Shehaqua Family Camp was started in 1995 by a small group of Unificationist families to provide a vision of a faith community for their children. What started as a weekend tent camping trip for about 40 people has slowly grown into a fine-tuned and time-tested program for hundreds of people. Three weeks of programs take place every year in late July/early August in rustic cabins at Camp Shehaqua in Hickory Run State Park in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. We now already have the third generation of campers attending, and some who have been attending since they were young kids are now part of the camp staff. To learn more about the history of the Shehaqua Family Camp, please read our Shehaqua at 20 article.
Shehaqua Family Camp offers families a spiritually enriching experience through presentations; nature; sports; crafts; music; and social activities. The content presented during lectures is based on moral education and includes age-appropriate Bible stories for younger kids, and basic Divine Principle—the teachings of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon—for older children and youth.
What sets Shehaqua Family Camp apart from most other camps is a program designed for the whole family, not just children or youth of a certain age. While presentations, discussions, and some of the activities are separated by age groups, there are many activities that the family can enjoy together, which will help strengthen their family ties. Based on their shared experience, families usually leave camp with a renewed appreciation for each other.
Families also have a chance to bond among each other, creating a community that feels like an extended family—with many aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews. This is why most families keep coming back every year. Lifelong friendships have started at Shehaqua Family Camp, and several campers even have met their future spouse there.
All the adults share the workload of running the camp, giving everybody a more personal stake in a successful outcome.
Family Camp is a natural place to introduce your friends and relatives to the Unification movement. Adult guests can participate in discussions, and their children can attend the relevant workshops. Shehaqua Family Camp welcomes people of all faiths.
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Happy Mother's Day Weekend everybody! Hope everyone has an opportunity to connect with Mother God in her various forms this weekend. Registration for Shehaqua Family Camp is now open. You can take advantage of the discounted early bird fee if you register by May 31. Fees will go up June 1, and then again on July 1. Visit the fees page for more details.
With the winter finally coming to a close and Daylight Savings having come and gone, we look forward to our time-honored summer traditions and much needed days of rest, relaxation, and restoration.
Look out for our registration to open in the middle of this month. We look forward to seeing you again this summer! As mentioned above, we are keeping tabs on the news and recommended guidelines to determine if we can safely hold Family Camp this year and will announce any changes as we learn more.
Read below for dates and details!
Toasting s'mores at the campfire, swimming at Sand Spring Lake, hiking on the Shades of Death Trail, playing Capture the Flag, hosting Family Fun Night and Candlelight Prayer in the meadow—these were experiences shared at Shehaqua in July 2020. Through cooperation under a shared vision, Dan Hess, Chris Bush, and Sally Sayre scouted out campsites, contacted the rangers at Hickory Run, and created education packets for families.
Not being able to accept a summer without camp, this dedicated trio managed this Family Camping Adventure with the structure of Shehaqua Family Camp. Dan and Chris served as director and General Affairs director respectively, with Chris also assuming the mantle of crew; Sally took up the familiar role of teacher and education director. The persistence exhibited by this team seemed to be rewarded from above by beautiful weather throughout the gathering.
