You got any suggestions or ideas where Thanksgiving Council can take
place? If you connect with family local to your area and start asking
around, you all would do a real service for next summer's gathering if you
could start that ball rolling. Seems like anywhere from 50 to 150 folks
usually show up, just to give you a ballpark figure. Last year we
actually anticipated and prepared for a max of 300, ended up with I forget
exactly what, maybe sixty to eighty folks, not all of whom actively
participated in councilling, but who had to be accomodated.
Thanksgiving Council is often on private land, due to its being in winter
time and the necessity for shelter and warmth. In the past, local family
who live on the land and have both the outdoor room and the inside room
have offered their space, and this has worked out well. In at least one
year that I know of, a small town offered their schoolhouse for the
council, though I seem to remember that people weren't actually supposed
to sleep in it. Local granges are also a possibility that can be looked
into.
In warm southern climes, public land works, and many folks prefer this
option whenever it is available. Due to questions around Forest Service
regulations, if you can find BLM land or other non-Forest Service federal
land for Thanksgiving Council, in my opinion that would be ideal unless
very cold weather is anticipated. Using State or other non-federal public
land can be chancey sometimes, because you never know what idiotic laws
the local bureaucrats will come up with, usually at the last minute.
Though my guess is it might not present too big a problem in many
instances due to the relative smallness of the group and the shortness of
duration (five days max). In any case, it doesn't hurt to do your
homework.
As far as the recent discussion on the newsgroup is concerned about not
allowing certain behaviors if the Council is held on private land, I think
the person offering their home to the family has a right to expect that
their needs and limits be respected, and that if someone violates those
limits, they can be asked to leave. Short of that, anyone who shows up
should be welcome. How the location of Thanksgiving Council is publicized
(to net, or not to net?) is another question.
In any case, I hope you have a lot of fun getting prepared for next
summer. I know we did up here in Oregon. In fact, this is where Crusty
was born and morphunology was promulgated. Get involved, bro, and get
connected with your regional brothers and sisters. The more you do, the
more fun you will have.
That's probably more info than you really wanted, but hey, somebody may
use it sometime. Cyberspace is like that - nothing ever really goes away
altogether.
Love and Light,
Carla
On Fri, 3 Oct
1997, Beverly Allisone wrote:
> Dear Rainbow Friends,
> Greetings from Arizona! Just wanted to know if anyone can tell me what
> was consensed to be the region for the 1998 national gathering?
> I had to leave Oregon before the July 7th council but had heard rumors
> that Arizona was high on the list of considerations. If so , would like
> to help foculize possible scouting expeditions in this area. Also would
> like info on where Thanksgiving Council will be . So if you know let me
> know if you can. Thanks!
> Lots of Love and Light,
> Steve Gentleway
>