A Letter from our board president, Janine Valine

Dear Friends of the Woods,

I wish you all a Happy New Year! As many of you begin registering your children for camp this summer, you may notice that the programming at Westminster Woods this year looks a little different than many of us are used to. And for some, this change may be surprising and even a little bit uncomfortable.

As I sit down to write this letter to you, I sit amongst the happy chaos that is winter break at home with two young boys. Our Christmas tree is still up and, despite my best efforts, toys old and new are littered everywhere.

I’ve spent the last couple days talking to my five-year-old about the necessity of choosing some of his old toys to give away so that we can make room for all the new toys he just got. You can maybe imagine that this has led to some push back and even some tears. There have been a lot of reassurances that it is just toys you don’t play with anymore and “no we are not giving away Bear.” While he is super excited about all the new toys he got, he is still really attached to some of the things he has outgrown. I can’t lie, it’s not easy for me either. Why am I emotionally attached to that pull string rabbit he got for his first birthday!? This can be a hard concept that we as adults also grapple with. And it's where I believe we are as the Westminster Woods community.

I am so excited to introduce this new iteration of summer programming to this community! I am excited about the new growth and fresh energy I see coming out of the Woods and its Leadership Team. I am excited for our children to get to experience a version of Westminster Woods that is tailored to and relevant to them in this new day and age. However, to embrace that we need to come to terms with the fact that there are some things that the Woods has outgrown. That even though there are big changes being made, it doesn’t mean we are giving up our beloved teddy bear or our fond memories of Sherwood Forest.

The core of Westminster Woods will always be there. It has always been here. It is us, it is our community, our love for one another and our love for Christ.

If you would like to learn more about some of these changes, I encourage you to explore Westminster Woods newly updated Summer Camp page and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok to experience the incredible impact Westminster Woods is having on the lives of the youth and community we serve.

I know I’m looking forward to what this summer, and the many to come, have in store for our children, our families, and our community.

With Christ,

Janine Valine

Westminster Woods Board President