Joni & Friends Family Retreat
Oakwood Inn
702 E. Lake View Road
Syracuse, IN 46567

Jun 9 - Jun 13, 2008
Jun 16 - Jun 20, 2008
retreat site | map | weather | road conditions

The Chicago office sponsors two separate weeks of Family Retreat at the Oakwood Inn and Conference Center in Syracuse, IN located approximately 3½ hours east of Chicago.

Families affected by disability are invited to join us for five fun-filled, spiritually uplifting days of respite and rejuvenation. The love of Christ is evident on the campus as people from many races and backgrounds with many disabilities and circumstances come together for an unforgettable week that many of the families tell us is like “a little slice of heaven.”
 
Please register for Family Retreat at Oakwood Inn as early as possible because openings are limited. To find out how to register or to request an application, contact the Chicago office at (630) 573-2900 or email chicago@joniandfriends.org
“This was our FIRST family vacation that we ever had with just our family! It’s great to talk to other men…. We are so isolated by our disability, but I learned we all have the same struggles.” --a father of a family affected by disability

“We feel like we’re on holy ground for the entire week, it’s something sacred, there’s a connection of love and you can feel it!” --one mom who attended Family Retreat

“I think this is the place where I have seen the…Glory of God revealed more clearly and fully than any other place I have ever been.... God’s presence here is so strong it seems to bathe us with His Light and Glory.” --a teenaged Short Term Missionary
Amenities Activities
  • Oakwood Park is a 42-acre park & conference center located on Indiana’s Largest natural lake, Lake Wawasee
  • The site is fully accessible
  • Families will stay in Oakwood Inn guest rooms that rival 4-star hotels
  • There are mini-refrigerators in each family’s hotel room
  • Roll-in showers are available
  • Morning programs for all ages
  • Afternoon family recreation times
  • Evening activities for the whole family
  • Swimming, boating, tubing and fishing in the beautiful Lake Wawasee
  • Horseback riding
  • NEW! Climbing wall and zip-line
  • Board games for families and friends
  • Talent show
  • Beauty salon and massage parlor
  • Coffee shop open for food and fellowship in the afternoons and evenings
Family Prices Volunteer Opportunities
Prices subject to change.

STM Pricing
One STM 425.00
STM returning for second week 325.00

Family Pricing
Individual 610.00
Family of Two 745.00
Family of Three 985.00
Family of Four 1,225.00
Family of Five 1,465.00
Family of Six 1,705.00
Family of greater than six: rates based on accommodations

A non-refundable $50 deposit is required with your registration. The balance of your fees should be paid one month prior to the retreat.

 We will need many Short Term Missionaries (STMs) to become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to the families they serve. STMs will be trained for 1½ days prior to the arrival of the families and they have told us that “we receive far more than we ever give.”

Some of the ways that STMs serve at our Family Retreats include:

  • serving a family by being a buddy to a child or teenager with a disability
  • befriending and assisting an adult with a disability
  • being the assistant to a Family Retreat leader
  • helping out with crafts, music, drama and activities
  • connecting with the sibling or child of a person with a disability
Short Term Missionaries will not provide personal or medical care. Families that need this type of care will bring their own personal attendant or nurse.

We require each Short Term Missionary to be a committed Christian, willing to serve, who is at least 16 years of age. No experience is necessary to be an STM, but we are also in need of volunteers who have experience in the following areas:

  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Medical care
  • Attendant care
  • American Sign Language
  • Teaching special education
  • Pastoral care/counseling
  • Church disability ministry
  • Children’s ministry
  • Youth ministry
  • First aid/CPR
  • Lifeguarding
Volunteer Pricing Contact Us
These prices are not finalized and are subject to change.

Single STM $400
STM returning for second week $300

A non-refundable $50 deposit is required with your registration. The balance of your fees should be paid one month prior to the retreat.

 702 E. Lake View Road
Syracuse, IN 46567

Becky Branch, Retreat Director
T: (574) 862-1418
F:
becky.branch@verizon.net