It is with regret that we are writing to inform you that the Winter Workshop has been canceled due to low attendance this year. We needed at least 50 people signed up for the whole program by last night to move forward, and we only had 28 committed. Thus financially, the decision was made to cancel.

Again, we are sorry for this news. It hasn't been easy to digest that such a long standing tradition won't go through this year.

As promised, you will receive a full refund for the registration fee you have already paid. Sorry for the inconvenience.

We hope to see you at our upcoming Shehaqua events. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,
The Winter Retreat Team

Our yearly Shehaqua Council Election is coming up in February 2016. Six out of the nine seats on the Council will open up, and they will either be filled by present Council members running for re-election or new candidates like you. Please consider nominating yourself and running for election! This is a special opportunity to serve the Shehaqua Family.

What does the Shehaqua Council do? The Council creates or modifies policies that govern all Shehaqua programs; approves Shehaqua Family program plans and budgets; and selects the Operations Team Facilitator.

What will you commit to if you get elected? Serve for a two-year turn; attend bi-monthly council meetings through Zoom video conference calls (about 90 minutes long); attend a one-day summit in spring in person; be prepared to serve on the Council as facilitator, administrator, or scribe if need arises.

Who is qualified to be on the Council? To qualify for the election, you must have attended at least two Shehaqua programs in the last three years; have demonstrated involvement at Shehaqua programs (for example, helped with a volunteer assignment at camp, or worked as a member of a circle); be at least 17 years old; and have a sincere desire to serve the Shehaqua Family.

Ready to run? You can sign up right here.

Nominating Someone Else. If you can't run yourself, but would like to nominate someone else you think is qualified, we welcome that. There are two ways to do this: You can send the potential candidate a personal email and encourage them to sign up online.

Or you can download this form (a Word document) and send it to them to complete and email back to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The information on the application form is the same as online.

The deadline for nominations is January 2, 2016. More about the election process in a future newsletter.

Duration: Tuesday, December. 29 (starts after lunch) –Friday, January 1 (lunch included)

As the leaves fall to the ground and the trees prepare for the upcoming winter, we too look ahead to the new season, the holidays and the start of a new year. This year's Winter Retreat will be held at Camp Manatawny, a beautiful site located in Douglassville, PA, one hour NW of Philadelphia. Join family and friends as we usher in the New Year, receive inspiration, meet up with old friends, join in exciting activities, and enjoy delicious catered meals (no need for food preparation volunteers this year). The program starts after lunch on December 29 and culminates in a New Year's celebration on January 1. To sign up, go to shehaquafamily.org/register. Register now to take advantage of the early bird discount. Prices go up after November 29. Registrations after December 21 cannot be accepted, and all payments have to be made by December 21, too.

Camp Manatawny offers 8 cabins with 4 beds each that will be reserved for the first 8 families that register and fill up the cabin.

Hope to see you there.
Kyra Moyer, Director

Join us at the Harvest Festival from Sept. 18–20 for a weekend of fun, square dancing and crafts, including candle dipping, water melon eating and camp run contests, as well as pumpkin carving and painting.

Arrival time is from 7pm on Friday, Sept. 18. The program begins on Saturday, Sept. 19, with education and activities in the afternoon and square dancing and a campfire Saturday night. To sign up, go to www.shehaquafamily.org/register. For fees and other information, click here.

The early bird registration discount is approaching in a few days. Pay for camp by May 31 if you want to take advantage of the discount. The prices will go up starting June 1. Mailed checks need to be postmarked by May 31 to qualify for the early bird discount; you can find the mailing address here.

To all of you who already mailed or will mail checks: A big thank-you! This helps us save on credit card fees. And a thank-you to all of you who already registered. Your early registration helps us with planning and organizing.

For any questions or concerns please contact Haydee Ching.

Regretfully, the Treasures of Heaven program at Camp Shehaqua for Week 2 this summer has been cancelled due to low interest.

Special needs children and their families are, as always, still welcome at Shehaqua, but each family will need to make their own arrangements for any special care needed. Please contact the leadership of the program you plan to attend, and we will do what we can to help.