Earlier this month, the staff at Big Lake Youth Camp received word that a generous donor will be giving Big Lake a much-needed upgrade to its backup power system in the form of a nearly new propane generator! The Somerset Lodge assisted living facility, which sits on back side of the Gladstone Park campus, was recently required by the state of Oregon to upgrade their generator despite it being nearly brand new. Instead of profiting from the sale of the generator being replaced, an offer was made to pass the system on to Big Lake as a gift.

“It’s so important to have consistent power at Big Lake,” shared camp director Les Zollbrecht. “When a line breaks in the forest, or we lose power for any other reason everything is at risk – especially food. Every couple of years we deal with an electrical short that impacts camp, and that can be a catastrophic event, so having a dependable backup system is critical. Big Lake is a remote camp, especially in the winter. If power goes down you have to take a snowcat ride out to the road to get to town, and if you have a group of people at camp you have to get them all transported out safely, which cuts their visit short.”

In addition to the generator itself, the system also includes a high dollar transfer switch, allowing the generator to turn on automatically in the event of a power outage. This donation allows Big Lake staff, campers, and visitors additional security and peace of mind as we head into the coming years. “The thoughtfulness and generosity of this donation is an absolute game changer for Big Lake’s functionality,” said Les. “We’re really grateful for this.”

Big Lake Youth Camp is already well into planning their summer events, interviewing potential staff, preparing programs, and getting the grounds ready. If you feel called to join in investing in Big Lake or their campers, you can find more information by visiting biglake.org/donate today!