Camp Firebelly 2011

Yesterday morning we arose earlier than normal with only the instruction ‘be prepared for a long day of work’ from our secretive Firebelly camp councelors. Our sleepy eyed assemblage was immediately energized upon the arrival of Steve Haulenbeek (Steven Haulenbeek Design Solutions) and Emily Pilloton (Project H). We knew we would be building something fun. The project goal would be to construct a dining and seating area outside for 25 – 30 guests of a community dinner, as well as the meal that would be eaten, by 6pm. Steve and Emily each took a group of us – Steve’s group went to a warehouse to pick up some salvaged goods they had found in alleys earlier – Emily’s group went to the farmers market to pick up some healthy goods – and we set to work immediately.

It was a hot and sunny day, after our week of humidity and clouds. It was a perfect day out, actually. For the next nine hours we deconstructed and reconstructed, we planned menus, chopped veggies, pulled nails, sawed logs and old armoires and even a weirdly painted mannequin leg. We built every idea that someone had and used nearly every piece of salvage we had accumulated. And when 6pm rolled around, we were a worn but happy group, for we had completed our goal, and more. We had a winding thirty foot table, with a tire swing on one end and a basketball hoop (hand constructed of course) on the other, and included a sunken ice chest, to accommodate the raised tiki bar (with sun umbrella) and its drink slide (or, drink luge if you were to imbibe directly from the slide), a built in tree, twinkly Christmas lights, lanterns, a hand woven hammock chair, a love-seat with a netted harp back, a throne, a lounge chair, and numerous benches. Custom place-mats and bouquets of flowers began to transform our trash table into a fine dining space, and as guests began to seat themselves, tall glasses of water with cucumber and lemon wedges were filled, and the bar slide was in business.

Charlotte from Center for New Community started us off with a moment of thanks for all that brought us together and a discussion about our next project for them, which will be postcards about Food Justice. We discussed this and issues surrounding Food Justice for a few moments, and then it was meal time!

When the food arrived, we were all awed, and our hard working hungry bellies were soon full of copious amounts of deliciousness – hor d’oeuvres of artisan bread with fig spread, apricot spread, baked cheese, fresh strawberries, butterfase and french cheeses, heirloom tomato bruschetta, and candied pecans were followed by roasted root vegetables, potato tarts (presented with beautifully woven greens around them), pasta, julienned salad, and cheesy baked asparagus. All of this was followed by little rhubarb short-breads sandwiching whipped cream and drizzled in honey. AMAZING. Oh yeah, and baklava and carrot cake!!

As the evening wound down, the basketball court saw a lot of action and conversations lingered. As the light disappeared we began to carry up dishes. Exhausted, we were done! Actually no. We had another event to go to! But it was a secret, as per usual.

As we parked in front of a neon sign in Korean, we realized the last stop of the evening – KARAOKE! And what followed was 3 hours of hilarious group karaoke in our own private room. All I can say is Dang, can these campers sing!

So what will be next?

Stay tuned!