A Cult is coming!

Yesterday Joe saw about 50 police cars at the college and said they must be getting training for something. Yep, the Rainbow Family is having a huge national gathering around Fallsville in the National Forest.

Keep your kids in the house!! Right, Annette? Didn't Nathan get sucked into that temporarily?
.
They're druggies and they steal stuff. My sister said they have to run them out of northwest Arkansas regularly.
.
But this isn't just one little group, it's THOUSANDS of them coming for a week.

Here's some of their official information--

The Silent Circle for Prayer and Healing July 4th Morning--
We gather to focus on LOVE, nature, our better nature, healing division, and to honor and respect all positive contributions to the evolution of earth and all life. On July 4th, from daybreak till high noon, the camp is hushed, hopefully no talking at all. It is a wonderful exercise to communicate without words. People gather in Main Circle to meditate for World Peace and the Healing of the Earth. This is a time of profound energy. Explore your deepest feelings so that your healing might will be complete. The silence is broken with a resonant OM after the Children's Parade enters the Circle, after high noon.
PLEASE respect the morning silence. There is plenty of time in life for noise.

Main Meadow--
Main Meadow is the epicenter of the Gathering, located in an open field large enough to accommodate many people. It is where we coordinate Main Counsel, Dinner circle, various prayers, celebrations, & events, including our Silent Meditation for World Peace on the morning of July 4th. There should be no tents or fires here. This meadow is for all. Its energy should be kept clear and pure. Trade circle should NOT be in sight.

The Magic Hat--
The fund raising instrument for any Rainbow event. A Gathering is free for everyone. But the supplies needed to keep everyone well fed and healthy cost money. This includes food, medical supplies, gas for shuttle buses and supply vehicles, etc. By giving generously to the Magic Hat, each of us helps to provide for all. The Magic Hat appears at group meals and is sometimes carried by wandering minstrels. Giving early in the Gathering is more helpful than gradual contributions. Be wary of Magic Hats that are not inside the actual gathering site & personal hats being called "the Magic Hat". The surest safest place to contribute is at dinner circle in the main meadow. Contributions are cared for by a Banking Counsel of at least 5 respected Family members. They count all collected money daily, keep written records of the amounts, and make decisions as to how the money is allocated. Receipts are kept, and Banking Counsel records are open to all who wish to see them.

Supply--
Donations of food and materials are pooled and distributed here. Supplies from individuals can be brought here as well. Banking funds allow money-saving bulk purchases and help cut down waste. This is a major operation, requiring daily Counsels and the energy of many. Kitchen representives meet here to discuss their needs.

Kitchens--
Food is obtained from Supply & prepared by the helping hands of hundreds of volunteer choppers, slicers, peelers, stirrers, fire tenders, and chefs. Some kitchens serve all day, some have specified meals, some send food to Main Circle, and others offer specialized fare like popcorn or coffee. Food sent to Main Circle is vegetarian. Ideally, Every Rainbow should have their own cup, bowl, & spoon that they wash thoroughly after each use. Kitchens must be kept CLEAN. Enclose kitchens with railings, and set up hand washing stations. There is no faster way to spread disease than to serve contaminated food. Volunteers in kitchens must wash their hands before working with food, and must not have cuts or communicable diseases. Work surfaces & implements are washed with bleach water before and after use. Food is served by servers with designated tools. People do NOT serve themselves with their own utensils. Personal bowls should be served at the side of a pot, not over it.Supplies are not stored on the ground, or in the open. Pets are kept out of kitchens. Every kitchen has a dishwashing station, usually comprised of 5-gallon buckets. One for scraping debris into, one with hot soapy water for washing, one with clear water for rinsing, and one with water containing a capful of bleach or vinegar for disinfecting. Wash water is changed regularly. Dirty cookware should not sit around for hours. Compost pits are dug nearby for food waste. When the contents come up to within a foot of ground level, they are filled in with dirt. A mound of dirt is left on top to level as the waste underneath decomposes & settles. If flies start their own gathering at your compost pit, then it's time to cover some of it up. Waste water goes into grey water pits. Kitchens constantly need firewood and water. Make a habit of bringing a piece of wood when visiting a kitchen. Each kitchen should also have a first aid kit.

Front Gate--
When you volunteer for Front Gate, you get to see it all come in. The parking lot crew greets the world with hugs and info. They maintain an organized and secure parking area, and make an around the clock commitment that involves: greeting new arrivals, giving out information, traffic control, security, minor auto repair, maintaining a kitchen and fire circle, & an active Shanti Sena. Alcohol energy can be an issue here. Front Gate and Welcome Home are sometimes understaffed. Volunteering here is especially helpful.

Bus Village--
Bus Village is for those who come in campers or live-in busses or vans. Bus village is a community of its own with kitchens, Counsels, work crews, and Shanti Sena. Bus Village is usually well situated to help with Front Gate and Welcome Home.
.
Shuttles--
Shuttles are rugged busses or trucks that can provide almost continuous service that is safe & reliable between the parking area and the Welcome Home center. Drivers need relief regularly. Riders should help with gas and repair expenses. The parking crew seeks vehicles for possible use as shuttles.

Welcome Home--
Welcome Home is set up past the front gate, just before the main camping areas to meet & greet people as they enter the site. It provides a place for people to rest from their journey, be informed about site specifics conditions, and receive copies of "Rap 107" and " Rap 701". A site map is posted. New arrivals may be offered coffee, tea, water, and/or a hug.

Kid Village--
Kid Village is a place for children to find other children, parents to meet other parents, & all to share and grow in parenting. It facilitates the needs of kids, parents, and pregnant & nursing moms. It has a kitchen, shade, playthings, and people who are good with children. Kid Village should be located a distance from main meadow to minimize noise at night. Kitchen help, musicians, storytellers, and game leaders are always welcome. Child awareness is always of paramount concern. Keep track of your children. Kid Village is NOT simply a drop off zone. Know where your children are, when they should meet you or be back to your camp. If you entrust their care to someone else, be sure you know that person to the point of having spent some time with them. If you leave your children at Kid Village, clearly inform others of your going, expected return, and if possible, leave word where you can be found. For small children, pin a tag with their name, your name, and where you are camped on their shirt. If your child gets lost, don't wait too long to act. Inform Child Search at Info or Kid Village.

Shanti Sena--
Shanti Sena is Sanskrit for peace keeper. If a problem develops, calling "Shanti Sena" loudly will bring assistance. In truth, everyone is a peace keeper. We all watch out for each other. Often a group can prevail in a conflict where a single person can not. Some of the Family are professionally trained in conflict resolution. Talking with Respect & Compassion is tried first. If physical intervention can not be avoided, it is done gently without inflicting injury. We respond nonviolently & with Love. In a general sense, We are all Shanti Sena. Help by minding your valuables & keeping an eye on a neighbors camp when their away.

Info--
Info is the Gathering's communications center. All Counsels, events, and focalizers report here daily with announcements and needs. Anyone with anything noteworthy to share should come here to pass the word. Lost and Found and Rumor Control are here. Printed handouts on a variety of subjects can be distributed here. Maps, rider boards, and bulletin boards are nearby. There is a "Volunteer Here" board for people wanting to plug in & help. Projects needing assistance make their needs known here. It is also a good place to report an emergency or large concern.

Trade Circle--
Barter and the mutual exchange of crafts and the like are encouraged. One thing exchanged directly for another thing, or for a service performed. Money changing in the temple is unacceptable. No money should ever change hands here. Using money jeopardizes our right to use public land. Trading un-used commercially produced goods is in bad taste. The gathering is for sharing hearts, not making profit & the funky energy that goes with it. As a result, consensus was reached in 1995 that Trade Circle should not be on the main trail, or in sight of the Main Meadow.
.
I also read on another website that a guy who owns a little grocery store had one of the dirty guys come in there, and he had a big fat tick on his face. He told the guy about it, and the guy said, "Ticks gotta have a place to live, too." CAN YOU IMAGINE?!

I told Joe that if we went up there, they'd hug us, assuming we could stand their smell, and he said, "Yeah, and they'd probably pick our pockets at the same time." Actually, they may have diligently saved up their food stamps for months for this great vacation.