Thanksgiving Council - Friday,Saturday, Sunday, November 26,27,28,29, 1992
Located on private land, Yonder's Farm near Macon, Georgia
The 1992 Thanksgiving Council had many positive and negative aspects to it
(as we work out way toward balance). Folks were there several days before
preparing the site (snazzy outhouse even!) and making a sumptuous feast for
all (veggie and nonveggie alike). The rain stopped on Thanksgiving and gave
us col sunny weather to conducts out councils. (We truly looked like out red
sisters and brothers with that Georgia mud all over!) The first day of
council, Friday, we focused on how to create gender balance but there was
about equal amounts of women and men, so we just started out heart songs.
(Since a women's council and a men's council had met on Thursday, there was
much support for more female energy - from both sisters and brothers-to be
more visible). The circle flowed smoothly thru out the day with these
visions emerging:
-Oceanside gathering (fresh water a problem, tho)
-MI council wants TN/KY
-prep camp (May 20) for seed camp
-town crier system at all circles
-Hug and kiss patrols
-rap 107 and 701 on big boards everywhere
-big counseling camp (JESUS?)
-tighter site design with mail circle kitchen surrounding main circle and
then
expanding out from there
-Main circle in center
-early public relations
-scout base camp
-stable community for mobile folks
-magic hat, collect with bank council there, count and announce
-bank council, 5 folks (3 quorum)
and many more visions listed later. Saturday, we agreed to break into small
groups to discuss specific areas in more detail. Since there was much
overlap, and agreement between vision and working groups, I took the liberty
of putting related things together for easy reference. These are the ideas
gleaned from the small group notes:
(as usual single quotes " will be just quotes double quotes "" will be
underlined and
""" will be both)
""FRONT GATE""- There is much excitement about an expanded front gate
presence. This may include a generic kitchen with rotating staff (or a
string base kitchen), shelter for late nite arrivals, orientation
(107+701+everything else), miniCALM, ShantiSena, workshops, site specific
info, FM radio station with info/music, cadillac recycling (compliments of
Kaba), enthusiastic invitations to all Family to expand the Circle to include
the Front Gate.
""SITE LAYOUT""- Spiral starting at main circle, spreading with main kitchens
next, and growing organically outward from there.
""MAIN CIRCLE""- Center of Gathering site, surrounded by main kitchens, main
CALM nearby, Kid Village nearby; firepit; boggie circle 1/2 mile away; tipi
circle nearby (with cooperations tipi); morning/breakfast/work council;
heartsong council (10am); main council (noon); dinner council (6pm)
""SUPPLY""- Representatives from each main kitchen (with daily kitchen supply
council)
""SHUTTLES""- site specific; private vehicles
""DIFFERENTLY ABLED ACCESSIBILITY""- Site specific; a focalizer will
determine needs and present to work councils/seed camp
""WATER""- pipe (stored in NE, contact Joan of Maine, will loan, needs tandem
trailer, store in responsible place -=-more pipe, stored with VAL in UT.
needs to be checked) need water filters ($2000 stashed for these?).
chlorination, gasoline pump; Crunch trying to get from military (cadadine
units, decentralized, $400); solar distillation; boil water in 55 gal drums;
must meet health/sanitation standards
""KID VILLAGE""- easy accessibility from main gate and main circle and CALM;
designated child care (scheduled responsibility for each child); area tied
off for babies and toddlers; more craft materials and energy; single parents
in particular, help them out! Esp. new and unprepared folks; offer help on
trails and dinner time, don't assume because both parents are there, that
they don't need help; food spice consciousness for nursing moms and kids -
less cayenne!
""CONFLICT MEDIATION""- Workshops and training (esp. Council and Front Gate);
create mediation council w/ emergency team; council forgo asked decisions
until return from mediation; we invite Little Hawk and Peter to mediate their
conflict; include offer of conflict mediation in rap 107; create conflict
mediation space
""WORKSHOPS""- ask on info board for folks to learn/teach/share boar (w/pen
and paper); mention on rap 107; set up popcorn kitchen/orientation at shuttle
or 1/2 way in
""SECURITY - INTERNAL/EXTERNAL""- everyone watch everyone; vibes checkers;
front gate monitor arrivals, departures, and expected time to return; CB
radio; conflict resolution at front gate; sister energy at front gate;
healing them there, too; hug kiss patrol; community camping; neighborhood
watch
""VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR""- interrupt/restrain as necessary; respond
with love; mediation/council as appropriate; affirm the right of individuals
to press charges/ask folks to leave; be willing to put a watch on the violent
until they're escorted out; continue to consider what would be appropriate to
us; remain calm; incorporate into rap 107/orientation
""SHANTI SENA""-- Training in conflict resolution; need wholistic approach;
significant sister presence; workshops; "we are all peacekeepers"
""PROCESS""- we ask that council be willing to set aside discussion on a
question in favor of discussing process when people fell abused by what is
going on.
""CALM""- at Kid Village; donation/magic hat/20%; site specific healing
re-snakes, insects, etc; orientation for volunteers; min. of 4 backpacks for
emergencies; first aid supplies in each kitchen (w/responsible folks); small
CALM units to 4 directions; ayervedic healing; strictly for emergency; strong
on antibiotics, herbs, holistic healers; different tents for specialties -
chiropractic/massage, herbal, AA/NA, emotional support (JESUS), life support
(AIDS,cancer); council every day to replenish supplies; food to CALM/supplies
in return; emergency communication w/ hospitals
""SHITTERS""- best sites (not near water sites); plywood covers (local,
recycled?); lime/lime soil; kitchens resp. for their own; need designated
shitter crew; diagram of locations; toilet paper in coffee cans; hand wash
""SANITATION""- focus on hand wash (2 1/2 gal in trees fed by gravity);
kitchen CALM team be resp. for water and soap; biodegradable soap avail. from
Amway (jimmi two feathers); less bleach
""SOLID WASTE/RECYCLING""- contact recycling center; need representative;
"What is recyclable?" info to kitchens; info ahead of time; laundry; lost and
found
""J.E.S.U.S. CAMP""- (Judgement Free emotionally safe Uplifting Space) be
prepared to handle intense situations w/strong spiritual, physical, emotional
balance communication access (walkie/talkie); commitment
""KITCHEN COUNCILS""- design to be dog proof; tie dogs up; Berma shave type
signs w/health messages