North Pacific Yearly Meeting

These are some of the resources available for youth within the North Pacific Yearly Meeting community. "Youth" includes Friends from middle-school age through young adult (approximately age 35).

The Youth Opportunity Fund provides partial financial support for the spiritual enrichment of individual Central, Junior and Young Friends of the Yearly Meeting. The Fund is managed by the Youth Opportunity Fund Committee. The application form for applying for financial aid from the Fund can be downloaded here in either [Word] or [PDF] format. Applications are DUE BY MAY 1.

Central Friends are the Middle-School-aged Quakers who have completed 6th grade up through the summer before they enter 9th grade. They also need an adult Sponsor and Medical Release form [Word] [PDF] if their parents will not be at the Annual Session.

Central Friends Camp will be held following Annual Session at Canal Creek Campground on the Central Oregon Coast. More information and registration forms are available on the Central Friends information page or from Jay Thatcher, jthatch@peak.org, (541) 758-9333. Forms due by July 1st. After that date, you're welcome to ask whether there's space but no guarantees are made.

Junior Friends are a lively group of Quakers from every corner of North Pacific Yearly Meeting who have completed 8th grade up through the summer after graduation from high school. Their program at Annual Session is self contained and they will finalize their plans at their first business meeting on Thursday evening. They usually participate in intergenerational worship sharing with the rest of annual session. The traditional Junior Friends Camp will be held directly after Annual Session this year.

Any Junior Friend who comes to annual session without a parent needs an adult sponsor, and a medical release form [Word] [PDF] signed by a parent which authorizes the sponsor to make emergency medical decisions if needed.

Email co-clerks Rosa Ostrom (rainandlight@gmail.com) or Tor Anderson (chocolate_pyro666@yahoo.com) for information about the Junior Friends group, or to join the Junior Friends listserv.

An open letter from Young Friends:

Young Friends of North Pacific Yearly Meeting, recently re-formed, are a small (but nonetheless mighty) group of Friends aged 18-35 looking for chances to grow and expand. Since our inception, we have been looking for ways to reach out to those individuals who might be interested in being a part of our assembly. We hope that by asking Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups to extend our invitation into the community, we will come across a group of Friends who are still searching for a spiritual niche to call their own.

If you are, or know of anyone who might be, drawn to the idea of joining a group of young adult Friends to connect, communicate, and worship with, please let us know! We currently have a Young Friends listserv which is a great way to get connected and to be informed about our present issues. If you have any interest in joining our e-connection please contact Chris Willard at chriswillard@harbornet.com for more information or to be added to the list.

Another excellent way to get involved is to join us when we physically meet a few times a year, most regularly in the summer at Annual Session and again around New Years. If you are financially insecure, fear not! Grants and travel scholarships are available to those who need them. Emailing co-clerks Felix Ostrom (parallel@gmail.com) or Ella Willard-Schmoe (ballenita.feroz@gmail.com) is a good way to learn more.

New Years Gathering of Western Young Friends provides opportunities for young adult Friends (aged 18 through 35) to celebrate the new year together.

Friends General Conference's Quaker Youth website provides resources and networking opportunities for young Friends.