UBarU is a Unitarian Universalist Camp and Retreat Center located on 142 rugged acres in what is, again this year, a peaceful, greening and soon-to-be wildflower strewn patch of the Texas Hill Country near Kerrville. Since the property was to passed on to us by the Quakers, we have sought to fulfill our UBarU Mission “to provide a welcoming, peaceful place to gather for spiritual, educational, and recreational purposes in harmony with our Unitarian Universalist Principles and the Land.” Over the last 20 years, scores of members of this church have joined in Spring and Summer youth camps, Deep in the Heart of Texas Women’s Retreat, Heart of Texas Men’s Retreat, Texas Wine – Texas Stars Celebrations, Fiber Arts gatherings, GenderFUUL welcoming retreats, Dark Sky Star Party weekends, contemplative retreats and personal family reunions.
Our efforts to be good stewards of the land have benefitted from grants to expand our solar panels, a new grant from H-E-B Environmental for a Rainwater Catchment System, expansive seeding of native grasses and wildflowers, and to create an additional firebreak corridor in the east, adjacent to the Meditation Oak. An additional grant from Live Oak UU Endowment created an active bird blind with native plantings and a wildflower pollinator garden. We have hosted a delightful array of birds, including Scrub Jays, Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers, a Great Crested Flycatcher and a Baltimore Oriole! In addition, our remote camera below the pool has captured photos of White-tailed Deer, Red Fox, skunk and raccoon families as well as wild turkeys and Road Runners.
If you are familiar with UBARU, you are likely aware that last year, the effects of climate change and Hill Country population pressure put our ancient water well in jeopardy of going dry. Last Fall we launched a two-year Capital Campaign, Digging Deeper to Reach Higher! Thanks to generous gifts from many of you, we have raised funds to successfully drill a new well, and refurbish the iconic, though leaking swimming pool! But we still aim to Reach Higher, expanding our septic capacity, upgrading the water-use efficiency of showers and toilets, and expanding lodging with new solar panels to accommodate more guests and Kid’s Campers! We so need your financial support in this campaign.
For those of you that have visited UBarU, you know that all activities revolve around the traditional Quaker-style Meeting House and radiate to the decks, the limestone rock pool by the windmill, the Meditation Oak, the two meditative labyrinths and the evening fire circle. We so much look forward to hosting you this year. Our children’s camps are open for registration; we hosted a BioBlitz on Earth Day and an upcoming Dark Sky Star Party Labor Day weekend and are directly in line for an Annular Eclipse this fall.
This month, UBarU is proud to have been chosen again by you, the members of First UU Austin to receive the Monthly Special Offering. Thank you for your continuing support. For a more detailed Update Letter or information on upcoming programs or the Capital Campaign please visit www.ubaru.org or check out the many photos on the UBarU Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UBarURetreat.
