We had 13 Royal Rangers show up for the 1st Pow Wow work day this past Saturday, May 1st.  They were:

Vernal Full Gospel Church in Lucedale, MS: Justin Woods, Kyle, Presley and Manning Green, Ruston Adams, Nick and Ryan Hobby and Blaine and Charlie Lions.

Faith Assembly of God in Kiln, MS: Zach Necaise and his brother Heath

District Staff: Kenny Richardson and Glenn Hodges.

Vernal Full Gospel Church brought a commercial size zero turn lawnmower, that for evermore mowed down that grass, along with weed eaters, blowers, etc.  They were “READY” for anything.  Everyone chipped in and we were able to have the roofs of the Ratliff Lodge, Scribblers Snack Shack and ALL 6 cabins blown off.  After they blew the leaves and debris off the Ratliff Lodge, Glenn Hodges climbed up on the roof to see if he could find where rain water was getting in around the Lodge’s fire pit and he found that there were some nails protruding through the metal roof around the smoke stack causing the water leakage.  Glenn said we can tar that area to seal it up.  He then walked back to the kitchen part of the roof and found a few spots there where water was getting in.  He said applying tar on those areas should hopefully take care of them as well.

Justin, Kyle and their crew were able to weed eat around ALL the buildings and cabins and they cut the grass from the Morning Assembly area and FCF Village all the way down to Cabin 6.  Them, along with Zach and Heath Necaise, trimmed a bunch of trees and bushes.  Zach and Heath trimmed and cut up a big old Oak tree that fell in front of Cabin 1.  With Zach’s precision cutting skills, we were able to get a lot of good firewood out of that old tree.  Zach and Heath also were able to cut off the big heavy limbs that fell on our main stage that caused a lot of damage.

Glenn and I made about 15 – 20 trips on the ole side by side hauling off all the debris from the cut trees and bushes.  We hauled everything down to the end of the field behind cabin 6 and now we have a (semi forest) “hug” pile of limbs and debris to burn at some point.

Glenn and I measured the broken rain water gutters along the back and front of the Lodge.  We’re planning to tear down both sets of gutters and drains and replace them with all new gutters and drains, plus rent a ditch witch to dig a drainage trench on the back side of the Lodge and put in a 6″ drainage pipe to help all the rain water drain under ground instead of on top of the ground.  Diverting this water should help the ground on the side dry out and not be so boggy.  We hope to start on that project the weekend of May 14-16.

We had a VERY PRODUCTIVE work day on Saturday at Ranger Trails Camp.  Again, thanks to all the men and boys who came out to help.  Everyone did a GREAT JOB and it was very much appreciated.

Kenny “Fuzzy Bear” Richardson