YMCA

The Pike National Forest was his particularly hard by last summer's wildfires. One area was hit by not one, but two separate fires. First, the Schoonover Fire, which was sparked by lighting last May. And then the devastating Hayman Fire, started in June by former Forest Service worker, Terry Barton.

The Hayman Fire burned 137,000 acres in four counties before crews contained it. And, before the devastation of that fire, the Schoonover Fire burned nearly 4,000 acres, and destroyed 13 structures in and around the Deckers area.

Many of those structures were buildings at the historic YMCA Camp Shady Brook.

Volunteers are working very hard to get the camp ready for summer. They believe the camp experience is too important to let the kids miss it again this year. At least 3,000 kids missed out on camp last year after the fire.

Merv Bennett, the head of the Pikes Peak YMCA, says he thought it would take years to to get the camp back the way it was. And though he says it's been hard, he adds, the camp is better now than it's ever been.

This summer there will be some new additions to the camp, including a new dock at the lake and new tent cabins to replace those that burned down.

Bennett says Camp Shady Brook is ready to go and the first set campers is due to arrive next weekend.