By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter
MARYVILLE (WATE) - A former YMCA camp is now transforming into a new home for adoptive children and their families.
Back in May, we took you to Camp Montvale. For decades, this popular YMCA camp, just outside Maryville, hosts thousands of kids. In 2005, it was shutdown. The camp fell into disrepair until Maryville-based Harmony Adoptions was able to obtain the camp this year.
They have been in the process of transforming the camp into a new home for adoptive children and their families.
A lot has changed in the seven months since 6 News first arrived at the new Harmony Family Center at Montvale. The kitchen that had not been cleaned in years was filled with new stoves and clean dishes.
"All the equipment was donated by Ruby Tuesday," explained Harmony Adoptions CEO and founder Pam Wolf.
A playground that was rotten has now been removed by volunteers, and a building with water damage has now been gutted.
"Since May, we've had 3,000 hours, volunteer hours out here," said Wolf. Many of the volunteers who have come to help used to go to camp here as a child.
Wolf had a vision to turn this run down camp into something special for adoptive kids and their families.
"It will be like nothing else in the country," said Wolf. "It will be open to the community, but serve a clinic need for adoptive families and an educational opportunity for leadership development."
Her dream is slowly becoming a reality.
"We now have a working kitchen," said Wolf. "We have six cabins that are up and running. We have incredible partners in the community that have stepped up and said, yes, I want to help this."
One of those partnerships is with Pilot. They recently donated $100,000 to help rebuild Montvale.
Even with all the improvements, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Wolf hopes more people will reach out to help.
She has several opportunities for community organizations to adopt a project. She still needs help with the swimming pool, ropes course, and dining hall.
Montvale is partially open.
They have started using horses on the property to work with children three days a week.
"Working with primary teenagers is what we work with the horses," said Wolf. "Helping them build trust and work through some of the issues they've experiences while in foster care.
They have also held a fundraiser and three weddings at the came as well.
"I'm thrilled with the progress we've made," said Wolf. "I mean we really have come a long way since you were here last in the spring. We have come a lot further than we dreamed we would."
Wolf says they plan to be fully operational by this summer.
If you would like to help rebuild Montvale, visit the Harmony Adoption website.
