Community Retreat

["Susan Palmer" <susanp@moscow.com>]

I thought Rebecca Huntington's article this morning really did
the Moscow Community Retreat justice and captured the essence 
the retreat. To tell you the truth, I don't think it could have been 
better if I had planned it myself.

And that is the point...SO MANY PEOPLE so willingly helped
plan the event. Ultimately I hope to compile a list of all the volunteers
and financial supporters, although I fear it could match the number
of people who actually attended (nearly 200) and I might overlook
someone. 

All sorts of individuals have said to me, "I hardly did anything."
On the contrary, whether it was a sliver or a slice, a check or
a phone call, you folks made my life so much easier and provided
an enormous relief for me in the planning.

Although it typically helps to have a designated central contact
for an event like that, the kudos must be WIDELY dispersed.

Concerning where we go from here, I genuinely love
Linda's idea that participants sign the original report (if we can
pull that off). And perhaps on the 1st of each month for the 
next year someone can post the question "What's the status
of the retreat follow up?" We can notify folks about when the
document is completed, identify agencies and organizations
who are working on or complete the statements of commitment
that transform the ideas into reality, we can have monthly
"state of the retreat" reports (from multiple sources like the
hospital, the school district, the city, the university, clubs,
service organizations, churches) that update us on segments
of the ideas generated at the retreat. If there is even one item 
to report on a monthly basis, the retreat ideas can stay alive.

My biggest regret is that Jack Hill was unable to attend. He was
instrumental in planning the retreat from its inception. He would have
been proud.

Susan Palmer
susanp@moscow.com