>that we, as a family, go around advertising the fact that we feed 10,000
>people on $1 per person.
Exactly! This is the word that goes around when folks ask what they should
bring! "Oh, don't
worry, the kitchens feed you."
>I hear this statement widely repeated.
Yep!
>The reality is that most of the cost
>of putting on the gathering does NOT come out of the Magic Hat. Most of the
>food is purchased by individuals and donated to the family. Most of the
>supplies are purchased by individuals and given to the family.
>In Oregon this year, we had minor kitchens who spent $2,000 of money out of
>their own pocket to feed people. I'm talking kitchen's that are
politically
incorrect and don't even feed that many people.
>We need to make sure that everyone understands the true cost of feeding
>ourselves.
Yes, yes and yes again!! This truth needs to be spread around - I think
more folks would
be able and glad to bring both food and supplies for themselves and others
if they only
knew. Now, you can say that they should be able to think of that themselves
or should be
more generous of heart to begin with but when this well-known myth (kitchens
can feed everybody!!) about the Gathering is so widely broadcast it's kind
of hard to expect the folks coming in to understand
the reality of the food situation without education.
>The issue of food is important. If we are gathering and trying to educate
>ourselves either spiritually, politically, socially, musically or ????, our
>bodies need fuel so that we can devote our minds to the growth process.
>Some ideas that might help solve the problem:
>First off, when we tell people how much it costs to put on the gathering,
we
>need to take into consideration the sum total of what individuals buy and
>donate to the gathering, plus the money that goes into the Magic Hat. My
>guess is that it would run more into the line of $25 per person but I'm
sure
>there's folks out there who could come up with a better number.
$25 sounds fairly realistic - certainly more than $1 - it's a good number to
start with . . .
>Second, as those of you who know me personally know, I dislike this
multiple
>kitchens scattered all over the gathering business. I want to wake up in
the
>morning and do something constructive (like yoga, dig a shitter, go to a
>council, or work at INFO) -- I don't want to spend 3 hours wandering over
a
>gathering site, trying to find a kitchen that is feeding and then stand in
>line for one hour for food. Personally, I can't function when I'm hungry
and
>neither can many other folks. SO I end up bringing my own food simply to
>insure survival. If all the kitchen's were located in one area, say a
>kitchen corral, then hungry people could go to one place and get feed.
So true!! Karin, this idea makes so much sense to me I would love to see
this seriously considered.
>Once
>they were fed, they could do some of the physical activites we need done
for
>the gathering to stay healthy, they could go to a council and have focus.
>Hungry people can't focus. Or perhaps they could attend a workshop and
learn
>something - Hungry people can't learn!
>Point of Information - in the early days of the gathering, I have been told
>that there was one central kitchen. Some people I have spoken with who have
>been going to the gatherings since day one feel there was more unity back
>then.
Yes. If memory serves me well.
>And one last thing, Heather worked her butt off focalizing supply at the
>Oregon Gathering this summer. Supply is a monumental task. There should
>have been a minimum of 6 people working on this day in and day out. Thank
>you Heather. I love you!!!! You did an awesome job.
Thanks be to thee from me,too, Heather!!
>Love ya all,
>Karin
Love and peace -
Spring
Heather Reese wrote:
>
> i'm not sure about the exact figures collected in the hat per day at
> oregon, but i do know that it was scandalously little.