Gathering Of Circles 2008 Updated 05/18/2008 home

GOC Planning Meeting April 12, 2008 - Killeen, Texas

Minutes of Planning Meeting by Jazz Jaeschke.

Discussions: 

DRUMMING: 

It’s difficult to get enough drummer volunteers – and difficult to sustain the right beat during the sweet medicine dance.  This is a critical role.  We need to find a way to promote it and to offer relief drummers when a volunteer begins to “lose the beat”.

SHARED MEALS:

Volunteers would designate their campsite as a place for others to bring their food/plates and meet for a lunch or dinner.  The host would not be providing food for others, just space and hospitality.  We would post the location and meal timeslots at the Welcome Table. 

SPEAKER:

·        Speaker selection process  [ideally] includes (1) Speaker Coordinator discussion with one or more candidates to determine interest/availability and (2) selection at planning meeting.

·        Mike Andrews is still seeking our 2008 speaker.  Candidates contacted who are not available for 2008 but might be in future include Wind Daughter and Susan Lincoln.

WORKSHOPS:

·        There have been complaints about noise interfering with some workshops; we could emphasize during general announcements that music, etc. be kept down during workshop time slots.

·        There is no way for the Workshop Coordinator to anticipate levels of interest when establishing the Workshops Schedule.  It is up to the provider of each workshop to promote the workshop through its write-up posted on the website and introductions at the GOC.

·        We can reduce confusion as to individual workshop location [a problem for both presenters and attendees in recent years] by establishing three labeled locations and posting at the Welcome Table which workshop is where.

SCHEDULE:

·        Feedback on the Wed start date instigated in 2007 was mixed – while some are unable to arrive before the weekend and thus miss opening activities, others need Sunday for travel home and used to miss the ending activities.

·        In recent years the guest speaker timing has precluded an opening team building activity.  We want to continue having guest speakers but feel a need to return to team-building activities on day one, allowing adequate time for full participation. 

·        We want a time set aside for all to gather and sing songs.  GOC song lyrics will be available on the website and a few copies will be available as a booklet at the Welcome Table.  Pamela and Jazz will get the lyrics into a Word document and Cliff will post on the web.

PRAYER TIES:

We would like to offer materials for making prayer ties to be hung/burned at the sweet medicine dance; materials could be offered at the welcome table; we need a volunteer to bring materials

GOC CONCEPTS: 

We would like the GOC Concepts to be on the web.  Feed input to Pamela, and she'll compile.

WELCOME TABLE:

·        We might place the welcome table in one corner of one of the new workshop canopies – welcome table would be closed during workshop timeslots.

·        We will add signage and greeters will encourage ALL to stop at welcome table and sign in

Decisions: 

THEME: 

Sacred Presence

Every moment is sacred; when we become aware of the sacred, we are living in the present.

WORKSHOPS:

·        GOC will purchase new canopies for two workshop sites; those plus the main tent will offer rain protection for three concurrent workshops.

·        We have 3 workshop timeslots [vs. the 4 timeslots of prior years] – if more than 9 workshops are offered, some will need to be open-air or at the campsite of the provider. 

LOGO DESIGN:

·      Agreed OK to include theme on logo since both change year-to-year; whether to include the theme on the logo can be decided each year.

·      We need additional candidates before we vote on the 2008 logo.  We have thus far designs from Darrel Caraway and from the Pamela/Susan/Carol/Lynn team. 

·      Jazz will provide a timeline for logo design submission/voting/finalization

·      Jazz will provide a timeline for T-shirt ordering and printing

COORDINATORS: 

Welcome Table – June/Jazz

Speaker – Mike Andrews

Workshops – Shawna

Wood – Cliff/Mike

Porta-potties – Cliff

Sweet Medicine Dance – OPEN

Drumming – Susan Murray

T-shirts – Jazz & Gary

Feast – OPEN

Giveaway – OPEN

Raffle – OPEN

Sweatlodge – OPEN

Talking Stick Circle [sweatlodge alternative] – Pamela

GOC Concepts – Pamela

Children's Activities – OPEN

Cleanup – OPEN

Pancake Breakfast – June

SCHEDULE:

Wed evening – opening ceremony

Thurs morning – intros & team building

Thurs afternoon – speaker & workshop timeslot 1

Thurs night – sweat lodges & talking-stick circle w/Pamela

Fri breakfast – Pancakes at Cliff/June camp

Fri morning – morning song&prayer + workshop slots 2 & 3

Fri afternoon –  dance site prep

Fri night – Sweet Medicine Dance

Sat morning – Give-away

Sat noon – Feast

Sat afternoon – Free time

Sat night 1st – Closing & Breaking Pipe ceremony

Sat night 2nd – Community drumming [Pete]

Sun morning – pack & leave & cleanup

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