Picture - Little Eden Camp

Fall
Fall Work Weekend & Annual Meeting
2015
Little Eden Echoes
Come to Little Eden October 16—18 for a fun weekend
of fall colors, volunteering & fellowship!
T
his year’s Fall Work Weekend is scheduled for
October 16 - 18. Projects will start Friday morning
and continue on Saturday. Meals are available
Friday breakfast through Sunday breakfast. Lodging and
meals are free for volunteers.
Bring your family &
There will be work for all ages
friends & enjoy the
and skill levels. Projects will
fall
colors in beautiful
include replacing decking on a
Northern Michigan
bridge, staining Wil-Lo Inn,
while you help
painting, electrical projects,
Little Eden!
cutting dead trees into firewood, fall cleaning, leaf clean
up, planting grass, getting camp ready for winter
months, and more! Lots of folks are needed, so grab
some tools to use, bring
your family and a couple
of friends, and enjoy the
fall colors in beautiful
Northern Michigan while
you help the camp.
To make reservations,
please call 231-889-4294
or email office@
littleeden.org. Reservations help us in planning
– for projects, lodging assignments and food - and
should be made no later than Monday, October 12.
Inside this issue:
Fun Camp facts
2
Save these Dates
Needs List
Scrapbooking Retreat
Come enjoy Eden in the fall or winter!
Master Site Plan Task Force continues
Renew your Little Eden membership
Photo Contest
2
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3
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3
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4
Annual Meeting set for October 17
Each year on the Saturday night of the Fall Work
Weekend, Little Eden Campground Association holds
its Annual Meeting at 8:00 p.m. All members of the
association are invited to attend. The meeting reviews business and camp activities of the past year
including reports from the board, the executive director and treasurer. New board and committee members are also approved by the Association. The
agenda will be as follows:
The 71st Annual Meeting Agenda
October 17 at 8:00 p.m.
1. Welcome and Call to Order
2. Opening Prayer
3. Presenting of Minutes of 2014 Members’
Meeting
- Motion to approve minutes.
4. Review of Major Decisions for ‘14 - ‘15 year
- Operational Board Decisions
- Strategic Plan and Master Site Plan Updates
- Motion by membership to approve the actions and
decisions of the Board of Directors on behalf of the
membership during the 2013 - 2014 year.
5. Presentation of Annual Report
Review of the report - Balance Sheet and Income &
Expense, questions/comments by members about
Annual Report.
6. Presentation of Nominees for Open Positions &
Request for Additional Nominees
- Board of Directors, Grounds Committee,
Auxiliary Committee, Vote
7. Little Eden Update
8. Quilt Raffle Drawing
9. New Business
- Brought forth by members
10. Closing Comments & Motion to Adjourn
Fun Camp Facts: Did you know?
E
very summer, we keep track of lots of numbers.
Here a few fun facts about Summer of 2015 we
though you might enjoy.
This summer, we had over 2775 campers and went
through:
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200 Little Eden tie-dyed tee shirts
531 gallons of ice cream
544 pounds of beef roast
1147 gallons of milk and lemonade
2609 burgers, brats & hot dogs
2832 pieces of bbq chicken
3648 cookies
2496 rolls of toilet paper
All in all, Summer 2015 was another great summer. We
had phenomenal staff, good weather, great youth camps,
and wonderful family times. Relationships were renewed
– with friends and family and with our Heavenly Father.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed
Thank you to an exceptional Summer Team (left to right): Back: Kelsey Waidelich, Tanner
Rufenacht, Nathan Otto, Josiah Hoops, Rachel Faber. Second to back row: Isaac Dahl, Aaron
Mast, Andrew Mast. Third row down: Kathryn Roth, Beth DeGlopper, Nicole LaNeve, Desiree
Newman. Fourth row down: Kristen Tropf, Carley Wyse, Twila Kuperus, Krista Riegsecker, Carly
Sprow, Kallie Albrecht. Front row: Delaney Nofziger, Gabrielle Graber, Rachel Christner. Not
pictured: Neal Brubaker, other volunteers/late summer staff.
this summer, whether through volunteering, working,
attending a family, youth or specialty camp, giving financially or just praying for Little Eden!
Save the Date
October 16 - 18
- Fall Work Weekend
October 17
- Annual Meeting
November 5 - 8
- Scrapbooking Retreat
A few highlights from Family Camps: great food, fun times and wonderful fellowship!
December 3-6
- Manistee Victoria
Sleighbell Weekend
February 13 & 14
- Free Fishing Weekend
April 14 - 17
- Scrapbooking Retreat
May 20 - 22
- Spring Work Weekend
Youth Camps: We had our third best attendance in the last nine years this summer. Not only did campers have fun, make new
friends, and try new things, many also shared how they grew in their faith at Little Eden this summer. A special thanks to our
Youth Camp Directors, Youth Camp Coordinator, and everyone one else who made Youth Camps a success!
Needs List: Three commercial paddle boats, cajon (box drum), floor buffer, new or gently used vacuums with attachments,
40 blue Mennonite hymnals titled “Hymnals: A Worship Book” © 1992. If you have any of these items or would like to financially help purchase one of these items for Little Eden, please contact Wayne at 231-889-4294 or admin@littleeden.org.
Page 2
Customize
your Weekend
Scrapbook all weekend
Take a trip to the beach
Hike in the woods
Sightsee in the area
Shop in town
Relax on our porch
Visit with friends—old and new
Fees
Questions?
Arrive Thursday, Nov. 5 - $150
Contact us at
Arrive Friday, Nov. 6 - $125
Includes lodging, morning coffee and
muffins, Saturday and Sunday brunch
and Friday and Saturday dinner as
well as a free swap table and devotions.
231-889-4294
or
guestservices@littleeden.org
Registration Forms available at
www.littleeden.org
Fall is beautiful & snow brings more beauty
Master Site Plan Task Force continues
W
T
hile we all have witnessed the beauty of Little Eden Camp
during the summer season, fall is equally as beautiful. In
2011, ABC News voted Sleeping Bear Dunes the most beautiful
lakeshore in America. Currently, M22, which is the road taken to get
to Sleeping Bear Dunes, is sitting at the number one spot in the top
twenty of the best scenic autumn drives as measured by USA Today.
The peak of autumn color is expected to be October 1 thru October
21 according to the Farmers’ Almanac. We would love to have you
join us for a fall getaway!
If winter is more your style, we hear that it is headed our way too.
Snow brings a different kind of beauty to Little Eden. The nature
trail across the street becomes a snow covered treasure to cross
country ski or snowshoe on. The school in Onekama has an awesome sledding hill. Ice covers the lake
that we enjoy throughout the summer
and fishing continues. Several downhill
skiing resorts are in the area.
Whatever the season, please give us a
call so you can come experience God’s
beauty at Little Eden year round!
he past couple of years, the board has been working on strategic planning. This spring, the board
appointed a Master Site Planning Task Force to meet
here at camp to look at the camp property including the
new property directly across the road from Silver Creek
Chalet. In doing so, the task force reviewed several items.
A few of them were as follows:
 What is the best use of the new property?
 Where can we put new cabins to accommodate more
guests from the waiting list?
 Where can we incorporate a multi-purpose building?
 Where/how can we add additional parking around
the lodge?
The camp board reviewed the results of the task force in
its April meeting and was very pleased with the task
force’s work. Since then, Wayne has had an initial conversation and meeting with the Onekama Zoning Administrator who was very receptive to the ideas the task force was
working on. At this point, the board has approved to begin working with The DK Design Group based in Cadillac, MI to help put an initial site plan on paper.
Renew your Little Eden membership today: In early September, a membership renewal letter was sent to members not
paid for the 2015 year. If you have not renewed your membership yet, please do so today. Benefits of being a member include receiving the Annual Report, a member listing and all the newsletters of the camp. Members are also eligible to serve on the Board of
Directors and vote at the Annual Meeting. Permanent holders and those on the waiting list must be members to retain their spot.
Annual membership is $10 per person.
Page 3
Little Eden Photo Contest:
Enter your photos today!
E
very summer, campers take so many pictures in and
around Little Eden. This fall, the camp will be updating
its website and some of their brochures and would
love to take advantage of using some of our campers’ photos
to share the beauty of Little Eden through pictures.
So we are holding a Photo Contest. First place winners in each
category will receive a $25 credit to the Little Eden Gift Shop
to be used on any item in our store. The categories are:
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Scenic pictures at camp – flowers, sunsets, the lake,
animals, birds, the nature trail, etc.
Facility pictures of camp – the lodge, the inside or
outside of cabins, the wooden bridge, craft hall, etc.
People pictures at camp – eating ice cream, sitting
around the fire, fishing, families visiting together,
adults, kids or any age folks just enjoying being at
camp. What we’re looking for are pictures that help
capture what makes Little Eden special.
Pictures out and about the community around Little
Eden - at Lake Michigan, in town, on a day trip, etc.
All pictures submitted must be in high resolution digital format
(jpeg or tiff) and be received by October 31, 2015 with the
understanding that they could be used in future marketing
pieces, on the camp website or elsewhere. Names of the people in pictures will not be disclosed when using the photos. No
copywritten or watermarked photos may be submitted.
If you would like credit for your photos when being used,
please indicate when submitting and Little Eden will list you as
the photographer somewhere in the piece it is being used in.
Please email the pictures to lyndaf@littleeden.org or if you
have too many photos to email, please burn a cd or transfer
the photos to a usb drive and mail it to Little Eden at 3721
Portage Point Drive, Onekama, MI 49675.
Enter as many photos as you like – we’d love to have lots
of pictures to choose from!
And ultimately, you’re making a significant impact on the future of
Little Eden Camp, which has meant so much to you in the past and
will for your children, grandchildren and others for generations
to come.
By naming Little Eden Camp as a beneficiary on a 401k, 403b, IRA or
annuity, you are supporting a ministry that has played an important
role in your family’s life over the years. When you leave your retirement dollars to Little Eden directly, your loved ones could avoid
paying taxes on this charitable gift, while other non-taxable pieces
of your estate are preserved to pass along to your heirs.
needed to make this gift.
 It’s Easy: A signature on a simple beneficiary form is all that is
 It’s Wise: By leaving a charitable gift to Little Eden from your
retirement account, your family could avoid the burden of extra
taxes.
 It’s Important: A gift to Little Eden will make a real impact on
youth and families, helping to ensure a stable future for the
camp, for years to come.
Little Eden Camp could be listed as a beneficiary on your retirement account? Why name Little Eden as a beneficiary?
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Did you know…
3721 Portage Point Dr  Onekama, MI 49675
www.littleeden.org  231-889-4294
LITTLE EDEN CAMP
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Onekama, MI
Permit No. 35