Facility
One of our most important assets
Money for roofing
Usage is maximized
Priceless
Benefits are endless
Plan to make PL – at least a portion to be winterized – to be available in all seasons
If useable in winter it would be used
-If additional facility was there, there could also be space for churches and other groups to use the space. – becomes a multi=purpose center
SHOULD NOT infringe on current activities at PL
Could we unbutton the buildings and make them useable in all seasons
Would this be a better use of PL?
-Use of the assets but insure the kids and other campers are NOT shortchanged – no loss of the sense of being there now
Keep up the work (relationships with God and with self) that is occurring there now
More loyalty to PL than to Rockcraft
More of a kid /formative experience than Rockcraft
Tremendous ministry
Life Changing
First rate on kids lives
Rustic but adequate
Underlying value of the programming is supported by the facility
Nothing comes close to PL
Beyond putting any value on it
PL ministers to youngsters
More capacity would mean more kids
A lot of camps are dying but not PL
Extends reach as base for trip camps – biking, hiking, canoeing
Has become part of the culture of the local churches
Changes lives
50,000 in 50 years
Servers all demographics
Serves councilors
Can be expanded
Wonderful place, couldn’t replicate. “That’s my reason for God.”
100 acres on lakefront
Value will continue to increase on lakefront
Showers now in individual cabins
Gem, attractive, workable, outstanding facilities in New England

Staff
Summer staff housing
Great, energetic director

Location
Overall beauty of the space
Close to Bangor
Location center of state
-Its location seems far away but it really is quite assessable. It is a sacred site and it is much more than just a camp. It is a precious gift and this kind of space and location is not going to come around again.
Great location for retreat center
Good location

Maintenance
Volunteer hours that people put in
Easy to maintain by us
Acreage needs to be managed responsibly

Build New
-Have Pilgrim Lodge as a year a round retreat center with a new green building replacing the farm house
-We could centralize the conference here; build a year round retreat facility with office space.

Cost to Campers
Affordability
Cost for campers is great
Cost of camp low

General Questions/Comments
Multi-generational opportunities for faith nurture - high quality experience
Nurturing souls of the youth
Reach kids/adults across the state
Serves our children and adults
Intergenerational used by youth and older people
Life blood of the conference
Pilgrim Lodge is a wonderful asset for the conference
-Pilgrim Lodge should be the focus for the Maine Conference with an office space, resource center, and Conference center that will house several people. The new building should be a green building Benefits
-There is a great attachment emotionally to PL. Many have grown up there. Our young people have had positive contact with organized religion and the Maine Conference and it has made a positive impact on the lives of these kids.
PL makes kids ready to be tomorrow’s leaders.

-We need to put our money into the children’s programs. PL does this and kids get inspired there.
-PL is not just a kid’s camp. It is the center of our outdoor ministries. It needs to be a year round facility that also serves young adults and older people.
Fellowship of campers and multi=generations
What is the long range plan?
-Need to develop a long range plan – even if ridiculous about what PL might look like
Overall benefits the Maine Conference
Mecca
Feel closer to God
-Important in the growth of young people’s lives, especially as they become the leaders of the church
Important for kids to find out other kids have faith and aren’t afraid of it.
Kids’ eyes light up when asked about Pilgrim Lodge –positive experience
Children and adults deepen faith experiences
Safest kid friendly design

Pilgrim Lodge – Con/Liabilities

Facility
Only usable for part of the year - not in winter
Only available 6/8 months
Usage is maximized
Not year round
Kitchen needs to be redone
Plumbing/septic issues
PL is not year round and it should be.
Year-round expenses with only part-time use
Seasonal use
Excellent place for the youth who are the future of the church
Not going to grow if we are not good stewards
Emotional if sold
Holy to a lot of people
Can not schedule a youth camp or church group
Seasonal camp
Space is maxed for camping (building)
Always full
Not handicapped assessable
Primitive space
Limited potential of groups
No handicapped access to the chapel
Deplorable kitchen
Boardwalk in need of repairs
No winterized place or easy way to winterize it, with septic system above ground
Limited in number of campers to size Benefits
Centrally located
Beautiful location
Spiritual development
Youth friendships
Little bit away but to far—part of the charm
Reconnections take place
Can not expand for winter
Not a four season retreat place
No beach
Limited accessibility for handicapped and special needs
At capacity – is there additional demand?
Not available year round Benefits
Fantastic piece of property
Life and blood of the youth
Adults use as well
Nurses cabin redone and is wonderful
Old buildings
Kitchen concerns
Facility Cont’
Chapel not handicap accessible
Older building near water
Not a four season facility

Location
Distance location for Fort Kent and Calais
Location for office Benefits

Maintenance
Needs repairs
Limited handicap accessibility\
-Boardwalk maintenance/ repairs Have Pilgrim Lodge as a year a round retreat center with a new green building replacing the farm house
Needs maintenance
Health and safety issues
Present kitchen
Farm house needs work
Maintenance of buildings at the camp
Needs to be fixed up
Maintenance is an issue
Farm house needs a lot of work
Maintenance needs
Needs to have continued maintenance

Cost to campers
Cost is getting difficult for families of modest means and for poorer churches
Not charging enough for the usage

General Questions/Comments
Not enough programming for different family configurations
Can PL be supported by fees alone?
-Though the program is great at PL we must remember that we are talking about the asset of the land on the lake, not the program. We need to decide if we should keep and develop the 100 acres, which would be an excellent site for all conference activity and office space.
-We should sell all of our properties and work with another denomination and combine our forces to create a really excellent facility.
Mature people may not use it as much
Future Congregationalist generation
Operating expenses exceed income
This is where the money should go

Pilgrim Lodge – Stewardship

Best Stewardship
Keep it, and continue to develop programming
Grow it.
Incredible potential ----office space or retreat center
Responsibility for green space
Hang on to the P.L. programs, property, and staff
Keep programs there
Keep camp the way it is
Keep camp a simple place
Restore to same feel and style of camp earlier years ( rustic)
Basics there—simplicity
Rustic feeling for the camp is important
The fit is great valuable priceless

Build New/Renovate
The facility could be expanded and upgraded - if we had $4 million (Rockcraft)
Refurbish cabins and kitchen
Look at all facilities for best use
Responsibility for green space if build something at P.L.
If build something build it far away from camp (protect the camp)
Resource center move to Pilgrim Lodge
-Build a conference center that housed at least 75 people and conference rooms large enough to have council meetings as well as commission meetings
Is there a market value for some of the land not being used?
Develop part of the land near the farm house

Use
Continue to use camp as a basic place
What would it take to get another 25-50 people into each camp
There are no good baseball fields
Sporting areas are limited
Better “kids” options
Non competitive
Options go beyond youth
Churches can use it for retreats

Maintenance
Minimally, maintain it; if more money was available, expand and grow this ministry
Maintain well what we have there
Wooded land needs to be maintained-under utilized a lot of the year
Keep it and maintain it physically on a regular basis
Maintain the facilities
Preservation, recreation and education not necessarily in that order
Keep it going so kids can enjoy

Other
Everyone felt that the big elephant sitting in the middle of the room is MONEY and that is why we are talking about this. Many felt that “good stewardship” does not mean selling something to make up for budgetary shortfalls.
Need to have more councilors
Do not make it slick

Pilgrim Lodge – Options

Sell/Move
Sell all three assets and rent areas as needed
Sell other properties

Alternate Use
A year round camping place for all
Look at expanding the ministry
Heat the buildings year round
Move the resource center to Pilgrim Lodge

Repair/Refurbish/Maintenance
Winterize the property to use year around
Use volunteers to make some of the repairs
Winterize some of the existing buildings
Wooded land needs to be maintained
Put money into P.L. if we want to keep it
Remodeled lodge, walkway and chapel would be beneficial

Build New
Adding more cabins, newer buildings, winterized facilities for retreats, education, etc
Build an administrative office at Pilgrim Lodge
Building should be a green building
Build a teleconference center at Pilgrim Lodge
-Use assets from Rockcraft and Pennell Center to refresh Pilgrim Lodge and build a new green building for retreats and office space.
Build a year around building green and economical
Farm house leveled and build an office space in its place
-Build a conference center that housed at least 75 people and conference rooms large enough to have council meetings as well as commission meetings
Build a year around facility for more fall and winter activities
Expand to include resource center, conference center not to interfere with P.L.
There is enough land on the opposite side of the farm house for an office and retreat center
Build a new facility (conference center) with sleeping and meeting rooms enough that will be useful to the conference (35-50)
All church retreat center for adults and youth to use year around

Capitol Campaign/Financing
If capital campaign tap the millionaires in UCC
Know what we want before campaign and money can be there
Have regular stream of income for maintenance that will meet the needs of the camp
Put money into refurbishing Pilgrim Lodge
Charge more for the use of Pilgrim Lodge
-Have a capital Campaign at least $2 million (concern with churches who are having problems meeting budget helping with this
Loan with assets we have
Name a building that could bring in revenue i.e. Alfond Center
Named possibility for rooms in the new building

Other/General Comments
(Everything we say about PL is tied to what we are thinking about Rockcraft)
Listen to recommendations from people who know
Hear from staff what can be done
Auburn city and schools have book that lists summer camps for children to go to.
Auburn High Street has scholarships for children and adults for assistance to P.L.
-Many of the members of the church have attended activities at P.L. example women’s retreat, men’s retreat, family camping and deacon retreat.
Under utilized a lot of the year
What would it take to get another 25-50 people into each camp?
Anything we can do for “kids” is great
Review the study done by the P.L. committee a few years ago
More adult friendly
Have a lottery for scheduling
Need to have more councilors

Pilgrim Lodge - Questions

About Facilities
Boarded up in the off season
Outside groups use in the cuff seasons
Who manages PL?
Board of directors (meets once a month)
Exec director – day to day in charge
I think its untouchable, except for relocating central office there
Hang on to it – not making land on lakes any more
Is it is good shape?
Would it be feasible to winterize?
Why is our camp doing well when others are not?
Are we meeting the demand? If “yes” then no more buildings – if “no” then we should winterize
Could house Conference offices.
What is the 5 year plan of the conference for the best use of all buildings?
Under utilized a lot of the year

About Land
What is the % of land at Pilgrim Lodge that is not being used?
Wooded land needs to be maintained
How much road side frontage do we have?
How much space is there near the farm house for a building?

About Cost/Value
What is the cost of maintenance repairs to pilgrim Lodge?
Please keep prices stable and increase scholarships. Please reach out to low income.

About Space
Farmhouse is winterized
Could it be better used?

General Questions/Statements
How many are using the facilities and what churches are they from?
Not as much use as previous decades by our churches
Changing lifestyles largely to blame; local programs of a similar nature; we need to better educate and inform our churches, and encourage participation
Does the figure for expenses include the summer staff?
We should be spreading the word of Jesus Christ In all we do
Need to have more councilors