APRIL 2021

News from the Mountain Top

Dear Campers and Camp Supporters:

Spring is on the mountain top, and green leaves are budding on trees, colorful wildflowers are popping up, and Daisy Doodle is going crazy chasing lizards. The snow is gone, and it is wonderful to see new vegetation. Our earth has amazing restorative energies and we all must continue to be protective stewards of its wellbeing and abundance.

I have been walking around Camp thinking about the presentation I will make at the PWSD District Assembly meeting this weekend. I am thinking about all that has been accomplished and all that is still yet to do. The common theme for me has been that every accomplishment resulted from the heroic efforts of individuals who have made a personal commitment to the survival and health of Camp.

There are so many heroes to thank – firefighters, donors, volunteers, staff members, and the Board of Directors.

The San Bernardino fire crew assigned to battle the fire around our camp worked tirelessly to save all of our buildings. They even acknowledged that our fire clearance efforts were evident (thank you volunteers and staff!). Because of that noticeable effort, the crew felt compelled to work extra hard to save our cabins.

Then came the multi-faceted initiatives that were identified to ensure the camp’s survival – both physical and financial.

We took immediate actions to protect the campus from potential spring mud and ash flows.

Our stewardship committee, chaired by Pat Gordon, sprang into action and fundraising outreach began. We identified that we needed $50,000 per month to cover basic fixed operating expenses plus money for some important refurb/repair projects during this period of extended closure. And again, heroes stepped up and donations, along with loving tributes to camp, came pouring in.

And there were heroes who helped in so many other ways – donating their time, talents, and skills to help Camp. The number and variety of tasks undertaken by volunteers are both staggering and heart-warming. Please know that all volunteer efforts are deeply appreciated, especially during this extended closure with loss of camper-fee revenues.

Our heroic Camp staff has a long list of things to accomplish over the next 5 months—top on the list is the renewal of Craig’s Cabin after 25 years of wear and tear. Campers will return to updated bathrooms and kitchen in fall 2021. A brand-new composition shingle roof will be installed and roof decking repaired. It’s so hard to accomplish big projects like this when we have campers year-round, and the staff is determined to have Camp spruced up with many improvements for you to enjoy when we are able to re-open this fall. The whole staff, including Daisy Doodle, are yearning for your arrival to Camp. In the meantime, please stay connected and participate in the Adult and Youth virtual camps listed elsewhere in this newsletter.

Camp celebrates its milestone 60th anniversary this year, and we invite you to help us celebrate “60 Years of Love.” Please join with us for a grand celebration on Saturday, December 4, 2021.  First Church San Diego will be the host site for our anniversary party, and we expect to have lots of campers and supporters join in the fun and programming!  Get involved in the fun now by submitting stories, memories, and photos of your time at Camp. See “Campers Say and Do” below for details.

Thank you for your continued support through your volunteer efforts at Camp and through your meaningful monetary gifts and caring thoughts. 

Be safe and stay healthy. I cherish you all.

Janet James

Executive Director

Your Beloved Camp

As volunteers, employees, and hired professionals work diligently to protect Camp from post-fire environmental damage, the earth is restoring in its own way. With new growth and the multitude of sandbags, straw bales and silt curtains, your camp is mending and awaiting your visit. 

A year ago, you were figuring out your “new normal” and wondering what you were going to do without Camp de Benneville Pines. And while it has been a challenging year, you have made it through, and you can start looking toward being at Camp again.

Camp staff and friends have learned a lot in the past year. Bringing you the online camp experience has been a part of the process and success in staying connected. While we get ready to welcome you back to the mountain top, we are offering you fun and enriching virtual experiences so you can “practice’ being at Camp again.

After missing it in 2020, UU Women’s Spring Retreat is back – virtually. “The Spiral of Resilience and Renewal” is a weekend packed with a daily key-note address, workshops ranging from movement, intimate conversations, and self-care to games, social hour, and concerts from Emma’s Revolution and Karen Hart!

This is a perfect Mother’s Day, birthday, or self-care gift. Register now!

• Virtual Women’s Retreat is April 30 – May 2, 2021

Get the whole scoop on Women’s Retreat and register here >>>

UU Summer Youth Camp Connections are making a return this year with exciting virtual programming.

• Elementary (completed grades 2-5) – Week of July 11
• Junior High (completed grades 6-8) – Week of July 11
• Senior High – Week of July 18

Save these dates for more virtual camps for adults:

• Summer Break Camp for Adults – August 11 – 15
• Yoga and Whole Living Camp – September 10 – 12

Be sure to stay up-to-date and get details about camps on the Camp de Benneville Pines website Calendar and Camp Connect pages.

The stellar 70’s

If you were at Camp in the 1970s, it’s your turn to share your pictures, stories, and memories. Maybe you were a child or teen at the time. Or perhaps you were one of the young adults from the ’60s, now with a family. If you were chillin’ at Camp during this time like the group of PSLRY (Pacific Southwest Liberal Religious Youth) pictured above, it would be far out to hear about it. At least what you remember.

We will share stories and photos throughout the year, leading up to the grand celebration of Camp de Benneville Pines’ 60th anniversary in December 2021.

If you are down with it, send digital files to history@uucamp.org. You may also mail mementos to de Benneville Pines History, 41750 Jenks Lake Road West, Angelus Oaks, CA, 92305-9789. Do not send anything that you must have returned. If you don’t want to part with originals, please make good quality copies to send. 

Have a pic of the ’80’s??? Yo, like send us that photo, ’cause seeing it in next month’s newsletter would be righteous! 

Send your questions to office@uucamp.org.

Just nine years after PSWD UUs found your place on the mountain top, the first Earth Day was celebrated. After living on and with the planet for millennia, humans began to live from the earth – taking with abandon and no restoration plan. Through a grass-roots effort of people paying attention and caring about their home and its inhabitants’ futures, Earth Day was born. 

Two lessons from 2020 that have resonated across the globe are that humans’ effect on the planet is distinctive and we need connections to the natural world. Each year Earth Day and the messages that come with it become more important to a greater number of people.

According to the Earth Day Network, hundreds of millions of people from over 140 countries participate in Earth Day celebrations, making it “the largest secular civic event in the world.” Why don’t you and your family add to that number this year?

The Earth Day Network has 51 actions and tips to make a difference every day. Plus, they list Earth Day events, have quizzes on various topics to help you assess your environmental literacy, and offer tool-kits and fact sheets to help you learn (and teach) more.

Check out the Earth Day Network website here >>> 

As you enjoy this video, think about our planet and the wonderful world created on the mountain top so many decades ago. Then imagine how you can be a part of the Earth’s and Camp de Benneville Pines’ futures.

Watch the video here >>>

Keep the spirit of de Benneville Pines and yoUUr faith alive in your heart.