Retreat Minus the Treats Didn’t Spoil Children’s Church Weekend

Children from Presbyterian churches across the county, though disappointed, didn’t let the theft of $600 worth of groceries and the absence of snacks spoil their weekend retreat.

Presbyterian clergy said Tuesday that the food supplies for 100 children and 20 adults were stolen the day before the group began its weekend retreat at Rancho del Cielo.

Florence Young, who was helping to coordinate the retreat, had just purchased about $600 worth of food Friday afternoon and left it in her truck as she continued her shopping. When she returned from a second store, she saw two people stealing the truck.

After the groceries were stolen, other church members quickly donated their own money to help pay for new groceries, and the retreat went on as scheduled, said James Rauch of the Chula Vista Presbyterian Church, where Young is a member.

“It was a little hectic,” Rauch said. “We didn’t have any snacks and the kids were disappointed at first, but by Saturday, lunch was back together and organized.”

The money for the food came from the Presbytery of San Diego, which has jurisdiction over the area’s 33 Presbyterian churches, Rauch said.

“Our budget will handle the loss, but we were hoping for a surplus to be able to offer scholarships for other kids to attend who can’t normally afford it,” Rauch said. The cost of the weekend retreats ranges from $40 to $50, he added.