Camp and Retreat Center Offers Special Fall & Winter Rates in Sierra Nevada Foothills

From October through February, California camp & retreat center, Community of the Great Commission, encourages people to get outside and enjoy the splendors of the seasons in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

MICHIGAN BLUFF, CALIF. (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

The Community of the Great Commission (CGC) is a camp and retreat center located near historic Michigan Bluff, in Placer County, California. The beautiful ridge-top property is available for nonprofit groups to use for overnight camps, retreats, workshops, or family gatherings. The site can host groups that range in size from 10 to 100 people in the Fall & Winter months. 

CGC has announced two Fall & Winter specials which begin on October 1, 2019 and run through February 29, 2020. The specials include 2 nights lodging and 5 meals. 

This tranquil and serene site is well-established at an elevation of 4000’ and offers a variety of walking trails through a pine conifer, fir, oak, maple, madrone, and dogwood forest. CGC also has a half basketball court, volleyball, low ropes course, amphitheater, and three campfire circles. 

“The Fall and Winter months are special times in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. True Fall colors start appearing in October and November in the Oak, Maple, and Dogwood trees at this elevation. The warm afternoons and cool nights are just ideal for a retreat. In the winter, if you’re lucky, there’ll be some snow to enjoy,” says Site Director Sandra Heck. 

The first special is for Claar House, the retreat building which can sleep between 10 and 20 guests. Claar House features semi-private bedrooms, most with private bathrooms, ample meeting areas with sofas, conference room chairs, tables and chairs. There is a full kitchen for group use and a large deck. The special rate per person at Claar House, including food and lodging is $170. The group minimum for this special is 10 people. 

The second special is for the Bobbitt Area Cabins. 8 cabins, each sleeping up to 10 guests, has its own bathroom. Cabins are winterized for year-round use. The cabins are situated around Bobbitt Hall, a lodge with fireplace, tables and chairs, kitchen, and a deck. Homemade meals are served in the dining hall. The special rate per person at the Bobbitt cabins, including food and lodging is $135. The group minimum for the Bobbitt special is 20 people. 

Facility information is available at uccr.org/community or call 800-678-5102. 

The Community of the Great Commission is managed by United Camps, Conferences & Retreats.

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) Celebrates 28 Years of Hosting California Coast Music Camp (CCMC)

UCCR and CCMC acknowledges long term partnership for music camp in the foothills of California

PETALUMA, CALIF. (PRWEB) JULY 31, 2019

In 1992, the California Coast Music Camp (CCMC) began a partnership with United Camps, Conefrences & Retreats (UCCR) that continues today. The music camp, which welcomes up to 125 musicians for 2 weeks each summer at a UCCR camp facility, began their California camps in 1992 at Monte Toyon in Aptos. After a few years they moved to Camp Gualala, a camp that was managed by UCCR at the time, for 16 years. When Camp Gualala was sold, the musicians moved to the Community of the Great Commission, a UCCR camp in the Sierra foothills. 

Janet Peterson, who directs many music camps each year throughout the west, says, “My favorite thing is watching people discover their creativity, to take the time for themselves to actually do it. It’s great to come to a site where people take care of you. You can spend time with yourself. Will people really enjoy making music? Will they feel good about themselves? Absolutely!” 

The camp has a staff of teachers and assistants numbering about 40 plus 85 students each week. Classes happen throughout the day. Evenings are for special events such as teacher and student concerts and a dance. Staff arrive a few days early to set up the many screen tents and chairs for outdoor classrooms around the large camp. Participants can take a break from classes by taking a walk through the forest or enjoying a swim in the pool. 

“The camp experience is powerful… We spend so much time in isolation, behind our computers and such. We used to spend way more time in social community. What we’ve got here is that you feel someone cares about you,” continues Peterson. 

The CCMC music camp attracts a variety of musicians which include violinists, guitarists, celloists, banjo and ukulele players and more. The skill level is from beginners to advanced, so there are opportunities for everyone. 

The partnership between CCMC and UCCR is significant due to the longevity of the relationship. “Camp programs like CCMC are exactly the kind of groups UCCR enjoys long-term relationships with. The benefits for the sites and the participants alike embody real mutuality. They really are able to utilize the site and enjoy the wonders and peacefulness of the outdoors,” says Tina Heck, UCCR Director of Reservations and Communications. 

“We look forward to many more years of hearing the music through the trees from CCMC musicians. We would love to have more music camps like this at our other sites across the country. All of our camps and retreats are really ideal settings for gatherings like this,” continues Heck. 

Music camp coordinators can call UCCR directly at 800-678-5102 to explore opportunities for UCCR to host your next musicians gathering, workshop, or camp experience. 

UCCR, a non-profit cooperative formed in 1970, manages 13 camps, conference and retreat centers throughout the United States. For a list of all facilities available to rent visit UCCR.org

California Camp Perseveres After 1960 Forest Fire to Celebrate 60 Years of Residential Experience

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Northern California-Nevada celebrates the Community of the Great Commission's 60th anniversary at region's Annual Gathering

MICHIGAN BLUFF, CALIF. (PRWEB) APRIL 30, 2019

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Northern California- Nevada recently held their Annual Gathering in Sunnyvale, CA. A time of celebration included a cake for the 60th birthday of their camp and retreat center, The Community of the Great Commission.

In 1959, John Holland and Josh Wilson, ministers with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Northern California-Nevada, began to search the California foothills for land to develop a camp for youth and adults to enjoy the great outdoors and participate in the unique aspects of residential camp and conference experiences.

They found a property located in Michigan Bluff, near Foresthill, CA, in the California Gold Country, at an elevation of 4000’. After negotiations with the land owner, the members of the Christian Church Region voted to purchase the land.

Even as they began development, in August 1960, almost exactly one year after the purchase of the camp property, a devastating forest fire swept through the foothills of Foresthill and severely damaged the camp forest. Nearly 80% of the trees were a loss and in some areas, the ash was 2 feet deep.

Nonetheless, the people of the region persevered and began building in earnest. In 1963, the retreat house, known as Claar House, which was named after Adelaide Claar, a laywoman from the San Jose Christian Church who made a sizeable donation, was begun. This building served as the indoor kitchen and dining area for more than 30 years until a larger, more commercial style dining hall was built in the late 1990’s.

In 1965 and 1966, respectively, eight cabins and a lodge were built, giving groups an indoor meeting area and sleeping quarters. Since then, many amenities have been added such as a swimming pool, amphitheater, and a variety of recreation areas.

The impact of these camp and conference centers that were built across the United States by church denominations in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s have had an everlasting impact on those who participated in this center of teaching, learning, and relaxing in a natural setting, set apart from the daily grind and technologies of life “down the mountain.”

Sixty years have passed since John Holland took church members up an old logging road to explore this forest on the ridge. American life has changed significantly with a much faster paced life than might have been imagined in 1959. Perhaps now more than ever, camps such as these offer modern people an opportunity to unplug and experience a simpler surrounding.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Northern California- Nevada recently held their Annual Gathering in Sunnyvale, CA and celebrated the 60th birthday of their camp and retreat center, The Community of the Great Commission, with a cake.

The Community of the Great Commission is managed by United Camps, Conferences and Retreat, a camp and retreat management cooperative.

"On behalf of United Camps, Conferences and Retreats, we congratulate the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the 60th Anniversary of their beautiful camp and all of the people that have had wonderful experiences there," writes Mike Carr, President of United Camps, Conferences, and Retreats.

United Camps, Conferences and Retreats Issues a Call to Non Profit Program Leaders

PETALUMA, CALIF. (PRWEB) JULY 29, 2018

United Camps, Conferences and Retreats (UCCR) is excited to announce a call for program leaders looking for space to hold their programs. UCCR has three camp and retreat centers in the Sierra Nevada available for day use or overnight retreats. As the organization moves toward 2020, UCCR is reinvigorating its efforts to serve the non-profit community by hosting groups that need locations for day training or overnight lodging programs.

All three sites are unique and offer a variety of indoor and outdoor meeting areas, recreational opportunities and lodging options. With almost 50 years in camp, conference and retreat center management, UCCR provides hospitality, food service, and lodging. With today’s continual connectivity, people want to get back to nature and decompress in a beautiful setting while enjoying the benefits of food service and recreational choices.

The first site, Community of the Great Commissions (CGC), is located in Foresthill, CA and serves group sizes 10-104 people. CGC is offering fall and winter specials which begin October 1, 2018 and run through February 28, 2019. Specials include homemade meals and overnight lodging with discounts. Group leaders can focus on their program while site staff take care of the cooking and cleaning.

Secondly, Applegate JRC is located in Placer County, conveniently located just above Auburn. As one of our most popular and busy sites, groups can take advantage of a variety of meeting spaces and lodging options including the newer Oak Lodge. Oak Lodge has 12 rooms, each room sleeps 4, attached conference rooms and a beautiful screened in porch with rocking chairs to seat 20.

Camp Lodestar is in Calaveras County, located above Jackson in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, and can host groups size of 12 to 165. Camp Lodestar offers 450 acres of hiking. Indian Grinding Rock State Historical Park is nearby.

"These Sierra foothills sites offer guests a great opportunity to enjoy the forests and views while enjoying hospitality services," said Tina Heck, UCCR Director of Communications & Reservations.

A video tour of each site is available online along with a photo gallery of each site.

Reservations or questions can be made by calling 800-678-5102 or emailing reservations@uccr.org. Photos and site videos are available at uccr.org