EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

During my 14 day quarantine at the Vancouver Island home of Jacqueline, my ex (with whom I have a miraculously civil relationship!), I contacted two places where I had volunteered previously thru my Victoria church. The first was Camp Quanoes, where I helped for a week or so, as mentioned in the previous blog. The second location was Esperanza, an ‘outreach center’ for First Nations located in isolated, rugged, and beautiful northwestern Vancouver Island. The Director gave a resounding ‘yes’ to my offer to assist ‘for a few weeks’.  I didn’t know quite what to expect on my arrival.  To my surprise, the staff was slimmer than slim.  Dave (director) and his wife, Steve (1^st Nations helper), and I were it! Yes, there had been staff turnover since I had visited two years before. Not a healthy transition and I purposely stay out of the politics. I directed energy toward work  –  and there was plenty of it!

Did I mention that Esperanza is isolated? I arrived in my little Ford Focus after travelling north almost to Port McNeil, west on a logging road to the mostly 1st Nations fishing village of Zeballos, and boating for 40 minutes to Esperanza.  A beautiful trip, but logistics are daunting – whether for people or supplies.

Did I mention that Esperanza is ‘off the grid’? Another challenge! All electricity, heat, water, etc. is generated on site. This is a challenge! Requiring continuous maintenance and repair. Electricity is either by water via a Pelton Wheel (basically a small hydro turbine) or by diesel generator. We have two for backup reasons. Water is by gravity from spring flow high up the mountain behind Esperanza, from a small concrete dam to a water tank and then distributed throughout the campus. It works well, as long as there is no overuse and several dry weeks, as is this summer. Household heat is either wood burning stove or baseboard electric heat. Hot water heat is mostly propane-fired ‘tankless’ units, with a few conventional tanks, either propane or oil-fired. Ovens are almost all propane, as are dryers. Washers, freezers, and refrigerators are primarily electric.  This gives a glimpse of the complexity of our ‘utilities grid’.

Did I mention that Esperanza is a community of approx. two dozen buildings? Twelve are gender-separated summer camp bunk houses (4+4), camper shower facilities (1+1), a dining hall, and a workshop complex, with boat drydock attached.  The other twelve buildings are residences or guest houses — all containing basic appliances as mentioned above.

Needless to say, I entered a beehive that requires a swarm of worker bees. The challenge is recruiting bees. The two dozen structures require maintenance and repair, and some have been neglected for years. I am unsure whether more work is required in homes that are lived in, or in cottages that have been vacant for months, even years. We do have occasional ‘work teams’ that visit for long weekends or so, but the real work is done daily by long term staff. At present, this is Dave and myself.

I hit the ground running, thankful to stay longer than a few days. As mentioned, travel alone is almost a full day coming or going. Frustrating! My time is divided between trouble-shooting any appliance issues, fixing or maintaining machinery (diesel generators and backhoe, two gas tractors, small engines (grass trimmer, portable generators, chainsaws, etc.), a four wheel Kubota, two golf carts, and three boats with Mercury outboard motors.  In spare time (!), there is long-overdue groundskeeping, hedge trimming, landscaping, and fruit tree pruning to enhance Esperanza’s “million dollar” view. 

I haven’t mentioned larger projects, such as re-roofing cottages, new construction (i.e. house porch or deck), plans for a new gym and a duplex, and ‘small’ jobs such as new flooring or sheet rocking an interior wall. Painting is needed almost everywhere.  Some of these can be tackled by ‘work teams’ but only if materials are pre-positioned, someone provides guidance, or can point workers in the direction of finding tools, etc. Yet another task.

Yes, Esperanza is a bit overwhelming. More than a bit. But despair not. I love being here! More of the saga in my next blog. Thanks for reading.