Summer Newsletter
Whew! Summer came and went quickly, and we had a blast introducing students to a variety of adventure activities and opportunities to deepen their faith. Many updates were posted on our social media channels (see the icons above to follow us!), and here are some of the major highlights:
7 camps, including people from ages 5-73
Hired 16 summer team members, whose training included Wilderness Medicine, Leave No Trace, Non-Violent Compassionate Communication, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and more
141 total campers served
Many, many campfire and worship songs sung
Campers got to hike, climb, and backpack around the Cascade Mountains
Campers and counselors had opportunities to share life stories with one another
Campers explored a variety of biblical texts, from the Psalms and parables, to biblical models of conflict navigation, and learning to see and name God when we see the Fruits of the Spirit in the world
Students learned and practice Leave No Trace ethics and how they apply to wild and not-so-wild spaces
Here are just some of the things students had to say about camp this year:
What did you learn about God?
"That he is everywhere"
"I learned that God loves us even when we sin."
"He will always forgive us no matter what"
"That you can worship him in many ways."
"That he REALLY DOES love and accept everybody."
"That God can look different for everyone and God loves us equally no matter what gender or sexuality you are."
"I learned that god is more forgiving than I thought"
What did you learn about you?
"I can show kindness to others"
"That I'm strong and don't worry a lot"
"That I can show my true self and nobody will make fun of me."
"I learned that I need to explore more and venture into Creation."
"I guess kind of I can do hard things"
"I can do difficult things if I start them."
"that I can do really challenging"
What did you learn about being a good neighbor?
"Listening to others when they are talking"
"Be generous"
"To be respectful"
"always help people and offer to help."
"I learned that I'm calmer and less erratic when I'm enjoying the wonders of nature."
"I learned to respect people even if they have different opinions or beliefs than you"
"To be patient is the greatest way to improve my connections to people"
"I liked being able to communicate and know that I can trust others"
"that leaving no trace is important for all things"
What did you learn about Creation?
"We are a part of creation"
"That nature is hard to take care of"
"that bugs even if you hate them they're still good"
"how to whistle with grass"
"That everything that was created, except mosquitoes, is beautiful & well designed"
"Everything has a purpose."
"It's Beautiful"
We are so grateful to the many summer staff and volunteers who helped make this summer happen! There were also a few other big wins, namely, we embarked on mosquito mitigation, which will make next year even more enjoyable than this one! Also, we welcomed a few church groups during the summer for the first time and it was great - so let us know if you're interested in making plans at Tall Timber next summer!
As we wind down the summer, we begin to ramp up serving more guest groups and school groups, we ask that you continue to keep us in your good thoughts and prayers. We pray that all who are a part of the Tall Timber community - both near and far! - would be encouraged to better love God, their selves, their neighbors, and all of Creation. Thanks to those who continue to support us in so many ways, and may God's blessings be upon you all. Cheers!
May Newsletter
It's June, and that means we are in the throws of preparing for Summer Camps and summer guest groups...and we couldn't be more excited to serve all of the students and families who will be joining us at Tall Timber in the coming months. This past month has been one of prayerful preparation while continuing to host school groups and over 50 volunteers over our Memorial Day Volunteer Weekend. We also held a dedication for the Snohomish Cabin and a successful online auction. Many people continue to support us through volunteering and financial donations, and through the buying of items off of our Amazon and MyRegistry lists. Many support us through continued prayer for campers and the camp. And many are out there promoting the many camps and other events (like our Godly Play Core Training) we are hosting in the coming year. We continue to be filled with gratitude for the vast, supportive community of Tall Timber that reaches far beyond the mountains in which this special place is nestled.
As some of our summer staff have already arrived and we prepare to welcome the rest of the team to camp in the coming weeks, please keep all who will be involved at Tall Timber this summer in your prayers. Pray that the students who will be joining us will come with open hearts, eyes, and minds to learn about who God has called them to be. Pray that our summer staff would be continually energized and open to the ways this summer will stretch and strengthen them for their vocations in the world. Pray for the year round staff as they work together to support the camp, each other, and our summer staff, and that they find time and space to rest. And pray that in all of this, all of us would come to better love God, ourselves, our neighbors, and all of creation...wherever we are!
Register for Summer Camp
We're excited to see summer camps filling up! We'll be shifting our programming a bit this year to focus on developing relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors through Bible studies, experiential worship, community building, sharing of our life stories, engaging in adventures on and off Tall Timber's grounds, and learning how we can all be better stewards of the many gifts God has given us. Space is limited, so if you have been holding off on registering, make sure you do that ASAP! Summer camp registrations can be found here.
Godly Play Training
Join us in the Cascade Mountains for the most comprehensive training on Godly Play practices and theology! During this particular training, participants will grow in their knowledge of children's spirituality and how this program cares for the whole child. Learn more about Godly Play here, and register for this training here!
April Newsletter
Wow, what a difference a few weeks makes. The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and mud season has been relatively mellow as we've had some pretty spectacular spring days so far. The hummingbirds are going wild, the mosquitos are being taken care of by preemptive attempts to mitigate them before they turn into adults, and we are so, so excited to be ramping up our planning and promotion of our Summer Camps for youth and families.
Also, we were excited to host a group of congregants from First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham, who completed many, many projects around our facilities. We loved working alongside them and sharing meals with them, and are stoked to hear about what they learned during their time at Tall Timber:
"to slow down and feel the spirit"
"To be a better listener...always..."
"This was a great way to know more about people on our team."
"Continuing to work on less worry and more trust and patience"
We definitely feel all of these, as the staff here continue to learn how to better serve together and work together as a team, and are looking to trust and feel God's Spirit as we move into the summer. Until then, we still have quite a few things going on here at Tall Timber, so check them out below, and keep our year-round staff and summer staff team in your prayers as we get ready for the best summer yet!
Join us for Memorial Day Weekend!
Though this may seem far in advance, we are hard at work gathering donated supplies and planning a wide variety or projects that meet everyone's skills and interests. Register today for a FREE weekend at Tall Timber - complete with amazing food, fellowship, and service projects. Whether you want to come with a group or meet folks here, or join us for all or part of the weekend...the best thing you can do is register today to help us plan!
Snohomish Cabin Dedication
We are delighted to announce a celebration of the completion of the Snohomish Cabin remodel! Many dollars, prayers, and volunteer labor has gone into this project, and we are excited to have the opportunity to host a lunch followed by a dedication ceremony. All are welcome to join us, as we thank all of those who have been involved in this project and bathe this building in prayer, that God would use it to bless many lives! All are welcome to join. Register here for this event.
Register for Summer Camp!
We're excited to see registrations rolling in for our summer camps. We'll be shifting our programming a bit this year to focus on building relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors through community building, sharing of our life stories, engaging in adventures on and off Tall Timber's grounds, and learning how we can all be better stewards of the many gifts God has given us. Space is limited, so if you have been holding off on registering, make sure you do that ASAP! Summer camp registrations can be found here.
March Newsletter
Whew! We made it through a wild last three months of hosting groups almost every weekend, digging through many feet of snow and dirt to fix a break in our water line, planning for the future of Tall Timber, and loving every minute of it. Even as I write this, the snow continues to come down, but a few warmer days in the past weeks accompanied by the first mosquitos of the year flying around remind us that spring is coming soon. While we await mud season in the cold and wet, we are grateful to reflect on what the students who have come through Tall Timber have reported what they learned while here:
"I learned god is a god of justice and love"
"its ok to be different"
“that i don’t need to keep my feelings to myself. these people love and care for me!”
"I've learned I'm not alone as I thought."
"that God died for not only the Godly but the ungodly"
As these comments warm our hearts, they also encourage us to think ahead towards the next season, as we are getting ready and excited for summer camps, Memorial Day Volunteer Weekend, and continuing to host guest groups over the summer season (have you secured your group's reservation with Velda?).
Another recent highlight is bringing together folks from Youth Dynamics, Camp CAMREC, and Tall Timber to provide a Youth Mental Health First Aid training. In addition to providing this training to our summer staff, we are hoping to offer a course on the west side of the mountains later this year. Let Adam know if you want to stay in the loop!
Sign up for the first annual Tall Timber Golf Tournament Fundraiser!
Check-in opens at 8am with a continental breakfast at Kahler Glen, followed by a shotgun start at 9am. We'll play 18 holes before heading back to Tall Timber for a delicious lunch and the dedication of the newly renovated Snohomish Cabin. We'll also have an online silent auction going on throughout the weekend, so even if you can't come to the event, you can still support Tall Timber. Lodging options for Friday evening are also available. Register here today!
Join us for Memorial Day Weekend!
Though this may seem far in advance, we are hard at work gathering donated supplies and planning a wide variety or projects that meet everyone's skills and interests. Register today for a FREE weekend at Tall Timber - complete with amazing food, fellowship, and service projects. Whether you want to come with a group or meet folks here, or join us for all or part of the weekend...the best thing you can do is register today to help us plan!
Register for Summer Camp!
We're excited to see registrations rolling in for our summer camps. We'll be shifting our programming a bit this year to focus on building relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors through community building, sharing of our life stories, engaging in adventures on and off Tall Timber's grounds, and learning how we can all be better stewards of the many gifts God has given us. Space is limited, so if you have been holding off on registering, make sure you do that ASAP! Summer camp registrations can be found here.
Research at Tall Timber
Happy Monday, Tall Timber family!
My name is Amanda Palmer, and I am a wife, mother of four children, doctoral student, researcher, and lifelong camper. Basically, I am pursuing a PhD in “camp!” I can’t imagine a more exciting topic to spend years engaging in and studying.
Though winter is not yet behind us, summer is already on my mind. Many of you – like myself – are former campers and may still remember the feeling of pride when your “T 4 ” (AKA Tall Timber Teva Tan) truly showed up. I can still sing several of my favorite campfire songs written by counselors who impacted my faith and the shaped the trajectory of my life. For me, the camp experience was made up of challenge, learning about my identity, engaging with practicing my faith, and gaining an appreciation for the natural beauty of the White River valley.
Because of my time at camp, I have dedicated my professional career towards bettering youth camp experiences. I am working with Tall Timber’s new executive director and other amazing leadership staff to prepare and plan for an impactful and positive summer. My current role in the process is to help the leadership team take Tall Timber’s organizational values and identify which key practices staff members will engage in, to lead to the best outcomes for campers.
As the months go on, I will have the opportunity to engage with summer staff in training sessions, further clarifying practices and behaviors which will create a high-quality experience for the youth attending camp. During camp, I will conduct observations to see how those expectations are put into practice. And finally, I will provide campers with an opportunity to share their experiences at camp, through brief surveys before they head back home.
Today’s campers come to camp from a different world than I did. I may have taken time away from television and phone calls, but I didn’t have a smartphone to immediately contact my support system, or any social media accounts. Today’s campers are also experiencing the mental health fallout from a global pandemic and its continual effects on our communities. Tall Timber wants to prepare their staff to meet campers where they are, support them in their individual identities, and promote their social, spiritual, and emotional growth each day at camp.
From my own research and my engagement with professional camp organizations, I have learned the importance of intentional program quality as the biggest contributor to positive camper outcomes. We can all remember times in our childhood when adults had a negative impact, and we never want camp to be a context for those experiences in our own children’s lives. Staff members are not perfect, and no training will ever address every possible situation that could happen at camp. Expect the unexpected is a pretty familiar theme of camp staff training! However, research and experience shows us that developing clear expectations for staff members provides a better structure for training and accountability when conflicts or challenges arise. As a researcher, I am helping camp leadership to facilitate that process of clarification, training, and accountability.
While Tall Timber values the continual improvement process, the pandemic years have stretched the budget thin, as camp staff and board members put guest safety as the highest priority. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Tall Timber Ranch relies primarily on generous donors to support projects at camp. Your donation to this project would demonstrate a commitment to providing children and youth with the highest quality experience, as well as providing staff members with an optimal working environment. Your financial support would open up further opportunities for program planning, staff training, observation, camper engagement, and post-camp feedback sessions. Ultimately, your support of assessment and evaluation will help ensure that Tall Timber Ranch can put significant effort into aligning their purpose and mission with their practices.
You can donate to this and the many other ministry projects Tall Timber is working on by visiting this page.
February Newsletter
February Ministry Recap
Well what do you know, February just happened. It flew by for us here at Tall Timber as we hosted guest groups every weekend, and a number of groups over the midwinter break (totaling around 420 individuals). March is stacking up to be busy as well, and we are grateful to be able to offer hospitality to these guest groups as they dig deeper into their relationships with God, themselves, and their neighbors.
Between groups, we've been busy seeking out and writing grants, exploring new partnerships, planning for the summer, and discerning with our team here on campus as well as the Tall Timber Board where God is calling Tall Timber in the coming years. We are excited for the ways God is leading, and look forward to sharing some of those details with you as they continue to solidify.
We've also been excited about the new quad that we acquired last month, which has helped serve guest groups more efficiently, groom more effectively, and really just be a whole lot of fun. We are grateful for the continued financial contributions to the camp that have enabled us to afford to purchase new equipment when we need it. There are more equipment and facilities updates on the horizon, so please continue to consider how you can support Tall Timber through your financial gifts, but also your prayers, and hopefully your presence at camp!
Please continue to keep us in your prayers and ensure we're connected on Instagram and Facebook. Also be sure to mark your calendars for the Memorial Day Volunteer Weekend!
Call for Summer Staff and Volunteers!!
Are you somebody who loves spending time with students and has a penchant for adventure, finds meaning in caring for the earth, or enjoys creating delicious meals? Or perhaps you know someone who fits this description? Encourage them to apply for summer staff! We still need staff positions filled, and could use some volunteers if you can't commit to a full summer at Tall Timber.
First Annual Golf Tournament!
We're so excited to be gearing up for our first annual Tall Timber Golf Tournament Fundraiser! Gather together 3 other friends or elect to make new ones in this scramble-style tournament. Check-in opens at 8am with a continental breakfast at Kahler Glen, followed by a shotgun start at 9am. We'll play 18 holes before heading back to Tall Timber for a delicious lunch and the dedication of the newly renovated Snohomish Cabin. We'll also have an online silent auction going on throughout the weekend, so even if you can't come to the event, you can still support Tall Timber. Lodging options for Friday evening are also available. Register here today!
Summer Camp Registration is Live!
We're excited to see registrations rolling in for our summer camps. We'll be shifting our programming a bit this year to focus on building relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors through community building, sharing of our life stories, engaging in adventures on and off Tall Timber's grounds, and learning how we can all be better stewards of the many gifts God has given us. Space is limited, so if you have been holding off on registering, make sure you do that ASAP! Summer camp registrations can be found here.
January Newsletter
Happy New Year! We hope yours is off to an excellent start, just like ours! We've hit the ground running over the past month; after a Family Snow Camp with about 60 new best friends, we welcomed 16 Whitworth University students and Dr. Jonathan Moo for a 3 week Jan-Term course called "Ecology and the Bible."
Not only did they study biblical texts and learn about local flora through nature journaling and study, they practiced an intentional rhythm of life, including regular worship, fellowship, and vegetarianism. They also got to explore some of the awesome trails around camp and the greater area on cross country skis, led by Stan Fishburn. If you’re curious about your college hosting a Jan Term at Tall Timber, reach out to velda@talltimber.org!
Over the remainder of the month, we've been grateful to host a number of groups, from a new church group that grew out of their previous camp, to a conglomerate of youth groups from the west side who have been visiting Tall Timber for many years. This has also enabled us to bring Chef Keith back on staff full time! Keith's creative cuisine skills have already been put on display and we're stoked to have him back.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers and ensure we're connected on Instagram and Facebook! We are so grateful for the incredibly generous end of year giving last month, and hope you will continue to support the ministry of Tall Timber through your prayers, presence at camp, and financial gifts.
Summer Camp Registration is LIVE!
Spread the word to all the students and families you know! We're more than excited to welcome people young and old alike to join us at camp to better learn about God, themselves, and their neighbors, all while falling in love with creation and imagining how we can work together to make a better world.
Space is limited, so register here today! Or apply to join us as summer staff!
Join us Memorial Day Weekend!
Mark your calendars and tell all your friends...Our annual volunteer weekend will be here before we know it! This is a great opportunity to help prepare camp for the summer, while enjoying good food, fellowship, and fun. Register online ASAP to help us plan projects, gather supplies, and dream big dreams! The last weekend of May has never been so fun!
Camp and Retreat Sunday 2023
The Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Office of Christian Witness recently released some resources for planning worship on 2/12/23, to help you celebrate Camp and Retreat Center Sunday. Even if it's not for this particular date, we'd love to join your congregation for worship. Contact adam@talltimber.org if you're interested in having him join you as a guest preacher or to share about Tall Timber's ministry.
2022 in Review
Greetings from snowy Tall Timber! As we round out the year and ring in the new one with over 50 people at Snow Camp, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and all that God has done to bless Tall Timber. So first, some numbers. In 2022, Tall Timber...
served 196 students...and over 1,800 total people
helped students and families come to camp with over $7,000 in scholarships
partnered with the Presbytery of the Northwest Coast to supply an additional $2,000 worth of scholarships to students and families
hosted 5 new groups
saw 6 brand new donors join as ministry partners
Winter and spring were full of many groups with whom we shared Christian hospitality and programming, as people engaged in building relationships with God, themselves, and each other in the beautiful setting of Tall Timber. Unfortunately, the winter months were made difficult by continually breaking snow removal and grooming equipment. However, we made it through as a team and thanks to the leadership of our Assistant Director, Velda, (and thanks to the many supporters of Tall Timber!), and were able to continue to serve guest groups well through the spring and into the summer season.
Summer Camps
The summer season started off with a bang, as camps serving students from 8-18 (as well as families!) ran each week. Here are some quotes from students who came to camp this past year:
“Definitely coming back next year!”
“My relationship with God changed and I saw different perspectives from some Bible stories!”
"God doesn't need to be boring."
“My overall experience at Tall Timber was really fun and I had a lot of new cool experiences and got better connected with God.”
“I had lots of fun, made new friends and hope to come back.”
Fall of Forest Fires
While so many students reported having impactful experiences at camp, the summer unfortunately ended with a sharp halt, as we had to cancel Senior High Camp due to a COVID outbreak amongst staff.
Moving into fall, many forest fires surrounding camp (with some right along the White River!) made things even more exciting. While we are grateful that these fires did not affect our property or facilities, they did force us to cancel a number of groups due to the poor air quality levels. These challenges helped us make the difficult decision to furlough some permanent staff members. Three decided to stay on in a volunteer capacity and ride out the storm, and for that we are grateful. We are hopeful to bring them back on staff in the first half of the New Year, and look forward to having a more full team to make Tall Timber happen!
Also during the fall, we were excited to welcome our new Executive Director, Rev. Adam Tobey, along with his family, Rev. Catherine Tobey and their daughter Danielle. We are excited to see what this new leadership at Tall Timber will bring, as the staff at Tall Timber and the Board work to dream about the future and bring it to fruition.
After the fires were finally put out with rain and snow, we were able to get back to hosting a variety of groups into early December, including a group of students for our Fall Youth Retreat, and a fellow Mission Partner of the Presbytery of the Northwest Coast, Underground Ministries.
Looking Ahead
Through this past year, we have been so grateful for the many ministry partners we have from all over the country. Your support through prayer, volunteer service, and finances have been instrumental in helping Tall Timber serve so many people in such impactful ways. As the year wraps up, we are grateful for the year-end giving that has already come in, and ask that you continue to consider how God is calling you to support Tall Timber.
In 2023, we are excited to launch revamped programming for young people and families, and as permits come in we will be able to share more information about what to expect! In the meantime, we are interviewing summer team members and updating our volunteer program to include a more robust training, current background checks, and provide new ways to serve. Whether you've volunteered here many times before or are just considering it, please fill out this volunteer application.
Thanks for being a part of the ministry here at Tall Timber, and we hope to see you up at camp sometime soon! Until then, have a Happy New Year, and God bless!
December Newsletter
In the spirit of Advent, please join us in looking ahead, with faith in the good news that is yet to come. This is a time of preparation and waiting, but that doesn't mean we sit on our hands. As Dean Dettloff so wonderfully put it, "It's a time to hope for a better Christmas, one that's true to its revolutionary spirit." We know God's dynamic Spirit is on the move here at Tall Timber, and we hope you are seeing hints of God at work in your life too.
We are looking forward to all the groups that will be joining us in the new year, including local churches, organizations, and Whitworth's Jan Term class. We are also excited to see summer staff applications rolling in, as we prepare to train them in Wilderness First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Leave No Trace, and more.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers and ensure we're connected on Instagram and Facebook! We have been so blessed by the gifts received on/around Giving Tuesday and are so excited for what's possible because of your financial commitment to this beautiful place and impactful ministry. As you think about snatching up those final tax deductions, please take some time to prayerfully consider a year-end gift to Tall Timber.
Since our Last Update...
Tall Timber has transformed into a true winter wonderland! We really hope to see you at Snow Camp so you can enjoy it as much as we are.
In the last month, we have been busy hosting groups (like Underground Ministries), writing grants by the fire, and celebrating the newest member of the Tall Timber team...a Cat 420 Backhoe Loader! This machine is going to make the feet and feet of snow we receive *so much* easier to maneuver.
Join us for Snow Camp!
Ready for some time away with friends or family this winter? Look no further than Snow Camp! Join us for a few days in the snow (including snowshoeing and nordic skiing) and nights by the fire (with plenty of hot chocolate). Learn more on our website!Register soon!
Looking for a Christmas Gift that Gives Back?
Consider a donation in your loved one's name to Tall Timber Ranch! Not only will this person receive a note of thanks, but as a token of our gratitude we will wrap and send them a Tall Timber mug, shirt, hat, or sweatshirt. Donate here.
November Newsletter
November is off to quite a snowy start! While we are enjoying the white mountains and all they have accumulated, the snow is quickly melting off the trees and welcoming the boot prints of guests. We are excited for the turning season, and look forward to more storms and cooler weather (and are very grateful there is no more smoke!).
As we move towards the holiday season, we ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers, follow us on Instagram and Facebook if you don't already, and check out some of what we've been up at Tall Timber over the past month!
Introducing our Executive Director
Though he's only been at camp a month, it already feels like home. Rev. Adam Tobey brings a wealth of youth ministry and outdoor education experience to Tall Timber. Check out this video to hear a brief message from him!
Join us for Snow Camp!
Ready for some time away with friends or family this winter? Look no further than Snow Camp! Join us for a few days in the snow and nights by the fire. Learn more on our website! Register to save your spot today!
Support Tall Timber this #GivingTuesday!
We are so stoked to get students outside next summer that it's all we can think about. This November, support one of the adventures you love by sponsoring a zip-liner, hiker, rock climber, backpacker, or staffer.