Message from the Director Jan 2003

I hope all of you are having a wonderful winter. Mechuwana has a lot of snow, and as you know, it has been very cold. Despite the snow and cold, we have been extremely busy. In January and February we have groups in every weekend and many groups during the middle of the week as well.

By now you should have received your summer brochure, we are very excited about some new programs this year. The new programs include: "I Am" camp for girls, field hockey camps, elementary creative arts camp, and basketball camps.

Along with these new programs - we also have some new additions coming to our facilities this summer, including: a new basketball court, a new cabin area, and a new shower building in KK village

. We were also able to renovate Asbury this fall, building a new entry way and completely renovating the back stage area. This should really make things easier for the music theater camps.

Thanks to the efforts of so many people the new addition to the Commons has been completed the new space is a wonderful addition that has been used by many different groups. Our youth program especially loves all the new space so that they can spread our during their eight youth events this year.

THE FUTURE Mechuwana continues to make plans to increase the number of people that can use the camp during the winter, Plans have been made for a series of new retreat cabins to be built in the area behind the Commons.

YEAR-ROUND CHAPEL Plans have also been made to build a year-round chapel. This building will address the need for the camp to have a space that is used only for worship. This need is especially great with our seasonal program, many of which have significant chapel time scheduled throughout the weekend.

DO NOT HESITATE SENDING IN YOUR CAMP REGISTRATION Every year people become very upset and frustrated to find out that the camp they wanted to go to is already full. Many of our camps, especially the small ones, fill-up very fast.We can't wait to see everyone this summer.

-Norman R. Thombs, Director