Winter Fishtrap Gathering 2008 - Evaluation
Link to Wallowa County Cheiftain Article
Link to Rich Wandschneider's Mainstreet column in Wallowa County Cheiftain
The comments from participants:
1. THE BUS RIDE FROM PORTLAND
Excellent
Great driver
I would not have come without it!
Didn’t participate but might in future
Please do this again. I’ve thought about wft for years – bus from pdx made the deal for me
Fantastic – a true lifesaver write on the bus excellent!
Long
Perfect ice breaker, nice green way to go
Should have stopped at tribal center
2. THE PROGRAM
I’ll become a subscriber (to Sojourn)
Perfect kickoff (Debra) beautiful writer, speaker, person
Educational re WW II
The philosophy and understanding of the Sisters of the Road is so necessary – my life is better for having met and listened to them
I really related to the memory problems
Admired Patrick’s courage
Loved Michael’s energy
Breakout group too big
Circle conversation a good set up conducive to group discussion
Sisters of the Road great case study
Debra powerful reader
Sojourn so wonderful Michael is a gifted teacher as well a artist… good to see how the arts can be a powerful instrument of change without beating people in the head.. love the idea of setting the context for dialog
Sisters blew me away
Michael, Kimberly –such energy and talent –the true meaning of empathy
Sojourn is not just a project. It is a way of listening and experiencing your community and communities very different from your won
Sisters – powerful and inclusive. Allow people to really know the life of someone who had experienced homelessness. Thank you Patrick
I was reminded again of the importance of listening deeply…learned a lot about my own fears and misunderstandings about the individual’s role in relieving the isolation of homelessness
"Alley" arrangement worked well
Great excellent brilliant very good fabulous fine terrific wonderful yummy!
The phrase "abstraction of numbers" kept coming back to me.. morphed into an idea, "the abstraction of numbness," which keeps people from developing empathy, from knowing other stories
I will examine how I can better teat all people with dignity and support organizations and people who promote such
Patrick – a true inspiration… I can tell that Sisters has allowed him to find meaning in life – self esteem and the power of compassion and giving and sharing his story
Power of theater
Please continue to keep the whole group together
I prefer breaking into two groups –easier for some people to speak that way
Sojourn –astounding visionaries profound stimulates avenues of possible adaptation to other works of art
Missed breakouts, but liked keeping community intact
Sojourn – brilliant action! taking it to the streets.
Sojourn Ohio story such a gift
3. THE WRITING TIMES
Excellent
Would have liked more directed writing sessions
Worth getting up early
Would have liked more writing time,,, I wrote a lot here
Went to bed saying I wouldn’t write at 7 – woke up at 6 went down and wrote... getting braver
4. SATURDAY NIGHT PROGRAM
Very very nice but now we need some laughter – play twister, dance!
Loved music
Evening program was a great way to close an intensely rich day. I wish for more music – maybe in the mornings too.
Centering to come back after dinner to Debra’s reading. Monica and Patrick’s readings great wisdom.. of course loved the music
Powerful reading by Debra. Heidi’s’s songs are healing.. Steve and Kate are family
Perfect end of the day!
Enjoyed music before dinner
5. SUNDAY MORNING OPEN MIKES
Wow
Inspiring
Great personal challenge
A Fishtrap signature – wonderful!
The best ever!
Thanks for the opportunity to read
Wanted more! The theme of empathy and living right has drawn people close and opened hearts
6. FOOD AND LODGING
Noise level in eating area annoying
Food terrific
One negative on food but not specific – I don’t do cold cut sandwiches
Food not convenient for vegetarians (too much dairy sugar processed food.. no vegetable protein)
Beautiful food
Food delicious and beautifully presented – service friendly and attentive
Meals elegant delicious and well presented and served. Hazelnut pancakes awesome
Clean and spacious room. Great staff
I love the lodge the setting snow shoeing
Lodge the perfect space. For me the best part was being able to hear voices through the walls: each night when I went to bed I as reminded of the parties my parents had when I was small, and that feeling of drifting off to sleep on top of all that conviviality..
Hard to hear at long tables.... Consider arranging tables in smaller groupings
7. OVERALL
It was one of the best
But to fill wft we probably need a cheerier theme
Thanks for including free time – lovely walk
Sunday morning write
Sat eve too late too much wine
Fabulous weekend – my first time here and couldn’t have been more delighted. Fine topic—gave me just what I needed.
Inspired but depressed – what could I write say do when it was being done so excellently by others…. I felt old by passed surpassed outdated [but] won’t stop trying to make a difference
Take away "insight about multiple viewpoints"
I came here not for the writing and I got exactly what I craved. Deep conversation about heartfelt issues. I couldn’t have been more delighted.
Overall, I wish we could have done more intense dialog with the facilitators who could direct and finesse the dialogue to really pierce deep places. I wanted to feel deeply challenged and felt that in this sense the conversation was a bit too free form and light.
This is the best Winter Fishtrap in 6 years of coming. Every session was excellent, interesting, and connected to the others
I’m going to start knitting…. I’ll eat at Sisters."
Mine is limited understanding of poverty and homelessness
Would like to see more diversity in participants
Learn to knit
My first Winter Fishtrap and I loved it – I loved the way the readings and presentations all fell into pale as if they were planned an choreographed
Great topic I will be mindful of noticing right living in the large picture as well as my little world
Don’t be afraid.. life isn’t so scary .. it’s full keep and open mind
Want more diversity
Integration of the subject – empathy, charity responsibility was not addressed
Discussion of how we interact with panhandlers
Sojourn – these guys exemplified this year’s topic for me, incorporating art and social responsibility seamlessly. They were the perfect people
I appreciated the entire experience, but it would have have been impossible for me to come without the partial scholarship, cost is prohibitive
Long cash bar Saturday – combine with something like music
Stories are the way to empathy
Too many people agreeing... more conflict radical points of view
Be sure to give context for us (e.g., so and so’s guitar.. had no idea of who you were referring to...)
Made list of topics . I will write I will write I will write...
No whining take action
I always have a home at Fishtrap-- Why do I forget?
Changed the way I’ll experience the homeless daily in my neighborhood
We didn’t introduce ourselves as a group except on bus for rookies
8. THE FUTURE –SUGGESTED THEMES, PRESENTERS, ETC.
Small is beautiful
Something hands on and/or physical for group to do. Collaborative writing. Short singing bouncing a ball from one to another
Urban/rural dynamics …. Myths, fantasies, realities
Process for reconciliation
Simplicity/ richness
Issues re children
Religious doctrine vs non-discrimination (gender, race, sexual orientation)
Immigration
Non-violence
Interweaving cultures
William Sullivan hiking Oregon – themes: hiking – forays into the forest.
Community celebrations – Fremont arts council Seattle
Generations or ancestry – genetic memory
Preserving the planet
One world how what happens one place affects other places, global warming, world peace, etc. Robert Thurman.