A Friend's camp for children of all backgrounds.
For 30-35 boys and girls ages 7-12.
PO Box 23, Sterling PA 18463
570-689-3911
Journey's End Farm camp combines the warmth and safety of a good home with a wholesome program guided by acaring staff and planned with the children—an enjoyable balance of work and play that builds confidence, self-esteem and friendships, and teaches responsibility and self-reliance skills while allowing freedom and room for individual growth..
Philosophy
The Journey's End program is strongly value-centered, consistent with the Quaker background of our leadership. We foster a sense of community by encouraging cooperation and friendliness. In our morning meetings, our nature study activities, and our care of the beauty of our natural setting, we show a reverence for nature. Through daily farm and cleanup chores we teach self-discipline and reliability. By living simply, farming naturally, and recycling we teach environmental sustainability.
Activities
During two 1½-hour periods per day, campers choose from activities which include:
· Woodworking-projects range from bat houses to boats to solar food dryers.
· Ceramics-a skilled counselor assists in hand-building or on a potters wheel.
· Nature Study or hikes explore our woods, pasture areas and streams.
· Crafts include tie-dying, macramé, candle-making, beading, and papercraft.
· Planning Skits or other creative entertainment.
Farm Program
The animal residents at Journey's End include cows and calves, donkeys, chickens, pigs and goats. We also have extensive gardens, some fruit trees, and hayfields. During their time here each child takes care of an animal at morning and/or evening chore times, and (early in the summer) is given the opportunity to plant and care for their own garden.
Every morning during Farm Time, campers help with such jobs as weeding the garden, harvesting fruits or vegetables, repairing fences and mopping camp buildings. Campers occasionally get to help with a large project such as constructing or repairing a building. Early in the summer they may help to bring in the hay.
Other activities include daily swimming in our one-acre pond, overnights in the woods or fields, weekly campfires, and cookouts where campers learn to build their own fire and cook their own food. At our tipi in the woods, small groups of older campers experience more rustic living for tow or three days at a time.
Spiritual Life
Journey's End has no religious instruction, but in daily morning meetings our discussions often touch on such universal values as honesty, equality, non-violence and respect. We use quiet times to practice inner reflection and awareness of our surroundings. As Quakers, our faith includes respect for all religious traditions, profound reverence for all Creation, and the recognition of the Divine Spirit in every human being.
Leadership
Director Tim Curtis lives in Costa Rica and is interim director of the Monteverde Friends School. Tim was raised at Journey's End and has extensive knowledge of the farm and its history. Tim graduated from Earlham College.
Kristin Curtis lives at Journey's End year around.
Each summer additional staff are hired including a full-time nurse, cook, assistant director, 10 counselors (18+ years old), and 4 counselor helpers (16-17 yrs.). Many staff are former campers or counsellors. Several counselors are certified lifeguards, and many have ARC first aid and/or CPR training. We seek to hire staff who are creative, caring, just, dedicated, fun and will be good role models for children.
Location
Journey's End Farm Camp is near the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from both Philadelphia and New York City.
From I-84 take exit 17 to PA 191, North to PA 196, then south 2½ miles on Rt. 196. We are located 1¼ miles south of Sterling on Rt. 196, and 15 miles north of Mt. Pocono.
Exit 17 is old exit 5 on this map, old exit 6 is exit 20:
2008 Dates and Rates
Session 1: (2 weeks) June 22-July 5, 2008 $1160
Session 2: (3 weeks) July 6-26, 2008 $1590
Session 3: (2 weeks) July 27-August 9, 2008 $1160
Family Farm Camp Aug. 11-17 (1 week) Children $400-Adults $480
Financial Aid available. Please inquire.
To contact the camp, e-mail kristin@journeysendfarm.org
or phone her at 570-689-7552
or
Journey’s End Farm Camp
PO Box 23
Sterling, PA 18463
