Paul Daley, director of the Camp Duncan wilderness camp for girls under construction, appreciates the constant and faithful stream of N.C. Baptist Men’s volunteers that are building an important wilderness camp for girls.

Modeled after the effective Cameron Boys Camp which he directed for nearly 30 years, Daley dreamed for at least half that time of a similar camp for girls. A gift of land to Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina and volunteer labor from N.C. Baptist Men is making it possible on 476 acres near Aberdeen.

“This is the first day in a long time we haven’t had volunteers working,” Daley said during a recent federal holiday. “Every day, there are several people out here helping.”

The help has come primarily from N.C. Baptist Men who often travel a great distance to help build Camp Duncan.

Churches mobilized groups to tackle a variety of projects that includes clearing wooded trails, building a shower house, and completing renovations to the home on the property that serves as the administration building.

In a difficult economy, the time and talents given by volunteers have made possible the impossible.

BCH photo Baptist Men from Willomore Baptist Church in Greensboro help construct a shower house at Camp Duncan in Aberdeen. The wilderness camp for at-risk girls has been almost completely constructed by volunteers.

“In-kind contributions, especially the volunteer labor, have been essential,” said BCH Executive Vice President of Programs and Services Keith Henry. “We would not have had the resources to undertake such a project without it.”

With only a couple of exceptions, the majority of Camp Duncan has been created through volunteer efforts. It is a project that became very important to N.C. Baptist Men the day leaders Richard Brunson and Gaylon Moss first surveyed the property. Brunson directs N.C. Baptist Men and Moss is the disaster relief and volunteerism coordinator.

“I immediately saw the potential,” Brunson said. “With the lake and the woods it seemed like an ideal place for a therapeutic wilderness camp.”

Since April 2009, approximately 1,060 volunteers have helped make the camp a reality. Brunson believes the project’s purpose makes a strong connection with volunteers.

“It’s the kind of project volunteers want to invest their time and talent,” he explains. “They know it will make a difference in the lives of girls, and that they will come to know Christ.”

N.C. Baptist Men organized a work “blitz” from Dec. 28, 2009, to Jan. 2, 2010, encouraging groups to spend the final holiday week pushing essential Camp Duncan projects forward. More than 140 volunteers participated.

“A whole lot was accomplished,” Daley says. “We poured concrete and finished the foundations around the main building as well as additional framing. There were also teams who cut trails. We made a big step.”

Daley said it’s been inspirational for him to work alongside the volunteers.

“It was very apparent that every group that came out was dedicated to Christ,” he explains. “They shared that spirit as they worked as well as their desire to be a part of this ministry that will help meet the needs of young girls.”

Major projects remain to complete before Camp Duncan’s dedication ceremony May 22. If your group would like to help, contact N.C. Baptist Men site coordinator David Seymour at (704) 221-4281.