Welcome to the online presence of
DOGWOOD ACRES
Retreat Center and Summer Camp!
Dogwood Acres is the outdoor ministry of the Presbytery of Florida. Our mission is to provide a retreat environment in which individuals and groups can grow in faith, enjoy wholesome recreation, and nurture Christian fellowship in a natural and unspoiled part of creation.
HURRICANE RECOVERY NEWS
UPDATE - 3/5/19
Hurricane recovery is very evident now, and we are glad to report that thanks to the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours they have put in, Dogwood Acres is getting back to normal. This weekend we will host the third retreat in as many weeks, and though there is cosmetic work still to be done, we are up and running and looking forward to an exciting Summer Camp. This year's theme is Renewal, and we look forward to seeing our youth once again seeking God's presence in the great outdoors!
UPDATE - 2/6/19
During the past two months much progress has been made at Dogwood Acres. All heavy tree removal equipment has come and gone, volunteers continue to pour in, and this week about 35 workers from Presbyterian churches in Ohio spent their days repairing roofs and clearing trails. Our first retreat group since the storm will arrive at the end of this month, and we will once again have the doors open and the Dogwood Acres Outdoor Ministry will continue. Though much has been accomplished, we still have several large volunteer groups coming to finish up repairs over the next two months, so if you are looking for a way to help, please contact us so that we can fit your skills and desires to our project lists.
UPDATE - 12/4/18
Several small groups continue to work on clearing trees and debris. Trails are beginning to open up and repairs to buildings are being scheduled. Recovery efforts for Washington and Bay Counties continue and Dogwood Acres is playing a role by housing groups from out of the area.
Unfortunately, rain continues to wash out Saturdays. The rain chance for this weekend is 90%. Please follow the above link to find other opportunities to help - we are experiencing beautiful cool weather on many days during the week, and if you are available to work with James he will be glad to arrange a day at your convenience.
UPDATE - 11/14/18
Despite the rainy drizzle, 35 people showed up on Monday (Veterans Day) and spent hours cutting and hauling debris, cleaning the kitchen, dining hall, and cabins! (See three photos at bottom of this page.) We can't thank people enough for their enthusiasm and support - the Spirit continues to work in wonderous ways at DWA! Please click the link above for information on more opportunities to help in our recovery.
UPDATE - 10/25/18
Most of this week’s Dogwood Acres update is in pictures, so you can see more of the damage yourself. See the photo gallery below.
Director Ben Powell is talking daily with contractors for the work that needs to be hired out and to connect with volunteer organizations in the region that need housing for extended periods so they have easier access to the hardest hit areas in the Presbytery. That means the office building and compound (cabins, Dining Hall, Koinonia, Craft Hut, etc.) have to be cleared and power restored.
Efforts are on-going to get the trees removed from buildings in the compound first, at least two of which will require a crane for safe removal, if further damage is to be avoided. The power company won’t come in to replace damaged poles and restore power safely until they can get to everything and do all their work at once. Unfortunately, this means we’re continuing to run all lights, computers, and water in the Presbytery and DWA offices on generators.
Please pray for the staff at Dogwood Acres, some of whom are also dealing with significant damage to their own properties. Please pray for Roy and Mel, too, as they continue to make the best of Michael’s effect on the office and meet the Presbytery’s needs. All of these individuals, along with Property Chair James Vance, are working very hard for the people of this Presbytery.
Please monitor our website for updates and feel free to copy/paste this information into your FB pages. For those of you wondering how you can help, there’s much to do. As we work through insurance matters and initial repairs, we’re making plans for the next phases of recovery, which will require lots of volunteers. To learn about and/or sign up for volunteer opportunities as they develop, please go to: http://www.dogwoodacres.org/upcoming-events/ on our website.
Would you like to donate directly right now? Just CLICK HERE or mail a check to Dogwood Acres, 3320 Harmony Road, Chipley, FL 32428. However long the road ahead, we can do this with God's help and yours!
Oct. 18, 2018
Dear Friends of Dogwood Acres:
First and foremost, if your friends and family, home, church, school, and/or community were in the path of Hurricane Michael, please know that you are wrapped in prayer. You are not alone – God is with you, and so are the Presbytery of Florida and Dogwood Acres.
Director Ben Powell, former Chair James Vance, and I spent two days at DWA assessing damage throughout the compound and beyond. There was a lot to take in, but we saw silver linings in surprising places and left Dogwood Acres encouraged and listening for God's call.
There is some structural damage from downed trees, including 3 cabins, Koinonia, the tractor barn, and a couple of other buildings (see photos at right). More than half the cabins, the Presbytery/Dogwood Acres office building, Monroe Lodge, the Chapel, and Bearss have all come through untouched.
As we looked through new openings in the woods adjacent to the Dining Hall, we discovered a beautiful vista we’d never seen before. This view of a new horizon is a great metaphor for our current call to serve.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) representatives are staying in and working out of Monroe Lodge. FLAPDAN (Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network) is hard at work, too.
We're moving forward in God's time and grace and Ben is doing amazing work, despite the challenges. While we're planning for and working on DWA recovery as quickly as possible, please know that we’re doing so in the name of serving the Presbytery's recovery efforts, which is what the DWA Ministry Team agrees we're called to do at this time.
Please monitor this website for updates and feel free to copy/paste the information into your FB pages. For those of you wondering how you can help, there’s much to do. As we work through insurance matters and initial repairs, we’re making plans for the next phases of recovery, which will require lots of volunteers.
Would you like to donate directly right now? Just CLICK HERE or mail a check to Dogwood Acres, 3320 Harmony Road, Chipley, FL 32428. However long the road ahead, we can do this with God's help and yours?
We’ve never been more aware of God’s grace or calling to serve. Peace and grace as you work through the challenges before you ...
In faith and prayer -
Linda Lovins, Chair
Dogwood Acres Ministry Team
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) providing much-needed support for hurricane-ravaged areas ... Click HERE to read the atricle.
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