Spring Cleaning, Making Way for Campers

During a few rainy days in a very rainy May, a group of men from The Salvation Army’s Anchorage Recovery Program travelled to the Scotian Glen camp in Thorburn, NS to prepare the camp for the summer season.　

Program supervisor, Paul Surette worked alongside seven guys to fill potholes in the road to camp, clear brush and some fairly large logs around the property. Perhaps the most significant task involved clearing and chipping brush on the site where a new 40 foot climbing wall is being installed. This will be a great new feature for the camp, which will be welcomed by hundreds of campers.

Paul shares, “The guys love getting outside, having the chance to do physical labour, and at the same time, experiencing the therapy nature provides.”

Since entering the Anchorage program, Tyler is taking his life back. He says, “Being outside and in the woods is therapeutic for me. I think this would be the perfect spot for the Anchorage program. Being from rural Cape Breton, I prefer being in nature rather than in the city.”

The Anchorage Recovery program is a six month in-house abstinence program that focuses on community reinforcement and accountability as the path to recovery from addiction. While directed programming uncovers the root and triggers of the addiction, moments outside of the building can be valuable for encouraging reflection and inner healing.

At the end of the camp season, Anchorage program participants will head back to Scotian Glen to help clean up around the property and close the buildings for winter.

Special thanks to the guys at Anchorage for their significant contributions in preparing the camp for many kids whose lives will be impacted this summer.