"...and then he shot it off the powerline with a gun..."

June 23, 2013

That's the story I (Courtney), came back to on Friday.

Have I mentioned that I'm not a very big fan of rain?...or flooding for that matter. My basement floods even when it's not flooding. But truely, Camp Evergreen has faired very well these last 5 days. We learned a lot in the flood of 2005 - watching our 9 hold mini-golf course float away down the creek in sequence and even personally taking a swim in sanitary lagoon run-off to save the canoes...we don't keep much for equipment down on our flood plain. We planned well in advance and had even pulled our canoes up a day before the big flood waters showed up.

But I promised a story...right? Grappling hooks, bows and arrows, and a gun. Are you sitting down? I think you should sit down...this is a pretty crazy story.

On Friday, June 21st, we lost power because of trees falling on our powerlines just down from the Maintenance Area at camp (next to one of the "beaches" we have on the creek). The power company showed up and tried their usual methods without much success. By lunch - all but one very stubborn tree hung on line, bobbing in the middle of our creek (which at this point...is a raging river). Fortis said that we had to get that tree off or be out of power for days and days. That's when the creative juices started flowing or testosterone...I can't be sure which one.

First the grappling hook. Fortis guys tried and tried to swing and throw the hook to snag the tree but David or Batman they were not. That idea got tossed down the creek...hook, line, and sinker (I feel like Bob right now with all the punny puns).

Then came the bow and arrow. The theory being that they could tie twine on the end of an arrow and they could shoot it past the tree, hooking the twine on the tree and then pull it loose. I think that idea got shelved faster than the water was flowing. Apparently Fortis needs to start employing Robin Hood, Legolas, or at the very least Katniss to make that one work out.

All the while...Rolf, our very own Wreck It Princess (that's his camp name) was saying that he could just shoot it off. Are you sitting down? This is the great part!

Well, shoot it off he did. It took about 10 shots but the tree exploded. Half of it got catapulted up into the air above the line and then....(make sure you're sitting down)...it landed back on the wire, entangling itself AGAIN. Well - Deadshot Rolf (as we're now calling him), shot the rest of the tree off.

Let's just say that we have power and no trees have DARED cross our lines again. Whether or not the powerpole holding everything up will be there in the morning is a whole other story (water is flowing on both sides of it currently).

Officially we never got evacuated. Only alerted to the possibility because of the pipeline up the hill from us. Power was the main issue. Our staff are returning to us tonight and we will go on as business as usual. We'll keep everyone up-to-date if there are any changes to that. But while you're here...pop on back to our website and get yourself registered for the 50th Anniversary and check the flooding out for yourself! www.camp-evergreen.com.

Our prayers go out to all of the folks in Calgary, High River, and Canmore who have been displaced, evacuated, or in any way affected by the flooding waters this last week. May God shelter you under his wings and give you rest. May you be reminded of His peace that passes all understanding.

Here's some pictures of the flooded areas of camp...