HOPE Crew

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Location: Layton, New Jersey

This HOPE Crew project in Layton, New Jersey, had corpsmembers from The Student Conservation Association working hard at Camp KEP, a historic Boy Scout Camp in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Over the course of 12 weeks, the crew repaired the doors, windows, and siding on four historic structures within the camp: Dining Hall, Rangers' House, Park Cabin, and Office Building.

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, established in 1978, stretches along the Delaware River and is located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Between 1928 and 1972, an estimated 250,000 boy scouts camped along the Delaware River on land which is now part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Matt Grubel served as the preservation expert for this project, and funding was provided by the National Park Service.

“This summer has been an eye-opener for all of the behind-the-scenes work that gets done at parks. I’m taking away technical skills like how to hang a door right and how to use a table saw. It is also nice being able to appreciate the work that others have done, and it has changed the way I see places.”
Kristyne , corpsmember