“Its about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you have served the United States of America”
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Why Camp Ponderosa?
Who we serve and why they matter.
Why Here?: According to the Veteran’s Health Administration’s 2017 report, Montana has one of the hightes per capita Veteran populations in the United States.
Montana’s Population: About 1 in 10 residents in Montana are veterans (98,386 individuals). In the Kalispell area alone, there are almost 6,000 veterans enrolled in VA Health Services.
Community
Stigma surrounding “asking for help” in veteran communities is a large barrier to recieving much needed services. At Camp Ponderosa, we will normalize assistance through community and fellowship.
Housing: A safe, stable enviroment is a protective factor that can improve resiliency and is a social determinant of health. On site housing will keep our veterans fed and sheltered, freeing emotional currency for growth.
Therapeutical Programs & Social Services: Our goal is to improve veteran access to resources and other social services by having a space for on site professionals.
Job Training: We aim to help reduce Veteran unemployment, and teach technical and professional skills that can translate into paychecks.
PHASE ONE: Start-Up
The initial phase includes the renovation of Administration Building, creating RV and campsites, and renovation of the Dining Hall.
PHASE ONE: Admin Building
Offices
Space for planning and development, administration, check-ing, programming, and support services.
Lodging
Designate a few offices in the administration building into dorm-style bedrooms to house volunteers during renovation. (Will revert to offices later)
Library & Lounge
Provide a calm, welcoming area for greeting new residents, service providers, and community partners.
PHASE ONE: Dining Hall
Clean Up
Begin cleaning industrial grade equipment, work areas, and dining area. (Seats 80)
Repair
Determine which equipment can be repaired and reused. All appliances are propane.
Replace
Salvage equipment for pieces, replace equipment as necessary. (Needs: freezer, cooler, hot water tank)
PHASE ONE: Campground
Create
Establish 15 campsites with full hookups, a handful of primitive campsites, and host camp spot.
Establish
Add a gazebo, horseshoe pits, volleyball court, interpretive hiking trails, and benches.
Invite
Open this area to the public to help bring in revenue to fund camp renovations and operations.
PHASE TWO: Expansion
The second phase of camp renovation focuses on the lodge, common areas, bathrooms, and gym.
Lobby
Comforting communal space for conversation, relationship building, and small group activities.
Bathrooms
Renovate communal bathrooms into private, more personal washrooms.
Gym/Basketball Court
Large scale meeting room for recreation, events, trainings, and job/resource fairs.
Dormitory/Sleeping Quarters
Accepting proposals and ideas for renovating this space into private housing options.
PHASE THREE: Final Touches
The final phase of the physical renovation of the camp focuses on renovating the workshop spaces, outbuildings, and wastewater lagoons.
