United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization visit to Seattle
Date: May 14, 2009

Three UNESCO chairs visited Seattle
following a conference in Eugene, Oregon.
On Thursday, May 14th, Camp Brotherhood’s CEO, Heidi Fish, and Trustees Mohammad Fani and John Hale had the opportunity to participate in gatherings with Dmitri Spivak, the Russian Chair from St. Petersburg, and with Joseph Yacoub, the Chair from the Catholic University in Lyon, France. Conversation ranged from the connection of interfaith dialogue and peace-making, to mysticism and union in many different religious traditions, to reflections on the African American experience of slavery and religion through history. Camp Brotherhood came to the attention of these leaders in worldwide interfaith dialogue, and an invitation was extended for further dialogue. Professors Spivak and Yacoub were interested in learning about the 14 year impact that the Challenge TV show, the friendship of Rabbi Levine and Father Treacy, and the ongoing work of Camp Brotherhood have had on the region. They encouraged us to continue our work of fostering harmony in the human family

“Keep the Dream Alive” Dinner & Auction
Date: April 18, 2009

Thanks to Dean Cunningham, his Skagit guests, and all who attended – the evening was a huge success!!

Stokes Auction Group facilitated the first Auction at Camp Brotherhood Saturday, April 18, 2009. Ticket holders and guests were invited to check in starting at 5:00 p.m., or earlier to tour of the camp. Everyone enjoyed the view, the company, refreshments and then a wonderful dinner. The live auction began around 6:00 p.m. and the excitement continued until around 10:00 p.m.

Thank you to all who donated items and experiences for this auction! Your support is greatly appreciated, and your contributions will be tax deductible, since Camp Brotherhood is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Thanks also to all of you who have paid $100 per ticket to attend, and for generously bidding on all the items! You made it an evening to remember.

Special thanks to Dean Cunningham of Washington Lettuce Company for his extraordinary commitment to Father William Treacy in organizing, procuring, supporting, hosting and recruiting for this event. His unflagging dedication and 180 mph energy inspire all around him to do their best! Thanks to you, Dean the auction was an incredible success!!

Interfaith Elderhostels:

Building Bridges of Understanding Among Jewish, Christian and Muslim American Families.
Prices for this date starting at: $448 per person

Study the three Abrahamic faith traditions and how their beliefs are applied to family life in the U.S. Daily sessions will be spent studying Islam, Judaism and Christianity, led by adherents of the various faiths. Workshops and discussions on a variety of subjects (justice, mercy, grace, after-life, prejudice, forgiveness, interfaith marriage, care of elderly, human rights) will be led by a moderator with active participation encouraged. Evening panels will bring together the day’s topics and relate them to family life and culture in today’s world. The spring program features an afternoon field trip in the beautiful Skagit Valley to a local tulip farming operation during the height of the blooming season that will round out your week.

Back to the Farm: Nature Studies With Your Younger Grandchild
Prices for this date starting at: $346 per person

Create bonds to last a lifetime on an unforgettable farm stay with your grandchild. Petting animals, nature trails and encounters with a telescope and microscope will spark the curiosity of you and your grandchild. Enjoy a sheep-shearing demonstration and adopt a farm animal to care for during your stay. Build teamwork as you assemble and decorate a birdhouse, hand-crank ice cream and perform other activities together while sharing your childhood memories. Investigate wonders in the night sky with a telescope and an amateur astronomer, then roast marshmallows under the moonlight. A memory book project captures your experience for posterity while the take-home birdhouse and microscope encourages future discussions with your grandchild.

For participants and kids ages 6-8. No more than one youth per adult. Participants share Motel-style lodge rooms, with both single and double beds.

US State Department Sends Visitors To Camp Brotherhood

The World Affairs Council of the US State Department has discovered Camp Brotherhood. Recognized for our 40 years of work promoting harmony in the human family, interfaith dialogue and family support efforts, international visitors come every year to experience the peace of Camp Brotherhood and have deeper conversations about peace in the world and in their communities. In 2008 we met with guests from Morocco, the country of Georgia, and with journalists from Saudi Arabia.

On March 16, 2009, guests from the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan came to explore strategies for making peace. They exclaimed over the beauty of this place, and said that it reminded them of home. After hearing about the effectiveness of the Alternatives to Violence Project from Roger Kluck, sharing tea on fine china brought from the home of our Executive Director, and learning about our history of service and dedication to the elimination of false barriers between people, our guests declared that “Now we feel like we have met real Americans!” They had visited the Pentagon just a day or two earlier, and expressed the opinion that “this beats the Pentagon hands down.” Their feeling was that real peace will not come through meetings of officials, because those folks will always have their own agendas to protect. Real peace happens at the grass roots level, when we meet one another face to face and learn that we ALL want peace. When asked what the most helpful aspect of the visit at Camp Brotherhood had been, a member of Parliament said “The love. It is clear that everything you do here is done in love. We can feel that it comes from the heart.” What an endorsement! Our guests left wearing peace bracelets bearing the words “Create Hope” crafted by our Executive Director as a reminder of our shared purpose. One of the translators from the US State Department was effusive in his praise. “EVERY group that comes here MUST come to Camp Brotherhood! This is the highlight of our entire tour.”

Come see what they saw in Camp Brotherhood. Come be part of making peace… in our hearts, in our families, in our communities and in our world.