It's My Birthday Week!! A Letter to You

I started Gay Camping Friends back in December 2020 with a simple idea: create a place where LGBTQ+ people could share their camping adventures, discover amazing places, and build a community that doesn’t just live on Facebook but shows up in the real world.

Honestly? I think GCF has done exactly that. We’ve grown from 0 to nearly a quarter of a million people in under five years. We’ve had countless meetups. People have met partners and even spouses through this group. Members have helped each other find shelter during storms and fires. Folks have pushed through loneliness and mental health challenges because they finally found “their people.” We’ve helped campgrounds adopt trans-friendly policies. We’ve made people feel safer, more welcome, and more themselves.

I’m really proud of what we’ve built together.

But I also dream about what we could build next.

I wish I could attend every meetup like I used to.

I wish we had the resources for a real mobile app.

I wish we had a wrapped GCF camper to take on the road.
I wish we could publish a monthly newsletter full of member stories, campground news, and trail inspiration.
I wish we had land of our own—a GCF campsite—for events and gatherings.
I wish we could support more local, city-level meetups so people can find friends right where they live.

I have so many ideas.

The truth is: we have no income source. I pay about $80 a month just to keep our merch store alive and the sales don't cover the fees. We don’t charge for meetups. We’ve grown this far purely through passion and community.

So for my birthday, I ask that we trying something new together.

We’ve launched a completely optional GCF Official Membership program. It’s just $3.99/month, and it’s a simple way to show that you believe in what Gay Camping Friends is today and what it can become tomorrow. As we grow this membership, we hope to finally build the tools, experiences, and community features you’ve all deserved for a long time.

If you’ve ever found friends through GCF…
If you’ve ever discovered a campground because of GCF…
If you’ve ever felt seen, welcomed, or uplifted here…

Then for my birthday wish, I’d love for you to consider becoming a GCF Official Member.

It’s a small contribution individually, but together it could create something huge.

Thank you for being the best part of this group ❤️

Here is how to become a GCF Official Member:

https://store.gaycampingfriends.com/products/gay-camping-friends-official-membership