Hello Everyone,
Thank you so much for signing the petition! It's been inspiring reading your "reason for signing", which for us all emphasizes the reason Camps need to stay open! We just passed 600 signatures! Yay! :-) Goal is to get at least 1,000 signatures, we sure can - can't we? If EACH PERSON who has already signed gets ONE MORE person to sign the Petition, we will surpass the goal!
Let's make it happen; share the link on all your social media! www.change.org/SaveWestOhioCamps
Email the link to people you believe would support our cause, call people to notify them, and of course - tell people in person when we meet at church and other gatherings.
REMEMBER, ANYONE can sign the petition -- they do not need to be a UMC member or camper--anyone can sign!!!
And yes, continue to share stories of Camp impact, here on this petition page and all over your network. The Lord would not forget our labor of love!
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FACEBOOK PHOTO FRAME:
Some of us have the photo frame above on our Facebook profile pictures. If you need a copy of the file or need help making yours, let me know. A few of us have been volunteering to assist.
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SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:
Please keep making positive posts on social media and sharing each other's stories of the impact of camp and why we support keeping it open. Some of the hashtags to use include #campchangeslives #savewocamps #westohiocamps#savewestohiocamps
We are also encouraging letter-writing and phone campaigns to clergy and lay who will be at the Annual Conference and have a vote on Recommendation #4.
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LETTERS: Send the letters via USPS and email to the Bishop, the CFO, your District Superintendent, post them on social media if you feel led... Get your whole church involved--especially the youth groups and Women's groups--maybe have the whole congregation write a quick note during worship as part of the offering or prayer time and send them to the Conference office on Monday. Every Monday until Annual Conference. No hate mail. All the mail about how amazing camping ministry is and how necessary and vital it is--especially in this day and age... NO HATE MAIL.
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PHONE: Start a phone campaign--you can get women's ministry or some of the seniors at your church with some daytime free time to volunteer in helping make the calls! Help them understand the importance of keeping camps open and sign them up to call the pastors, the districts, the conference etc. I have no doubt our women know how to make the system work to save our camps!
In addition, Rev. Karen Cook is the BRAND NEW Director of Connectional ministries and a camp supporter. Connectional Ministries is currently overseeing camps. Please write to her and let her know how vital this ministry is and give her all the reasons to keep camp open. She needs to know why keeping camps open means so much and to advocate for us!
I have included below relevant addresses and contacts of key decision makers below at the end of this message.
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Overall, this is a battle that would be won by love; love of God, love of camp and its positive impact on us, love of the future of our kids and young adults, and of course, love of the people who don't understand why camp means so much and God needs to open their hearts and minds to see this!
We are God's soldiers for making this transformation happen! We are making history by advocating for camps stay open! We are developing future leaders and our community by keeping our camps open.
Thank you all for the work you are doing! At the end of our journeys on earth, May our Lord and Savior greet us "'Well done, good and faithful servant; ... Enter into the joy of the Lord!"
With love and gratitude!
Damilare Adeyeri
(Camp Otterbein Summer Staff - 2008, 2009; and Volunteer Staff. - 2010, 2011, and 2012)
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RELEVANT CONTACT INFORMATION for Letter Writing and Phone Calls in Support of Camps.
Bishop Gregory V. Palmer
Bishop, West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd,
Worthington, OH 43085
614-844-6200, Ext. 10215
wocbishop@wocumc.org
Rev. Linda Middleberg
Executive Assistant to Bishop,
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd
Worthington, OH 43085
614-844-6200, Ext. 10213
lmiddleberg@wocumc.org
CC EMAIL: Cyndy Garn
Administrative Assistant to the Bishop,
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd
Worthington, OH 43085
614-844-6200, Ext. 10215
Bill Brownson
CFO/Director of Administration
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd
Worthington, OH 43085
614-844-6200, Ext. 10221
bbrownson@wocumc.org
Rev. Karen Cook
Director of Connectional Ministries, WOCUMC
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd
Worthington, OH 43085
kcook@wocumc.org
Phone: 614-844-6200, Ext. 10110
Rev. Ann Marie Carley
Director of Camps, Retreats, and Next Gen Engagement, WOCUMC
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Blvd
Worthington, OH 43085
Email: amcarley@wocumc.org
Phone: 614-844-6200, Ext. 10889
Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Bias
Superintendent; Capitol Area North & South Districts
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Boulevard, Suite 100
Worthington Ohio, 43085
phone 614-222-0602
fax 614-807-1007
capitolareanorth@wocumc.org
capitolareasouth@wocumc.org
DS Email: tbias@wocumc.org
cc: Office Administrator Diana Keefer - dkeefer@wocumc.org
www.capitolareanorth.org
www.capitolareasouth.org
Rev. Mark Chow
Superintendent; Foothills District, WOCUMC
Foothills District
PO Box 67, 47 Johnson Road, The Plains, Ohio 45780
The Plains OH 45780
Phone: 740-677-0136
740-677-0140
Fax 740-797-4582
Email: foothillsdistrict @wocumc.org
DS Email and Phone: mchow@wocumc.org; 740-677-0137
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR; Barbara Conover: bconover@wocumc.org
Rev. Amy Haines
Superintendent; Northwest Plains & Maumee Watershed Districts, WOCUMC
Email: ahaines@wocumc.org
Maumee Watershed District Office
1729 Indian Wood Circle
Maumee, Ohio 43537
Telephone: 419/897.9770
Toll Free: 1-877/MaumeeW (628.6339)
FAX 419/897.9772
Email: maumeewatershed@wocumc.org
cc: Michelle Robinson: MRobinson@wocumc.org
Office Administrator & Event Coordinator
cc: Laura Seaman: mwd.laura@gmail.com
Communications Specialist
Rev. Dr. James C. Wilson II
Superintendent; Miami Valley District
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
32 Wesley Boulevard
Worthington, OH 43085
Cell Phone: 937-739-4445
Email: miamivalley@wocumc.org
DS Email: jwilson@wocumc.org
CC: Cortney Reed, Office Administrator
creed@wocumc.org
Rev. Amy Haines,
Superintendent; Northwest Plains & Maumee Watershed Districts, WOCUMC
Email: ahaines@wocumc.org
Northwest Plains District Office
910 E. Third Street
Ottawa, Ohio 45875
nwplains@wocumc.org
Phone: 419.523.9901
Fax: 419.523.3479
Rev. Lynda Lockwood,
Assistant Superintendent; Northwest Plains District, WOCUMC
910 E. Third Street
Ottawa, Ohio 45875
nwplains@wocumc.org
Phone: 419.523.9901
Fax: 419.523.3479
llockwood@wocumc.org
CC: Office Administrator, Lesley Moore: lmoore@wocumc.org
www.northwestplainsdistrict.org
Rev. Jenn Lucas
Superintendent; Ohio River Valley District, WOCUMC
7388 E Kemper Road, Suite 1
Cincinnati, OH 45249
phone: (513) 421-2057
toll free: (800) 480-8154
email: ohiorivervalley@wocumc.org
DS Email: jlucas@wocumc.org
CC: Ms. Nancy Newton, Office Administrator
nnewton@wocumc.org
Rev. Calvin Alston, Jr.
Superintendent; Shawnee Valley District WOCUMC
573 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 851-5243
Cell: (740) 637-0829
Email: calston@wocumc.org
cc: Diana Hall
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Shawnee Valley District WOCUMC
573 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 851-5243
Cell: (740) 637-0829
dhall@wocumc.org;