another successful gathering

[rengypsy]

our recent gathering...

for many of you, you only know sherwood during faire season; but sherwood is much more than the 17 days faire operates.  it always has been. from the moment we closed on the land, we begun having gatherings of interested parties to bring them into the vision.  i still recall the first one...held in late december of january.  it was 20 degrees.  we had erected a blue canvas tent with poster boards with drawing of our plans for the faire.  where the faire is situated today was a forest overrun with yaupon that was so thick it was close to impossible to walk across.  some 25-40 people dared to come out on that cold day and evening.  we huddled around a blazing fire, drank a few beers, talked, hugged and shared ideas about what sherwood would or could become.

since that time, gatherings have remained a focal point for the sherwood community.

this weekend was another fantastic time where some 200+ sherwoodians would come together for camaraderie, sharing, music and community.

we are creating our dreams, dear friends.

friday night was amazing. we had a band from austin called cumbia.  i had someone refer to them as a mix of santana and reggae meets mexico.  they started playing at 10pm and finished after 3am.  at one point everyone was dancing.  it was really fun. they were great.  

the smart folk had surely gone to their tents or campers by the close, but a few stayed until the very end.

saturday morning was met with some 25+ volunteers working to prepare the grounds for our first annual summer youth medieval camp that will begin this coming sunday.  they picked up sticks, took out stumps, and cut weeds around the structures.  our volunteers are nothing less than forest angels.  we so appreciate your efforts.  this next gathering, we will be seeking volunteers to assist us in resurfacing the mud show stage--a creation from volunteers last year when we learned the ancient technique of waddle and daub.

this dedicated group of volunteers worked into mid-afternoon...and the amount of work they accomplished was astounding.  

i received an email several weeks ago from another faire asking how in the hell sherwood has been able to sustain a volunteer base.  my response was simple.  the faire is very much theirs.  they are us. we are them. we love and respect as integral part of faire. we are building much more than a business: we are building a community.  there was no further follow up question from the person inquiring.  either they got it or thought it absurd.  but for sherwood, it is the heart and soul of the venture.  and we love yall for all you give back to sherwood.

that afternoon, a water slide was erected and kids (of all ages) jumped in to relieve themselves from the heat of a texas summer day.  kids and families must remain a central focus of our gatherings and all our ventures.  the thrill in the faces of the kids slipping and sliding in the water was a perfect picture.

around 6pm, we all gathered at the jerusalem pub for a pot-luck meal.  the pot lucks are a tradition i wanted at sherwood from my old church days as a youth at a small intimate methodist church.  there is something important about the ritual of breaking bread together.

when scott, laura, tree of shillelagh began to play for us, one of the sherwood faithfuls, barry watson, sat beside me.  we talked about his travels overseas while in the military. we talked about various expereinces each of us had had in our fifty-five years on this planet.  and we talked about sherwood.  at one point, barry said, "ei will be at sherwood until i die.  this community is what i want to be a part of. it's real. it's dynamic.  and it has spirit."

what more needs to be said?  sherwood is so much about the collage of souls and personalities who volunteer and bring their music, their art, their laughter, their dreams to our forest.

that evening, we made our way down to the seven sisters for drumming, dance, fire spinning and communing with nature and each other under an almost full moon.

nothing better in this world that i have found.  nothing.  

you people are are my family.  thank you for all you give back to this dream.  see you at the next gathering on labor day weekend.

rengypsy

[SQiRL]

This.... is precisely why i consider Sherwood to be my Home Faire (even though i live in Dallas).

You guys "get it" in my opinion and the community that comes together for a common cause is amazing.  

I may not have been able to help out since the start,  but I eagerly followed the progress online and wish even more now that i could have been a part of it then.  But, when time allowed me to finally join the ranks of the volunteers at the work weekends... i jumped at the chance.

From my heart to all of the staff and management at Sherwood....let me just say.... Thank you for allowing us to do more than just attend your faire.  Thank you for allowing us to be part of it.

SQiRL
A.K.A. Dmitri Renaud

[Vixara]

I couldn't agree more. I only wish I even knew about Sherwood opening year! From the first time I stepped foot in the campgrounds second season, I was hooked.
I am sad that I was not able to be there sooner this weekend! But the show at the Improv Saturday afternoon was pretty important. Glad I could at least make it out for what I did, I had an absolute blast as always