A/U Ranches News FALL 2015
Mountain Memo Exciting Changes for First Session! Listening for Guidance Results in Evolving Programs at the A/U Ranches When Cap and Marianne started Sky Valley Ranch for boys in the summer of 1955, it was their intention to run just a camp for boys. Several years later, when an unexpected opportunity to purchase the adjacent property came up, they listened for guidance and moved forward with opening Round-Up Ranch for girls in 1959. About the decision, Cap said, “It was easy, once again, to detect God’s hand in all of this!” In 1970, the decision was made to make a radical change in the camp structure and shift to co-ed camps. Cap said, “Personally, I was less than enthusiastic about the change. However, I was persuaded that the co-ed camp idea had sufficient merit for us to make that basic change.” Cap’s assessment of the change later was, “No question, good continued to happen under the new format; it just wasn’t quite as I had initially envisioned.” Throughout the A/U Ranches 60 year history, the programs that have been offered and the length of the sessions has varied to meet the needs of campers and families. What hasn’t varied is the dual focus that Cap and Marianne originally established as “character education and emphasis on the individual’s growth in Christian Science through observing and doing.” These continue to be the foundation for every A/U Ranches program. As we move forward at the Ranches, we continue to ask the questions of what best meets the needs of the
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Letter from the Ranch Director Healings at Camp The Scoop on 2016 Changes By Popular Demand: Mini Camp! Staff Leadership Awards
campers and families who attend our programs. After every program, we gather feedback from campers and families and listen for ideas to move the Ranch programs forward. Recently, we listened for ideas on how to address a couple conditions coming together during first session. First session enrollment at camp has been competing with later school end dates, especially with added snow days, making it difficult for campers to enroll first session. Also, for several summers we’ve hosted DiscoveryBound’s National Leadership Council orientation summer experience during first session at Round-Up Ranch. This has changed the dynamic of first session at Round-Up and we have worked each summer to make adjustments to meet various needs. In addition, over the past several summers, we’ve enjoyed a tremendously full Family Camp program in August and are looking for ways to expand our Family Camp offerings. (continued on page 2)