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Gathering of Circles Planning Meeting Minutes
March 18, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona
Attendees:
1. Cliff Buchanan
2. June Baldwin
3. Mike Andrews
4. Karen McGinnis
5. Brett Messer
6. Natalie Messer
7. Pete Phillips
8. Aline Arneson
9. Dave Arneson
10. Kathy Two Hawks
11. Ann Blacketer
12. Stephen Lake
13. Vicki Rister
14. Cesar Rossatto
15. Cliff Bains
16. Joseph Candia
17. Bobby Ashworth (via telephone)
18. Lois Colbridge (via telephone)
19. Wanda Wade (via telephone)
The meeting started at 1:00 p.m. with Kathy smudging all those in attendance. All the women participated in the opening prayer.
Brett and Natalie performed the opening pipe ceremony and Cliff proceeded with introductions and a review of the proposed agenda.
Cliff presented a report on the GOC council. The council’s purpose is to set policy. There are presently 21 council members. The theme for the 2017 Gathering of Circles is “Pray Centered in Spirit.” This year’s speaker is Shawna Hayhurst.
Brett gave a review of the 2016 GOC’s strengths and there was a discussion of areas for potential improvements and alternatives including a welcome packet, a suggestion box in the welcome tent, a scheduled orientation workshop, a post-GOC feedback meeting and a council member/new attendee mentoring program. There was a lengthy discussion regarding fund-raising auctions and Cliff moved that auctions be limited to silent auctions of no more than 10 items, only on an as-needed basis. Kathy seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. There was also a special interest in a “what’s happening now” white board and a site map of the campground.
Natalie has been appointed to finalize GOC coordinator job descriptions for the welcome packets and Facebook, coordinators are requested to write up and submit descriptions of their positions. The following coordinators were appointed:
Raffle Coordinator: Wanda Wade
Welcome Table/Attendance Coordinator: Karen McGinnis
T-shirts Coordinator: Brett Messer
Workshops Coordinator: Cesar Rossatto
Sweet Medicine Dance Coordinator: Bobby Ashworth/Tom Casey
Children’s Activities Coordinator: Bob Wade and Vicki Rister
Housekeeping Announcements Coordinator: Karen McGinnis
Final Environmental Walk-through/Inspection Coordinator: Wanda Wade
Environmental Focus/Recycling Coordinator: Heather Sawyers
Oneness Blessing: Karen McGinnis
Wood/Port-a-Potties/Permit Coordinator: Cliff Buchanan
Speaker Coordinator: Mike Andrews
Sweat Lodge Coordinator: Dave Arneson
Drum Team Coordinator: Stephen Lake
Pancake Brunch Coordinator: June Baldwin
Songs & Music Coordinator: Icie Mitchell & Sarah Starkey
Give-Away Coordinator: Kathy Two Hawks
GOC Concepts Coordinator: Bobby Ashworth
GOC Brochure (including workshops & GOC schedule): Natalie Messer
Men’s Bundle Coordinator: Pete Phillips
Women’s Bundle Coordinator: Natalie Messer
(Kathy Two Hawks volunteered to write up the meaning of the bundles)
Labyrinth Coordinator: Chris Flores
Cliff initiated a discussion of open solicitations. It was agreed that the crystal seed solicitation and similar solicitations are not to be allowed at the GOC group meeting without prior approval from the GOC Council. The GOC Council will provide a policy statement on this subject. It was discussed that the GOC policy for the past few years or more has been to not allow sales of goods from individuals except for the guest speaker who may offer to sell goods/services to the general GOC population to help defray his/her travel/time costs. The exception to this is workshop presenters who may offer to sell goods/services to their workshop attendees.
It was agreed that Flor de Mayo’s Zoom presentation was acceptable.
Dave and Aline furnished their address for the upcoming sweat and buffalo stew.
The men offered the closing prayer and Brett and Natalie finished with the closing pipe ceremony. The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.