News - Shehaqua Family

2015 Spring Gathering Registration Is Open

Shehaqua Spring Gathering: Friday, May 15 – Sunday, May 17
Director: Tasnah Moyer

Spring has sprung! Time to shake off the winter blues, all that stress from shoveling and being cooped up all winter, and join us for our annual Spring Gathering at our beloved Camp Shehaqua! We're mixing things up a little this year!

First off, we've got an awesome staff lined up! Danny Angelino is my Assistant Director (we train them young ;)). Brooke Abrahams and Kyra Moyer are heading up our education. Jake Mas and Francis Marchitelli are our Adventure Team. And Naomi Parks, Ethan McKenna, Carolyn Bonini, and Joe Hinkle are our Music Crew.

In line with the Spring Gathering's adventure theme, our motto this year is "Breaking Free!". Life is about growing, using the opportunities that come our way to Break Free of the things that hold us back—our fears, doubts, worries, insecurities—so that we can achieve our fullest potential! Thus we are excited to introduce Shehaqua's first Challenge Obstacle Course, the perfect event to push the mind, body, and soul to the next level together with friends and family!

Who doesn't love music and the way it moves the soul? We're kicking off the spring with a rockin' live concert in the meadow! Featuring multiple acts, one headline band, and dancing. Enjoy the bonfire, s'mores, and games with family members of all ages. Bring your friends and family. See you there!

Tasnah Moyer

Program Details:
Dates: Friday, May 15, 7pm (dinner not provided) – Sunday, May 17, 10am (lunch not provided)
Cost: $40 for ages 9 and up, if you register and pay by April 26. Click here for more details.

Family Camp Registration Is Open

Click here to register

Week 1:
Sunday, July 19 – Friday, July 24
Director: Sunkwon Bush
Enjoy Week 1 with presentations, sports, crafts, music and plenty of free time to hang out together.

Weekend 1.5:
Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26
Codirectors: Yuri Palhof & TBD
If your schedule doesn't allow for a whole week of family camp, or if you are not sure that you want to commit for a whole week, then Weekend 1.5 is for you. Get a taste of the magic of Shehaqua during a weekend and come back for a whole week next year.

Week 2:
Monday, July 27 – Saturday, August 1
Codirectors: Claude Aubert & Michael Stewart
Coeducation directors: Liz Bonini Stewart & TBD
Week 2 welcomes families young and old. Bring your 3-generation family to Shehaqua for a family reunion! Last year we had four grandparents with their grandkids at Week 2! And bring along your friends; everyone is welcome.

Week 3:
Monday, August 3 – Saturday, August 8
Codirectors: Chris Bush & Bruce Clarke
Join us during Week 3 of Family Camp for a special program during our adult discussion time. We will be exploring the Three Blessings:

First Blessing: Learn about Tai-Chi and Qi-Gong, which integrate movement, breathing and posture to maintain your health and help you work on the unity between your spirit, mind and body or actions. We will also be studying the Book of Genesis and the Divine Principle.
Second Blessing: Explore healthy relationships and what we need to do to build and maintain them.
Third Blessing: Explore and learn about stewardship of the environment, plus tips on retirement, earning more and being financially successful. We will also be sharing tips on healthy eating and living.

The adult discussions occur in the mornings and afternoons, so you and your kids can still participate in all the fun activities at Camp. The discussions will be interactive, with lots of time for sharing and questions. We will be inviting guest speakers, so don't miss out on this.

Exciting youth program in the planning stages...stay tuned. If you have come to Camp in the past, but your kids are grown, consider having a family reunion at Shehaqua.

Save the Dates for 2015 Shehaqua Camps

Here are the dates for this year’s Shehaqua camps. Save the dates in your calendar now, request time off at work, and get ready for another season of fun! We will send out another email when registration opens, in about a month. At that time we will also announce the camp directors for each program.

SPRING:
Spring Gathering: Friday, May 15 – Sunday, May 17

SUMMER:
Group leader training: Friday, July 17 – Sunday, July 19
Family Camp Week 1: Sunday, July 19 – Friday, July 24
Family Camp Weekend 1.5: Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26
Family Camp Week 2: Monday, July 27 – Saturday, August 1
Family Camp Week 3: Monday, August 3 – Saturday, August 8

FALL:
Harvest Festival: Friday, September 19 – Sunday, September 21

WINTER:
Winter Retreat: Tuesday, December 29 – Friday, January 1

2014 Annual Report

The Shehaqua Family celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2014. What started as a weekend camping trip by a few families in 1995 has slowly grown into a three-week program for large groups of families in rustic cabins in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, held every year in late July/early August. Over time, other programs have been added for fall, winter, and spring.

Building Intentional Community: Living a Life Together

We live in a culture where people are often disconnected from each other and as a result feel disempowered. At the Winter Retreat at Camp Innabah, we'll have the opportunity to participate in a series of presentations, break-out sessions and documentaries that will help us better understand the meaning and value of living in community. We'll cover topics that enhance a sense of community such as creating "community glue", business collaboration, sacred spaces and architecture, appreciating people's strengths, dynamic governance (sociocracy), volunteerism & service and we'll look at a various case studies of communities around the world.

This will be a wonderful networking opportunity and a chance to build on the community spirit that has made Shehaqua what it is today.

Tentative Schedule

Registration is Open! Shehaqua Winter Retreat 2014

Registration is now open for the 2014-2015 Shehaqua Winter Retreat! Register before Nov. 30th by clicking here and receive the early bird prices. Information about prices can be found here. The program starts on Monday, December 29, at 10:00am, and ends on Thursday, January 1, by 3:00pm.

There will be interactive education for all age groups (toddlers! elementary, middle school, high school, young adults and adults, see our last Newsletter) including:

Thank You, Gregg Noll!

Gregg Noll has offered so much to the Shehaqua Family as a participant, a director, executive director and finally council facilitator. Many of us have been lucky to know and work with him, and we are so grateful for his continued commitment and passion to this community and its programs. As he moves on now to new opportunities, we wanted to take a moment to thank him and to reflect on the many great things he helped create during his years of service.

Shehaqua Summit Results in Creation of New Circle and New Position

When the Shehaqua Family decided to adopt the Sociocracy model of governance at the Shehaqua Summit in October 2013, the intention was to break up the work; to get things done earlier to improve the quality of our programs; to let more volunteers contribute in areas where their passions and expertise are; and to be inclusive and involve as many stakeholders as possible in the decision-making processes. Program planning and some decision making was now to take place in eight circles; one for each of the four Shehaqua programs—Spring Gathering, Family Camp, Harvest Festival, and Winter Retreat—and four more covering the year-round operations: Education, Finances, Logistics, and Media & Communications.

The participants of the 2014 Shehaqua Summit (click to expand)

Tentative Schedule

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