by Rev. Dave Dunn
I am writing this newsletter article from SUUSI’s “boutique” coffee shop at Radford University in Virginia. (I call it “boutique” because it is very, very good coffee!) Radford is this year’s host for SUUSI (Southeastern Unitarian Universalist
Summer Institute); a week-long, all-ages UU summer camp.
In 1999, our family first went to UU summer camp in Ohio (we lived in Pennsylvania at that time). The camp was something we ended up attending as a family every year without fail. Our four children insisted upon it. Although UU
summer camp would cost us some money, it’s all-inclusive and ends up being a lot less expensive than taking a long trip with the entire family when you stay in hotels and eat all meals in restaurants.
Note to parents: UU summer camp makes things easy. Since our four children never wanted to go anywhere else for vacation (e.g. no trips to the beach, no Rocky Mountains, no Disney World, no Grand Canyon, etc.) expectations were
easily managed. It wasn’t until they became young adults that they realized that we never took them to any of those other places. Feeling a bit cheated, Tammy and I would respond to their complaints by simply saying, “Hey, you always
wanted to go to UU summer camp.” Mischief managed! ��
SUUSI is lots of workshops, lots of music, lots of drum and song circles, lots of late-late-nights, lots of children, teen, young adult and adult programming, lots of intergenerational (and sometimes crazy) worship services, lots of ice cream, lots of overtired children, lots of making new friends, lots of just hanging out with people, lots of afternoon napping, lots of laughter, lots of dorm-room living, lots of nature hikes, lots of kayaking, lots of canoeing, lots of artisanal baked goods,
lots of lost keys and lanyards, lots of being a little bit lost on a college campus, lots of sometimes making lifelong UU friends from around the country….and (again)
SUUSI is lots of very, very good coffee and lots of FUN!!!
SUUSI is EXTRA! ….and maybe you should think about going next July!
Nurture our spirit. Strive for Justice. Transform the world.
