COMMUNITY. JESUS. FRIENDS. CONVERSATIONS.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
August 29 - September 1, 2025
Planning is currently underway for
The Weekend 2025!
Please check back for updates!
The Weekend is an annual gathering that unites people from various generations, locations, and walks of life, to learn from one another and experience the love of God through the person of Jesus. This special event offers a chance to retreat in a beautiful setting with both new and old friends to play, learn and grow together as a family in community and faith.
QUESTIONS?
There is a comprehensive FAQ below. You can also reach out to us at connect@centered.org.
"The Canyon" at Young Life's Washington Family Ranch
Antelope, Oregon
"The Weekend has evolved over the years from a meaningful gathering to a significant gathering. For many years the intergenerational aspect was what stood out – the age range went from newborn babes to grandparents, with a big sprinkling of college students. More recently, added to the intergenerational aspect is an interracial focus in every best sense of the word. The enthusiastic participation of families and individuals from the African American community who help plan and lead The Weekend has brought a new spirit to the gathering. Come this Labor Day weekend, and experience a piece of heaven on earth."
- Chi-Dooh "Skip" Li
Founding Partner at ELM Law
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What Can I Expect?Time set aside to help you center your life on the teachings of Jesus. A multigenerational community experience. Activities: Zip lines, swimming pool, go-karts, soccer fields frisbee golf and more! Sports Center: Pickle Ball, Skate Park, Basketball, Foosball and more! Building friendships in a variety of contexts. Morning and evening sessions, with plenty of free time in between (the basic schedule is below). Small groups for teens and adults. Kids' Club is available for kids ages 3+.
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Who is this for?The Weekend is a diverse gathering of people who embrace and celebrate multigenerational friendship that is rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus. It's for people from all walks of life and backgrounds. The Weekend is not affiliated with a specific church or denomination; all faith backgrounds are welcome.
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What is the lodging situation?"The Canyon" at Washington Family Ranch is a Young Life camp that is designed for youth, so most lodging is in bunk rooms that sleep 4 to 14 people. Many families want a private room; we do our best to accommodate this desire, but it is not guaranteed. For individuals, people are housed by either biological sex or family. Larger rooms that sleep more than 4 people have either very large bathrooms or multiple bathrooms. When you register, there is a place to indicate who you want to room with, and 90+% of the time your request can be accommodated. If it is not possible, we will contact you to discuss options. If you have questions about lodging, reach out to us at connect@centered.org.
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What’s included in the cost?Your registration fee covers everything once you arrive at camp except extra snacks or drinks you choose to buy from the Sarsaparilla (that’s the camp’s snack shop) or items you may want to buy from the gift shop (t-shirts, etc.). Everything else is covered: Meals, main sessions, Kids’ Club, and all of the numerous activities (zip lines, giant swing, go-karts, etc.). Note: Some people get really hungry in the evenings. If you think this could be you, consider bringing snacks with you.
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What activites are at the camp?During free time you can relax poolside, go for a swim or jump off the high dive, go-kart, zip line, paddleboard on a lake, hike, play basketball in the largest building in the State of Oregon, grab a coffee or ice cream, and more!
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Will there be speakers?Our 2025 special guest speaker will be announced soon! Stay tuned and check back often.
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Who is leading worship?Kevin Singleton is a Grammy Award winning songwriter, cross cultural musician, nonprofit youth development mentor and social entrepreneur. Some of Kevin’s songs have been sung by faith-based organizations globally. He has performed at conferences and assemblies for more than 3.5 million students and educators in 20 countries around the world. In 2009 Kevin founded Elevate New York, a New York City Department of Education accredited, in-school/after-school mentoring 501c3, located in the poorest congressional district in America. In 2022 Kevin joined the Elevate USA national team as a VP of Leadership and Development. He remains active with Elevate New York as a board member. In 2022, he co-founded the nonprofit, Trellis Inc., to support his work mentoring and training worship leaders and ongoing mentoring of inner-city youth. Kevin is one of the team, that trains Musical Worship Leaders at Adoration House Seattle, a prayer house and coffee shop in the university district.
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Can I bring my entire family?Yes, all are welcome! We are a group of friends who thrive on multigenerational friendships. We value family so much that we have a special program for children (called Kids’ Club) during the main sessions. For more information on Kids’ Club see the FAQ section, “Is there childcare?”
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Is there childcare?We offer Kids' Club for children who are fully potty-trained and are ages 3 through 8th grade. (Sorry, no exception for kids who are not yet 3 or who are not fully potty-trained.) Kids' Club takes place for 2-3 hours in the mornings and evenings so that parents and/or caregivers can relax and enjoy the main sharing sessions and small groups. Children under the age of 3 remain in the care of their parents/caregivers at all times. Our all-volunteer team can only provide care on a 1:5 ratio, so if we do not have enough volunteers your child(ren) may be placed on a Kids' Club waitlist. We have always been able to accommodate all children and believe this will be possible again. Registering before July 15th will help to make this possible.
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What will my middle school or high school student do?Students will participate in everything adults do. They are placed into similar age groups and will have a college age or older facilitator who will lead the group through important discussions relevant to their age. They will have an opportunity to interact with the speakers and other adults who will engage with them in conversations rooted in what it means to follow Jesus in daily life. In addition, we try to plan special top-secret, fun activities.
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What if I want to invite my community from home? Or bring a group?We consider it a privilege for groups of friends to attend The Weekend together. Come one, come all! This gathering is not formally publicized; it’s truly about friends inviting friends who invite their friends. If you would like to room together, we will work with you to make it possible. When you register, simply indicate your roommate request(s).
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I have not been before and would like to talk to someone about The Weekend. Who do I reach out to?Reach out to us at connect@centered.org.
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Does the camp provide linens?Yes! Bed linens, a pillow, one towel, and one washcloth are provided. If you plan to swim, use the zip line, paddleboards, etc. then you should bring an extra towel or two (one for bathing, one for activities). The heating / cooling system is centrally controlled. Some people find the rooms to be cool, so if you tend to like a lot of blankets or get easily cold at night, bring a blanket with you.
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I have dietary restrictions. What is the food sitaution?Vegetarian? Vegan? Gluten free? Dairy free? Even pineapple or broccoli free? The Washington Family Ranch kitchen crew is absolutely fantastic at accommodating dietary restrictions. When you register, there is a place to identify these. If you fill out this section, we will forward this information to the camp and the supervising chef will make sure your needs are met. On occasion the camp is not able to meet strict dietary needs; if this is the case, the camp will reach out to you.
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I need to bring my own food because of strict dietary needs. Is there a refrigerator I can access?Yes! To make arrangements, contact connect@centered.org.
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The cost is more than I can afford. Is it possible to get a scholarship?Yes, there are limited scholarships. Usually, in exchange for a reduction in fee, we ask you to help out for 2-3 hours during The Weekend. We need help with lifeguarding, with kids, registration, and snack set-up, etc. For more information, reach out to connect@centered.org so that we can partner with to hopefully make it possible for you to come.
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Where is Washington Family Ranch located? What is the camp property like?Washington Family Ranch is a Young Life property that is located about 45 minutes outside the small town of Antelope, Oregon (population 40). The property has two camps on it: Creekside and The Canyon. The Weekend takes place at The Canyon. Click here for more information about what the camp is like.
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Can I get a refund?All but 10% of your registration fee is refundable until July 31st, 2023. The 10% administration fee covers credit card fees, registration platform fees, and other admin fees. After July 31st, all fees are non-refundable. To cancel your registration, email connect@centered.org.
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Can I smoke cigarettes or cigars while at the camp?Yes, you can, but only in the designated area that is outside Hotel Lobby. The camp is in a very remote location and fire danger is high in the summer months, so it is important to honor Young Life's request (we don't want to burn the camp down!). Upon arrival at the camp, ask someone at registration to show you the location.
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I'd really like to have a cold beer or glass of wine . . . is alcohol permitted at the camp?Please do not bring alcohol of any kind. Young Life has a strict no alcohol policy, and as property guests we want to honor and respect their rules.
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Can I bring my dog?Unfortunately, no. Washington Family Ranch has a strict no pet policy.
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Can I bring my RV or trailer? What about a tent?Unfortunately, no. The camp is not equipped to meet this request.
BASIC SCHEDULE
Friday,
August 30
Check-in begins at 4pm and dinner starts at 6pm.
After dinner we will have our first main session.
If you cannot arrive by 6pm – no worries!
We will be there to greet you when you arrive.
Saturday,
August 31
We believe in a well-rounded experience: Sharing meals, gathering together for good conversations so we can learn from one another,
time for self-reflection, opportunities to spend time with old friends and make new ones, plenty of fun & maybe even a bit of rest . . . all while surrounded by friends in a beautiful setting!
Sunday,
September 1
Same format.
Different day.
Get ready to enjoy yourself.
Monday,
September 2
Breakfast will be provided, and we will wrap up our time together! Goodbyes can be hard, but we trust you will continue both your old and new friendships from afar.
You should be on the road home no later than 11am.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
We often have requests for scholarship assistance. If you would like to help contribute to this fund so that others can attend,
please click here and under fund tab choose The Weekend - Scholarship option. Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you!