- DOWNLOAD PDF – Pel_Reunion_welcome_letter_2013
- DOWNLOAD PDF – Important Information for Registered Conferees
Text version of the welcome letter is included below;
Dear Pelican Reunion Community,
Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready?!
Welcome back to Star Island and to the 2013 Pelican Reunion Conference!
We are thrilled to reunite with old Pelican friends and make new connections with Pelicans, Penguins, volunteers, friends, and family.
There will be more than 90 of us BACK!
Whether you are arriving on Friday afternoon (boat leaves at 1:55 PM) or Saturday morning (9:25 AM) we look forward to greeting you on the pier! For boat and parking information and costs, see http://starisland.org/conferences/boatsandparking/
IMPORTANT: Please, also read the attached letter from the SIC that covers such important topics as luggage limits, medical considerations, and more. They have asked us to pass along a message about the importance of being to the dock on the day of our conference AT LEAST an hour to two hours early. If you are running late, there is a chance you would miss the luggage boat and thus not be able to get your luggage until the next day.
Now for the fun stuff… We have so many things for you to do!
Highlights from the weekend include an ALL former Pel workshop staff!
- Workshop on Spiritual Practices with Nancy Wood. Using Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, An Altar in the World, as a jumping off point, we will explore how such spiritual practices as “The Practice of Saying No” and “The Practice of Pronouncing Blessing” can help us grow. While you may want to pick up a copy of An Altar in the World because it is so very good, this workshop does not require any prior reading or knowledge. If you have a body and a soul then you have everything you need.
- Bracelet Making. A fun bracelet making workshop with Jessica Cann. Explore the possibilities through color and pattern, and learn the basics of friendship bracelet making.
- Knitting Circle. Edie Whitney will lead you through making your choice of a hat or scarf. Please bring one skein of yarn for a hat, and two for a scarf!
- Myths of the modern diet, foraging, and what we can learn from “Traditional” food systems. Oliver Seary will lead this workshop that explores the often-untold truths about our modern food system and reveal the shocking impact it has on us.
- Simply Delicious Party Food with Debbie Weiner Soule. This workshop will focus on appetizers that can be prepared easily and that will wow a party. Coincidentally, the appetizers will then be served at the evening’s social hour, with French wine offered by Chris and Melinda Harrington – making this a must-attend event! You’ll leave with recipes in hand and a happy tummy! (Limit 12, please bring a $5 materials fee).
- Make Your Own 2×3’ Floorcloth with Nancy Meyer. This workshop is for people of all levels and abilities. We’ll start with a brief overview of the history of floor cloths and explore traditional and alternative materials and techniques. Then you’re encouraged to take off and create a 2×3′ rug. A simple template and instructions will be available for you to follow and/or customize or you can use your own design. (please bring a $20 materials fee).
- How to get started organizing ANYTHING – Professional organizer Hillary Adams Case leads this workshop where she will help you learn the steps to organizing anything. You will create a plan of action for organizing one room or space in your home.
- Pel Choir! This year we’re putting together a chapel choir for anyone who wishes to sing at chapel Saturday and Sunday evenings. If you like to sing please join us as we work up a few easy pieces. Please check the blackboard for times/locations.
- Star Island Treasure Hunt – Ben Soule will lead this popular intergenerational team activity. Solve puzzles and decipher clues to lead your team to the hidden treasure chest.
- Brew To You Beer Tasting at social hour. Bring a brew that’s new to you – something you have never tried before – and we’ll all get to taste it and pick our favorite.
- Trivia! We will be having a classic ‘bar night’ trivia game! Bring your brains!
- Silent Auction, Donations of art, craft, memorabilia and other saleable items will be auctioned off to benefit the Pel Reunion Scholarship Fund. We will also be auctioning off vintage pel-ware! Please feel free to bring items for the auction block! *Last year’s combined online and in-person auction was a great success! So of course, we’ll do it again! To enable that to be done more smoothly collection of photos/descriptions of the item in advance would be helpful. Please submit these to Hillary Case, hillaryacase@gmail.com, and/or contact her with any questions.
OMG – there’s more! Look for your favorites! An art show, Yankee Swap, Book Swap, behind the scenes, Vaughn and Marine Lab adventures, lawn games, rocking and reading, splashing – all of it!
- Friday Social Hour – If you are attending Friday evening’s social hour with children, please note there is no formal care during this time. You must supervise your children at all times. We will be gathering for social hour on the front porch on Friday, and children must be off the porch during this time. The front lawn playground is a wonderful place to have fun with your kids and be in the atmosphere of the Island community.
Our PIT (Pelican In Training) youth programs include supervised daytime activities, shared social hour coverage, evening babysitters. There will be a brief orientation on Saturday following Fire and Water with Melanie Elliot, PIT supervisor. Parents need to stay for a teeny bit longer
We are in need of some volunteers to help us make this weekend even better. We could use some help with morning coffee, polar bear dip ambassadors, and social hour volunteers to help with childcare. Please let us know if you are interested in helping your fellow Pels!
Rev. Nancy Wood will be available for pastoral care and support during the weekend. If you need to be in touch with her, you can seek her out for a conversation or put a note on the bulletin board.
We will be holding a choir practice for all to learn the songs we will be singing in the evening. Please check the blackboard for times/locations.
Pel Reunion is best when we fill the island to the ridgepoles with Pels and their friends and family members. There is still space available so please feel free to pass this along to your friends and family. The weekend conference is a great opportunity to introduce friends and family to that place and those people you’ve been talking about for years. It’s a short conference with lots of great activities planned and/or, time and opportunity to just relax and enjoy the island.
Discounts/Incentives:
To help us fill the island, the SIC is offering substantial financial incentives to former Pelicans – up to 50% off room and board – if you have not attended a full (or any) conference since 2010.
In summary, in addition to memories, stories, artistic inspiration, questions, curiosity and a friend or two, you might want to bring a:
• Donation, especially vintage pel-ware, for the auction
• Book for the book swap
• Yankee swap (clean your your closet) gift
• Beer for the beer tasting.
We’re all looking forward to seeing you on the rock!
You ARE coming BACK!
Emily Cann
Chair, Pel Reunion 2013
www.pelicansarepelicans.org/reunion
*if you have any questions, PLEASE feel free to contact me! emily_cann@hotmail.com