As all of California endures a heat warning this week and waits for the thermometer to produce a reasonable reading, keep in mind summer vacation is over. Activities at the Retreat Center are heating up. Fall Retreats have started, with plenty of extracurricular endeavors to fill out 2022.
Volunteers are invited Garden Day with Fr. John Auther, S.J., returns to the Retreat Center on Saturday, October 22. This is a great way to enjoy the fall weather with family and friends while sprucing up the Retreat Center grounds.
Get out your phone and start recording. We are preparing for Retreat Change Lives when we share videos of personal retreat experiences. The names of everyone past and present who contributes will be included for a $50 gift card drawing. Make sure to get your video to JRC by October 31. You might even see your video during the Kick Off with Fr. Greg Boyle as our Featured Speaker. Keep reading our emails and social media posts for more details.
The El Retiro Society has been launched and in October we will hold our first Annual Mass and Dinner honoring our Founding Members. The El Retiro Society is a group of supporters who intend to remember the Retreat Center in their estate planning. All El Retiro Society members are invited to attend the Mass and Dinner for free. Joining involves no dues, or obligations and allows us to thank and recognize members as well as inspire future generations.
Speaking of inspiring, we are looking for volunteers for our Christmas celebration on December 14. We will celebrate with cookies, hot apple cider, cookies, carolers, cookies, dancing angels, and cookies. Any artistic types are welcome to help with personalizing the free ornaments that everyone will receive. We also need help with serving the cider, hot chocolate, and coffee. Oh, and cookies. We need cookies.
We are grateful to all the volunteers who have offer their time and skills to help make the Retreat Center the special place that it is. As we gather our volunteers for all these activities, plans are in the works to form a volunteer society in 2023.
Anyone interested in becoming involved as a volunteer or joining the El Retiro Society, should contact Dyane Hendricks at dhendricks@jrclosaltos.org.
Dyane Hendricks is the Development Director for the Jesuit Retreat Center. She enjoys working with volunteers and eating cookies.