Great End-of-Summer Fun at Friends Weekend and Tee off for Tuolumne!

The summer of 2015 ended with back to back weekends of campers coming to celebrate what we have, and how we’re going to go forward together! Both events reminded everyone of the amazing Tuolumne Spirit and connection we share, and that our community is as strong as ever.

Labor Day Weekend at Echo Lake:

A Sold-Out Echo Lake Camp was a buzz all weekend with end of summer fun! Warm days and star-filled evenings was ordered up, and we had social hour on the observation deck and a campfire every night. We played BINGO with amazing prizes, including t-shirts, hats, and a Magnum of expensive wine to the adult winner! Archery, swimming, arts and crafts, volleyball. yoga, ping pong, and great hikes were among the activities during the day, highlighted with a very special 50 person Boat Tour of Echo Lake by the owners of the Echo Lake Chalet!

Sunday night we told our camp stories and memories about Tuolumne around the campfire, and sang our camp songs. The smells of marshmellows and smores filled the air. It was magical and sweet to hear everyone’s camp experiences.

We presented our very first “Friend of the Year” award to honor the volunteer efforts of campers who are committed to the long term success of Camp Tuolumne. The 2015 recipients of the “Friend of the Year” went to Jim and Katie Whitty, who have been tirelessly and joyously volunteering for many years for FOBTC. These two truly exhibit the “Tuolumne Spirit” and we are so appreciative of their work and efforts!

Thanks to everyone who joined us, and we hope next summer those who got turned away because it was already sold out will have a chance to be there as well! A long standing tradition at Tuolumne was brought to Echo Lake, and it was fantastic to be together.

“Tee off for Tuolumne”:

Last Saturday we had about 75 golfers and over 200 for dinner at Tilden Park, and this once a year fundraiser put on by campers Jim and Katie Whitty was once again a fantastic success! We had City of Berkeley staff, Councilman Laurie Capitelli, Camp Manager Craig Veramey, and hundreds of dedicated campers young and old dining together and enjoying the beautiful evening at Tilden Park.

putting contest winner Bruce Lengacher wins $300!

The day was filled with light hearted golf and staff running around Tilden Park having a blast! “Tuolumne Tim”  – the Yeti of Camp, was seen driving around and taking photos with golfers (the other golfers had no idea what to make of him)

The “Hot Mamas” of Tuolumne hosted tee#10 with special cocktails, “whisper announcing and golf clapping”, and unbridled enthusiasm, as well as lots of fur! (again, the other golfers not connected to camp had no idea what to make of them!) Their Camp Spirit is off the hook!

A hole in one on the 180 yard Hole #4 was the most exciting possibility of the day! There was one golfer, Matt Johnston, an ex-professional golfer, who came pretty close!

If he had gotten that shot another 2 feet into the hole, he would have won this!

(staff not included in the winning! Just the classic Mercedes Convertible!)

At night we had a great Taco dinner for over 200, with a great live auction and over 30 raffle prizes! Vacation get-a-ways, hotel stays, GoPro Camera’s, Art, Wine, Green Camp Chairs…  great donations for a great cause. Everyone contributed and enjoyed their camp community, and we were able to raise some funds for the year long work of FOBTC and the rebuild Camp Tuolumne efforts.

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to play, to dine, to wine, and to bid. Singing the Camp Song arm-in-arm brought lots of smiles and tears to our eyes.

So as we say goodbye to another summer, we are deeply grateful for the memories we made at Camp this summer, and the knowledge that together, a United Camp Community, we have many more years ahead of us of great summer memories.

You dream of me…. and I’ll dream of you.

Scott Gelfand

Executive Director

Friends of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp