This page has practical information about attending Annual Session 2022 in person at Mount Madonna Center 22-27 July. This supplements the general information on the 2022 AS Info page.
Questions? Please contact your Arrangements team at arrangementsclerk@pacificyearlymeeting.org
Table of Contents
Information Desk
This is your go-to place for answers to all your questions! Can I get a site map to help me get around? Do you know where my worship-sharing group is meeting? Can I sign up for a ride down to Seminar? May I borrow a pencil and paper? I need some first aid supplies, do you have band-aids? The answers to them all is “Yes.”
The Information Desk will be in the Conference Center Breezeway.
Maps
Accommodations
Covered Lodging
Mount Madonna offers a variety of hotel-style rooms (without phones or televisions). A few rooms have private bath, most have a shared bathroom nearby (private while in use). All rooms have two or more twin beds.
- Conference Center – Centrally located, near where the plenaries and other sessions will be held.
- Ram Cottages – A short walk down the hill from the meeting and dining areas.
- Seminar House – Larger rooms that are appropriate for families.
- Oaks Cabins – A 10 minute walk up the hill from the meeting and dining areas. Cabins have heat and electricity, but no plumbing. There is a bathhouse nearby.
Linens will be provided for Friends sleeping in covered lodging. This will include one towel per person.
Camping
The Oaks Campground is a 10 minute walk up the hill from the main area. There is a centrally located bathhouse and there will be port-a-potties for the campsites that are further away. Campers will need to bring all their own equipment.
Friends will be able to drive close to the campsites to unload equipment. Then, you will be asked to park your vehicle in a designated area nearby.
The teens (JYM) will be camping in the area around Orchard House.
RV/Camping Vehicle
There are a few spaces available at Mount Madonna for RVs or other camping vehicles. Some have access to electricity, but not other hookups. Showers and restrooms are available in the campgrounds and buildings.
What to Bring
We can expect temperatures at Mount Madonna to be in the high-70’s during the day, going down to the mid-40’s at night.
In consideration for sensitive Friends and Mount Madonna’s policies, please refrain from bringing or using fragrances or scented products.
- At least 2 unopened covid antigen or rapid tests
- Sufficient N95, KN95 or KF94 masks
- Proof of covid vaccination (this can be sent to assistanttotheclerk@pacificyearlymeeting.org in advance)
- Comfortable, appropriate clothing for a largely outdoor site – bring layers!
- Suitable shoes for walking and hiking
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen + insect repellant (fragrance-free or unscented)
- Reusable water bottle / travel mug
- Flashlight (especially important if you are camping)
- Mount Madonna will provide shampoo, conditioner and body gel in the shower facilities (if you bring your own toiletries, please ensure they are fragrance-free or unscented and gentle on the environment)
- Tie-dyed clothing for the dance on Tuesday night
- An item of clothing to tie-dye at the Community Sharing activity on Saturday
- Musical instruments for sing-a-longs
- Bible for Bible Study on Saturday and Sunday
Getting to Annual Session
- Driving directions are detailed on the Mount Madonna website
- There is no public transportation to the site from towns nearby (Watsonville and Gilroy are each a half hour away). If you are planning to arrive to Watsonville or Gilroy by bus or by train, let us know and we’ll make arrangements to collect you.
- Pickups from San Jose or San Francisco airports (an hour to hour and a half away) can be arranged.
- Consider carpooling with other Friends. Reach out to your local networks and email lists to ask for a ride … or to offer one!
- Arrangements will make every effort to coordinate Friends who are able to offer rides with Friends who still need them.
- Let us know your travel plans. Perhaps you could collect someone along the way or be a volunteer driver.
Arriving on Friday
Please plan to arrive with enough time to check in and get set up in your room or pitch your tent (there is no lighting in the campground after dark). Ask Arrangements about times for setting up meeting rooms and other spaces.
Check-in is from 3:00 to 5:15 pm. Follow the signs on Summit Road to the check-in area.
On arrival:
– you will be asked to take a covid antigen or rapid test
– while you wait for the results, visit Heather (Assistant to the Clerk) to check your proof of covid vaccination, stop by the handouts table, and say hello to Friends
– after you receive a negative test result, find Lawrence (Registrar) to complete the check-in process and receive your name tag and Mount Madonna lanyard
** Very important — the Mount Madonna lanyard is your “ticket” to get through the gate and onto the site.
Arriving and being together prior to dinner helps us to be gathered and ready for the first plenary. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:15 pm, and the first plenary will follow immediately.
Phones & Internet
Wifi is available in our meeting spaces, in the dining room areas, and in most guest rooms. Campsites and cabins do not have wifi. Cell phone reception can be spotty, though texting works well. Verizon works best, AT&T is decent, and Sprint and T-Mobile are limited.
Meals & Food
All meals at Mount Madonna are vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options. Friends are not permitted to bring food onto the site. If you cannot safely manage within these guidelines, please note your dietary needs and concerns on the registration form. Arrangements Committee will contact you to discuss options.
Breakfast is 8-9 am, lunch 12:30-1:30pm and dinner 5:30-6:15pm.
A snack will be served at 3pm and again later in the evening.
Drop by the Tea Bar in the Community Building (Dining Hall) any time for teas, instant coffee and hot chocolate. A basket of oranges and bananas is always available in the Conference Center and the Community Building.
Accessibility & Golf Carts
We hope everyone who attends Annual Session at Mount Madonna will feel comfortable moving around the site and participating in the various gatherings. Here are some useful details:
Golf Carts with friendly drivers will be on hand to help Friends get around.
Friends who are mobile, but perhaps a little less agile than they would like to be, will likely be okay getting themselves between the Conference Center (most covered lodgings and the Main Room where plenaries and other sessions are held) and the Community Center (the dining hall), but may appreciate the golf cart to get to/from the Seminar House (where some sessions are held) as it is down the hill from the main Conference/Community Center area. Check in at the Information Desk to schedule a ride.
Hearing Enhancement. There will be headsets in the plenary room, but not in the meeting rooms in Seminar and Maple. However, these spaces are much smaller and will have microphones and speakers.
Additional Notes
Laundry. Sorry, Mount Madonna does not offer laundry facilities due to limited water resources and a commitment to stewardship of the land that sustains us.
Swimming. Water levels are low this year in the small pond near the Conference Center and swimming is not advisable. You might consider bringing a bathing suit for the hot tub near the Wellness Center.
The Children’s Program and Junior Yearly Meeting are planning a trip to a local pool.
Yoga. Yoga classes can be arranged for a fee. Contact arrangementsclerk@pacificyearlymeeting.org