A Report from the 2026 Maintenance Connection

The 2026 Maintenance Connection was held at Holmes Camp and Retreat Center (Holmes, NY) on February 9-13. This event is the annual gathering of Site Managers, Maintenance Staff, and Volunteer Craftsman involved in camp, retreat, and conference ministries across the United States and Canada. The program is a unique blend of fellowship, networking, continued education, hands-on learning, sabbath, and sharing of ideas. The Holmes staff and volunteers hosted 17 participants from 12 different states and provinces. In addition to the site tour of Holmes (which included a behind the scenes look at our newest, state-of-the-art building, Vinik Hilltop), there were educational workshops offered in:  On our Wednesday field trip to New York City in the morning, the group was given a private tour of Grand Central Terminal which included several areas not open to the general public, led by Steve Silvernail. The rest of the day folks either joined volunteer guides or were on their own to explore many of NYC’s  landmarks. On Thursday, attendees visited the farm that is on the Holmes property which is managed by Holmes employee, Pastor David Frost, who also led evensong devotionals each night.    A special thanks to the Holmes staff for going the extra mile to make the event a great success.     JJ Branin, Chef/Hospitality ManagerGrace Buck, AdministratorDan Canale, HousekeepingSteve Cornelio, Grounds and Facilities ManagerDavid Frost, Host Dan Pieher, HousekeepingPat Rossiter, Executive DirectorPaul Verdesi, Maintenance SpecialistJoe Whelan, Maintenance Assistant And a extra special thanks to our wonderful event volunteers: Mark Ainsworth, David Burpee, Frank D’andrea, JP Nilsen, Elise Bates Russel, Steve Silvernail, and Brenda Verdesi The 2027 Maintenance Connection will be held at Pecometh Camp & Retreat Center (Centreville, MD). Dates will be announced soon.     

An Official Statement by the PCCCA Board Concerning Summer Programs at Our Camps and Conference Centers – April 27

The mission of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association is to equip leaders for vibrant and sustainable ministries. Each PCCCA camp and conference center is unique. They vary in size, location, finances, and focus. A decision for one camp or conference center may or may not be appropriate for another. Currently, many camp leaders and wider leadership are making decisions related to their summer programming in 2020 from how to operate safely in the midst of a pandemic all the way to suspending all summer operations. The decisions made by our camp and conference centers should be expected to be as varied as the sites themselves. During this COVID-19 crisis, PCCCA’s goal is to provide resources and support for our members so that each member site can make the best decision possible according to their unique circumstances. Our prayers are with each of these important ministries.

The Virtual Camp Portal for Our PCCCA Member Sites

Are you seeking new ways to offer programming to campers and their families? PCCCA partnering with the Office of Christian Formation of the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the web developer, Worship Times, to offer our member sites a platform for virtual programming. Click on the image to learn more about this exciting new resource.

A Report from the 2020 Maintenance Connection

Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center hosted the 14th gathering of Maintenance Connection with 19 participants representing 5 denominations from 17 different sites across the US and Canada. This year’s event is the largest gathering of resent years, welcoming many new faces and ideas along with renewing old friendships from the past. The event centered on relaxing, renewal of the soul, and continuing education. We learned about “green janitorial supplies,” pest control, and pressure washing to keep our sites clean and appealing. Our day out activities took us to the “toy” store where we were able to ride and explore new equipment, such as a stand-up mower, a riding all-terrain zero turn mower, a riding leaf blower, chain saws and many other wishful items. Next we stopped for a local treat of strawberry shortcake and milkshakes, as it is the middle of strawberry season in Florida. We rounded out our day with a tour of a distillery and then on to downtown Tampa to relax with good food and fellowship. Conversations topics of disaster preparedness, training up the next generation, and preparing for retirement were informative and thought provoking. We thank the Cedarkirk staff for their hospitality, offering vespers in the evening, and the great food that was served. Many of the participants expressed the time that we shared as being just what they needed even as they had many projects they left behind and would return to even more. As we wrapped up the week, we look forward to next year’s event to be held at Crestfield Camp & Conference Center in Slippery Rock Pennsylvania.

COVID-19 Coronavirus: Information for Our PCCCA Members

In light of the Coronavirus, the PCCCA Board feels that a strong policy statement communicated to your constituency is a great way to get ahead of the current wave of uncertainty. If a camp or conference center can create and follow a plan of action for preventing the spread of this infectious virus, they could create an environment that makes our sites one of the safest places for children and youth this summer. In order to help you, we have put together a special page of resources and program suggestions at www.pccca.net/coronavirus. Please check it out and submit suggestions as we continue to update this website. Thank you.

Have You Updated Your Search Engine Listings?

The Campfire Collective has websites that help potential retreat groups, summer staff, and summer campers find our member sites. When was the last time you made updates to your listings? You can make changes by logging into your ministry’s page in the membership system. At the bottom of that page, you will see the portal for making changes to your listings on all three websites. Are you not a member yet and want to see the three websites? You can check them out at the links below. SummerToRemember.com for potential summer staffBookARetreat.com for potential retreat groupsBestSummerYet.com for potential summer campers