36th Annual Ybees 2022 Weekend
​was the Best Ever!

After a two year Covid delay, Ybees from the known universe met at YMCA Camp Wakonda over Labor Day weekend to work, build, feast and frolic!

The weather was perfect.  The view of the Heavens from the top of the Ybees Tower was spectacular.  The food was sublime.  The company was beyond compare and the projects were a huge success. ​

​You can see the pictures below.  If you like any of the these, feel free to download them and use them for any purpose.

This year, we were made possible by generous cash donations from Ybees supporters including Kent Chiles, Lora Thomas, Steve Altheimer, Steve Schweitzer and Mike&Dan Chiles.  We have a new account with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks under "Ybees" should you have any amount you'd like to donate.

Everyone agreed, this was the best Ybee event ever.  Make plans for next year when we hope to meet again from September 1-4, 2023.

Huzzah!  Dan

We install the new Ybees StoreHaus

John Michael preps ground for the new StoreHaus

The new StoreHaus arrives just in time.

Matt sets the foundation posts.

Philip, Ed & Matt lock in the rock steps with gravel.

John & Kendall set the foundation blocks

Ed & Matt set the frame for a small deck.

Philip and the RockCrew set the rock steps in place.

PalVal & Dave enjoy the view from the new deck.

We make major repairs to the Garage

The Garage Lean-to needed serious repairs. Beau & Mark were the leads on this project.

We decided the old 30 year old roof desperately needed replacement.

John & Mike do the dirty work.

Pierre & Steve pounded down the old nails.

Will did the heavy work of handing up the new roll roofing.

Tom rolls out new roofing.

Not a pretty picture, but you can see the repaired lean-to and the new roofing.

Mark rebuilds the lean-to.

Mark & John set new framing.

We put together a crew to clean up all the old shingles and the nails.

Steve tracks down every nail.

John made repairs to the roof deck.

Mark presses down the new adhesive roofing.

We rebuild the Rec Hall Railing

The old railing was in terrible shape and had to be removed and completely rebuilt. Beau was the lead.

Will sets a new 4x4 post.

Beau shows how a married couple stays together.

Blake sets the new pickets.

Philip, Robert and Will sort out the lumber supply.

Beau explains the bottle jack to Blake and Robert.

Hanna & David straighten the new 4x4 post.

Robert is a famous little league pitcher and now he is setting new pickets for the new railing.

Hanna, David & Will at work.

Shawna & Hanna set most of the pickets in place.

Will & Hanna know this is a high profile project.

The new railing is beautiful.

We build 22 new Leopold Benches

Richard & Tom start cutting pieces for the new Leopold benches.

Marty drives in TimberLoks to secure the side pieces.

John & Marty with Timberloks.

This year, Iris is our youngest Bench Builder.

This was a very good year for bench production.

Will drove all the way from KCMO to help.

Tom & Ames secure the backs of the benches.

Ames practices her wood sculpture skills.

Tom & John work to distribute the new benches throughout camp.

We enjoy four days of fabulous food!

Beau, PalVal & Araceli worked tirelessly in the kitchen.

The IceCream Crew ladled out cool homemade ice cream.

Beau preps the chicken for the huge Sunday Night feast.

PalVal watches the Saturday night ribs carefully.

Hadley & Sarah were on clean up duty.

Amanda helped with al the dirty dishes.

Jen & PalVal make homemade biscuits.

Carolyn made bacon for a hearty breakfast.

Cussin Jeff adds rub to the chickens before they go to the smoker.

Iris & Tom with the lavish lunch.

Carolyn made treats for the Bench Crew.

Nobody went hungry all weekend.

Hamilton & Dad Earthmoving Projects

Thanks to Jerry of Hamilton & Dad, we had access to two earth moving machines!

Christian works the 88 Tractor to remove old logs from the lagoon.

Christian cuts the old logs that were blocking a trail.

Off goes another irritating stump.

The 88 excavator sets rocks for the new StoreHaus.

Christian and the 88 dig out old nasty stumps.

John removes an old stump.

Philip and the RockCrew found hundreds of big rocks in the woods. We used these for the StoreHaus steps.

We install lockers in the ShowerHaus

Ava was in charge of the Crew to clean the lockers at the ShowerHaus.

Pierre made sure the new lockers were bolted securely in place.

Steve & Pierre bolted the lockers to the wall.

The new lockers will keep towels and other stuff off the floor.

We install new LED lights in the Rec Hall

Amanda & Will worked for days to remove all the old lights and install brilliant new LED's.

The new LED lights are safer and more efficient.

Will worked with the old wiring somehow...

This picture isn't great, but you get the idea. New, brighter, safer and more efficient lights for the Rec Hall.

The Garage Shop gets organized!

Dave found the garage ( A Ybees project) in this shape...

Mike & Mark hold a Kaizen event to clean the garage.

Aimee sweeps up nails and debris from the old roof.

And after four days of work, it looked like this!

Mark uses his famous jump show muscles to help clean the garage.

Dave manages the old chemicals.

We fix a drip & the Arts Building

Mark plugs the roof gaps so the air conditioning will work better in the Arts & Crafts building (A Ybees project).

Random scenes from our Ybees weekend

Tom & Iris haul scraps to the Camp Pig.

Not everyone needs a cabin for the weekend.

Mike, Dan, Dave and Mark discuss the plans for the future camp from the Long Range Plan.

How many Ybees will fit on a golf cart? Erin, John, McKayla, Marty and Taylor.

Kiddos and their moms in the shade.

The camp pool was clean, cool and wonderful.

We use a lot of tools during the annual Ybees weekend.

We've conducted the annual Ybee poker game for 36 years.

The crews meet at the TP right before the supper bell.

The Ybees event was well attended this year.

PalVal drives the human powered camp truck.

Ybee Portraits

Shawna.

Myra and Matt.

Hazel, Tom, Ingrid & Iris.

Ice Cream Crew PalVal & Mike.

Mark & Aimee.

Mark, Mike, Mark & Aimee

Mike and Mark talk about the Park Board.

Tom & Iris

John Michael.

Philip.

Richard & Sarah.

The final clean up crew at camp: John, Mike, Dave, Beau and Will.

Mark on his high tech mountain bike.

Jerry & Carolyn.

Ybee One Mark & Doctor Jen.

Dave in the garage.

Mike.

John Watt and John.

Sarah.

Ava.

Jen, Ames, Iris and Mary Ellen.

Assistant camp director Myra.

Baby Hazel.

Sarah.

Hannah & Jen.

Iris.

Sarah & Mary Ellen.

Christian and the Cat.

Mark & PalVal.

Araceli, Casper and Blake.

Ole Cussin' Cousin Rich.

Mike the Neighbor.

Brian and passengers.

Will.

Jen, Hazel, MargyMay and Luke.

Luke & Jen.

Mike and Will.

Jeff & Casper.

John.

Dave.

Luke and David.

Margo & Casper.