Announcing the 2022 Westhampton Scholarship Winners
This year, we gave away a record $20,000 to THIRTEEN former campers. Watch this video to hear the recipients’ stories!
Dinner & Silent Auction
Join us for a night of celebration! Dinner & Silent Auction fundraiser to benefit Camp Alkulana Music by Daniel Clarke! Daniel Clarke will perform as part of a jazz trio during the event. Daniel is a multi-instrumentalist/ songwriter/producer/teacher born and raised in Richmond, VA. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Jazz Studies program, Daniel has gone on to perform and record all over the world. His playing has been heard everywhere from the White House to the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Gourmet Dinner Our cook is preparing a delicious meal for us to enjoy around tables in the Fellowship Hall at River Road Church, Baptist. Bid on great items! Handmade goods, Restaurant giftcards, Vacation Rentals, Family Experiences, Local Services, and Recreation. Celebrate our Campers! We will announce…
Celebrating Women at Alkulana
In celebration of Women’s History Month, let’s honor the women who founded, grew, and sustained Camp Alkulana in its over 100 year history. Camp Alkulana was started by a group of mission-minded women in the early days of the camping industry, and local Woman’s Missionary Union groups continue to bolster support for Camp Alkulana to this day. In the beginning, Camp Alkulana only served female campers and was led by female camp counselors. Women served as nurses and cooks at the camp, and back home they made sure their churches (and husbands!) were contributing financially to the work. Its founders’ deepest hope was to invest in the lives of Richmond’s future women. Over the last 107 years, seven women have led the camp as camp directors, and countless other women…
Feels Like Home
When I was a kid, I went to a summer camp myself. I had fun meeting other kids and goofing off. Yet one memory from my camp experience that stuck with me is when some boys were taunting me and my friends, and throwing rocks at us, and I got hit just below my eye. There were no adults in the vicinity to stop them, or witness what had transpired. I had to go find someone to get a Band-Aid and ice for my face. No one took the time to sit with me and make sure I was okay, or help me process my feelings of anger, neglect, or hurt. I didn’t feel safe. I didn’t feel loved or cared for. My physical injury was taken care of, but…
Welcome to the Team!
We welcomed two team members into new roles this month! Jeffrey Francis is our new Facilities Manager and Kate Wakeland is our intern this spring. Both Kate and Jeffrey have served at Camp Alkulana in various ways, but we are thrilled to have them fill these new roles. Please see below for more information about them. [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="3067,3068"] [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="3069,3070"]
A Warm Welcome
A Warm Welcome Something happens on nearly every bus ride our younger campers take to Camp Alkulana. Right around Charlottesville there’s an audible gasp when the view opens up and they can finally see the first glimpse of the foothills that become mountains. It’s new. It’s exciting. And it’s… a little scary. Imagine you’ve never been out of your city, and the mountains are wholly unfamiliar. Or maybe you’ve never slept away from home before and the view reminds you how far away you’ll be. Perhaps you’re nervous to meet new friends or unsure about the challenging activities that will be presented to you that week. At the same time that bus is shuttling campers to camp, Alkulana counselors and volunteers are preparing to greet them. They’re giving the cabins…
Here’s to Summer 2021!
Camp Alkulana is rolling out plans to operate safely this summer! While we are so proud of the innovative programs we ran last summer in Richmond, we are all hungry for a return to our campgrounds in Bath County and our typical overnight summer camp program. A team of dedicated summer camp staff and volunteers is working diligently to create an operations plan that is congruent with CDC and American Camp Association protocols. While we know COVID-19 will still be in our lives this summer, we are hopeful that by June we can safely operate our camp with strategies like cohorts, masks, and loads of outdoor activities. Here’s why we think opening this summer is important: Children are experiencing untold amounts of stress right now as they navigate a disrupted…