What's inside:

::Memberships::

::New Dog Policy::

::Volunteering @ Solstice::

::Get Ready to pARTicipate! in Solstice::New Kids Camp::OM Radio::and more::

::MEMBERSHIPS::



Our community is growing.



As you know, Om Reunion Project is a membership-based, community-driven
gathering.  By becoming a “Member“ in advance (and not buying
“Tickets” at the gate), you make a pledge to come as you are, free of
expectations, ready to volunteer, and to contribute emotionally,
physically, creatively and financially to the gathering.  



This year, the festival is forced to institute an increase of
membership prices.  Our community is indeed growing.  In an
effort to maintain our growth while covering costs, and with the
addition of the HST and the continual rise of overall budgets, an
increase in price is unavoidable.

              

We are a non-profit collective. The funds collected every year through
membership sales are used directly to fund the festival and saved
towards costs for the next year. Organizing collective members,
coordinators, crew and even artists volunteer their time to bring you
the festival.

 

We try to keep membership prices as low as possible because we
understand that this community is made up of a diverse group of people,
from all over the social and financial map.  It is our aim to be
as inclusive as possible, and allow for anyone with a will to
participate, the ability to do so.



No one likes to increase prices...BUT with what we’ve got in store - IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT!



Membership Prices.



Part of our effort to make the gathering accessible and to get you to
buy your tickets in advance we are introducing  a staggered price
system.



First 100 memberships will be available for $90.  (50 online and 50 at the First Drop In)



NEXT 400 memberships will be $100



WHATEVER REMAINS will be $110



Memberships will be available until JUNE 15th!



Keep in mind that this is a great value, our festival is a week long,
and includes full meals (brunch and dinner) for every day you are on
the land.



Kids 10 and under are free!



Online Membership sales :: Coming to a website near you! 



We’re tweaking and coding and designing and writing away!  We’re
almost ready to open up the online membership sales so dust off your
PayPal accounts and get ready to log in!



FRIDAY, MAY 25th @ NOON!  ONLINE TICKET SALES START.



The first 50 people to sign up/in and Pay using PayPal will receive the Spring-in-yer-step earlybird $90 membership fee!



In Person Drop Ins:



Don’t like PayPal?  Live in, near or heading through Toronto?

We have 5 In-Person drop ins!



May 20th 2012  – Suma:Awaken at The Amsterdam.

May 25th 2012  -  Liberate at 103 Bellevue Ave.

May 27th 2012  – 80 Nassau Street.

June 8th 2012   – CirQlation v4: Kalya Scintilla + MerKaBa at Nocturne Nightclub.

June 10th 2012 -  80 Nassau Street.



Sunday, May 20th -

Suma presents: AWAKEN featuring D-NOX

@ the Amsterdam

8:00pm until 5:00am

http://www.facebook.com/events/419943238022179/

The first 50 people to come grab their memberships at THIS Drop In get
the Spring in yer step early $90 membership fee! Find us at the door
between 10pm-1am!  (Paid entry not required to purchase a
membership...but we’d love to join you on the dancefloor once we get
there!)



Friday, May 25th -

Liberate

103 Bellevue Avenue, Toronto, ON

8:00pm until 5:00am

http://www.facebook.com/events/440583999300717/

Find us at the door between 10pm-1am!  (Paid entry not required to
purchase a membership … but this is a benefit so … just sayin’)



Sunday, May 27th -

a dubby afternoon drop in at cozy porch in kensington market at 80 Nassau Steet.  More details coming soon!



Friday, June 8th -

cirQlation v4 :: Kalya Scintilla + MerKaBa

Nocturne Nightclub -- 550 Queen St. West

10:00pm until 4:00am

http://www.facebook.com/events/226619167437803/



Sunday, June 10th -

Last Chance for in person membership sign up!  join us at our cozy
kensington porch (80 Nassau) to sign up before its too late!  More
details coming soon!



*NEW* Dog Policy - Doggie Memberships



Although we love our furry friends we have always requested that dogs
not attend the festival, and again this year we strongly discourage
dogs on site. However for those who feel they cannot come without their
animals, we are implementing a new trial policy in order to give dog
owners a chance to participate in the festival with their dogs. Doggie
memberships will be registered at the door with a fee of $50 (per
owner, Certified Guide Dogs exempt) and a dog owner contract will
outline expectations for owner responsibilities.

Dogs must be on a leash at all times - in the forest and the island -
except in the off-leash area. Dogs can exercise freely in the open
field.

Dog owners must keep their animal supervised at all times, including off leash area.

No dogs in the kitchen area.

Pick up after your dog every time. You must bring biodegradable bags and dispose of them at the KYBOs.

Dog owners name will be on dog festival tag and at night dogs must be identified with bike lights on collars.



It is important to emphasize the co-operation of dog owners with this
policy so that all members can be respected. It is understood that any
conflicts that arise will be managed in a considerate manner, and the
festival reserves the right to ask irresponsible or problematic dog
owners to leave if agreements can not be made after considerable
attempts. If these conditions cannot be met, dogs will no longer be
welcomed at future festivals - Woof!



::Volunteering @ Solstice::





YOUR VOLUNTEER SHIFT!

As this gathering is community run, it is everyone who attends that
makes it happen. Everyone doing a small part makes something massive
happen. Upon arrival you will sign up for your devoted block of time in
one of our many exciting locations, working, hands on, to bring this
gathering together.  Take a look at what we’re looking for and how
you can best fit in.  More information will be available soon!

 

Kitchen -

Our Vegan Outdoor Kitchen is fluxing and flowing, expanding its breadth
to accommodate our growing community. Along with our usual Prep
Artists. We are putting a call-out ahead of time for Meal Focalizers.
We'd like to get every meal covered, so if you or a team of you and
your friends would like to activate the kitchen with your vision, send
us a note, and soon we'll have an online sign-up. We are also looking
for Kitchen Tour Guides, to help orient our volunteers. This year the
kitchen is all about creating niche, and habitat for creativity. We'll
have a salad and raw raw raw area, a Soup kitchen, a treat boutique,
and maybe even an oven! Knowledgeable about Composting? Wanna be on the
Oven Team? Keep your ears peeled for pre-festival Kitchen Socials, as
we energize and organize leading up to the festival.



Stage Volunteers -

We are seeking people with building and deco skills! Volunteering at
the stages is a lot of fun and a lot of creative work!  We need
skilled people to help with building dancefloors, DJ and VJ booths,
building and assembling projection screens, putting up heavy-duty 
tarps, running cables, mounting projectors, helping with deco, making
signs, painting stuff, putting up lighting and fabrics and making the
place look awesome! Also if you have ideas for installations or pieces
of art you would like to create/bring etc... please get in touch asap
and let us know your ideas skills and talents and we will try to find a
way to wave your magic into the web... deco@omreunionproject.org



*NEW* C.A.L.M Volunteers

The Center for Alternative Living Medicine is the gathering’s holistic
haven where community members can access natural healing alternatives
in a peaceful and safe environment. New this year: volunteering at
C.A.L.M can count as your official volunteer shift! C.A.L.M is always
open for anyone to use the massage tables or offer healing services and
workshops anytime, however we are requesting professionally accredited
or experienced body-workers to fill official volunteer shifts. Anyone
interested in participating at C.A.L.M must contact calm@omreunionproject.org. 



You are also welcome to submit your name (forest name?), a short one
sentence bio, and one sentence description of the services you will be
offering by June 1st for inclusion in the festival guide. This may not
make it in due to constraints, but but we hope to include it. Also
please join the C.A.L.M FB group: www.facebook.com/groups/307191139352689/



First Aid -

keeping our cOMmunity healthy and safe by patrolling the festival on
our busiest nights working with Coordinators and Emergency Medical
Responders (EMR's).   You DO NOT need to provide any medical
assistance - Just be our eyes and ears!  It gets very dark and the
forest is large...!  Members wanting to volunteer here should have
First Aid training, some health care or healing experience.



Gate -

the first stop we all take at the gathering. Volunteers will help to
orient all members to the Solstice Festival Guidelines, the land and
festival spaces; help direct traffic and organise parking; and provide
overall support and welcoming-ness at the Front gate.  Helpful
skills/talents/personality traits:  cheerleading, traffic
directing, public speaking, word search, customer service, retail
experience, sense of humor, FUN!



Logistics -

the gatherings literal backbone; Logistics tasks can be very physically
demanding.  You'll be expected to be capable of lifting heavy
materials in a safe way, sustained physical labour, and (hopefully!) a
positive, helpful attitude.  Keen attention to detail is required
for precise construction, ALL structures must be functional and
safe.  We’re sure you'll be learning useful new skills! 
             



::P(ART)icipate! in Solstice::





From submissions to this year’s Guidebook, to a newly invigorated Kids
Camp, from Art Grants to Workshops. We’ve got some things on the
Go-Go-Get-Involved:: Check it!





O.R.P. Festival Guide

We hope that this year's festival guide will include lots and lots of
member submitted content just like last year.  We accept drawings,
graphics and other visual art (scanned into graphics files,) poetry,
articles, political critiques and rants, short stories (really short),
and pretty much anything else that you would like to share with the
rest of the community.



The absolute final deadline for submissions is June 1st. So, please
search your journals, sketchbooks and computer drives for older pieces
you want to contribute, or write/design some new work but make sure
it’s in by June 1st or it will be TOO LATE!



Long Crew:

Ever wondered what it takes to create a festival?  A lot of love,
hard work, sweat, co-operation, and fun!  We are accepting
applications to join long crew a.k.a. one of the best summer
experiences you’ll ever have.  You’ll get in shape, learn new
skills, meet new friends, and ultimately get more out of the festival
having helped build it. 

E-mail longcrew@omreunionproject.org to get involved.



Long Crew will be having a Work Weekend June 9-10!  If you’re
planning on getting involved, contact us ASAP, and let us know if you
can make it.  We’ll feed you and keep you busy with challenging
(but Fun!) jobs like stage construction, special projects: 
kitchen expansion and oven, trails, kybos and more!  Email us now
for more info!



Art Tent:

This year, we are in need of supplies to rejuvenate the art tent!
Please consider donating any art supplies you may already have or
picking up a paint set or brushes on sale when passing by a bargain
store. You can bring them to the festival to the art tent or if you
wish to donate the supplies beforehand, drop them off in the city at
our two drop off locations. Donations can also be dropped off at the
workshop gathering (info below).



DROP OFF LOCATIONS:

West end: 153 St. Helens Ave (Lansdowne & Bloor/College) contact bevy@6478955420

East end: 603 Parliament (Parliament 7 Wellesley) contact taylor@4168206007



WISH LIST : paper - drawing tools - markers pencil crayons - painting
tools- paint brushes - plastic knives - plastic dishes - buckets - oil
free paint - paint/pastels sets - plasticine - canvas - string -
newpaper and white glue-[we want to do papermache and put on a puppet
show- : )] - hemp string/wax string-any beads/ feathers for dream
catcher making workshop - any art magazines to do collages - any old
fabrics/clothes we can cut up to make quilts/hats/ scarves - deco
figurines - bristol board/ cardboard/wood planks for sign and poster
making



Safe space and workshops are also requesting blanket donations!



Workshops:

Want to share, teach, or learn? Something you would like to discuss?
Want to pull together a group of like minded people to plan something?
Then organize a Workshop!



Our festival is a great place to disseminate the amazing skills and
knowledge that our community collectively holds. In past years, people
have organized workshops teaching  people to hug, teaching DJ
skills, teaching anti-oppression, discussing politics, practicing
contact dance, and discussing the meaning of gender and the social
pressures that go with it.



The workshop dOMe will be in a great central location, dry and
comfortable; conducive to learning, group discussions, and film
projection. That means that this year, we hope it will be a week-long
teach-in running throughout the festival.



We need YOU to contribute the workshops! Please e-mail
workshops@omreunionproject.org to register your workshop by June 1st to
be listed in the Zine.  You can continue to register your
workshops after that.



There will be 2 WORKSHOP DROP-IN dates to pre-congregate in person.
Come discuss any specific needs, scheduling, questions, and zine
blerbs. This gets the intentions and energy of the workshops rolling
that also creates a golden opportunity to meet like-minded sOulMies,
who love to share, teach, and learn!

Saturday, May 26 - 2pm - 6pm,

outside Linnux Caffe - 326 Harbord St - (Grace & Harbord / West of Bathurst / across Bickford Park)

Sunday, May 27 - 3pm - 10pm

Loft404 ~ The Ambrosia Hub 263 Adelaide St. W (between Duncan & John)



Themecamps:

Unique, imaginative, interactive spaces are part of what makes Om so
magical!  Past theme camps include Carnivore Camp, Bubble Camp,
Circus Camp, Toy Box, Labyrinth, Fruit Tree Village, Camp Indigo,
Hammock Haven, and many more.  So let’s turn that lightbulb
floating above your head to the on position, and brainstorm a new space
to introduce to this year’s festival.  If you would like your
theme camp listed in the zine, e-mail your vision and leave no trace
plan of action to themecamps@omreunionproject.org before June 1st.



KIDS CAMP

Rowdy Howdy Family Campers!

This year's Family Area (new name to be dreamed up, current code name:
kiddie camp) is going to be bigger, more developed and WAY better
located!

Woo hoo!

Our vision is to have a children's area that will be outfitted with
kybos, snack shack, forested and sunny play areas, rain resistant play
area and nap zone. This whole area will be superdupervised by Parents
on Duty (pod people) between 10 am – 4 pm each day.



Now we need our family and friends to volunteer and make this mega wonderland vision a brilliant reality.



Who wants to lead a kiddie workshop?

You could make balloon animals, paint faces, tell a story, make
bubbles, set up a play, circus, volunteer as/with a pod person ... the
possibilities are endless!

As well, we are making a call-out for materials to be used in the area
(bins, door type bits of wood for tables, milk crates, toys, tarps,
carpets, pillows, crafts etc). Let us know what ya got and we can
figure out how to get it to the forest.

For more practical news, please remember to bring a food donation for
the snack shack in addition to your kitchen donation andbring a walkie
talkie type device if your child is of the age where being far away is
likely to occur.

We are currently drafting a parental safety guide. Parents will be
asked to have their family picture taken (with a poloriod film camera)
and a few new safety guidelines will be outlined in waiver at the gate.

All family members are encouraged to participate in these new developments.

To get in on the drawing board with family activities, stuff donations, volunteering or safety guidelines, please family@omreunionproject.org



OM Radio

wants your participation!

 

Got a mix you'd like to share, or a knack for producing entertaining
audio? We want your participation in this year's radio project. We're
looking for pre-recorded audio content -- whether it's music, a
documentary, or a newscast you recorded with your kids! Send your
content, as MP3 or another common format, to radio@omreunionproject.org to participate!

 

We'll also have plenty of time for live broadcasts at the festival. So
come ready to perform a live DJ set, a report on the action in the
kitchen, or just go off on a tangent about that guy you saw carrying a
wizard staff. The radio waves are your oyster!



ART Grants

Om Reunion Project has a limited number of grants available for
supporting community-based artistic projects and installations at
SOLSTICE 2012. Got a great idea for a forest sculpture? Or perhaps
something for one of our stages? Maybe even a giant wind sculpture for
the field? We want to hear about it, and help you make it a reality!
Send your concept/proposal to art@omreunionproject.org, and be sure to
include a timeline, budget and explain how your work will help
contribute to the festival experience. Entries must be submitted before
Sunday, June 3rd, but the sooner the better because there's no time to
waste!!! And remember: EVERYONE together creates our festival
experience, so even if you're unable to manifest something on a grand
scale, we would still LOVE to see YOU bring something beautiful and
magical for others to enjoy! (But remember we aim to be as ecologically
friendly as possible, and leave no trace! :)



Entertainment and Performers

Performer submissions for the SOLSTICE 2012 are now over! Many thanks
to everyone who submitted! Stay tuned for more info about participating
artists soon!

::ORP COMMUNITY BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 2012 ::

Greetings ORP friends and family …

Depending on your part of the country or continent, the groundhog has predicted our early return to spring this year. We’ve awoken earlier than usual to begin scheming, dreaming, playing and planning.

This year is special no doubt, with another 7-year cycle come and gone, the emergence from 2011 into the mystery and expectations of 2012, and the groundswell of energy that will lead us to the solstice.

We have experienced much CHANGE in recent months and We are eager for MORE! ...though we don’t know what that means - right now. CHANGES to spark our imaginations and creativity, to inspire our courageous kookiness and lift our community through to its next phase, whatever that may be....

ARE YOU EXCITED?

...because it’s coming...

:::Summer Solstice 2012 :::

So save that date with gosh goly glee, because we promise you an event ripe with character and fun, and so much more - perhaps like nothing you’ve ever experienced before!

Monday, June 18th - Sunday, 24th 2012

Don’t miss out! Book your vacation time, tie string around your fingers, synchronise your watches, update the calendar app.... do it NOW!

The night sky will be dark that week, with a new moon just emerging. This time promises power and inspiration and a fresh start for all of us. Dare to dream ORPies … dream big this year. Start thinking about how you are going to contribute through art, music , food and performance … Bring it on with enthusiasm this year and be sure to let us know how you can help!

Stay tuned! You’ll be hearing from us soon!

P.L.U.R.
ॐ

IN LOVING MEMORY - JOHN PANAGAPKA

Dearest ORP Community,

As you may be aware, unfortunately, just a few weeks before the Winter Solstice, we lost a very dear friend and major contributor to the summer solstice festival and the community as a whole.

John Panagapka - January 9th, 1965 – December 5th, 2011
John passed from this world to the next on December 5th, five weeks after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. John was very active in the annual Summer Solstice festivals, as a coordinator and builder of necessary infrastructure, participating in and assisting with many other events and projects within our community. John had wisdom and character like none other. He shared his knowledge and joy with the world without expectation. If you ever had the pleasure of meeting John he most likely made a lasting impression on you. We know that John would want us all to shine his light forward in our own lives as he did while living his.

An individual to the end, John died at home, surrounded by the community that he loved and we love and miss him still.

John was buried in a casket made by hand by those closest to him, that was painted with love, and adorned with tools to assist him on his journey.

At John’s memorial funky hats and animal ears arrived en mass. He was remembered through laughter and tears, stories and lessons. Messages left for John in his last days were shared, giving everybody present an impression of the strength, joy, beauty, patience and love by which John lived his life.

We watched John’s natural burial and said our good-byes with an OM.

Namaste,
ORP