Cohousing-L Mailing List: N. California Regional Gathering--October 20

[Joani Blank (joani]

Hi California Friends,

The following announcement appeared yesterday on www.cohousing.org, 
but since not all readers of this listserve go there with any 
frequency, I want to share it here as well. I could use a couple of 
folks to help with this event....the tasks are not too big, and you 
can get in free. (One of those tasks is to give me a ride from 
Oakland to Pleasant Hill as I am currently carless).

Joani

Northern California Regional Cohousing Gathering--October 20

> Lets get together for a day of networking, problem-solving, and 
> learning about each other's communities and groups.  We have been 
> offered use of the Common House at Pleasant Hill  Cohousing for the 
> day of Saturday,October 20. We will gather at 8:30 for coffee and 
> conversation and start our program at 9:00 with introductions of any 
> community or forming or developing group represented by one or more 
> of you.. At the end of that opening session, we will plan a couple 
> sets of breakout sessions, one for the remainder of the morning and 
> one for later in the afternoon. Topics may include:
>
> * Getting the work done
> * Consensus decision-making challenges
> * Resolving conflicts
> * Marketing--finding new neighbors and managing resales
> * Improving our sustainability practices
> * Improving our Common Meal systems
> * Integrating new neighbors into established communities.
> * "Administration"  budgeting, financing, legal stuff
> *  Rituals, new traditions, retreats,
> *  Keeping inter-community relationships and activities going.
>
> ........plus topics those in attendance suggest.  After lunch we 
> will have either a panel of people from four or five different 
> communities sharing their ideas on a topic of general interest, or a 
> "clinic" session where four or five experienced cohousers are asked 
> to diagnose and propose treatment for a sticky problem that one of 
> your communities is struggling with, or a challenging hypothetical 
> community situation. This will be followed by another time period 
> for small group discussions, and we will end the day with a brief 
> summary and closing session at about 4:30.
>
> We are asking that each participant bring his own bag or box lunch; 
> we will provide ample drinks, fruit and snacks. You are also welcome 
> to bring literature about your community or flyers promoting a 
> special event, recruiting new members for your group, or announcing 
> the  availability of a unit for rent or sale in your community.
>
> The fee for the day will be  $15-20 (sliding scale).  You must 
> register in advance online 
> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-workshops.aspx but payment will 
> be at the door.  We also welcome breakout session suggestions, and 
> suggested panel topics, as well as proposals of problems you'd like 
> our amateur clinicians to tackle.

Questions? Please email me at joani [at] cohousing.org

Joani Blank (Swans Market Cohousing)

phone: 510-834-7399
cell: 510-387-1315