Supporting Camp McDowell through Saint Stephen's by Mary Yancey
Hey, Everybody!
It’s no secret that Wonderful, Wonderful Camp McDowell and Saint. Stephen’s have an extremely strong bond. For many years we have been known as the Church that sends the most kids to summer camp, and our youth are active in the Diocesan Youth Department and all of their numerous activities Camp hosts. We’ve always had an annual parish retreat there, and we send our ECW and Men’s groups up yearly as well (when we are not sheltering in place). Of course, the St. Stephen’s Cursillo community is incredibly strong, and St. Stephen’s members are always showing up at things like Family Farm to Table and Lessons and Carols at Camp.
I am writing now to give you all a quick word and update about that beautiful place cherished by so many of us at St. Stephen’s. As many of you know, I am currently serving as Chair of the Department of Camp McDowell. You probably also know that Camp is temporarily closed due to Covid19. But, be assured that plans are well underway for its re-opening as we wait to see what the Summer may hold.
Important to any plans for the future of camp are the 47 full-time staff members whose jobs and livelihood are in jeopardy. I wrote in more detail about the Camp employees in a letter I sent to people throughout the Diocese last Wednesday. You can read it here if you didn’t receive it: click here.
As I did in my letter, I’m reaching out to my St. Stephen’s family to encourage your involvement in helping to provide some security to Camp and the wonderful folks who work there during this challenging time. The Camp staff has taken care of us for years, and this is our time to take care of them.
If you have already made a donation to Camp, Thank You! If you haven’t yet, you can join us in our “Champions for Camp” campaign. Over twenty people are leading the effort to champion the cause by raising money through a friendly competition on social media platforms. They do this by reaching out to their friends and ask for donations of any amount that can be made with a quick click of the Donate Now button. It should be no surprise that three Champions are from our St. Stephen’s family! Thank you so much to Jill Smith, Sam Wilson, and Catherine Poellnitz (partnered with Erin McAdams). Please consider donating through their links (below) and then by sharing their links through your own social media accounts. Whether it’s five, ten, twenty, or more, please give to one or split and give to all. It doesn’t matter because it is all going to Camp McDowell, but let’s show our Champions some St. Stephen’s love! (Of course, you can also just send a donation straight to Camp if social media isn’t your thing).
Next, make plans to be involved this Saturday, May 9, when we are having for “The Camp In” - a live virtual concert on Facebook Live beginning at 2:00. We have put together a great collection of people who have played music at Camp over the years. You will see a little bit of everything - Camp songs, covers, originals, storytelling and more. I’m told you may see our own Jimmy Gauld, Hannah Kendrick Oakes and Andy Meginniss on guitar, John Burruss on piano, and if we are lucky, Doug Carpenter telling a Camp story! Tune in, because you won’t want to miss it!
I certainly do miss seeing all of you on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, but I am so grateful for the efforts of John and Katherine and the rest of the staff to keep us connected. Thank you for your generosity to our Camp McDowell campaign. Saint Stephen’s is the best!
- Mary Yancey