We are lucky to have The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center only two hours from Asheville, and during the school year, kids from our congregation attend Youth CONferences, which are gatherings of UU youth and advisors for a weekend...
We are lucky to have The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center only two hours from Asheville, and during the school year, kids from our congregation attend Youth CONferences, which are gatherings of UU youth and advisors for a weekend program filled with workshops, activities, good food, a safe environment, and cozy all-gender cabins. This Fall we sent an amazing 30 (!!) kids 3rd-12th grade and 9 adult advisors to attend YouthCons across three weekends. One advisor said, “The kids who were in my van are getting together this coming weekend outside of church – connections were definitely formed so I would say a net positive!”
The YouthCons are a chance for UU Asheville kids to connect with UUs from other UU churches, get out in nature, stay up late, and have fun. These experiences deepen their connections to our faith and to people from UU Asheville and neighboring congregations. Advisors drive down with the youth, stay in a cabin with them, and hang with them at mealtimes and when they’re not in workshops. One person said, “I learned so much!! It was a very positive experience for me.”
Just hear what one chaperone had to say about their experience: “Although it was exhausting, I had a great time and would do it again! I loved getting to know the teens better. They are such an amazing group of humans!!!” There will be another set of YouthCons in the Spring, so sign up today and please also email me (anna.ward.martin at gmail dot com) so I can coordinate chaperones.
Of course, The Mountain has UU-values-based programming throughout the year for all ages at the camp and conference center. Summer camps for kids and adults are a huge hit (registration opens January 1!), and our UU AVL congregation has a retreat weekend every October (save the date: October 11-13, 2024). The Mountain is a treasure and a support for UUs all over the Southeast and beyond.
– Anna Ward Martin, UU AVL Member and The Mountain Board Member
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