Looking Back: The Origins of the Yankee Springs Retreat
By Ed Busch, Church Archivist
As May rolls in, so does the excitement around our Annual Yankee Springs Camping Weekend. If you've seen sign-up sheets circulating during Sunday services or read about in the newsletter, you might be wondering—just how far back does this tradition go?
A little digging into our archives led me to 1979. That year’s April 23 issue of the Lansing Uni-Universe announced the very first “All Family Retreat,” held May 25–27 at the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. The retreat promised a family-friendly weekend in heated cabins within a wildlife sanctuary—complete with spaghetti dinners, birdwatching, canoeing, nature hikes, campfire singing, and even stargazing (listed twice!).
Here’s a glimpse of that 1979 schedule:
Friday: 7:30 PM Wine & Spaghetti Dinner; 10:00 PM Stargazing
Saturday: Early morning birdwatching, hiking to glacial formations like Devil's Soup Bowl, crafts, volleyball, and a campfire singalong
Sunday: Morning service followed by lunch
The cost? Just $10 per person for two nights, plus a small food fee ($9 per adult, $3 per child).
It was an immediate hit. In the June 4 issue of the Uni-Universe, organizer George Smith wrote, “Just about everyone who participated… wants to return next year.” The weekend included a DNR wildlife talk, canoeing, card playing, wildflower hikes, and “squeaky bedsprings”—all made better by enthusiastic volunteerism and shared fellowship.
George also thanked his retreat committee: Irene Leland, Ann & Gene Mellen, Olanda Johnson, Don Bradley, Arlee Kinnee, Duncan Case, Cheryl Birdsley, and Jagdev & Sylvia Sharma.
A Treasure Found: The Yankee Springs Log Book
While researching, I came across a handwritten Yankee Springs Retreat log book with reflections from attendees spanning 1979 to 1983. The entries offer vivid snapshots of UU life at the retreat—from canoeing and fishing to wildflowers and wildlife, from solitude and meditation to a deep sense of community and shared responsibility.
You can read the 1979 log book entries here (PDF).
A Bit of Retreat Swag
Among the artifacts tucked away in our archives was this delightful iron-on patch design from an early retreat. It reads “UUs ❤️ Yankee Springs,” complete with a tree beneath the text—a simple but heartfelt expression of what this gathering has meant to generations of Unitarian Universalists.
Yankee Springs Iron-On, undated.
Poetry and Playfulness
By 1995, the Yankee Springs tradition had even inspired poetry. That year, Mary Voelker wrote a “Yankee Springs Trilogy” addressing:
The connection to nature
The newcomer’s question: “But what do you do there?”
A reminder not to take ourselves too seriously
(You can read her poems in the linked PDF.)
Fast forward to 2013, and the church celebrated its 34th Annual UUCGL All-Church Retreat at Yankee Springs—a testament to how deeply this gathering has become woven into our community’s fabric. While we may not have photos from every year, the memories and traditions live on, year after year.
Cover of the 2103 Yankee Springs Flyer. Full flyer available.
While I don’t have any 1979 photographs, I’ll share some from other years below. If you have any Yankee Springs photographs and would like to share with the archives, let me know by email!
If you attended Yankee Springs in the past and have stories to share, we’d love to hear from you!
Randy Scott, Lynn Scott, Sara Scott at Yankee Springs, circa 1980. (2024.0171)
Unidentified at Yankee Springs, circa 1980. (2024.0177)
Unidentified at Yankee Springs, circa 1980. (2024.0178)
?, Dave Gautier, Ray Erickson, Angie Theisen, Al Christian at Yankee Springs, undated. (2008.0810)
Back Row: Dick Hill, ?, ?, Alice Hill. Front Row: ?, ?. undated (2008.0778)
Alice Hill with misc. Kids at Yankee Springs, 1987. (2024.0258)
Teresa Putnam at Yankee Springs, 1994. (2008.0470)
Regina Fry, Terry Kirk, Dennis Kirk, Jessica Kurty at Yankee Springs, 1994. (2007.0201)
Adam Putnam, Bob Lovell, Louis Dudley. Leonard Vilicic in background at Yankee Springs, 1999. (2007.0035)
Yankee Springs 2009. Photograph by Evy Jackson.
Sources:
April 23 and June 4, 1979 Uni-Universe newsletter.
Yankee Springsfrecords in folders 21-24, Box 31, including Trilogy of poems, Mary Voelker, 1995, flyer, and logbook.
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Ed Busch, the writer behind these blog posts exploring the history of UU Lansing. After retiring in 2023 from a 15-year career as an Electronic Records Archivist at Michigan State University’s Archives & Historical Collections, I’m thrilled to dedicate my time to sharing our church’s rich history.
I hold a Master’s in Library and Information Science, specializing in archival administration, and my academic background also includes a degree in Fisheries and coursework in Computer Science. Before shifting to a career in archives, I worked across diverse fields, including fisheries, aerospace, and IT.
My wife, Leigh White, and I have been part of the UU Lansing community since the early 2000s and became members in 2006. I’ve been actively involved with the church archives since 2007, and both of our daughters enjoyed growing up in UU Lansing’s Religious Education (RE) program.
I look forward to connecting with you through these blog posts as we delve into the stories that have shaped UU Lansing over the years.