A Secret Place for the Soul and Re-Creation

That secret is 800 acres of forever-wild Adirondack wilderness known as Pyramid Life Center. Located in the town of Paradox in Essex County, Pyramid Life Center is geographically located in the Ogdensburg Diocese, although it is owned by the Albany Diocese.

Part of the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Preserve, Pyramid Life Center includes crystal clear Pyramid Lake, filled with small mouth bass; a 16-acre island; Bear Mountain; a thundering waterfall; and hiking trails that connect with the New York State Trail System.

Natural wonders

Those trees will be there for years to come, she added, explaining: "We're restricted in our lumbering. Very restricted. We have a 10-year permit; when it's up, that's it."

The unspoiled beauty of Pyramid Lake has been attracting visitors since the 1800s. What is now the lodge for Pyramid Life Center was built out of hand-carved logs as a hunting lodge sometime in the 19th century. A sign inside that dates back to 1870 lists the rates once charged for a visit: $2 per day or $7 to $10 per week.

Pyramid Lake was then known for offering the "best deer and partridge hunting in the Adirondacks." Today, deer have been known to stroll down the same paths that guests at the center use. Other wildlife that call Pyramid Lake home include loons, bald eagles, herons, frogs and turtles.

Many uses

But Sister Monica and four supporters who didn't want it to be sold asked for the opportunity to bring it back to life. They were given a three-year trial period to operate it in the black. Renamed Pyramid Life Center, it is now in its 12th year.

Pyramid Life Center offers family camping experiences as well as variety of programs and retreats. While it is used all year long, its main season is Memorial Day through Columbus Day.

On retreat

The biggest draw in recent years has been the weekend with Father Girzone and Sister Dorothy. "We can hold 130 comfortably," explained Sister Monica. "We have 150 for the Girzone weekend, so we sleep half at hotels and motels. It's a big draw. We have a crew of 40 volunteers for the weekend."

Volunteers are one of the key elements of Pyramid Life Center's success. "We are mostly run by volunteers," Sister Monica said. "On opening weekend, we had 75 volunteers, including craftsmen and others who clean and make beds. We have a couple of hundred volunteers."

Pitching in

"When the electricity goes out, an electrician comes in," she said. "When the plumbing goes, a plumber comes. We're constantly experiencing miracles. It's amazing."

Dana Sherman is one of the volunteers who makes Pyramid Life Center a priority in his life. Raised as a Methodist, he married a Catholic and attended Mass with her St. Bernadette's in Berne. When he went to meet with then-pastor Rev. Robert Roos about converting, the priest, one of the original supporters of Pyramid Life Center, asked him if he could do some electrical work at the camp.

Getting and giving

Originally concerned with improving safety, Mr. Sherman installed trail lighting and other safety features. Now his main concern is beautification of the buildings.

While going through a difficult time in his life, Mr. Sherman found volunteering at Pyramid Life Center kept him connected to God. "I needed this place more than they needed me," he said. "It keeps me going."

Each summer, Sister Monica is also guaranteed the assistance of "a real hodgepodge of kids." Teens come from as far away as France and Brazil to volunteer. Others are from the Diocese, the inner cities of New Jersey, and New Mexico and New Hampshire.

Visitors

"We have people come from out-of-state and downstate," Sister Monica said. "We even have people come from as far away as Ohio and Minnesota."

Ironically, many people in the Albany Diocese itself don't know about Pyramid Life Center, Sister Monica said. As a result, it is not used to the degree it could be by parishes and organizations in the Diocese, although approximately eight parishes sponsor family camping vacations there.

Come on up

"It's free for our own schools, and they don't use it," she said. "Educators should come up and see the potential for writing and science."

Although Sister Monica would enjoy seeing the facilities used by more parishes and schools, the premises are far from empty. Approximately 2,000 people use it each year for family camping, retreats, day trips and workshops.

Roughing it

Guests may stay in one of the rooms in the lodge or in one of the nine cabins in the complex. Each cabin, like the lodge, has a large stone fireplace. The cabins still possess their original bunk beds.

Meals are taken in the dining hall, which had its wood floors redone last year and new round tables put in. Sister Monica explained that each year, they try to improve one building. Several of the cabins have been spruced up under this plan.

"It gets better each year," she said, "but we still have a long way to go."

Meals are served buffet style; when they aren't being prepared by Sister Monica, volunteer cooks pitch in. She described the food as "homemade, healthy meals." A recent lunch included fruit salad, ham and pea salad, tossed salad, pasta salad, quiche, and stuffed peppers. Freshly baked cookies and desserts are also on the menu.

Special features

* The Boat House, which serves as a recreation room. Originally a chapel, it is now used for workshops and evening entertainment. The room is filled with mismatched furniture. Currently, volunteers are repairing windows and sprucing this building up.

* The Kateri Tekakwitha Chapel, which is constructed of sun-straightened logs -- logs that are cut down and submerged in a lake, removed and dried by the sun. It was originally known as the Our Lady of the Snows Chapel and was built by Canadian loggers. Colorful banners decorate the chapel, which was renamed as part of the ten-year anniversary of Pyramid Life Center two years ago. The pews are arranged in a semicircle, and the deep blue, red, green, yellow and aqua seat cushions brighten up the dark building.

* The "Mouse House," which is named for its size not its occupants. While now used for guests, Sister Monica believes it was originally built as a root cellar.

More than wood

"It doesn't have the amenities," said Rob Hoover, a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Altamont who has been bringing his family to Pyramid Life Center for 10 years. "But it's a pristine camp."

Besides having an incredible experience with nature, visitors take away a sense of community after a visit to Pyramid Life Center. Mr. Hoover comes up six to eight weekends a year and brings his own kayaks, which he leaves to share with other guests.

"You can make a difference here," he said. "I teach people how to kayak, help a kid learn. It's small enough that one person could make a difference."

Community feeling

"I hope they're taking some sense of community and some sense of respect for nature back with them," she said. "You can learn interdependence and caring. I think people leave with good feelings."

People also learn to respect nature. "We ask that people are quiet outside out of respect for the environment," she said. "The whole idea is to create a place for people to recreate and re-create."

God is there

"It's a good place to grow in relationship with God," said Sister Monica. "Nature can teach you that. It's an incredible prayer experience if you're open."

Sister Mary Anne Nelson, CSJ, an associate professor of music at The College of Saint Rose in Albany and a long-time volunteer at the Center, agrees.

"It's a miniature ecological system," she said. "Everything is forever wild. People get a sense of tending and a sense of sacred."

Sacred space

"I bring a lot of my music with me," she said. "It's a chance to be in a quiet place and time to do my own composing." ("Pyramid Suite," which she wrote, was inspired by her time at the center and can be purchased in the gift shop.)

While some are inspired to use the talents they bring with them to Pyramid Life Center, others find being there inspires them to try new things. Sister Monica said visits have prompted some to learn to kayak and others to climb the Adirondacks. "People try things here that they never would have tried before," she said.

Family style

Since there is no television at Pyramid Life Center, families must find other evening entertainment. That often includes sitting around a bonfire or playing board games in the dining hall. It is also a safe place for families to be.

"Where else can you go where you can have kids out at night?" Sister Monica asked.

Children can also learn a lot about families during their visits. "It's wonderful for kids to see the appreciation for families here," Sister Monica said. "I love to see the interaction between younger families and older families."

The safety and serenity of Pyramid Life Center also make it an ideal place for senior citizens or group home residents to come to. It's also a place people come during difficult times in their lives. "People come here during tragedy," explained Sister Monica. "It's a nice place to be alone and to grieve."

(For more information about Pyramid Life Center, call 426-8076.)

(07-02-98) [[In-content Ad]]