Aspen Grove hosts single-parent families in an annual donor-funded camp.
SEVERAL years ago Elder Marion D. Hanks, now an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ, approached the director of Aspen Grove about providing a camp for single-parent families. In response, Glen C. Parker, ’74, and his team designed a program that they launched in the summer of 1996.
That first year, 15 families were invited to one of Aspen Grove’s weekly summer camps. Shortly after that experience, program administrator Jared R. Knight, ’95, contacted a local family foundation about donating money to continue the service. Members of the anonymous family had had a large reunion at Aspen Grove and were so pleased by their experience that they donated $10,000 for a single-parent retreat. Two additional foundations also gave $10,000 each.
The now-annual retreat is a three-day program that has served 325 single-parent families. Families check in on a Friday afternoon and stay through church services and lunch on Sunday.
Aspen Grove does not accept registrations for this program. Instead, organizers contact local bishops, who suggest single-parent families that might benefit from the retreat. Different stakes are contacted each year to ensure that as many different families as possible might participate. Aspen Grove focuses on families from the Wasatch Front to avoid causing a travel-related financial burden; however, each camp usually includes a family from another state that is able to attend because someone has provided transportation.
Families pay $25 to provide an advance commitment to attend. All other costs associated with the retreat are paid by donations.
“We have found that our single parents are very appreciative of the benefit they have received,” says Knight.
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