After last year’s inaugural retreat was met with sold-out success, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawarthas Region (Habitat PKR) is bringing back the Women Build Retreat, inviting women to come together for a weekend of relaxation, learning, and adventure in support of local affordable homeownership initiatives.
Held at Camp Timberlane in the Haliburton Highlands from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5, the all-inclusive retreat is like no other, with participants getting hands-on guidance in building projects while making strong connections with other like-minded women in the community.
“The energy and interest that happened over the weekend last year was palpable and we ended up with a really positive group of women,” says Natalie Raponi, Operations General Manager at Habitat PKR. “The whole point of this experience is to find that perfect balance between adventure and relaxation.”
The event is inspired by the Habitat for Humanity Women Build program that empowers women to participate in construction and home repair projects.
“The Women Build program looks different from affiliate to affiliate, but it has the same underlying understanding: that sometimes it’s a bit trickier for women to be comfortable building or to ask questions about tools,” Raponi explains.
“Especially when you hit mid-life, there are skills you might feel you should have learned by now. When you’re in a safe place where there are no stupid questions, people are more apt to learn and to be comfortable learning. And when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with somebody else in the same boat, a lot of laughter, great conversations, and experiences happen.”
During the three-day and two-night retreat, participants will stay in the staff cabins at Camp Timberlane, whose 1,100-acre property sits just south of Algonquin Provincial Park on its own private lake.
New this year, guests will get to choose their own accommodation, with the option to stay in a private room for $550 (a closed-door private room with a bathroom and shower in the cabin), a semi-private room for $500 (a two-person bedroom with bathroom and shower in cabin — a great option for sharing with a friend), or a large room for $450 (larger cabins shared with up to six women, with everyone getting their own bottom bunk and with a bathroom in the cabin and showers located a short walk away).
“Camp Timberlane is such a beautiful property and the amenities are really comfortable,” Raponi says. “They were fantastic hosts last year, and we can’t wait to return so we can support more affordable homeownership for the community.”
Participants looking to get their hands dirty and learn something new will work together to build a bunkie from start to finish for Places for People, an affordable rental housing charity in Haliburton County that currently owns and manages 20 units. When the bunkie is complete, it will be raffled off in support of the organization.
“Building the bunkie gives everybody an opportunity to jump into different areas that they’re interested in,” Raponi notes. “We’re going to have a section on flooring, a section on walls, and a section on roofing, but all of these things have a common denominator in the tools that we’re using.”
“The women will be able to work with our builders to learn how these things are constructed and how these projects are totally accessible and things they can actually do. It’s taking the mystery away from building something from start to finish because, with the right teachers and the right people on board, you’ll feel very confident.”
While the building sessions are entirely optional, Raponi says Habitat PKR was “blown away” by how many women on the retreat last year wanted to learn and build something in support of the community.
“We learned from last year that women are capable and very enthusiastic, so we decided to crank it up a notch,” Raponi adds.
When not working on the build, women will have plenty of opportunities to engage in fun and relaxing activities by enjoying the camp’s watercraft, saunas, archery, two sandy beaches, movie theatre, and more.
There will also be scheduled yoga classes, art activities, group meals, and a wine tasting led by Leah Spooner, with more activities to be announced leading up to the retreat.
“It’s about getting people to sign up for what speaks to them and what fills their bucket, and then there will be lots of opportunity to just chill out and relax,” says Raponi.
The women are also encouraged to find their own ways to create community and connections. Last year, each participant was asked to bring a favourite book so they could create a library to share with others.
“You could read on a bookmark why someone loved this book, and if that interests you, you can take it down to the beach and give it a go,” says Raponi. “We’re always looking for ways to connect women with each other and just see what comes out of those relationships.”
Last year’s inaugural event saw participants come from as far away as Waterloo, Windsor, and even Nairobi. Some were joined by their girlfriends, mothers, aunts, daughters, and beyond, while other women came on their own. In all cases, they made lots of new connections.
“It was really such a range but, when you were down by the fire listening to music and stuffing your face with gourmet s’mores, everyone’s your new best friend,” Raponi says. “It’s a great equalizing space to be in.”
A portion of all ticket sales from the retreat weekend will directly fund Habitat PKR’s affordable housing builds in the city and county of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County. Since 2022, Habitat PKR has helped 96 families into affordable homeownership through geared-to-income mortgages with no downpayment and below-market interest rates.
According to Raponi, the women who attend the retreat will not only be able to relax and have fun, learn new skills, and find new connections, but they will leave knowing they have done something good for the community.
“You’ll experience that combination of relaxation and adventure but, at the end of the day, you can also say you contributed enormously to our community and to people who need affordable homes. There is a level of satisfaction that plays into the overall positive feeling of the weekend.”
“We are going to get more people into safe, decent, affordable, and equity-building homes, which we believe changes not just lives but generations. We’re bringing more people along in the mission of Habitat through this program — and we’re also having a heck of a lot of fun while doing it.”
To view the full Women Build Retreat schedule and to register, visit www.womenbuildretreat.ca. For more information on Habitat PKR, visit habitatpkr.ca.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
