From Camp Wojtyla

[JamieP]

To the good people of Jamestown,

My name is Annie and I help around run a youth wilderness camp called Camp Wojtyla that operates up the road from you all at Cal-Wood. 

It has come to my attention that our staff have been driving the program vehicles too fast through your town. I want let you know that I have taken immediate action on this. I also  want to let you know how very sorry I am that this happened. I will be drilling this harder and harder into the future. I will not hesitate to take disciplinary action or even let volunteers go who fail to abide.

I further want to apologize for the rowdiness in the park across from the Merc last night. Our volunteers desperately wanted to have a picnic by the water and play basketball at the park.

Our staff are comprised of college students from around the world who come to volunteer all summer. Their hearts are so good, but their college energy is so big and not always situationally aware. We even have some past wrestlers who wanted to challenge each other on the flat terrain. My goodness, I am so sorry for disturbing your peace last night! I have spoken to the staff as a whole about a greater respect for those around them and especially towards the kind people of Jamestown who value their peaceful, quiet, mountain town and have a right to that being undisturbed. 

I deeply appreciate you all for so many things. I especially value the way you have preserved the beauty of this area. I promise you that we will do our best in the future to minimize impact and preserve not just the natural spaces, but the peaceful environment you all enjoy.

Please know of my deepest apologies and heartfelt gratitude.

[RobertH]

Message deleted - too negative.
   

[David Mans]

Wow Robert.  I'm so glad that we have you as Jamestown's gatekeeper of who is worthy and who is not!  How a small group of young people that are here volunteering and clearly bursting with enthusiasm at their opportunity to enjoy our beautiful mountains (community?) as we do, is so threatening to you, certainly demonstrates the fear that the church struck in you.  These kids may certainly become all that you fear.  They may also be intelligent, creative, kind (as their "apology" suggests) people that have gone out of their way to make right by the town for a bit of raucous fun, something that never happens in this town. And just maybe the influence of this place will bring them around to your version of the world in time, although I hope not quite so intolerant. 

I wasn't at their gathering, it sounds like it was pretty enthusiastic, but basically innocent.  I do know that a local had already told them that they weren't welcome to enjoy the evening at the big park as, "they don't really want anyone using the big park except for residents."  Wow, I need to read the bylaws again and make sure that my citizenry papers are up to date!  Either way, had they been left to enjoy themselves at the band shelter no one would have noticed or cared.  My understanding was that it was a picnic, an impromptu fun time next to the water in what most "outsiders" would consider a beautiful and welcoming town on Jim Creek.  A celebration of their end of summer camp at Calwood, not a Revival.  And even if they were, I for one applaud their right to do it.  

Fortunately I grew up in a town that appreciated many voices and perspectives on the world and its communities, if something was that scary I was allowed to step out.  I was lucky.  Has that town now become a place where a few vocal and threatened people get to decide who is welcome and who is not?  Cause if so, there are a lot of giant trailers of 4WDrivers passing through at 40 mph that I'd like to send through Nederland instead.  

IMHO telling a group of 20 year olds that they aren't welcome to be in our town is terrifying.  It's intolerant, judgy as hell, and has no place here.  Period.  "Now get off my lawn you intolerant creeps."

[Drew Allman]

Well said, David!

[kto]

I agree with David; there is no room or need for intolerance against any group of people, no matter the reason. One of the things that Burt and I value the most about Jamestown is the town’s acceptance of a wide variety of individuals. Also, it seems Jamestown is not defined by its legal borders but more of an inclusive mountain community, including Calwood. I could be wrong about this, but I hope not as there is already enough vitriol and just plain meanness in this world, and I look to Jamestown as an oasis from that.
-kto

[Seth-Strickland]

I concur with David. Well said Chief.

[Nancy Farmer]

Tempest in a teapot - although I can't believe that someone would tell them that they weren't welcome to enjoy the evening at the big park as, "they don't really want anyone using the big park except for residents." Living right across the street from it, I see people out there all the time - some strangers, some locals, some in groups, some alone - it's a public municipal park, for heaven's sake! PUBLIC, as in anybody can use it. I don't know what the offensive post that Robert deleted was, who posted, or what it said, but I wonder if attacking Robert for being the gatekeeper is really warranted.

Annie's letter was posted because I personally was approached by a few people asking about the Camp Wojtyla vans driving through town too fast, so I told her about it. Also, apparently if someone chastised the counselors, they must have reported that to her. They're good folks, and they've been setting up their camp on Cal-Wood's property every summer for years. They work hard while the campers are there, and had earned a little respite at the end.  Some come to the Merc and spend money, some come and play basketball or picnic by the creek, just like all those folks that come up from town to listen to the free music and buy pizza and park all along the streets. They've taken down their camp and gone away till next summer, so we can relax about the Camp W counselors for now.