06/12/2026
A letter to those who attended the 39th joey!
"This year's Joey was very special to me more than I realized ahead of time that it could be. At the work days this year we had 17-year-olds and 70-year-olds working together interacting together working in harmony with one another like a functional family. At the start of the Joey John and Nickie Mattice put out all the signs and it was amazing, when Anthony and I drove in we both said to each other it feels like we are driving into a major event, it reminded me of when we started 15 years ago. My first camping at a rendezvous was at the Joey and I woke up to someone yelling fire in the hole, and then felt the concussion wave of big booms Cannon going through my chest. So having cannons going off this year for morning wake up call was very memorable. Seeing 25 people under the campfly for a cordage seminar and making candles together was heartwarming and amazing. We had great music every night with more musicians than normal and a large participation in many events it was great. We made a mud oven out of the clay from the back side of the parking lot, we had a lot of fun making it and using it. I'd like to conclude with this Tom and Kathleen Conroy's son and grandson came into camp Friday night for the first time ever they were able to hear the cannons go off at 7:00 p.m. and then they came over to see the oven later, they started to help prep for making pizzas I got pulled away, they stayed and made a pizza together and then the next morning the grandson Frits came over and split wood and helped for probably 3 hours , he was impacted in a positive way and felt relief from the pressures of everyday life and what's great is he will have that positive memory to draw on throughout his life, throughout the years I've been able to see young and old have those kind of experiences. Thanks again for a great week and for all your participation, sincerely Dan pettit. "
