It Takes a Lot of People...

A GREAT BIG Thank You to ALL of the many people who made House In the Wood work in 2013. 
Our Donors...
The North Shore Board, other NUSH boards, the Elliotts for the new dining hall addition, the Shannons for building funds, and our many other donors.
Our Campers, Students and their Families...
trust us to provide a GREAT experience and to care for their children.
Our Staff...
HITW full time staff, the summer staff, the outdoor ed staff, the NUSH staff. 
Our Volunteers...
The AmeriCorps volunteers, the Ice Fisherman Volunteers, Chicago Board, Master Gardeners.
Our Community Partners...
American Camp Association-Illinois Section, Urban Initiatives, Cluster Tutoring, and Experimental Station.
Our Neighbors...
who let us use their land for Outdoor Education lessons.
Our Vendors...
who often give us a break on price and provide EXTREME service.

AGAIN...we appreciate your part in making us a success this year!

Our Master Gardener Volunteers Tend the Rain Gardens

Our Rowe Scholars Plant a Garden as Part of the Compost Lesson

The Gardens in August after a Summer of Campers Watering Them

Our Sponsor Banners posted on the Pump House as you enter HITW

House In the Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement, Chicago, IL

Construction News...Walls and Back Fill

The walls for the new addition. The area that is not filled in is the new shower house. The addition onto the dining hall has no lower floor. They won't be pouring the floor slab until they have it under roof and can heat the area so that the concrete process can be controlled easier. They will start putting in "under roof" this week.

Here you can see the "backfill" which just means filling in the holes

Two doors into the boys and girls shower house.

House In The Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement.

Construction News...Inside Drawings of Elliott Lodge

Here are the inside drawings of Elliott Lodge...

The entire building is climate controlled so it is heated and air conditioned. When done, we can easily seat 120 INSIDE. We could always seat 120 but some had to sit on the porch which was chilly in the early and late season. The pink area on the following drawings is the addition.

Watch for more construction photos--things should start happening fast now that the concrete footing and walls have been poured.

 We now have TWO shower sides--boys and girls that can be converted to ONE large shower area. Each shower stall has its own dressing area. The showers are now year around and don't shut down in the winter as they had been doing.

Bottom Floor with the Showers

Here we have knocked down the existing toilets so that we have one big room for the dining area. We have added new bathrooms with extra stalls. The kitchen has extra storage and an office area to store the paperwork that is required for the kitchen.

Top Floor with the expanded dining space and the extra kitchen area.

House In the Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement.

Construction News...Poured Concrete Walls

Pouring the concrete walls. They were going to take down the forms on Monday until they found out that there was going to be 4-7 inches of snow over the weekend. So they took the forms down before the snow.

House In The Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement

Hickory has NEW Shower

Our new shower in Hickory House (the meeting center across the road) is just beautiful. We got rid of the shower stall and just tiled the whole thing with this natural looking tile.

House In The Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement

copyright by Val Wright House In The Wood

Construction News...Poured Concrete Today!

Here are the pictures from them pouring concrete for the addition onto Elliott Lodge...I found the whole thing very interesting. No more work done over the weekend.

The guy standing there with the box has a remote control for the concrete.

The concrete was steaming it was so warm.

ALL DONE! They put "blankets" on it to keep it warm.

House In the Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement.

Construction News...There's a HOLE!

Yeah! It is so VERY exciting--we can actually SEE something happening now. We finally have a hole for the foundation!

LOOK! No Shower House!

The HOLE!

This hole is where they will put the full basement that will become the NEW shower house. They have boarded up the dining hall windows on the addition side and sawed off the logs at that end too. The concrete foundation will be poured shortly. The concrete contractors were in the dining hall today muttering over the blueprints. Watch for pictures!

House In The Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement

copyright by Val Wright at House In the Wood

Sad News...Sparky, the camp cat has died.

Sad news...Sparky, Ms Val and Mr. Terry's camp cat died today from heart failure. Sparky was known as the "doggy kitty" as she would follow Ms. Val around camp when she locked up at the end of a weekend group. One time, Ms. Val was playing hide and seek with the campers and Sparky gave her hiding place away. The campers said, "LOOK, there's Sparky. I bet Ms. Val is hiding near here." Sure enough, there I was, trying to convince Sparky to leave or come hide with me. I was found!

Sparky in her favorite spot next to the bear rug in front of the fireplace.

Tomasina and Chester are still keeping Ms. Val and Mr. Terry company at Elliott House.

House In The Wood is operated by Northwestern Settlement.

copyrighted by Val Wright

Construction News...We HAVE phone service again!

We lost phone service as our phone line was cut when they dug the trenches to put in the new gas.

LIT January Winter Weekend

Summer LIT's are invited to join us at House In The Wood for a Winter Weekend.

When: Friday, January 24 to Sunday, January 26
Depart: From Northwestern Settlement at 6:30pm
Return: To Northwestern Settlement at noon

What's Happening?
Winter Fun! Information Sessions! Summer Planning! Cabin Time! Community Service!

Watch for more information in the mail or call Nathan at 773-969-5579 to register.

Visit us Illinois Network of Charter School (INCS) Conference

We are exhibiting for our Outdoor Education Center at the statewide INCS conference in downtown Chicago on Monday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 3.

Val in her Chipmunk costume