of the New Testament were primarily talking and writing to Jewish people who had studied the Old Testament at home and in the Synagogue. Families celebrated the Passover together – Jewish history was fabric in their lives. In Hebrews 11: we can see how much knowledge of the Old Testament was assumed. Here we read the names of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rehab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel. To the Jewish people, every name reminded them of a biblical account of something that was in Jewish history.

To many DL campers, these names had no Biblical events connected to them. The After Breakfast Bible Study was a way to provide knowledge of the stories of these people – and focus on the significance of what they experienced. The challenge of doing this was real: those in the dining hall were from 8 to perhaps 24 years old. Some had very little knowledge of the Bible – others knew the Bible well.

Before my first summer began, I asked several staff members to share the teaching responsibility with me. As the summer progressed, I was pleased with how things were working out. Therefore I was completely caught off guard when the DL Board said I was to teach all of the After Breakfast Bible Studies, just as Dad Kunz had done. To teach forty four times each summer…. the prospect really frightened me. But, I had no choice.

The DL Board was of tremendously helpful in the preparation of these studies. They helped me sharpen my teaching methods and paid for me to go somewhere for 12 days to focus on developing the outlines and basic material.

It has been interesting to look back through those 1012 studies. Each summer had one theme illustrated through the lives of four men – one per session. In 1984 the theme was “Men of God – Willing to Stand Alone for God”: Noah, Abraham, Daniel, and Gideon. At the end of Session IV, everyone had 11 brief lessons to provide a basic understanding of Gideon’s story – and to encourage each camper and staff to be willing to stand alone for God, just as Gideon had done. The staff heard the same theme illustrated through the lives of four men.

Hopefully the campers and staff gained as much from these studies as I did. If so…they learned a lot! There were many campers who became staff members and heard After Breakfast Bible Studies for ten or more summers. I was continually encouraged with how campers and staff wanted to learn about, and to learn from, the great men of the Bible. Their interest is reflected in the results of the camper questionnaires. The After Breakfast Bible Studies almost always received a higher rating than any instructional area.

I encourage you to look for opportunities to introduce people to the content of God’s word. Presently I am working with a 75 year old man who had never read the Bible. He did not know how Book, Chapter, and Verse worked – i.e. John 3:16 – the reference meant nothing to him. After reading several books of the Bible he said to me “Chuck, if had died before reading all this, I would really have missed something!” He said another day…”Chuck, Matthew really hits hard!” Let’s give the people that God created the opportunity to learn of His love, demonstrated through the history of His people.

When we live In Partnership With God, we can say with the Apostle Paul “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” — Romans 1:16

Seven more Bible Memory suggestions – Chuck – In Partnership With God