Ellie Yeater isn’t your typical teenager. While most 14-year-olds might spend their summer hanging out with friends, swimming, or playing video games, Ellie from Williamstown, West Virginia, took on a huge project. She spent her summer transforming a 1974 Wilderness camper into a “Glamper.”
A glamper is a blend of “camping” and “glamorous,” and Ellie believes her revamped camper will make camping much more fun and comfortable.
You have to see her stunningly renovated Wilderness camper to believe what an ambitious high school student she is.
Her mom, Lori, shared that Ellie saved up about $500 from chores, birthday money, and other activities to buy and fix up the camper.
Ellie found the camper listed for $200 on a local bulletin board.
With the camper bought, Ellie used the rest of her money to purchase paint, flooring, fabrics, and other items to turn it into a glamper. The camper was in bad shape since the previous owners used it for both camping and hunting. “There was a ton of labor involved,” her mom said.
Ellie’s older brother, Isaiah, originally built a tiny cabin for him and his friends to hang out in, which inspired Ellie to create her own space. She wanted something “cuter” and closer to the house so she could have electricity and Wi-Fi.
First, Ellie completely disassembled and cleaned the camper. She then painted it with Valspar’s “Mystic Sea” color. One picture shows Ellie removing excess glue from the floor after disassembling everything. Another picture shows her grandpa Lawrence teaching her basic carpentry tasks like bracing and filling holes.
Ellie chose an aqua blue color scheme for her glamper. She painted the interior, transforming the dull wood into a vibrant space. The camper’s interior slowly took shape, showing remarkable progress.
In the final stages, Ellie added finishing touches with help from her grandmother, Mary, who made the upholstery for the seat cushions and curtains. Ellie also laid new floor tiles. She collected many items over the summer to decorate her glamper.
One image shows Ellie bringing in a mannequin decoration she bought from a warehouse sale. She mentioned that Pinterest provided a lot of inspiration for her project. Ellie continued to decorate her glamper with items like a vintage camera, an old electric fan, and matching napkins made by her grandmother.
When asked what she plans to do once the project is complete, Ellie said she might have a sleepover with friends or enjoy some quiet time to read and play the ukulele.
Ellie’s determination and hard work turned her dream into reality. For someone her age to take on such a big project is truly amazing. When asked why her daughter would take on such a task, Ellie’s mother said, “I have never told her that she couldn’t do anything.”
This kind of support inspired Ellie to work on and complete this wonderful project.
Ellie’s story is a reminder that hard work always pays off. With determination, we can achieve any goal we set our minds to. Please share this inspiring story with your family and friends!
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