Although my work on the conference began last November, the big push came on Wednesday when I packed up the van and headed to Camp Rockmont to begin the on-site part of my job. We started with some set backs and I wondered if the weekend was doomed. But by Friday, when the 500 women arrived, things has mostly smoothed out. I brought my camara with intentions to take a ton of photos...but I became far to busy as the weekend progressed. When we get the pictures from our photographers, I will post more. Here are a few of the pre-conference photos I have....
These tents are made in Asheville by a company called Artful Shelters. The crew sets these up in a matter of hours, it is quite a process. And at night, the tent is lit up with halogen lights...they look amazing! Here the set up is almost complete.
Here are 3 of our 4 golfcarts. We all have fun decorating our carts before the weekend begins.
We turn a boys summer camp into a weekend home for 500 women. Some of our classroom spaces, such as the gym above, gets used for smaller classes (50-100 women), morning yoga, night time dancing, and our keynote speech for all 500. Here we are settting up some decorations.
Anne, my dear friend and conference co-cook (with another friend Liana) shows off a very large pot of Millet Pilaf. These women cooked 6 meals for 500 women! The menu was amazing with a strong focus on local, seasonal, organic, whole foods. I was so proud of these ladies!
This year we started a Young Women's Circle for girls ages 11-17. We had some wonderful classes such as hula hooping, yoga, herb walks, self defense, dance, diet myths, and arts and crafts. Here the girls are volunteering in the dining hall (Eden Hall) preparing pitchers of water for the first meal.
----more photos and stories to come
My co-worker, Carmen, set up the Red Moon Booth under our brand new EZ up tent that we are very excited about. David and I set up a booth for the Forest Children Program to promote the program in hopes of bringing in new families and to sell the kids book, Princess Gilanee.
Cutest niece ever, Lilikoi, joined the girls and I for some hula hooping.
The wonderful parents or our dear friend Karen have been visting from Holland. Ronald and Trudy Hendrikse hold a very special place in our hearts and we dream of being able to visit them one day. Although they did not bring us gifts of cheese and smoked eel this visit, we did witness one of the sweetest gifts ever....Gita, who can be very shy, was thrilled to see them!
And what coud be better at keeping our minds off daddy then a pancake birthday brunch for Lilikoi? Perfect timing! Here is Lili getting some serious love from the "auntie couch".....Auntie Becca (Kelcey's sister) and Auntie Em (yours truley) were thrilled to celebrate our favorite niece's first birthday! We were both honored to witness Lili's birth....and to be witness to the Loomer family and hearts growing bigger and bigger with this giggling bundle of love!
