Half Yearly Meeting Nov. 23 – 26
Half Yearly Meeting 2023
A Family Friendly Event
November 23 – 26, 2023
Wekiwa Springs State Park
1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka, Florida
Half Yearly Meeting is a 4 day family friendly gathering that begins with Thanksgiving dinner and concludes on Sunday. Friends and families come together for good food and good company in Wekiwa Springs State Park. We have exclusive use of the Youth Camp, a natural setting with rustic cabins, ADA lodging, dining hall, kitchen, and conference hall.
There’s lots to do! Enjoy swimming in the springs, canoeing and kayaking, and biking or hiking the nature trails. (You may bring your own bikes, canoes, and kayaks, or rent them from the Park’s concession.) Volunteers lead workshops, worship sharing, crafts, and games. And on Saturday night, we have a talent show — Friends bring music, skits, poems, stories, and jokes to share. Come for an afternoon, an overnight, or the whole weekend!
Registration Fees are Pay-as-Led! Half Yearly Meeting registrants are invited to choose the amount they will pay to attend. Some registrants may be able to pay more to help cover the costs, others less or nothing. We want you to attend, whatever amount you can pay!
Registration opens October 5th.
Learn more
Youth and Families: HYM is a great opportunity for youth and families to connect, play, and relax! Youth are welcome to attend HYM with either their parent/guardian, or an adult sponsor who will be present and is willing to be responsible for them the whole time they are there.
Meals: We prepare all the meals ourselves – help out, get to know Friends from all over SEYM, and have FUN! We do our best to accommodate allergies and other dietary restrictions; please indicate restrictions on your registration form, or contact HYM Food Coordinator Beverly Ward as early as possible and put “HYM Meal Team Leader” in the subject line.
Thanksgiving Dinner: Half-Yearly Meeting kicks off with Thanksgiving dinner at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Volunteer on the registration form if you’d like to bring a side dish to share.
Lodging: The Wekiwa Youth Camp has group cabins. Unfortunately, we cannot use tents in this area. Families and friends are housed together as requested. Attenders 18-35 years old can opt to stay together in a “Young Adult” cabin. Gender-neutral housing and ADA compliant cabins are available. The infirmary building has burned down, so there is limited availability of heated cabins with bathrooms.
Remember to Bring:
- Warm bedding, sheets, towels, pillows, toiletries – temps in mid-December range from an average of 51° at night to 74° during the day. It can get cold!
- Appropriate shoes, outdoor clothes, sweater, jacket, coat
- Flashlight, water bottle, personal coffee mug or tea cup
- Games, craft supplies, toys, telescopes, binoculars
- Talents, story-telling, painting and other arts and crafts materials, musical instruments
- Bikes, canoes, and kayaks (or rent them from the Park’s concession)
Volunteer: HYM Works Because Everyone Pitches In!!!
- Meal Preparation and Cleanup
- Sunday Cleanup: everyone, please! Sign-up in the dining hall when you arrive.
- Discussion Sessions: lead a discussion about the environment, Quakerism, spirituality.
- Imagination Stations: bring anything that sparks creativity: crafts, games, outdoor games, science projects, etc.
- Talent Show: musical instruments, skits, or stories to share.
- Worship Sharing: set a time, bring some queries.
- Photographer: capture our memories then send your photos to the SEYM office, office@seym.org.