Summer news and matching grant MFC

Updates from our first session and Matching Grant Challenge!

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Dear Friends of Mountain Friends Camp,

The first session of Mountain Friends Camp ends today, and what a great two weeks we've had together!
I want to share with you some of what we find so rewarding about Mountain Friends Camp, and ask you to help enable MFC to continue.
Highlights so far this summer have included our first ever lake swim, hilarious "pod skits", American Sign Language program, new songs and games, and an overnight trip in the national forest-- complete with hike to a high mountain lake and snow banks! We have a great group of campers and staff, new friends who quickly feel like old friends and returning campers who help carry on traditions and share the camp spirit based around Quaker SPICES (see "norms" poster below!).

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Along with the joys of exploring nature, learning new things, and experiencing quiet moments of reflection, Mountain Friends Camp provides a rare and precious opportunity for young people to experience authentic community and inclusion. As staff, we were moved time and again this session by how many campers spoke about the importance of Mountain Friends Camp in their lives. Many shared similar experiences of how rare it is to feel free to be their true selves, and how grateful they are for this camp community for providing that space to find themselves and feel affirmed. I'll never forget what one young camper said, that at Mountain Friends Camp not only do you feel accepted for who you are, you feel cherished for who you are. Your contributions make this growth and community possible, thank you!
This year I also heard many campers looking forward to the year they will be old enough to return as staff, or bring younger siblings along as campers. For the returning teens, they've seen friends grow from fellow campers into into leadership roles as CITs and can see the significance of that growth. Young people crave meaningful experiences and paths into adulthood, and Mountain Friends Camp has become a milestone of growth for our campers.
Looking back to our pilot program in 2010, we did not know how we would bring a new non-profit Quaker camp into our region, but we felt a strong leading to provide distinct summer programs for youth. Quakers say that "Way will open" if we are following our inner guides, and we've seen it again and again. We're in our fifth location, feel great about staying here at Collins Lake Ranch for years to come, and have a flourishing program with more campers and new campers than in the past few years. Financially, we are at a critical time. Will you help Way to open for Mountain Friends Camp this summer?
Your support this summer will allow Mountain Friends Camp to continue, so our campers can count on returning for many more summers, and so more young people can experience the growth and simple joys of camp for years to come. If you haven't given yet this year, now is the perfect time when your gift will be doubled! Thanks to those who have given already, and if you feel led to make an additional annual contribution, your gift will make a huge impact for our small non-profit!

In Friendship,
Anastacia Ebi
director@mountainfriendscamp.org //435-554-1132

$10,000 for 10 Years of Mountain Friends Camp!
To close the gap for this summer, two generous camp families have pledged to match all gifts up to $5,000. As of July 12, we have raised $2,950 of our $5,000 challenge! You have until the end of our season, July 22 to make your donation or pledge. Every donation makes a huge impact for our campers!

Donate today to double your impact!

"MFC is Amazing! I learned how to work together with other people and to stick up for people. I love this place" 2019 camper

"MFC is a place where everyone is welcome and you can be yourself. The people are amazing!" ~2019 camper

"I will remember how nice everyone one was here, and try to be that nice to people outside of camp" ~2019 camper

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Campers make "norms" each session, often based on our Quaker testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship, check out what campers and staff want to be normal at camp!