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Redwood
Glen Newsletters
Go back to archives here.
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The
latest news and events at Redwood Glen
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January
2009
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WELCOME
OUR MISSION:
"To
Reflect Christ through Serving Others"
A WORD FROM OUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
It's
a new year with many of us having made or
at least thought about making resolutions for 2009.
What will 2009 hold for you? For
us?
I
had to laugh when I read late last year that
what we've known for months finally was "official." We're in an
economic
recession.
For
those of us leading non- profit ministries
like Redwood Glen, the daily dose of bad economic news can lead one to
become
discouraged, anxious, and even fearful.
The
good news is we have a God who has an
eternal perspective on life - your life, my life.
I'm old enough to remember
long lines at the gas
station when it was your day to fill up; just hoping the green flag was
out so
you could get gas that was now over $1.00 per gallon.
The good news is that during the Depression,
giving in the church actually increased as followers of Jesus Christ
responded
to the needs in their communities.
I
realize that for many families this year,
sending kids to camp may be a budget concern. School
and extracurricular activities often
drain a family's budget, not
leaving much left over for choices like summer camp.
The
good news is Redwood Glen continues to work
with churches and communities in order to keep camp fees as low as
possible.
This week I'm likely to
take down the 50th anniversary banner we hung on the end of Smith Hall
as we celebrated all year
long in 2008. Happy 51st doesn't seem to have the
same ring as Happy 50th.
The good news is God has
connected Redwood Glen
with people like you who can help our camp continue to provide a unique
and
special place for children, youth, and adults to come for a day, a
weekend, or
week in order to experience Jesus Christ in a very real and special way.
Jay
E. Nordgaard,
Executive
Director
(650)
879-0320 Ext. 12
exec@redwoodglen.com
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OUR
MINISTRY LINKS
Join us for an
"INDESCRIBABLE"
week this summer at Redwood Glen
(Click the above link for more
information or to
register for
one of our summer camps.)
Children's MAD
Camp
June 22-27
Discovery Camp
June 14-19
Jr. Adventure
Camp
July 6-11
Jr. High Camp
July 13-17
Me and Mom/Dad
August 15-16
Sr. High Camp (NEW)
July 13-17
Youth MAD Camp
July 6-11
SPECIAL
$245 registration fee through February!
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Hello Friend of Redwood Glen
WELCOME to the monthly online newsletter of Redwood Glen, your local
Bay Area Christian Camp and Conference Center.
A NEW year is upon us, and with it, NEW opportunities. In this
issue of our e-newsletter, we highlight Redwood Glen's NEW initiatives
to be better stewards of the environment, and introduce a NEW feature,
"Word from the Woods," which will highlight some of the NEW events,
projects, and improvements at camp. A NEW discount for our summer
camp is also available on-line, along with NEW dates which have opened
up for guest groups this summer. As 2009 begins, we wish all of you a
blessed NEW year.
If
you would like to
subscribe and receive this monthly newsletter via email, please
register your
address via the link on our homepage (www.redwoodglen.com).
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REDWOOD
GLEN GOES GREEN
As
the recent rains have the outdoors looking green, Redwood Glen is
thinking green inside in our buildings. To think "green" is to
have an ecological awareness, recognizing how one's actions have an
impact on the environment. Climate
change is our current global reality, and while some may debate the
cause, there are choices we can make to reduce (and if we are willing
to go the extra mile, to reverse) the effects.
As Redwood Glen makes some changes and enters 2009 with a more
conscious "green" intent, we encourage our guest groups to partner with
us.
Here are a few of the highlights:
Pigging
out
 Beginning in November, Redwood Glen
entered into a relationship with Phipps Country Store and Farm, a local business in
Pescadero. Known for its berry picking, Phipps also features a
barnyard of animals, including pigs, goats, and sheep which are now
being fed by the food scraps from the Redwood Glen kitchen.
Though there is an active compost bin on camp, the amount of
plant-based scraps which are generated each week would overwhelm
it. As the camp desired to be more environmentally conscious, the
ability to care for creation by reducing our kitchen waste and feeding
the animals at Phipps became a wonderful solution. All non-animal
kitchen waste is now gathered in large buckets, and every week
Associate Director, Marshall Coleman, brings the filled buckets to the
farm and exchanges them for empty ones. The animals of Phipps'
farm consume about 10-12 buckets each week.
Think
before you throw
 The new year
brought some new "signs" of change to camp. Multiple trash cans
with recycling signs (see image on
the right) have appeared in most of the public facilities at
Redwood Glen. The three bins, which assist in our green efforts
of recycling, are for bottles and cans, paper, and non-recyclable
trash. These three categories are based on the three categories
of the local Pescadero
recycling center.
The bin for bottles and cans is intended for any material that is made
of plastic, glass, or aluminum. Deposits in the paper bin can
include paper towels, napkins, cardboard packaging, all colors of copy
paper, newspaper, magazines, and any other "paper" item. Anything
that is not paper, plastic, glass, or aluminum is considered
non-recyclable trash and is to deposited in the third bin.
Guests are encouraged to assist us in this recycling effort by thinking
before throwing away an item. Initially this may take an extra
second or two to become acquainted with the appropriate
recepticals. It might also mean taking a few extra steps to
locate the appropriate bin to deposit your empty soda container, but
those extra seconds can make a green difference (as well as burn a few
extra calories)!
 Down the drain
When the urinal in the men's
restroom in Smith needed to be replaced this past summer, the decision
was made to reduce Redwood Glen's water consumption by installing a Sloan Water Free Urinal. Not only does it save
water, it also eliminates sewer costs, reduces maintenance and repair
costs, and creates hygienic, odor-free restrooms. (And if you've
ever been in Smith's men's restroom during Jr. High Camp, you know how
valuable "odor-free" can be!)
Lights, Trees, Action
Over the past year, fluorescent light bulbs have been replacing the
incandescent bulbs in many of our buildings. The fluorescent
bulbs in the exit signs are also being replaced by LED light bulbs. Plans are underway
for motion detection sensors to be installed in the public restrooms at
the Siden Conference Center.
Trees on our Redwood Glen property, which were downed in recent storms,
continue to be used in construction projects around camp. These
have included the new picnic benches installed in 2008, and the new
fences currently being erected around the basketball court and the
picnic area.
To cut down waste and
reduce the number of trees used for paper products, guests staying at
our Siden Conference Center are being encouraged to use mugs rather
than paper cups during their stay. Soap and a sponge are
available for guests to wash their mug between uses. Beginning
this new year, we want to encourage guests, especially in Siden, to
take action and bring their own mug for use at Redwood Glen.
If you
and your family would like to be a better steward of God's creation and
to have a greener New Year, Christianity Today On-line and Friends of
the Earth offer 10 suggestions. Thanks for doing your part
to create a greener future for us all.
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
Antonia Ortega
 It's now "All In the Family" at Redwood Glen for Antonia and her family. After
she joined the camp staff in the fall of 2007, her son Chino (age 18) followed a few months
later. Her husband Chuy was
hired late last year, and daughter Jessica
(age 15) has just submitted a job
application. Though 9-year old Dayanna
is ready to follow the family
trend, she'll need to wait a few years until age 14.
Antonia first learned of Redwood Glen through family members who told
her that it was a good place to work. When a position in
housekeeping opened, Antonia applied and was immediately hired.
When staff housing became available, the family moved to the camp
grounds where they now live.
As a professional housekeeper, Antonia quickly learned the Redwood Glen
standard of clean, and today continues to amaze her co-workers at how
quickly she is able to complete her tasks. With her husband Chuy,
the husband-wife team, which operated a cleaning company in Mexico, is
now a dynamic duo of housekeeping efficiency for the camp. They
will often complete their task list before the end of the work day, and
ask what more they can do.
"She has a tremendous work ethic," says Marshall Coleman, Associate
Director, who supervisors her and is now learning Spanish to be able to
better communicate with Antonia. With Antonia's limited English
expanding and Marsh's Spanish improving, the two have made great
strides over the past year. However, the on-line Google
translator and bilingual Redwood Glen staff members continue to be
frequently resourced to ensure that instructions and expectations are
clear.
As one who values quality and hard work, Antonia finds great reward in
her service at the camp. She especially appreciates it "when my
bosses see my work and like what I do." When not working, she
enjoys playing volleyball and visiting with her family, many live in
the Watsonville area.
Having first met in Jalisco, Mexico, where she is from, Antonia and
Chuy have been married 19 years. They first immigrated to
California in 1993, and in 2005 moved to Pescadero where Chuy worked as
a supervisor at a local farm before coming to Redwood Glen. With
Antonia in housekeeping, Chuy in maintenance, and son Chino in the
kitchen, their family is represented in all the departments of the camp
and each has become an integral part of the Redwood Glen familia.
Nos complace que están aquí. (We are glad that they
are here.)
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 SAY "I
LOVE YOU" WITH THE GIFT OF CAMP
Now through
the month of February, say "I love you" by giving the gift of camp to a
young person in your life. Whether a first time camper or a
camping veteran, Redwood Glen is offering this "Share Your Love" Discount to all
children and youth for our 2009 summer camps.
For $245, share your love
through the gift of a Redwood Glen camp!
A variety of
camps target the ages and interests of this emerging generation. At Redwood Glen program camps, we provide
a safe, affirming environment where children and youth can experience
the blessings of Christian community. Amid the beauty of God's creation, young
people hear of God's love and the good news of Jesus Christ so they may
grow in faith. To give a week of camp is to give a gift of love -
God's love.
This online
registration price for our 2009 summer camps is $245 if paid in full, or $250 with a $100 deposit and one final
payment of $150. This offer expires on February 28th. Register online at www.redwoodglen.com. For more information, contact program@redwoodglen.com.
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Planning
an event this summer? Redwood Glen has open dates.
Because the camping needs of groups shift and change, the following
2009 dates have opened up. Contact us for more information at info@redwoodglen.com.
 - Friday-Sunday, May 29-31
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Friday-Sunday, June 5-7
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Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3
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Sunday-Friday, July 19-24
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Sunday-Friday, August 2-7
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Sunday-Friday, August 9-14
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Sunday-Friday, August 16-21
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Friday-Sunday, August 28-30
And remember, through our REFERRAL
PROGRAM, you can save $250
off your next Redwood Glen event if you refer a group and they book a
first time event with us. They also will save $250 their
event. For more details, contact us at (650) 879-0320.
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THE LATEST HAPPENINGS AT REDWOOD GLEN
In
appreciation for the support our rental groups provide, Redwood Glen
hosted a thank you dinner for
guest group leaders on Sunday, January 11,
2009. With a special
buffet meal and a selection of homemade desserts, the group of 40 that
attended were treated to an evening of prizes, worship, and highlights
about camp programs. Emceed by Danny
Balderas, Redwood Glen Board
Member and Jr. High Camp Director, the dinner was hosted by the Guest
Services staff and intended to strengthen the camp's partnership with
local area churches and non-profit groups. Thanks to Jonathan Wong of Community Baptist San Mateo, who led
worship; Brandon Lewis from First Baptist Alameda, and Redwood Glen Board members, Martha McDowell, Lisa Robinson, and Jackie Wallace, who helped set-up, greet and serve the
meal; and Redwood Glen staff daughter, Ariel
Donnelly.
Just before the last storms of 2008, the back-up generator for Smith Hall was
completed and readied for operation. Thanks goes to Harry Lin of San Francisco First
Chinese Baptist Church and his crew for their assistance in this
project. And just in case you're wondering, "what's that new
building," the next time you are at camp, a new back-up generator for
the kitchen walk-in refrigerator has been installed and is now housed
in the newly constructed and painted structure behind the dining hall
along Wright Drive. Other safety projects at Redwood Glen these
last months include new fences around the basketball court and the
picnic tables.
In early January,
Redwood Glen was the host site for the 2009 gathering of ABI, the American Baptist Institute
of Camp and Conference Ministries. The 4-day event, which
gathered Christian Camping professionals from across the US, featured
speakers, Chap
Clark, John Bazzanella, and John Landgraff, and the Redwood Glen Metamorphosis
staff, Joan
Friesen and Larry Jay, who led in spiritual formation.
Special thanks to Karen Yee of Alameda First Baptist, Sharon Cintas of Santa Clara First Baptist, and Greg Newlon, Bev
Barnett, and Martha Groves Perry of Sunnyvale
Presbyterian, who led in worship during the event.
Redwood Glen 50th Anniversary outter
wear is now 20% off and available at the Tradin' Post, our
Redwood Glen store. Contact the camp office for more information.
Brandon
Benzinger, our 2008 summer
camp program director, will be returning for a second year, along with
assistant, Stephanie Knapp.
Camp registration continues with a special discount through the end of
February (see
above for more details).
A new Senior High camp has been added to this summer's line-up, with Rodney Owens of Crosswalk Community
Church (Napa, CA) and Darin Elquist
of Emmanuel Baptist Church (Sparks, NV) as volunteer camp directors. "Indescribable" is this year's
theme.
Reservations
are being taken for our 2009 Pastor's
Sabbath - June 14-19. This is an opportunity for pastors
to bring their family to experience a low-cost getaway, among the
majestic redwoods and near the beautiful California coast. Enjoy
accommodations in our Siden Conference Center with motel-style rooms
for only $50 for the week. Meals are available for a
donation. Call or email us for more information or to reserve a
room at (650) 879-0320 or info@redwoodglen.com. (If you need a break
before summer, contact us about a personal retreat. Spouses are
welcome, too!)
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Redwood
Glen REFLECTIONS
This
monthly e-newsletter is a communication tool for the supporters,
friends, and guests of Redwood
Glen in Loma Mar, CA. We welcome your comments and suggestions. To ensure that you continue to receive our
e-newsletter, add info@redwoodglen.com
to your address book today. Redwood
Glen is located in the scenic coastal redwoods of the Santa Cruz mountains,
between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.
We are conveniently located one hour from both San Francisco and San Jose
airports.
For more
information, www.redwoodglen.com.
 
Redwood
Glen, a Bay Area Christian Camp and Conference Center,
is an
accedited member of the American
Camp Association
and a member of the Christian Camp and Conference Association.
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If you have
a Redwood Glen story or an idea for this email newsletter, contact...
Larry
Jay
(650) 879-0320 Ext. 14
news@redwoodglen.com
If you would
like to
subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, please register your email via
the link
on our homepage (www.redwoodglen.com).
THANK YOU! (Our e-newsletter is supported by Constant
Contact.) |
Redwood Glen | 100 Wright Dr. | Loma Mar | CA | 94021 |
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