Family Camp at Tollbridge Park
East Woods' Family Camp will return to Tollbridge Park this summer from July 12-15. Check with Tim Martinez for information on how to sign up.
Last year, after dodging thick fog and steady drizzle at the coast for the past seven years, Family Camp moved inland for 2011. Camp was set up at Tollbridge County Park in the upper Hood River Valley in Oregon over three nights on Aug. 11-14.
Family Camp 2011 featured nine families occupying eight sites along the east fok of the Hood River. Some camped in RVs, others in trailers or pop-up tent trailers, while others tent camped. All had a great time as the weather was perfect, the food was plentiful and filling, as was the fellowship.
Tollbridge County Park featured sites that included water and electricity, and the park also offered showers and firewood.
The Hood River Valley offered many recreational actitivies. The camp is surrounded by many orchards and farms that offered berry picking. There were blueberries, raspberries and cherries available for picking, and the group made several trips to pick berries over the weekend.
The Valley also offers many award-winning vineyards. On Saturday, a group of adults toured, sampled and purchased a wide variety of wines.
The area also offers other activities like fruit stands to purchase produce, the Mount Hood Railroad that stopped each day in nearby Parkdale, and swimming and boating opportunities at nearby Lost Lake.
And you didn't even need to leave the campground to have a good time. The group gathered around tables for card games. The park had a nice grassy day-use area for games and a playground. The youth played a nightly game of Flashlight Hide-and-Seek, as the adults congregated around the fire to visit, laugh and share stories. The Hood River passed right past our camp sites so you could cool off by dousing your toes in the cool waters. And, of course, there was plenty of time to sit in the shade and catch up on a good book.
At dinner time this year, the families got together and planned themes for each meal. Thursday was Pasta Night, with different types of pasta, sauces, breads and salads. Friday was BBQ night with chicken, beef brisket, corn on the cobb and more salads and sides. And Saturday was Burrito Night, with different offerings of fillings. Each night, each family would sign up to bring different components of the meal to share. There was something for every taste and always plenty to go around.
So, with the overwhelming support of the families who joined us for FamCamp 2011, we will be returning to Tollbridge for Family Camp 2012 in July. The campground is a little more than an hour drive from Vancouver. Family Camp is a great way to relax, laugh and get to know the different members of the East Woods Family. Make your plans to join us next August. Stay one night or all three nights. Or even just come out for the day. Check with Tim Martinez, Elder of Adult Education Ministries, for more information on Family Camp 2012.