Westview on the James

10/14/2026

Today is National Dessert Day! We started a new tradition at Westivew this past summer, The Dessert Bell. Rung when dessert is ready for pick up in the Big Window. So, "Ring! Ring!", go have a cookie for Westview.

10/12/2026

Today is the last day to vote for Westview as a Charlottesville Family Favorite! Let's let everyone know that Westview is the Best!

https://charlottesvillefamily.com/family-favorites-voting/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUx2iJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mA2JyaWQRMVRoSVFHaXNseE1LTmxDOG5zcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81MTQ3NzE1NjkyMjgwNjEAAR4jQA9T2lFwPiUeOmbnfSBRlrNpo4jxjxR6DIZGeN9HqehkwEdQkG3CmPlDzQ_aem_t_D5DrVYB68pZMUA9JcOZg

10/10/2026

Dont forget to sign up your camper for Winter Camp, Dec. 18-20.
https://www.westviewonthejames.org/winter-camp

10/09/2026

Applications for the Summer Program Director will close on Thursday, Oct. 15th.

10/07/2026

There is still time to lock in your vote for Westview as a Charlottesville Family Favorite. Use the link below to write-in Westview as YOUR favorite residential summer camp. https://charlottesvillefamily.com/family-favorites-voting/

10/03/2026

Westview has won Charlottesville Family Favorite Summer Camp in 2012 and 2018. You can help us win it again for 2026. Use the link below to write-in Westview as YOUR favorite residential summer camp. https://charlottesvillefamily.com/family-favorites-voting/

10/01/2026

There are still some spots left for Winter Camp 2026. Register your camper now!

https://www.westviewonthejames.org/winter-camp

09/24/2026

Some much deserved recognition for some of our favorite guests!

"When you lose both parents as a child, there’s no one left to ask, 'How was your day?' You never get that unconditional love back. My mom died when I was 9; my dad when I was 12. Losing your anchors is lonely. My confidence was sapped. I felt like a smashed picture window, full of holes."

The summer after her mom died, Lynne Hughes went to sleepaway camp for two weeks, and she fell in love with it.

"I stepped away from my loss," she says. "There, I could just be a kid and not feel outwardly different from my peers."

Now, 62, Lynne has taken that pain and loss from her childhood — and the refuge she found at camp — and turned it into her life's work. She is the founder of Comfort Zone Camp, a nonprofit that offers free three-day camps for kids who’ve lost a parent or a sibling.

"I’ve learned that in our death-avoidant society, to support someone through grief, you just need to be present," Lynne says. "Lean in and say, 'I can’t begin to know what you’re going through, but I’d like to try.'"

AARP members can read Lynne's full story at the link in the comments.

09/22/2026

Winter Camp 2026 runs Dec 18-20. Winter Camp is a great way to experience Westview. Many of the summer time counselors will be back at camp to lead your child through all the amazing activities planned. Sign your camper up now at the link below.

Celebrate the season at Winter Camp at Westview on the James, a Christian overnight camp and retreat center in Goochland, Virginia. This festive 2-night getaway features holiday-themed activities like ‘Deck-the-Hogan,’ ornament crafts, and classic camp adventures including archery and climbing. ...