Local camp honored for garden renovation

HANCOCK — A camp in the Keweenaw was honored today for the work they put in to beautify a nursing home garden.

Although the rain wouldn’t quit, residents at the Lighthouse at Hancock could still enjoy the renovated exterior garden, thanks to campers and staff at Keweenaw Base Camp. The camp provides service opportunities for various groups that come to the Keweenaw. Several different groups spent multiple weeks working to re-vamp the exterior garden,
which was in rough shape when they started.

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“They love the opportunity to serve, to work with their hands, to be able to come in and engage with the residents here as well. They love to see the transformation day after day. It was amazing to see the garden just grow and be so different than what it was,” said Director of Keweenaw Base Camp Marcus Huff.

Staff at the Lighthouse at Hancock decided to honor the camp’s work with luncheon and a thank you painting.

“You just really want to commend the youth,” said Administrator at the Lighthouse at Hancock Kimberly Salmi. “You know, we’re in a generation where they don’t get the credit for being caring and compassionate and as we are here for the community, I really feel that this has been a great way for the youth to kind of get involved with the elders as well. It’s been a fabulous experience and I hope they come back again.”

Summer is nearly over and the campers have gone home, but Keweenaw Base Camp is ready to return for next summer.

“It’s been a joy to work here. The staff has been amazing, the programs and facilities that we’ve seen here have been awesome. We look forward to helping them out next summer or other local areas, too, within the community that have a need
that we can serve,” said Huff.