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Photo: Rob Hutchinson |
Summer in July at Naramata Centre is as beautiful as ever. The spring floods have given way to sunshine and blue skies; a wider beach to enjoy; happy, healthy trees and land. As it always has been, life is good here. The Naramata magic and spirit abounds, and people experience it whether it is their first time on site or their 70th visit! Will you be one of those who come this year? We have very busy weeks in August, but there is still room in some programs and on site. Join the fun!
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Membership Draw For Great Prizes
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At the August meeting, the Board of Directors will draw a name for a two-night stay at the Centre, dinner at a local winery, tour of a winery and more. All you have to do is
renew your membership or buy one
if you are not already a member. Membership in the Naramata Centre Society shows your support for the Board, ensures you are informed about Board decisions and allows you to vote at the AGM.
Memberships have a one-year term, renewing at the annual general meeting (AGM). If you haven't renewed since the May AGM, your membership has expired. Our
memberships are individual; couples and family members each require a membership. The membership fee for 2017/2018 is $20, which helps to cover basic communication and outreach costs with our membership and wider community. Buy your membership or renew today!
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A Summer Week
At
Naramata Centre
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A typical summer week at the Centre goes something like this:
Saturday - A flurry of activity occurs! A busy day for staff, campground hosts and those arriving and departing.
- The past week's participants check out of accommodations and campsites.
- Staff begin a cleaning blitz of these rooms and sites.
- New guests arrive and check in.
Sunday
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A day of rest, relaxation, settling in, finding one's way around.
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Drying off
after the water slide.
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- Connecting with this sacred place and with old and new friends.
- Evening Welcoming Circle to meet staff, connect in community and receive important information about the week.
Monday
- Programs begin - most from 9-noon, with some variations.
- Afternoon free time for the beach, wine tasting, exploring the village, etc.
- Evening - Community Circle to plan the week's events.
Wednesday
- 8-9 a.m. Complimentary yoga on the beach lawn with Roswitha Masson
- 3-6 p.m. Naramata Village market at Wharf Park. Check out the food and local crafts.
- 7:30 p.m. Sacred Pause in the Chapel. All ages welcome.
Tuesday - Friday
-  Programs continue and events unfold as planned and organized by the week's participants, with assistance from summer staff and community hosts.
Examples of events and activities include the ever-popular water slide for children (and adults!), jazz concerts with the acclaimed Don Wade, active games for kids, wine tasting forays, story time for children, pot luck dinners (everyone invited) on Friday evenings, candle-lit labyrinth walks and much more.
 Depending on the week, some program leaders offer complimentary sessions (or for a donation to Naramata Centre) to those interested. For example, Healing Pathway practitioners offered sessions to Centre participants the week of July 15-22; Awareness through Movement practitioners offered sessions July 18th.
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Reunion Of 1978-79 Winter Session Participants
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It was exciting to see members of the 1978-79 winter session gather in Naramata to celebrate and remember their time together all these years later. Watch for pictures and a story in the next newsletter!
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Photo: Judy Hutchinson
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You can help the Board spread the word that the Centre is open and very much alive.
If you have been here, tell people about your experience. And tell us, too! If you have a story to share about your visit
please email it to:
[email protected]
If you have pictures of your family at the Centre that we can post on our website or Facebook, email them to
[email protected].
Like our posts on
Facebook (The Naramata Centre Society) to keep receiving them. Facebook does not send every post to every follower. Liking posts means you will get more of them!
Watch for our
Twitter and
Instagram accounts being implemented soon. We'll post the information on Facebook.
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Our staff
- a small, but mighty crew! As we bring the Centre back to life after its two-year closure, we have, by necessity, hired fewer staff members than it ran with previously. If you are on site, you may catch them in the office, but you will also see Summer Manager Gwen Dell'Anno zipping by on her bike to one part of the site or another. Assistant Summer Manager Fara Enquist may whiz by you
on Saturday
with armloads of linen. Summer students Liam Gale and
Kyrie Leming
are out and about assisting in many capacities. If you have booked accommodations or a program this year, you may have had a pleasant conversation with Romaine Irish. And you will see Mike McClary, our very handy
maintenance person
, just about anywhere fixing, hauling and organizing around our 23 acres. These six individuals are doing an amazing job and we are very grateful for their service!
Naramata Centre has always had wonderful volunteers and this year is no exception. People here for the first time are often captivated by the energy of the volunteers and offer to contribute as well. This month we thank all who volunteer around the site. We wish to particularly acknowledge:
Ian Fraser and Janet McDonald -
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Photo: Barb Green
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Ian and Janet live in Naramata and are very dedicated volunteers year-round. From early April to late fall, they spend eight-to-ten hours each week mowing our 18 acres of grass. Ian looks after the irrigation all over the site, contributed to the beach clean-up in early July, and often just drops in to see how he can help. We are so grateful to you,
Janet and Ian!
Rob and Judy Hutchinson -
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Photo: Barb Green
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Rob and Judy served as Campground Hosts the first three weeks of July. They certainly surpassed expectations of the host role as they welcomed each camper/family, oriented them to the Centre and the site, checked in frequently and helped form community in our Creekside Commons camp kitchen. Both Rob and Judy volunteered almost every day around the site. Among their efforts,
Rob got to know every tree on site (well ... almost every tree!) and pruned many of them; Judy weeded flower beds and beat the weeds into submission. The Sacred Garden is back to looking sacred! Thank you, Rob and Judy!
John Cringan -
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Photo: Mike McClary
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When we reached out for volunteers to help clean up the beach after the June flooding, John answered the call. By all accounts, he was a formidable force! John worked tirelessly digging debris from the sand. He helped to fill over 100 garbage cans with waste and stacked huge piles of wood and debris that came ashore in the flood. John, you made the beach clean and safe again, and made it possible for guests to enjoy the beach from the first week in July. We really appreciate your efforts!
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Hearts and Hands
Support the Centre with your physical efforts, and receive in return gifts of community fellowship, spiritual nurture, and the satisfaction of giving back.
Naramata Centre Ambassadors
Thanks to all who have offered to keep their congregations up to date on what is happening at the Centre. If you would like share Centre
news with your church, please email:
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Want to support the ongoing work of the Naramata Centre Society? Donations are always appreciated, and donors will receive a tax receipt at the end of the year.
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Membership
Membership in the Naramata Centre Society is a way to show your support, stay informed, and have voting privileges at the Society's annual meeting. Sign up today and enter our draw!
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Stay informed about Naramata Centre
Check out our
website for updates, photos and news.
like
our posts, comment and share them on your timeline. This tells Facebook you are interested and want to continue to see our posts!
Stay tuned for Twitter and Instagram!
Missed a newsletter? Read past editions
here.
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