Our Current Projects: 

Although our work is never done, there is always something that needs fixing or be built or maintained; our current project is to build 12 cabins in camp.  With the economy like it is and some enrollment numbers in troops shrinking, we need to find a way to market the camp for off season usage by out side groups and more scout groups.  We need to generate income for the camp. We located a camp that was closing and was able to purchase 12 cabins and disassemble them and bring them to camp.  We are currently in the process of rebuilding these cabins for staff use and troop use on weekends and possibly other youth groups.  We are in hopes that having the added shelters we can generate this needed income.  We call this project The Ortonville Project, from the city of Ortonville where the cabins came from. We are now working on the electrical systems for these cabins, if you can help---please call us.

  We will continue to work a weekend every month till we get them ready for use.  There will be plenty of need for carpenters, handyman (and ladies) type folks to help with the construction.    Electrical hook ups, painting and insulation still needs to be done. As of 9-7-09 we have the funds to finish the electrical and then we need to insulate the walls.  We really need to find some funds or someone or group or company that would take care of this for us.  If you know of any one in the insulation business (spray on) lets see if we can get them to back this project.  This will be the big hold up of progress after the electrical is finished.   Our goal is to have these cabins ready for use by the spring of 2010.

Can you help us?? 

We need workers, paint, , electrical supplies, roofing (metal if possible or shingles), some lumber products, hardware, nails, screws and more workers.    See list below.........               

For updates call Dan Purtill at 989 345-0769 or

 You can also call Tom Baker at 517  663-4315  or Mike Stahl at  517 204-0302 for information on scheduled work weekends and current supply needs.

WE GOT WORK------YOU CAN HELP

                                                First Four Cabins                                                                                                          Cabins to day

4 of the village 8 cabins

                                                    WANTS / NEEDS LIST:  We publish a list of things camp needs, because many times folks have access to these items or will donate them. 

30 w motor oil, hydraulic oil, 12 straw brooms for camp sites, flashlight batteries  AA, AAA, "D"--water softener pellets,, go-jo hand cleaner, 4 plastic snow shovels, chain saw oil--bar and mix. 

Paint, interior and exterior, usually white so we can mix to current colors.  Bowling balls and bowling pins for winter bowling on the ice. Cross country ski's and snow shoes.

Carpenter hammers, screw drivers,, wrenches most any hand tools.  gas powered snow blower, 12 new safety glasses for shop, 6 ear protectors, eye wash station, energy efficient light bulbs.

 Caulking - exterior......  If you can help with any things on this list, call Scott for details.  (989   473-2305  Ext 2) This list will change and most likely get longer so please keep an eye on it. 

And again thank you for helping camp. 

Our Past Projects

When Friends of Northwood’s (FON) started, we had to repair the staff cabins, shingle roofs, make general fix’er- up repairs, made a board walk between the administration kitchen and memorial building so food could be transported better and safer between buildings.  In an effort to provide more winter camping, we fixed one end of the memorial building into a bunk room.  Later we installed gas forced furnaces to both ends for better warmth and double the room. 

We built a new archery shed, upgraded the plumbing and electrical service in nearly every building in camp.  We roofed and painted more buildings.  We worked on the roads.  We built the condos at the waterfront for the staff and heated them for winter use.  We improved the latrine at the waterfront, build an adult changing station.

We repaired the family camp latrine and improved the utility hook ups in that area.  We repaired drywall in adult staff cabins, and constantly repaired the old staff shower latrine building. 

When the Michigan International Camporee (link to MIC) became a reality, we had to build extra shower areas and several other “temporary” structures to accommodate the 1000 people that would be in camp. 

When trouble developed with the in ground septic system at the administration kitchen, we hired an environmental engineer to review the options for sewage management.  This assessment led to the building of the lagoon system and sewage tanks with pumps and in ground sewer lines to take care of the sewage.  This allowed the camp to plan for a new dinning hall and expand other areas.  The Dining Hall was designed and planned  after the United Way allowed the council to raise funds for that need. 

When you visit the dinning hall, there is a pictorial record of the various stages of the building of that structure.  FON did much of the work on that building and still works on it as needed. With the hundreds of hours of volunteer labor that went into the dinning hall some funds were left over and the welcome center was built by us.

This houses a check-in office, unisex bathroom, staff restroom, staff showers and staff laundry room. 

For years, our ranger, Ken Gardner, worked on vehicles, did carpentry work, made repairs and fixed everything in a small, cold and leaky shop called the Quonset hut.  The original building on the property was used for storage and a work area and had a small furnace (very small) but did have a family of bats and raccoons living in the attic.  A new maintenance building was built so more work could be accomplished but leaving the animals where they were. 

While looking for a design for new staff cabins, we ran into a man who built small building out of logs.  Tragically, his son, a scout had been killed in a motorcycle accident and he wanted to help us with our project.  He wasn’t content in building a 10 by 12 foot staff cabin, and soon the design was fostered for the Friends of Northwood’s Log Cabin.  We acquired the logs from him and he came up to get us started.  Many weekends were spent building this cabin on the lake.  Many folks donated supplies to build that “in the woods” cabin.  It is used year around with room for 12 scouts and 6 adults, has refrigerator($400), stove ($400)and forced air furnace($900) and a million dollar view of Lake Arrowhead. 

When some of the volunteers got tired of repairing the old boat house, we built a new one and now we repair both of them.  When some of the campsite latrines got to be more of an expense to maintain, we built 4 new ones.

When there was a need to have a new location for a rifle range and shot gun range, we helped with them.  When the roof leaked at the director’s cabin and nobody else would fix it, we did that.  When it was mentioned that the trading post should be moved for the sake of being closer to the customer (mom and dad at the parking lot),

We acquired a building and moved it to camp and set it up and made it operational. 

When the vehicles need repair and maintenance, we do that.  When trees need to be cut or trimmed, we do that.  When boats or canoes need to be patched or repaired, we do that.  So are we haven’t found too many things we can’t do if we can find the right person or persons to help. 

MOST RECENTLY: We built the "blob" platform, the audio/visual building at the fire bowl, new handy craft area, installed  the wood burner at the dining hall (saved $1,000 in heat cost the first month), enclosed the life guard tower, improved the youth changing station, have started to rent avate cabin 49 for year around use, put air conditioning in the trading post, and moved Algonquin to its present location.