SUMMER 2010Marsha Gaspar
Clerk, Tri-QuarterGreetings, Friends of Salem Quarter.
I am pleased to report that the 2009 Tri-Quarter Gathering was a success on many levels, despite the late start necessitated by the challenge of recovering ’08 monies that were never deposited due to human error. It was reported that roughly $5,430 was outstanding, but thanks for phone calls made by Cindy Cox Crispin and Kandy Lippincott, a total of $5,043.61 was actually recovered.
As reported last year, Camp Ockanickon attempted to raise our perperson rate from $82 to $123 … an increase of more than 48% over '08. After negotiations with the Camp, we contracted at $90 per person with an 80-person minimum, and after adding the cost of certain activities during the Tri-Quarter, our increase amounted to “only” 9%. At the end of the day, per the attached Registrar’s Report from Cindy Cox Crispin, approximately 100 persons attended the ’09 event, with 46% coming from Salem Quarter. Cindy tells me, however, that very few Friends from Woodstown Meeting experience this wonderful weekend. I am hoping to find someone here who will receive, announce and distribute our registration packages and help us generate interest in this year’s Tri- Quarter Gathering of Friends. Please see me after this meeting if you would like to be our contact person for the Woodstown Meeting. In any event, I am attaching Cindy’s registrar’s report showing additional attendance details.
On September 8, 2009, our treasurer, Joe Tingle, opened the “new Woodbury account” with a deposit of $3,557.11. After intake and expenditures during the months of September ’09 through January ’10, we begin the 2010 Tri-Quarter with a balance of $7,697.41, which is more than double the “cushion” we have had in previous years. Before thinking that this is excessive, please remember that had the ’08 monies not been recovered, we would not have been able to pay the camp unless through the private donations of the Planning Committee members. In any event, the increase in our financial cushion is due to the remarkable attendance at the event given the very late start, as well as the judicious increase in fees proposed by Cindy Cox Crispin and approved via email by the Planning Committee. Again, this increased cushion serves to mitigate our exposure to a loss in 2010 should, for some unforeseen reason, the Tri-Quarter Gathering not be well-attended or -supported.
Finally, I wish to report that the ’09 workshops were very successful, made even more notable in that no “Requests for Workshop Proposals” were sent out due to time constraints. Instead, the Planning Committee members pooled their informational resources to deliver workshops in ’09 around the theme “Unveiling the Quaker Stimulus Package, Sharing Our Spiritual Resources”.
Yesterday, members of the Planning Committee met with the camp director, Joe Elliott, to negotiate this year’s fees. Again they wanted to raise our per-person rate from $90 to $135. After negotiations, we will be paying $100 per person with an 80-person minimum. This represents an 11% increase over last year and an 18% increase over two years ago.
The dates for the 2010 event have been set for October 1, 2, and 3, and our theme has been chosen. It is “Miracle Weekend, Miracle Life: The Astonishing Miracle of Being!” It is intended that this theme will allow us to explore via the workshops the amazing complexities of creation and the mysteries of our relationship with God.
Request for Support
While we raised our rates in 2009 to accommodate the approximate 9% increase in last year’s camp fees, we hope not to have to do so again this year (despite the 11% increase reported above). Instead, we look to Haddonfield. Burlington, and Salem Quarters for the support needed to keep our rates within the means of most Friends. On behalf of the 2010 Planning Committee, I ask now that Salem Quarter renew its support in the amount of $500 be granted in advance of the Tri-Quarter Gathering.
The registrar's report is available on request from Marsha Gaspar. —Ed
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