SHEHAQUA FAMILY NEWS

Looking to the Future at the Shehaqua Summit

Every year Shehaqua volunteers gather for our annual Fall Summit. It's a chance to review our programs, to plan ahead for the year to come, and to hear from the larger Shehaqua community about what we have done well and what we can do better. This year we had some special presentations by community members and friends. Amy Cuhel-Schuckers gave the presentation, "How to Balance Change, Renewal and Continuity in an Organization", and Michael Macjeski-AP History and Government Teacher, presented on "The DP in the Context of US History and Government." The presentations were thought provoking and informative and helped the Shehaqua team talk about some of the issues that we face and our goals for Shehaqua.

Much of our time was spent analyzing last year's programs and brainstorming for the future. We were lucky to have seasoned volunteers as well as new faces among the group which aided to the dynamic discussion. Our Shehaqua programs only happen with the support of our participants and volunteers.

So much of what makes camp work goes on behind the scenes, months before the actual program. For the past two years, Laurel Nakai has acted as Operations Director, overseeing the work of these volunteers. She has recently stepped down from this position, and Claude Aubert has been elected by the Shehaqua Council to take on this role for the future. We are thankful for Laurel's service and commitment to camp these past two years and we look forward to working with Claude in his new role.

We are a volunteer organization and are so thankful for the support we get from the community. There are many ways to get involved, lend your talents, and help make our programs even better. If you are interested in offering feedback or helping plan programs, please contact [email address redacted].

Design Next Year's Shehaqua Family Camp T-Shirt!

Do you have creative ideas? Do you enjoy design? This is your chance to showcase your creativity and share it with your Shehaqua Family! We are hosting a t-shirt contest for the 2017 camp shirt, and we would love to see your ideas. We are looking for a design that represents the values and ideals of Shehaqua. Submissions are being accepted between now and February 15th. There is a complete list of details and contest rules on our website.

Please send electronic versions of your design to [email address redacted]. Each participant can submit up to two designs. We look forward to seeing all the creativity that our community has to offer! And if the joy of sharing your designs with others doesn't seem rewarding enough to you, we also have prizes for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners of the contest! The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a free Shehaqua t-shirt each, and the first prize winner will receive a check for $100! Pick up your pencils and pens, or jump on your favorite design program now and let your imagination flow!

Join Shehaqua Alumni for a Winter Gathering

As the seasons change and the weather grows cooler we think ahead to the end of the year and all it has to offer. For those of you who have not heard, Shehaqua will not be hosting an official retreat again this year. Many people still enjoy getting together on New Year's Eve and ushering in the new year together. Last year, 21 young adults (college and young professionals) organized themselves and met at a beach house to reflect on the year and to celebrate the new year together. They plan to do the same this year. We are inviting you to join the celebration from Friday Dec 30- Sunday Jan 1. A beach house on the New Jersey shore will be rented for the event. The price will most likely be between $90-$100, including food. There will be time to reflect, share, set goals, and usher in the new year together. We hope you can join them! We will keep you posted about more details once they have been decided. If you have any questions or suggestions about the program, please contact Kyra Moyer through Facebook or at 215-313-3946.

A second house will be rented for adults who would like to celebrate the holiday together. The program will be similar in style; with time for reflection, sharing, and goal setting. The contact person for this group is Felicitas Moyer. She can be reached at 215-605-7340. Please let her know if you have any questions or are interested in attending.