Saturday July 2, 2022 – Welcome
Please read the updated Covid-19 policy at the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center here.
3 PM – 6 PM Arrival and check-in
Rooms at the Wind River Lodge are officially available after 6 pm, but in many cases will be available earlier in the day. When you arrive at the YMCA, head over to the Socolofsky Meeting Room in the Women’s Building (referred to by the Y map legend as building 37, the Women’s Meeting Building) to check in for the reunion, pick up your name tags, and enjoy catching up with your relatives and sharing photos and stories.
Note: The Socolofsky Meeting Room in the Women’s Building is reserved for us until noon on Monday July 4th; at noon on July 4th, the Socolofsky Meeting Room moves to the Willhome Conference Center (building 35 in the legend on the Y map). You can drop in anytime and no day-pass wristband is required for those of you who choose to lodge somewhere other than the YMCA.
6 PM – 7 PM Dinner in the YMCA’s Aspen Dining Hall
From the Socolofsky Meeting Room in the Women’s Meeting Building, find a dinner partner then walk over to the Aspen Dining Hall (building 3 on page 2 of the Y map) for dinner.
7 PM – 8 PM Orientation Meeting in the Socolofsky Meeting Room (in Women’s Building)
Hosted by Rob and TJ Socolofsky and by Jennifer Sims. This is a good time for you to set up albums and photo displays you wish to share. Pickup name tags.
We will have a 20 minute orientation presentation from the YMCA staff. They will pass out maps, activity schedules, and answer questions.
Kathy Erickson will host the get acquainted activity “Find Someone Who”.
9 PM Night Hike with Vann Parker
Meet up with Vann to go on a night hike. Dress warmly and bring a red light, such as a red flashlight or a red bicycle light. Pretty sure there must be an app for that…
Sunday July 3, 2022 – Explore and visit
5:15 AM – 7:30 AM Sunrise walk with Bill Sims
Walk beautiful Sprague Lake early in the morning. It’s an easy and flat trail of only 0.9 miles. Leave with Bill at 5:15 AM from the entrance to Wind River Lodge. Bill has a Bear Lake Corridor timed-entry pass and a car that can seat 7. Let him know if you are coming so that he can reserve your seat. Bring water and clothes for the current weather. You can have breakfast after the walk.
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast at Aspen Dining Hall
Breakfast… The dining room makes boxed lunches available so you can have your breakfast in the dining room and get your lunch to go.
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Hong Kong vs Ireland: Women’s World Cup Lacrosse
Claudia will host the game live on ESPN+ on a laptop in the Socolofsky Meeting room. Our very own Jane Karger is the assistant coach for the Hong Kong national team. The Hong Kong tournament record is very good; they beat Austria 15-2 and beat Spain 12-1.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Archery at the Main Archery Range
We have 12 spots available for this activity. Bennett Parker is our family host for this event.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Escape Room at the Gaylord Program building
We have 6 spots available for this activity. Susan and Matt Wicks are our family hosts for this event.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Escape Room at the Gaylord Program building
We have 7 spots available for this activity. Kirsten is hosting this event. If you want to go, please talk to Kirsten.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Climbing at the Outdoor Climbing Wall
We have 12 spots available for this activity. Rick Graham is your family host. Please contact him to reserve your spot.
6:00 PM – 9:45 PM Cookout at the Upper Cookout, followed by a campfire at the Pearson Fire Ring
Bring a jacket, as evenings can be chilly at 8000 feet above sea level.
At 6:00 PM, meet at the Upper Cookout (upper right corner of the Y map) for the cookout dinner. The cookout dinner is courtesy of Carol and Vann Parker.
At 7 PM, we will start the program. First we will take time to remember the family members we’ve lost and welcome the family members we have added. Rob Socolofsky will present the program 20/20: an accurate view of the past: Celebrating Socolofsky Women.
Mary Sue will host the Socolofsky Story.
After the programs at the Upper Cookout, we can retire to the campfire at the Pearson Fire Ring adjacent to the cookout. Cliff Howe is our Fire Master. If you have the tendency and want to help with the fire starting and tending, please see Cliff.
Monday July 4, 2022 – Independence Day
5:15 AM – 7:30 AM Sunrise walk with Bill Sims
Walk beautiful Sprague Lake early in the morning. It’s an easy and flat trail of only 0.9 miles. Leave with Bill at 5:15 AM from the entrance to Wind River Lodge. Bill has a Bear Lake Corridor timed-entry pass and a car that can seat 7. Let him know if you are coming so that he can reserve your seat. Bring water and clothes for the current weather. You can have breakfast after the walk.
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM Hong Kong vs New Zealand: Women’s World Cup Lacrosse
Claudia will host the game live on ESPN+ on a laptop in the Socolofsky Meeting room. Jane Karger is the assistant coach for the Hong Kong team.
8 AM – 11 AM Breakfast and visiting
Stop by the Socolofsky Meeting Room in the Women’s Building (referred to in the Y map legend as the Women’s Meeting Building) and find someone to have breakfast with at the Aspen Dining Hall. After breakfast return to the Socolofsky Meeting Room for more visiting.
8:30-9:45 am Prepare for the 4th of July parade
The theme of the Y camp’s parade is Super Heroes, Super Citizens. We are going to have a group of Super Socolofskys walking in the parade. You can dress up as any Super Hero. Since our reunion is highlighting Socolofsky women, I thought our group could dress up as Wonder Women with gold crowns and wrist bands. If you have anything like this, bring it. I will bring gold tissue paper so that you can make them that morning.
10:00 AM 4th of July Parade
Location TBD.
Here’s a video of the parade from a few years ago: 4th of July Parade at YMCA of the Rockies.
12 PM The Socolofsky Meeting Room takes a hike to the Willhome Conference Center
As of noon on July 4th,the Socolofsky Meeting Room moves out of the Women’s Building and into the Willhome Conference Center (building 35 on the Y map). Please move your items to Willhome Conference Center, or arrange for someone else to do it, prior to 12 PM.
12 PM – 1: PM Lunch
Find someone to have lunch with.
12:30 PM – 3:00 PM Hike the Emerald Mountain Trail with Bill Sims
Take your lunch to the Socolofsky Meeting Room (Willhome Conference Center, building 35 on the Y map) and then leave with Bill Sims to hike the Emerald Mountain Trail. No car ride needed. Bring water. Dress according to the current weather and bring extra gear in case the weather changes.
about 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Find someone to carpool with and drive to the BBQ Dinner at 5087 Blue Sky Drive, Loveland, CO. After you leave Estes Park, the drive will take about 45 minutes.
4:30 PM – 9:00 PM BBQ Dinner
BBQ at TJ and Claudia’s house (5087 Blue Sky Drive, Loveland, CO). PLEASE park in the pasture at the bottom of our silly-steep driveway and we’ll shuttle you up to the house; there is insufficient parking at the house itself. Because the road is narrow and we have to have enough room for emergency vehicles at all times, PLEASE do not park along the road.
There will be food for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. TOGAD, Rob’s band, will be providing the music. We will take family pictures at the BBQ.
5:00 PM – 5:40 PM
Bennett will take you on the Rimrock trail loop hike. Meet by Pinky the road grader.
5:00 PM – 5:40 PM
Cliff will take you on the Circumnavigate the Cliff hike. Meet on the west deck. On the hike, you can look in the Barn Owl nest and see four eggs or, if they have hatched, four chicks.
7:30 PM Family Photo Event at the BBQ Dinner
We will take photos of family groups, followed by a photo of the entire group. Please be ready for your call. People who have a garment knitted by Penny, please be ready for your call to a “Wearing Penny’s Knits” group photo.
9:15 PM Fireworks in the distance
You can see many displays from the deck. No fireworks allowed (not even sparklers) at the house due to extreme fire danger. Absolutely no exceptions.
Tuesday July 5, 2022 – Goodbyes
6:00 AM – 9:30 AM Hike the chain of mountain lakes with TJ Socolofsky
Walk the beautiful chain of lakes (Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake), early in the morning. It’s a 3.6 mile hike with about 600ft elevation gain. Leave with TJ at 5:15 AM from the entrance to Wind River Lodge. TJ has a Bear Lake Corridor timed-entry pass and a car that can seat 5. Let him know if you are coming so that he can reserve your seat. Bring water and food according to your needs. Bring clothes extra clothes incase the mountain weather changes.
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast at Aspen Dining Hall
Take your breakfast to the Socolofsky Meeting Room (Willhome Conference Center, building 35 on the Y map) or just stop by the Socolofsky Meeting Room for your last chance to visit and say goodbye. YMCA checkout is 10 AM.
We will see you in 4 years at the next Socolofsky Family Reunion on July 4th 2026 in Portland, Oregon, which is the 150th anniversary of the first Socolofsky emigration to the USA and the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding.
Wednesday July 6, 2022 – Consert
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM New Music Ensemble at Moraine Park Campground Amphitheater
Rescheduled due to rain: The Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble (Allendale, Michigan) contracted with Annika Socolofsky to compose for them. They are playing the piece she wrote for them in their National Parks tour, starting with Rocky Mountain National Park on July 5th.
Read more here: https://www.newmusicensemble.org/projects/nationalparksproject/page/