SHEHAQUA FAMILY NEWS

Introducing the Shehaqua Representatives, Council, and Executive Team

Dear Shehaqua Community,

We would like to introduce the NEW Shehaqua Representatives, Shehaqua Council and the Shehaqua Executive Team!

The Representatives are a team of individuals who have actively contributed to the leadership of Shehaqua programs (program directors, administrators, etc.). This group offers topics for discussion to the Council and serves as a sounding board for the plans of the Council. Anyone who wants to join the Shehaqua Representatives may do so by emailing the Executive Team, pending they meet the qualifications and are committed to fulfilling the expected responsibilities. See this page for qualifications, responsibilities, and the list of current Representatives.

The Council is a governing body of nine members that represent the larger Shehaqua community; three parents with older children (13+), three parents with younger children (12-) and three young adults. The Council members are elected by the Representatives to serve for two-year terms. The Council makes important decisions regarding finances, visionary projects (ex: expanding Family Camp to other states), and community-wide policies (ex: camp rules), and appoints the executive director.

The Executive Team consists of the executive director, assistant executive director, and executive education director. This team oversees the leadership of all the Shehaqua programming, including semi-annual review and planning meetings with core leadership. The Executive Team identifies and supports potential program directors, and works together with the Council to address important issues concerning the Shehaqua community and programming.

Your Shehaqua Executive Team

Gregg Noll (executive director) met the True Parents family in 1976 and received the Blessing in 1982. After years of fundraising, witnessing and working with Hudson River Inlay in the Oakland family, Gregg went to UTS and graduated in 1992. Thereafter, his family (his wife Elke, and children Sarah, Oliver, Justin and Hannah) moved to upstate NY to do campus work and hometown activity. During this time, his family started to enjoy the wonderful summer camps at Shehaqua. Elke eventually became the head cook and Gregg the director of Shehaqua activities. Ten years ago the Nolls moved downstate, and Gregg is currently working to establish Ilhwa North America (the world's finest ginseng!). You can reach him at [email address redacted]

Crescentia DeGoede (executive education director) and her husband, Leighton, were matched by their parents in June 2009 and blessed in October 2010. They co-pastor the Unification Church in Philadelphia, where they currently live. Crescentia has been attending Shehaqua Family programs with her family since its inception in 1995. Over the years Crescentia has served as an assistant group leader, group leader, presenter, and education director at Shehaqua Family programs. She has been serving as the executive education director for the last year and a half. You can reach her at [email address redacted].

Kester Wilkening (assistant executive director) and his wife, Jana Iparraguirre, were blessed just a few short weeks ago on February 17, 2013. They have no kids yet (obviously), though when they do, their kids will probably start dancing by the age of two. Kester and his family (Christoph, Karen, and younger brother Teo) have been regularly attending Shehaqua Family Camp since 2000. Kester served as a director for Family Camp in 2011 and 2012, and was asked to serve as the first assistant executive director in 2011. Kester lives in Ithaca, NY, and is graduating Cornell University in May 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering. You can reach him at [email address redacted]

Your Shehaqua Council

Claude Aubert and his wife, Satomi, participated in the 1989 Blessing in Korea. They have one daughter (Naomi, 11). The Aubert family first experienced the Shehaqua Family Camp in 2008, and since then they have participated in the Summer Family Camp and Winter Retreat. Claude has been involved in marketing, newsletter editing, songbook layout, and video production for the Shehaqua Family. Claude works as production designer for a think tank in downtown Washington, DC, and lives in Greenbelt, MD. You can reach him at [email address redacted].

Haydee Ching and her husband participated in the 1982 Blessing in NY and have six sons: Nathaniel, Nolan, David, Geoffrey, Galen, Richard. Since 1996 they have attended Shehaqua Family Camp every year, plus most of the other events. After being a Twinkles and Stars teacher for 10 years she served as a group advisor, hike leader, drink manager, camp store manager, hospitality coordinator, bookkeeper, financial team member, registrar, final camp close-up person, and guinea pig for the webmasters, Nathaniel and Nolan, who created the current database and website. She is a homeschool educator for 20 years in Middletown, NJ. You can reach her at [email address redacted].

Leighton DeGoede and his wife, Crescentia, were matched by their parents in June 2009 and blessed in October 2010. They co-pastor the Unification Church in Philadelphia, PA where they currently reside. Leighton has been attending Shehaqua Family programs together with Crescentia and her family for the past four years. He has served as a group leader and song leader at various Shehaqua Family programs and as director at Family Camp for the past 2 years. Leighton was also heavily involved in the leadership of T2 and Camp Tongil in the Northwest for seven years before moving to the East Coast. You can reach him at [email address redacted].

Laurel Nakai has been attending camp since the very beginning as the eldest daughter of Rob and Sally Sayre, founding members and the first executive directors. She has held the role of camper, group leader, education director, and recently came full circle when she started to bring her own kids (ages 4 and 1) to camp. Laurel is a stay-at-home mom and a freelance writer. She was blessed in 2005 and lives with her husband and two sons in Montclair, NJ. You can reach Laurel at [email address redacted].

Oliver Noll is a 23 year-old youth pastor living in New Jersey. He graduated from Syracuse University in May 2012, with a B.A. in International Studies from the Maxwell School. He has gone to Camp Shehaqua every year since 1998. Throughout the years he has served as a group leader, lecturer, and camp director. He is the proud son of Gregg and Elke Noll, who are very active within the Shehaqua community, as executive director and cook respectively. You can reach Oliver at [email address redacted].

Rob Sayre helped found the Shehaqua programs in 1995, with his wonderful wife, Sally, and several other like-minded families. He served as executive director from then until 2007. Seeing so many kids at camp grow up and return with their own families is a great source of joy to Rob. His children, and now grandchildren, continue to attend and participate. He works as an executive career coach and has several business partnerships. Rob lives in Pennsylvania. You can reach him at [email address redacted].

Sally Sayre is a charter member of the Shehaqua Family, having helped to start the summer camp in 1995 as a 3-day workshop for the families of Pennsylvania. She is confident that without the leadership of her husband, Rob, the camp would not have grown beyond its humble beginnings. Sally has worked primarily with education at camp and still enjoys teaching the young campers when the opportunity arises. By trade Sally is a teacher, currently working at Southern Middle School in Reading, PA. You can reach Sally at [email address redacted].

Victor Servito first experienced Shehaqua Family Camp in 2002 as a young camper and has since been an education director, Divine Principle educator, and camp director for the Family Camp. He also created and directed the 2012 Shehaqua Vision Quest—an intensive Native American Service Project and Leadership Retreat for High School leaders in the community—and was most recently the 2012 Winter Retreat director. Victor is an athlete and musician completing his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, and he lives in Hoboken, NJ. You can reach him at [email address redacted].

Michael Stewart was blessed to Elizabeth Bonini in December 2002. They have three children—Kieran, Nora and Aaren. Liz has been attending Camp Shehaqua since 1997, while Mike has been attending, teaching and directing at Shehaqua for the past six years (approximately). Mike works as a project manager for new construction and renovations at SUNY Upstate Medical University / University Hospital in Syracuse, NY. They live in Ithaca, NY. Mike can be reached at [email address redacted].

We look forward to working together with you to continue to improve our Shehaqua programs and develop as a Shehaqua Community!

Sincerely,

Your Executive Team,
Gregg Noll, Crescentia DeGoede, Kester Wilkening
Executive Director, Executive Education Director, Assistant Executive Director

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