Al picked a big project that Camp Fire USA's Camp Melacoma has needed for years: replacement of the stairs leading to the camp's shower house and pool. A crew of Scout youth and adults worked on this for four full days: Sept 20-21 and Sept 27-28.

Thanks to All Weather Wood of Washougal for donating the pressure-treated wood. Thanks to Haag & Shaw of Camas for donating gravel. Thanks to C. L. Fabrications of Clatskanie for donating the rebar. Thanks to Tom Anholt for donating the joist hangers. Thanks to Flikkema Landscaping of Portland for delivering the lumber, loaning tools and providing expertise.

Sept 18 crew unloads donated lumber from Rod's truck: Scoutmaster Paul, Jordan, Andrew (Troop 423) and Ed.	Crew gets started Saturday, Sept 20, making final measurements before cutting the lumber.	Scouts remove the old railroad tie stairs. Some were rotten and came up easily; others were solid and intact.
Scouts build a pile of old stairs for reuse and disposal. Then loaded and unloaded them from the camp trailer.	Measuring the first step on the Girls side, to line up exactly with the first step 8 feet away on the Boys side.	Day 1's Scout youth crew: Joe of Troop 229; Will, Al, Ian and Ed of Troop 351.

Crew stacking and filling two columns of 3' x 2.5' stair boxes.

George wields the tamping tool.

David manhandles another load of donated gravel.

Lunch is take-out breakfast from the American Legion hall Our progress as of quitting time Sunday

Day 2's Scout youth crew: David, George, Al and Ed

Next Saturday: Day 3's Scout youth crew: Al, Andrew, Ed, Parker and George

Haul, shovel and tamp gravel.

Adults take over for the tricky junction of two staircases

Place boxes, gravel-fill

Al marks a cut-out.

George makes the cut-out

Parker and Andrew saw

George pounds in rebar

Turkey and cheese sandwiches for lunch

Matt works the gravel.	Bubby hauls stair boxes	Matt shovels, George pounds	Ian and George near the top
Chris, Bubby and Connor are getting to the bottom of the gravel pile		Carting boxes uphill over rough terrain

The finished stairs: sure-footed access to shower house and pool

Day 4's Scout youth crew: Chris, Conner, Al, Andrew, Bubby, Parker, Matt, Ian, George, Will and Ed.

RSC 9/28/08. Thanks to Rita and Alan and Ronda for the pictures.