Board Weekend in Denver

Mountain Friends Camp thanks the Mountain View Friends Meeting for your warm hospitality during our annual board board meetingweekend March 20-22. Board members were joined by campers, young adult staff and a few interested local Friends for a fun weekend of worship, discernment and plork (play+work) for our Quaker summer camp. Nine of us traveled from four states plus DC, and nine came from around Colorado. Our focus for the weekend was visioning and planning the next 5 years. We spent time considering the locations we’ve held camp at so far and what we need and want in a permanent location (and how to discern the difference between needs and wants!). Our recent 501(c)3 status, camp policies, staff orientation, support for grieving campers, 2015 plans, finances and outreach kept us busy. We divided up board tasks into three main committees for the next year, and invited campers and others join and participate in committee work. Of course since this was about camp we also had great food, singing, games, worship, fellowship and outdoor time in the beautiful Colorado sunshine.
Big thanks to Paula and to Ruth for hosting so many out of towners, and to Penny and Judy for bringing us delicious that gado gado dinner Saturday! Most everyone stayed for Meeting for Worship on First Day, with a few of our camp staff taking the First Day group to the park for some camp games. Afterwards we enjoyed a bountiful potluck spread, and showed some pictures for a MFC Q&A. We left with warm hearts and renewed resolve from the many reminders of what we love about Mountain Friends Camp!board meeting
REMINDER: We still have plenty of room for campers age 10-15, family campers, and are looking for 1-2 medics and a few male counselors. Learn more, sign up, refer a friend, contact Ana, or donate to support our camp mountainfriendscamp.org

Marathon Matching Grant Challenge!

Dave Wells is a Friend from Tempe Monthly Meeting, a parent of Mountain Friends Camp campers since our first 2010 pilot program, a fantastic vegan cook who brought solar ovens to our 2013 camp, and a marathon runner too. On April 19 Dave is running the Wenatche Marathon in memory of two beloved IMYM Friends who have recently passed away, Carl Wallen from Tempe Meeting and Rebecca Henderson from Santa Fe Meeting, and as a fundraiser for Mountain Friends Camp. Thanks to Dave and an anonymous donor, all donations up to the first $1500 will be matched dollar for dollar, so give now and mark “marathon fundraiser” in the memo line to double your impact! We rely on donations from our entire community to help Mountain Friends Camp grow sustainably, and remain affordable for lower income families. All donations and pledges received by the end of April are eligible for the matching grant; for more information or to make a pledge, contact our treasurer Eric Wright.

As one returning camper told me recently, “at Mountain Friends Camp, not only do I feel accepted for who I am, I feel cherished for who I am.” Won’t you help more young people come to Mountain Friends Camp, where they can experience a supportive Quaker community, enjoy simple outdoor living, and make lasting friendships?
Thanks Dave, and we’ll all be cheering for you on race day!
Cooks 2013

On the (Quaker) road again . . .

Status

You might have heard that Ana and Ariel are reprising the epic “Quaker Road” trip that they took last spring to visit Meetings, fund raise and encourage youth and adults to come to Mountain Friends Camp. Well it’s true! We won’t be traveling for quite as long this year, but will make stops at even more Meetings in the IMYM region. So when will they be visiting a Meeting near you?

3/25-Mt View Meeting and potluck (Ariel) and Boulder Meeting (Ana)
3/26-Boulder Meeting House 7pm
3/28-Colorado Springs potluck 6:30 pm
4/1-Santa Fe after meeting potluck (Ariel) and Albuquerque Meeting (Ana)
4/2-Albuquerque 5:30pm potluck at the Meeting House
4/3-Las Cruces 6pm potluck at the Meeting House
4/4-Gila Meeting lunch in Silver City
4/6-Tucson Meeting House 7pm
4/7-Tempe
4/8-Phoenix (Ana) and Flagstaff (Ariel) Meeting and fellowship
4/10-Durango (tbd)
4/11-Moab (tbd)
4/12-Salt Lake (tbd)

Hope to see many of you in the next few weeks, and more of you at IMYM and Mountain Friends Camp! We’ll be updating this website and our Facebook page with news from our trip, “like” us and check often for updates.