A Trip Down Memory Lane
This article was written to encourage St. John’s parishioners to consider going to Peterkin Conference Center for the the Autumn Weekend Oct. 20-22 and to plan to register for one of next summer’s camps. Thanks to Bishop Matthew Cowden, Peterkin, the WV Diocese’s retreat center in Romney, WV, has begun to return to its original purpose. Jo Blackwood shares the following story as an affirmation of Peterkin’s lifelong impact on her family.
Bishop Cowden, Mary Margaret Blackwood Grady, Jo Blackwood (standing) and Deacon Deborah Mills Blackwood at Peterkin during a recent visit.
On a rainy June day, three Blackwood women (Mary Margaret Blackwood Grady, Deacon Deborah Mills Blackwood, and I) visited Peterkin Conference Center in the eastern panhandle’s Hampshire County. Camp Resident Daisy McBride brought out old scrapbooks from the 1940s, and Mary Margaret (now living in Indianapolis) spotted her name in a camp newspaper clipping. Then, she met Bishop Cowden and shared several memories in which she detailed the activities and appearances of the facility last century (including staying in tents).
Active in St. John’s teen youth group, Mary Margaret went to Peterkin 1946-49; it was there she was selected to represent the WV Diocese at the 1949 Triennial National Episcopal Convention in San Francisco. She returned to Peterkin the following year as a counselor to share her experience.
We were impressed by the renovations in Gravatt Hall and remodels in Strider Chapel along with the overall upbeat vibe from everyone we met. Diane Cormack, a friend from Family Camp, graciously coordinated our visit. Some of the counselors who extended a greeting had been family campers with us. It was good to see and feel the Holy Spirit at work.
Having the Bishop and his wife in residence at Peterkin sends a clear message of support for this place which means so much to many of us. Not many bishops would have taken time to spend in conversation with a 91-year old previous camper as he did on the porch at Gravatt; he even followed up with a personal letter to her. It is evident that he understands the value of the “Peterkin experience” and the mark it leaves over decades.
Bishop Cowden and Mary Margaret Blackwood.
Deb, now living in Charlotte, also recounted her many years as a camper in the 1950s and the influence Peterkin has had on her life. She was a camper from age nine until college. Her daughter, Kim Frickhoffer, went to Peterkin from 5th grade to college and claims that even today her best friends are fellow campers. Deb’s brother, the Rev. Jay Mills, and his wife, Karen, also attended and later joined the camp staff multiple summers. Their two children became counselors at Peterkin.
Our sons and grandchildren have also had the “Peterkin experience.” We took all six of the grandchildren to Family Camp from the time they were in kindergarten. They have also been to regular and arts camps. Undoubtedly, our favorite has been the inter-generational Family Camp. That week can allow parents to get some time to themselves while grandparents enjoy a special role; others consider the week as an annual “family reunion.” If you figure up what a family vacation at the beach or resort would cost, Peterkin is a bargain. Housing, food, educational activities, and recreation are all included. (There are even scholarships to help pay the way.) The programming is such that you can opt in or out of activities. Their motto of “Living Under Grace” means non-judgmental love in a way words cannot express.
According to Mary Margaret, she hopes that “today’s children might someday enjoy the sweet memories I have, of summer days on the lawn and in the pool, and nights on our cots whispering gossip after lights out….”
For more information, registration, and a virtual tour, check out their Website and Facebook Page. Donations are also always welcome to help make the Peterkin experience possible for others.
