Narrator: 
Down a narrow gravel road along the bank of the East Fork of the Lewis River, is 107 acres of Clark County property that not too many people know about.

It's just across the river from the popular Lewisville Regional Park and called Camp Hope.

[On Screen: Cabins at Camp Hope]

[On Screen: Google map of Camp Hope of SW WA in Battle Ground location]

Evelyn Ives (Capital Project MGR., Clark County Parks & Nature):
The county has owned the Camp Hope property for some time, and they originally leased it to the Girl Scouts of America. 

[On Screen: Camp Hope of Southwest Washington sign]

The Girl Scouts of America operated the camp between 1946 and 1996, and after that it was vacant for some time.

Narrator: 
Seeing the natural beauty and possibilities at the site, a group coalesced to create a non-profit community service organization to revitalize the camp. Since 2012, the county has been leasing the property to Camp Hope of Southwest Washington.

[On Screen: Kids playing team games at Camp Hope]

Karen Phillips (Executive Director, Camp Hope of SW Washington):
We're here to help youth thrive with outdoor based education, adventure and fun. We run summer camps, and then we also have schools that come and they'll do field trips here.

We teach archery, we do team games, we have challenge courses that teach kids to work together as a team. 

[On Screen: Sign reading “Art Corner” and children doing various outdoor activies]

And then we also run crafts and activities, give kids an opportunity to spend all day outdoors having fun, making new friends, and getting off their screens.

Narrator:
The mature force and clean running river is the perfect environment for exploring and learning.

Karen Phillips (Executive Director, Camp Hope of SW Washington):
It's a salmon habitat, so we partner with Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group. They come and teach our kids about the salmon life cycle and study macroinvertebrates in the river. And our schools come and teach the kids about water quality, watersheds, environmental sustainability and the importance of this river and this land for our natural habitat in this area.

[On Screen: Children completing outdoor science activities near the rivier]

Narrator:
Unfortunately, the aging water system on the property no longer met drinking water requirements, so camp staff had to transport in drinking water. To accommodate the camp, plus a future lodge to be built on the site, as part of the county's 2016 master plan, the county embarked on updating the system.

[On Screen: The old water pump system]

Evelyn Ives (Capital Project MGR., Clark County Parks & Nature):
Part of this project is adding chlorine at the wellhead and upgrading the size of the tanks as well. 

[On Screen: Large water tanks]

The tanks are going to be at least three times as large as the original tank, and so the water system is large enough to serve the lodge and any type of fire suppression system that might be needed for that type of facility.

[On Screen: Working standing next to and on top of water tanks taller than they are]

Narrator: 
Getting the three 20 foot by eight-foot water holding tanks pass a narrow road, and up a long steep embankment, with minimum impacts, would take a creative solution.

[On Screen: Helicopter ropes strapped to the water tanks, lifting them into the air] 

Evelyn Ives (Capital Project MGR., Clark County Parks & Nature):
The county determined that a helicopter would be our best way to transport these tanks, because of the site's strict environmental constraints, and the very small space that we have to work within, made it difficult for us to feel that the project could be accomplished safely.

Narrator: 
The water tanks were lifted one at a time from the ball field of Lewisville Park and then across the river to Camp Hope.

Karen Phillips (Executive Director, Camp Hope of SW Washington):
Clark County has provided the engineering and the design and the funding to give us a new water system to serve all of our campers.

Narrator: 
While the county funded the water system upgrade, Camp Hope has been responsible for the up-keep and updates on the property, which include picnic shelters, cabins and general maintenance.

[On Screen: A picnic shelter at Camp Hope]

Evelyn Ives (Capital Project MGR., Clark County Parks & Nature):
The county has been happy to have Camp Hope as a partner in maintaining this property and making sure that it serves our natural resource goals and serving our community at large.

Karen Phillips (Executive Director, Camp Hope of SW Washington):
We do rent the camp out to groups. We have churches and scouts and family reunions that will come and camp overnight. We can sleep 128 in our cabins. 

[On Screen: Inside cabins sleeping area]

And your proceeds in renting that space from us helps us continue to sustain and invest in this area and the programs that we provide youth.

[On Screen: “Come camp with us!” Camp Hope yard sign]

Narrator: 
For more information about Camp Hope of Southwest Washington, visit their website at www.camphope-wa.org.

[On Screen: Camp Hope of Southwest Washington slide with url]