Welcome to our new Youth Secretary

Hope Braveheart, who attends Sandy Spring Meeting and lives in Wheaton, MD, has accepted the position of Youth Secretary for the Yearly Meeting.

Hope will be starting in March and will be working with the Interim Youth Secretary, Tom Fox, for six to eight weeks and then getting ready for her first annual session with the Young Friends community in July. Hope currently works for the Montgomery County school system at John F. Kennedy high school. She will continue to work at JFK part time during the next school year in her capacity as secretary for the Leadership Training Institute. This is a program that serves both academically rigorous and at risk students by teaching leadership through service. Hope also worked with the US Dept. of Labor as a Youth Program Facilitator during the world conference “Children in the Crossfire,” in Washington, DC. As former child soldiers shared their difficult stories and ideas for peace to a global audience, American youth served as mentors. Laurel Johnson, a former Young Friend and now a student at Earlham College, was a mentor in this program in 2003. Hope has two children, Aidan age 4 and Liam age 5.

All three plan on being at JMU for annual session so please make a point to meet her and make her feel welcome.

Welcome to our new Accountant

Laurie Wilner, Langley Hill, assumed the responsibilities of bookkeeper at the beginning of November 2003. Laurie has had training and experience in book keeping and accounting for several years in other organizations. She has served the Yearly Meeting through her participation on several committees and as the Annual Session Registrar. She will be in the office one or two days per week depending on the amount of work (more during the summer and camping season). Laurie is here to serve the Yearly Meeting committees, individuals who have received educational loans, and Monthly Meetings. If you have questions about committee expenses, loans, etc. give her a call or send an e-mail to lauriewilner@bym-rsf.org

New Catoctin Caretaker Named

Jerry Coates began his service as Catoctin Caretaker January 1, 2004. He and his wife, Becky, moved into the caretakers’ cabin right before the early January snow storms, and began immediately to familiarize themselves with the cabin, the camp facilities, and needs.

Jerry and Becky are from Oxford Monthly Meeting and were very involved in the Yearly Meeting and the camping programs when their children were growing up. They volunteered at Catoctin many summers so they know the program and facilities well. For the past few years they have been a part of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but now they are coming back home to Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

Becky and Jerry have a real love for the camping program and in particular Catoctin Quaker Camp. So sometime when you are visiting the camp make sure you find them and ask them about their story. Becky has offered to cook meals (cater) or shop for any of the groups that use the camp. If you group is planning a weekend at Catoctin and need a cook, make sure to contact Becky at catoctincamp@mindspring.com> to ask what she can do and what she charges. She wants to offer small retreats for couples or families during the winter using the infirmary. Contact Becky to learn more about this. Jerry is planning to make improvements in the facilities and grounds, presenting a cleaner and more pleasing Catoctin Quaker Camp.