We have less than a week before staff orientation begins, and lots to do to prepare for the big day when campers arrive on July 10! Beverley is onsite today with a hardy group of volunteers to unpack the storage unit and set up the kitchen, and MFC counselors, CITs and support staff are packing their camping gear, traveling from across the country, collaborating on program ideas, and sharing songs and excitement for camp. I'm looking forward to meeting all the new campers this summer, spending long days out of doors, and bringing my family back to Mountain Friends Camp. It will be baby Forest's first summer at camp! As we prepare for our thirteenth summer of Mountain Friends Camp, for making friends, exploring nature and art, and building community based on the Quaker SPICES, we need your help. Two big ways you can help this summer are donations and camper recruitment!
1. Your donations are needed and so appreciated to make Mountain Friends Camp possible! Thanks to a few generous Friends from Logan Meeting (my home Quaker Meeting!), we have a matching challenge: all donations received before campers arrive on July 10th will be matched up to $5000! With your help, we can maintain our commitment to economic diversity and supporting families who would not otherwise be able to attend camp. Reaching this goal before campers arrive, on top of the $13,000 already raised, will ensure we have enough money this year to pay staff and cover all of our summer expenses. Thank you for your contributions!
2. Our July 24-30 session is still under enrolled, so Friends are asked to spread the word in your families, Meetings and communities, and consider enrolling if you have family to members ages 9-15! This one week session is a great introduction to camp for new campers, and campership funding is available to help families afford the cost. The July 10-22 session is waitlist only.
We have seen every year how deeply camp impacts young people, helping them explore new aspects of themselves and become part of a supportive community. This year more than ever, I'm hearing from parents, teens, and educators alike about a powerful need for connection, resilience, and the joy of play and creativity without screens or academic pressure. Young people can find these at camp, and it is your gifts, participation and advocacy that makes our camp possible.
We are so grateful that we're able to return to Collins Lake Ranch this summer after the near miss with the Hermits Peak fire, and with renewed appreciation for the spirit of the land and Mora communities.
