Ladies of St James’, it’s time for our annual Flatlanders Getaway to Pajaro Dunes on the Monterey Bay! This year we will be at the beach September 21-24. We spend four days together talking, laughing, playing cards, getting to know each other better, and reconnecting as friends. Oh yes, and eating lots of good food. This year we have reserved two beautiful townhouses for our use. They are just steps from the beach and new for this year, we plan to cook s’mores out on the sand!
Flatlanders has been a St James’ tradition for over forty years. It started with a group of women wanting to get away for a weekend. They decided to go camping, and went to Samuel P Taylor Park in Marin County. Over the years, it has been held at Portola State Park, and the Thousand Trails campground near Hollister. This will be our seventh year at Pajaro Dunes on the Monterey Bay. The name “Flatlanders” came about because when the first trip began, there was also a group of mostly men from church who backpacked in the Sierras each summer. One of the ladies said “We are staying down here on the flat land.” And the name stuck!
The reasons for going each year endure too. It truly is a time for bonding. We share, we care. We laugh, and cry. We enjoy the beauty of God’s creation all around us. We work as a team to make the weekend a success. And on Sunday morning we worship together.
If this appeals to you, please sign up. The weekend is open to any woman 21 years or older. We’ve had ladies up to 90 years old join us – all are welcome! See the bulletin board in the Parish Hall for more information. With full houses the cost is about $160 each plus the food. We need to know soon as the second payment is due mid-August. Please talk to any committee member (Mary Casas, Nancy Castaneda, Dorothy Balderston, Laura Winter) to find out more.
~ Laura Winter