Chapter Happenings – Autumn 2024
Following are highlights from just a few of the nearly 60 American Pilgrims chapters across the country. Learn more about our chapters and visit the events calendar for the latest on what our chapters are up to.
Paella Cooking Class
by Diane Moxness | Anchorage Chapter
Anchorage, AK, chef and Camino pilgrim Judith Mack, shared her cooking skills in the Anchorage Chapter’s second annual Paella Cooking Class on August 17.
They held the class in my detached ancient garage, out of the wind and rain. Not an ideal location but very Alaskan among the winter tires and cross country skis. They put a 10-person limit on attendance and it filled up quickly. They asked folks to bring $10 for Judith for paella ingredients. Chapter pilgrims also contributed a dish or wine to serve alongside the paella at a potluck immediately following the class.
During the pandemic, I went over to Judith’s house and took photos and short videos of her preparing pulpo and padron peppers, then put together a PowerPoint presentation that we showed on Zoom while she narrated it live. It was super fun and such a nice way for the chapter to gather.
A Hike with a View
by Christine Petty | Colorado Front Range Chapter
The Colorado Front Range Chapter hike at Staunton State Park on September 14 included at the hike’s midway point at the Staunton Rocks Overlook a rest for snacks and sharing of Camino tips for our new pilgrims, Florence and Carolyn, walking this fall, as well as a pilgrim blessing and shell ceremony.
Camino Coffee & Conversation
by Harriet Ross | Hoosiers on the Camino Chapter
The Hoosiers on the Camino Chapter met September 10 at Illinois Street Food Emporium in Indianapolis, IN, for their Second Tuesday Coffee & Conversation. Beyond the tertulias they regularly hold on the second Tuesday of each month, they also regularly hold a Third Saturday Coffee & Conversation as well as Fourth Thursday Breakfast, Coffee & Conversation.
Feast of St. James Garden Party & Shell Ceremony
by Cindy Kleinegger | Portlandia Chapter
The Portlandia Chapter hosted its annual potluck and shell ceremony in celebration of the Feast of St. James on July 27. The event was held in the beautiful home and garden of one of our gracious Portlandia pilgrim couples. Nearly all of the 59 attendees volunteered in some capacity to make this celebration a huge success. Shells, blessings, and wishes for a buen camino, bom caminho, or bon chemin were bestowed on nine Portlandia pilgrims who would soon be heading off.
Feast of St. James Potluck Gathering & Shell Ceremony
by Amy Horton | St. Louis Chapter
The St. Louis Chapter held its first shell ceremony event in conjunction with the Feast of St. James on July 25 in the commons at Pathfinder Church in Ellisville, MO. More than 50 people attended the program, with shells presented and blessings bestowed upon nearly 35 first-time pilgrims embarking on their Caminos in the second half of 2024. Following the shell ceremony, we gathered for a potluck meal and Camino conversation.
Full Moon Hike
by Tina Strickler | Valley of the Sun Chapter
The Valley of the Sun Chapter, serving the metro Phoenix, AZ, area, hosted a full moon hike September 17 on South Mountain. For nearly six years, the chapter has offered this event as the first hike after a hot summer. The 3.5-mile route offered a mix of terrain—some street surfaces and some trails, like the Camino. They began their hike around 6:00 p.m., arriving at the summit section just two minutes before the 6:30 p.m. moonrise of the supermoon. In twilight, the chapter was able to see a section of the trail lined with heart rocks, but were glad to have their glow necklaces by the time they returned to the park where they had started.
Mall Hike & Elevation Training
by Alder Allensworth | Tampa Bay Area Chapter
Summertime in Florida is not conducive to hiking, if the heat and thunderstorms don’t get you the mosquitos will. Traditionally, the Tampa Bay Area chapter does not offer training hikes in July and August, but with so many pilgrims expressing interest in training, chapter coordinators devised a plan.
They decided to hike the local mall and use the staircases to the second floor for elevation training. A scouting hike revealed that by hugging the storefronts in the mall, the perimeter was 1 kilometer. There are two staircases and a loop around those was 0.5 kilometers.
Fourteen brave pilgrims showed up to give it a try. They met in front of the Dillard’s department store and handed out maps, walking for two hours and then gathering at the food court for lunch. They clocked about eight kilometers and ten flights of stairs. This included stops at the chocolate store, which offered pilgrims free samples and asked about the Camino, and the olive oil store, where pilgrims were given tapas. The group had so much fun, the chapter plans to offer another mall walk next summer.
