September Chanco Chatter

In This Issue:

Indigenous Convocation

Fall Work Weekend

Wilderness Warriors

November Cursillo 4th Day

EYC Fall Weekend

2025 Summer Camp Open House Extravaganza

Deeper Well Retreat

Donor Appreciation Event

Advent Retreat

2024 Summer Camp Survey

Indigenous Convocation

Saturday, October 26, 9AM–4PM

Bishop Susan Hayes invites you to the Diocese of Southern Virginia’s second Matoaka Covenant event, We Are All Related, as an opportunity to learn, connect, and explore with our Indigenous neighbors and tribal leaders.

The Rev. Dr. Bradley Hauff, Indigenous Missioner for the Episcopal Church, will be leading several segments during the day in efforts to help us understand more about land acknowledgment statements, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the tragic History of Indian Boarding Schools.

Registration is now open for what promises to be a day of interaction, education, and celebration!

If you are interested in overnight accommodations for the weekend, please contact Chanco at 888-7CHANCO (888-724-2626) or email hospitality@chanco.org to make your reservation.

Fall Work Weekend

November 1–3

Are you ready to make a positive impact on our beloved Chanco? We’re gearing up to complete some housekeeping projects such as roof updates, trail system maintenance, and more in efforts to keep our beautiful campus in tip-top shape for our visitors. So pack up your work gloves, dress to get down and dirty, grab your crew and let’s get to work! You're welcome to use our tools or bring your own.

Come for the day or stay for the entire weekend! Please note that overnight lodging is limited, so be sure to register today to secure your spot.

This event is family-friendly and open to all ages! Any helpers under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian present to attend.

Wilderness Warriors

First three weekends in October

Each fall and again each spring, Chanco hosts several Wilderness Warrior weekends. The Wilderness Warriors mission is to provide youth with impactful experiences that are shared with male role models in their life, resulting in strengthened bonds and lifelong memories. Campers will experience this mission here at Chanco through outdoor activities such as canoeing, archery, zip lining, obstacles courses and more.

As a special offer just for you, Camp Chanco campers who register for the Wilderness Warriors program may attend their first weekend totally free of charge!

So, if you are looking for another opportunity to enjoy your favorite camp activities and spend a bit more time at Chanco, contact the Wilderness Warriors today to learn more.

You can read more about the Wilderness Warriors and their mission at www.wildernesswarriors.org or, to get information about upcoming weekends this October and next spring, email info@wildernesswarriors.org

To take advantage of this special offer, don't forget to mention that you are a Camp Chanco camper when you register

November Cursillo 4th Day

Saturday, November 2, 12PM–4PM

Remember what happens to Jesus and His closest disciples after they come down from the mountain after the transfiguration? They immediately have to go back to work! The same holds true for us. As much as we'd like to stay at Chanco forever, the real world beckons. Fortunately, we have spent three days learning how to live in a whole new way, and we have a community–a servant community–who is ready and waiting to help us to live our fourth day, which is the rest of our life.

4th Day Workshops generally happen twice a year. They give us a chance to meet our new Cursillistas and renew our commitment to the movement. At the heart of the 4th day is the Group Reunion. The Group Reunion is a small group, usually 4-6 people who meet weekly to share their piety, study and action with one another. They pray with and for one another. These people are the ones who often know you best, and who keep you closest to Christ in your fourth day.

We invite you to participate in Fall Cursillo 4th Day with us at Chanco on November 2 from 12–4pm.

EYC Fall Weekend

November 8–10

Youth Grades 6–12 are invited to embark on adventure with old and new friends across the Diocese during the annual Episcopal Youth Committee fall weekend. The EYC Board is excited to explore this year’s theme: Embracing our spiritual gifts (Psalm 146).

Partial scholarships available. Registration deadline: Monday, Oct. 28.

YOUTH REGISTRATION

ADULT LEADERS REGISTRATION

2025 Summer Camp Open House Extravaganza

Sunday, November 10

Save the date! The weekend of November 8th will be filled with excitement because we are hosting our 2025 Summer Camp Open House!

We know this summer has come to an end…but we are already looking forward to our 2025 Summer Camp adventures and you're invited!

Crisp autumn air, changing leaves, and an expansive riverfront view. Incredible, right? But wait, that’s not all! Our open house isn’t just about sightseeing—although you may catch a bald eagle or two. Oh no, it’s about diving into our camp head-on and experiencing all that Camp Chanco has to offer. Our incredible counselors will be available to help answer your questions and navigate around.

Who’s invited? Everyone! What does Chanco have to offer? Come on out to our open house and experience for yourself! We’ll tour the campus, enjoy delicious food, zipline through the trees, get creative at our face painting booth, enjoy a hayride together, and so much more, giving you the chance to dip your toes into the excitement and see if Chanco is the right fit for you!

Deeper Well

Wellness Retreat with the Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner

November 15–16

Join us with the Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner of Living Compass Ministries for a unique faith and wellness retreat and resourcing gathering.

Dr. Stoner and others will lead break-out experiences during a weekend of rest

and renewal. You will also be inspired by and resourced with what others in our

Diocese are practicing in the area of offering wellness ministries to their

congregations and the wider community.

You can view the Diocesan calendar for upcoming events here: diosova.org/upcoming-events

Donor Appreciation Event

Saturday, November 16

Chanco Donors—please save the date for our annual Donor Appreciation Event and special Thanksgiving Eucharist, planned for November 16th.

More details will be available very soon!

If you are unsure if you have made your annual gift to Chanco, or would like to donate at this time, please don't hesitate to reach out to development@chanco.org for a conversation!

Advent Retreat

December 13–14

Save the date for this year’s Advent Retreat! Join us at Chanco as we delve into our faith journeys while learning about the Candles of Advent, their meanings, and how we experience those meanings in our daily lives. Activities will include praise, Lectio Divina style Bible study and discussion, candle making, faith journals, and more.

This Advent retreat is open to all adults—registration coming soon!

The cost for this meaningful retreat is $120 for a shared room

(recommended only for those sharing a household)

and $145 for a single room.

Please contact us with any questions at hospitality@chanco.org or give us a call at 888-7CHANCO.

2024 Summer Camp Survey

That’s a wrap on yet another unforgettable summer full of fellowship and fun! The Chanco staff is truly honored to be chosen by our campers and their families as their summer camp destination, and we would love to hear any feedback or suggestions you may have.

If you haven’t done so already, we invite you to take a moment to sit down with your camper to reflect on their time at Chanco and fill out the 2024 summer camp survey together. The best part? Upon submission of your survey, you’ll be entered into our drawing to win a free camp session!

TAKE THE 2024 SUMMER CAMP SURVEY

New Policies at Chanco

Beginning January 1, 2024, the Chanco Board has made a decision to introduce a small convenience fee on all credit card payments for both camps and retreats. This 3% fee is a modest adjustment that will help us continue to provide you with exceptional service and maintain the high standards that make Chanco a cherished destination.

We understand that change can sometimes be met with questions, and we want to assure you that this decision was made after careful consideration and with your best interests at heart. The convenience fee will directly offset the fees that Chanco incurs when accepting credit card transactions. You may avoid this fee by making your payment by check or cash.

We want to express our gratitude for your continued support, trust, and dedication to the Chanco community. Your participation in our camps and retreats has played a crucial role in shaping the vibrant and inclusive atmosphere that defines Chanco. Thank you for being an integral part of the Chanco family, and we can't wait to create wonderful new memories together!