Annual Member’s Meeting & Family Camp

November 6-8, 2026

Friends and members of Drift Creek Camp are invited to gather at DCC beginning Friday evening, November 6, for tasty treats and cider as well as casual conversations around the fire. Saturday will kick off with our members’ business meeting, lunch, and the fund-raising auction. Saturday evening will offer time and space to gather casually around the tables for games, conversations, and building community.

We will gather for worship on Sunday morning and hear from the Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference Executive Conference Minister, Eric Massanari. Eric and Yolanda Kauffman were caretakers at DCC during their early years of marriage during the years of 1995 and 1996. Eric now spends time serving the conference and working with congregations in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Eric and Yolanda now reside in Bellingham, WA. Eric is looking forward to this return visit to DCC and sharing his Lessons from a Nurse Log:  Whether or not anyone is around to hear it, when a great tree of the Pacific Northwest forests falls—a Douglas Fir, a Western Red Cedar, a Sitka Spruce—it most certainly makes a sound! Not only in that earth-shaking moment, but the life of the tree re-sounds for a very long time as it slowly decays and its fibers and cells become a nurturing source of life for a myriad of other beings. A “nurse log” lying upon the forest floor is a powerful symbol for the ways in which all living organisms—whole communities of organisms, too—make our passages from birth, into life, through death, and on into rebirth. I look forward to reflecting together on what we might learn from the nurse log as we seek to live our lives, alone and together, with faith, hope and love. Our focus scripture will be the shortest of Jesus’ parables: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

Annual Meeting is a wonderful time to meet the team that keeps things rolling at DCC throughout the year! Currently the on-site staff team of caretakers includes Lucas Hershey Groh, Kyle Diller, Andria Barker and Cody Nicholson. Following Annual Meeting, DCC will move into a slower season and rental activity in the lodge will become more sparse. Please consider this opportunity to bless the on-site staff team with a bag of groceries to get them through the slower winter months. We will also be making espresso drinks over the weekend and coffee donations will be given to the staff as a thank you blessing.

Register online here! 

Planners are looking for auction donations. If you have an item, gift certificate, service or experience to donate in support of DCC operations, please contact the office to make arrangements by either emailing info@driftcreek.org; calling 541-921-5866 or sending items to PO Box 1110, Lincoln City, OR 97367. The auction will take place Saturday, November 7. There will be both a live and silent auction. Crowd favorites often include things like apples, nuts, hand-crafted items, household goods, experiences, hosted meals, etc. 

Unable to attend but like to contribute? Consider these options:
Become an annual member, become a lifetime member, make a financial donation, make plans to volunteer! Did you know that DCC is used year-round by families, churches, public and private schools, homeschool groups and universities? While some groups prepare their own meals, others opt for camp’s food service, which requires volunteers to help prepare and serve. Kitchen help is needed throughout the year, especially during summer camps. Call 971-600-1244 or email info@driftcreek.org for information. We’d love to have your helping hands! OR If you are interested in working on a facility or outdoor project, please let us know! Volunteer support is always appreciated. We are happy to provide housing and meals for you while volunteering. 

Gift in kind ideas: The camp office is always in need of postage stamps, business envelopes, printing paper. The camp kitchen is in need of a good quality pizza cutter, a new blender, slotted spoons, a flexible rounded dough scraper, as well as heat-resistant rubber scrapers/spatulas and sturdy manual can openers. We are also looking into replacing our coffee brewing system with something larger. Suggestions?

Support for the on-site team of caretakers is always appreciated! Visiting DCC provides a perfect opportunity to say thank you to the caretakers! This is a hardworking crew that has sacrificed a lot in order to serve at Drift Creek. We are also transitioning into the slower season when food service groups are much less frequent. Consider the possibility of bringing a bag of groceries, snacks or treats with you to share with the caretakers at Annual Meeting! They would be most appreciative!

DCC has a variety of options for camp-themed gear in the Camp Store. Consider supporting DCC and the happy camper on your Christmas list!