Jim Schmidt, Vice President

As Facility Manager at Glen Bernard Camp for more than 35 years, Jim has overseen the stewardship and development of a property featuring 700 acres of forest and a kilometer of shoreline, as well as dozens of buildings. The Camp has become a model of environmental education and features solar power, composting toilets and energy efficient lighting. The Living Lightly Lab allows students to interact and learn about sustainable technologies. This entire infrastructure, the buildings with their unique energy saving features, as well as the land itself, with its miles of trails, is overseen and looked after by Jim and his maintenance team. This team consists of young people, hired for the summer and given a unique opportunity to learn and be mentored by Jim, who takes particular pride in those who have gone on to education and employment in environmental fields. Under Jim’s management, the camp has significantly reduced its use of water. The facilities and routines are tailored to not only meet low waste and energy consumption goals, but also to teach campers, students and adults to do the same.

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Jim was born and raised on a farm in the Sundridge area. Stone masonry was among the skills that Jim learned from his father and the family farm and surrounding wilderness was where Jim began his appreciation and connection with the natural world. Jim and his family live on a waterfront property and for over 10 years he has been a Director with the Lake Bernard Property Owner’s Association, where he serves as the Lake Steward for Lake Bernard. For 21 years Jim has been a member of the Sundridge-Strong Volunteer Fire Department, first as a fire fighter, then as Captain, and more recently as Deputy Fire Chief and Chief Training Officer. Here again Jim brings leadership in organizing, mentoring and teaching.