Young Friends Working Group Minutes

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Archive of past Young Friends Working Group Minutes

August 2002 to May 2003

: Minutes of the Young Friends Concerns Group are posted here, in chronological order..

May 3, 2003 Camp Swatara evaluation

January 23, 2003 Young Friends Working Group Meeting

December 29, 2002 YF Christmas Gathering Business Meeting & YF & FAP Evaluations

December 8, 2002 YF Subcommittee Meeting

November 10, 2002 YF Halloween Gathering Business Meeting

Minutes of - October 13, 2002 YF Subcommittee Meeting

Evaluation at the Peace Fair Gathering at the Peace Fair Gathering

MINUTES of September 15, 2002 YF Subcommittee Meeting

Young Friends Evaluation of Camp Onas 2002

YOUNG FRIENDS November 2, 2003 Working Group meeting

Present: Cookie Caldwell, Jack Mahon, Megan Keitzman-Nicklin, Tobi Buchmann, Hilary Bisenieks, Nancy Diaz-Svalgard, Joan Olson, Tom Olson, Emily, Jeremy, Madeline, James Wilson, Ross Sager, Lori Pedersen, Kirsten Larson. Kevan Richter arrived just we were leaving the building after the meeting .

Christmas – This gathering is shaping up! U arts have dance teachers who have responded, Cookie would like to find 3 others – maybe Jen Elam?

Labyrinth – Penelope Wright from FGC was contacted and she’s sent Nancy her bibliography – we’re thinking about building this during the silence and walking it at night, lit by luminarias.

Kristen Catena from George School, at Onas Kristen said she was interested in doing a workshop on music therapy

Other workshops – weaving, knitting, yoga, papier-mâché, bread making, Cookie will do lifts on the 29th which will bring us out of the silence.

February – Nancy will go over AVP workshop topics for AVP (alternatives to violence project) with Cookie. Nancy will also be in search of 2 other facilitators – hopefully youth or graduated YF’s who are facilitators.

Gathering Attendance – BRING A FRIEND!!! We have scholarship $ - let folks know this!
Ideas: fliers of upcoming activities sent to MM & Friends Schools within PYM
Have a YF’s open house. Would YM be a time where others could meet us to do service?
How about inviting Middle School Friends to join us at the Peace gathering?

November 2004 - Wilmington MM or Wilmington Friends School – Cookie will contact them with dates & hopes that we will be able to secure them as well as do service with their peace and social concerns committee.

MORE IDEAS – a Saturday only event – arrive at 9 and leave at 9 the same day – something with Michael Van Hoy – mural arts tour, Free Quaker Meeting house tour – capture the flag in the park behind the art museum, Father Divine’s

Camp Swatara – Do we need to attend this event? We’ll check out numbers & Cookie will speak with Tom Hoopes to see if this is an option. We will revisit this at Christmas when we have more information & a larger number of YF’s for opinion if it is needed.

FOR FUTURE GATHERINGS – Basement walls need mending – let’s FINISH THE MOSAIC!!!, we need 4 square balls – or maybe just a pump (!), make sure cleaning supplies are visible to all the groups, worship sharing – continue to be mindful of other groups who may still be gathered. Guidelines: for Christmas we’ll split into 2 groups and February, 1 large group.

YOUTH QUAKE – Cookie will speak with Kathy – he’s buying tickets today!

Service Opportunity – Friend, Takashi Mizuno has an idea that is blossoming – he would like to have Young Friends do service on a 2 acre lot on an area of land at Snipe’s Farm – a cooperative where he lives in Burlington, N.J.. We’re currently checking out different things to grow – long term (fruit bearing trees) or short (pumpkins, veggies, etc..), those items that are sandy soil friendly. Young Friends seem pretty interested in this idea. It would be great if we could even do a sweat there with George Price!

Workcamp – there is talk within PYM about laying down the workcamp office. Are there YFs who are interested in serving on a workcamp committee? Cookie will contact Arin Hanson (the interim employee) to find out the next meeting date & time.

Announcement: There's a CAPTURE THE FLAG GAME ever Saturday behind the Art Museum from 2-5 p.m. - no game 11/8/03.

We closed with worship at 3:35 YAHOO!!

YOUNG FRIENDS October 28, 2003 Working Group meeting
Lori Pedersen, Megan Kietzman-Nicklin, Diane de La Veaux, James Wilson, Nancy Diaz-Svalgard, Ben Newlin, Cookie Caldwell, and Kirsten Larson

We began with worship at 2:25

HALLOWEEN GATHERING – Young Friends will participate with Spiral Q puppeteers in Philadelphia. Spiral Q will put us into “pod groups” and we’ll learn how to use their puppets for a community parade. We will be with Spiral Q from 12 – 5:30 or 6 p.m. The parade leaves from Paul Robeson House, 4951 Walnut Street and march to Clark Park, Chester Ave. between 43rd and 45th Street where there will be a Pageant. Cookie will continue to communicate with Spiral Q as our numbers for the gathering grow.
Friday P.M. plans are the standards: dinner, program guidelines, getting to know you games and worship sharing. We’ll also have time to make some signs to carry/wear to the parade.
OUR RAIN PLAN FOR Saturday – mask decorating, Ben will contact Jesse White with hopes that she will do a journaling workshop, Cookie will contact Tom Olsen for relaxation & hypnotherapy techniques (a la Christmas 2002), Nancy will do yoga, Cookie – therapeutic touch.
Saturday evening – business meeting, worship sharing & HALLOWEEN DANCE!!*** bring a costume – make a mask.
**Supplies to pick up – blank white cardboard masks with elastic, feathers, glitter, tissue paper, paint**

CHRISTMAS GATHERING – dancing, solstice, silence – currently the gathering looks like this: Day 1 – getting to know you games, dance lessons & worship sharing
Day 2 – we need some program for the day, candle light/family style dinner, dance in the evening, late night Meeting for Worship and into the silence.
Day 3 – journaling, weaving, FOOTBALL!! and silent cheering, knitting stuff for AFSC quilts, art supplies out. Out of the silence with whole group lifts. Worship sharing
Day 4 – Meeting for Worship. Home!
**WE NEED A DANCE TEACHER OR 2 FOR BALLROOM & LATIN DANCE**

NOVEMBER GATHERING – ROAD TRIP!!! If we do a workcamp, we have a 15 person maximum at the PYM workcamp house in West Philly. We still have a couple of options.
Cookie will check out if there are there some Monthly Meetings who are actively doing service projects where YF’s would be welcome to help out AND spend the night? We also need ample bathroom & kitchen facilities. Also checking with Joan Broadfield of Chester Meeting regarding projects.
Nancy will contact Lancaster Monthly Meeting to see if anyone is doing work there – they’ve got great facilities and maybe we can walk the labyrinth at the Unitarian Universalist Church down the road.
Burlington Meeting House may have some projects for us as there are many trees down in the graveyard.
ONAS 2003 – check out the web site for our evaluations – we did a great job – thank you everyone for a great gathering – awesome Young Friends & equally amazing FAP’s.

PEACE FAIR EVALUATION POSITIVES – liked being a part of the fair and some free time.
NEGATIVES – too much unstructured time, shifts needed work as to when & where to change (who’s in charge??), adults took over in some instances when there were already YF volunteers in place. Worship sharing wasn’t consistent.
IDEAS – check in/out system, communicate with ALL volunteers so that it’s clear that if YF’s are volunteering, they are also to be respected.
MARCH – Yearly Meeting Sessions 2004 Young Friends will most likely be at Germantown again. They were great hosts last year and coupled with our service project AND urban survival skills, it was a pretty great weekend.
We’re currently searching for another work project.

YOUTH QUAKE UPDATE – up to this point, we’ve got approximately 7 Young Friends registered for the gathering which is to take place in Estes Park, Colorado from December 27 – January 1 2004. Aaron Crosman will continue to keep Cookie posted as to the numbers. Sadly Evangelical Friends are not sending delegations to the gathering because of unprogrammed Friends support of Gay and Lesbian concerns.
YOUNG FRIEND HOODIES – we’ve had MANY requests for YF sweatshirt hoodies – Cookie will check out with our current t-shirt supplier to costs. We’ll also check to see if we can find a space on the registration forms so parents can pay UP FRONT, for t-shirts AND sweatshirts. We’ll also work on having t-shirts out at registration Friday evening and Sunday when parents come to pick up their YF’s.

QUAKER YOUTH PILGRIMAGE - July 16 – August 14 2004 Young Friends travel to England, Germany & the Netherlands – more information on the YF’s web site!!!***

CHINA WORKCAMP 2004 – this has been a really successful workcamp for many Young Friends. Check out the web site for more information AND application forms for 2004 will be ready in February.
Young Friends ended with worship at 4:25

YOUNG FRIENDS EVALUATION – Onas 2003!!

LIKES – Sheep’s Hole trip, sweat lodge, great food, swimming & lifeguards!!!, FRAZZLYRAM, QUALITY FAP’S!.

Bible – got people interested by connecting it to us today – wasn’t preaching, instead he explained & discussed, talked about Life of Brian.

Youth Empowerment – liked speaking in pairs, started with games, YF leader made the workshop more interesting, liked lack of direction on what to do & talk about in pairs.

Adventure Challenge – FUN!, it would be good at the beginning to get to know each other, good to be active.

Men & Women’s Issues and Fishbowl – good to be separate with sexes & then come together, fishbowl – learned & more comfortable.

Drumming & Fire Dance – being Australian, introducing new ways of doing things, nice atmosphere & tone, liked secondary focus on spiritual healing.

NEED TO WORK ON – Got too hot in the barn for workshops, need to make Sheep’s Hole hike LONGER!, need to schedule time for WINK, racism workshop – didn’t like the separation, Columbia workshop – needed more time & organization,

Bible - didn’t like missing ½ of Aaron’s workshop because of the sweat lodge – it was too short, YF’s being distracted during Aaron’s workshop – work on paying attention more & respecting all those presenting.

Youth Empowerment – needed more of a selection of workshops, repetitive, not enough direction on what to talk about in pairs. Adventure Challenge – need more things on course

Men & Women’s – prefer to pass ar

nd list rather than whittle down to 3 Q’s, should have focused on common bonds as well as differences between sexes.

Drumming – some not taking it seriously, must voice need for respect, name misleading – need more time for dance, didn’t use amphitheater

FAP’S EVALUATION – ONAS 2003

Positives – BEN!!

Need to work on….facilitator’s should not be present at evaluation (Youth Empowerment session), not enough time given to Andrew’s evaluation & should not tell scribe what to write. YF’s in leadership position breaking rules.

IDEAS!! – have more youth leaders – not just 1. activities for people with physical limitations – more inclusive,MEAD – can we make an announcement to give Mead batteries for recycling??, buy twice the number of letter beads – not everyone is artsy and this gives us all another option for being creative, need more paper – scrap & colored, YF’s want to look at racism together, eyeliner pens for body drawing (not perm markers!!), final FAP meeting for Saturday a.m.

Camp Onas Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business 2003

AGENDA – Themes for Halloween, Christmas & February

We began with worship at 7:35

HALLOWEEN – night walk, historical roots of Burlington, dance, therapeutic massage (bodywork), COSTUME PARTY!!, how different cultures handle death, journaling workshop, mask making, crafty stuff, witchcraft – how the “dark” arts got their name, what is “all saints day”, drum circle, tarot cards, séance, healing from death, ghost stories, make a haunted house for neighborhood kids, DO SERVICE IN BURLINGTON (maybe with another youth group), Halloween and its multicultural connections

NOVEMBER – can we do a workcamp?

CHRISTMAS – healing (have many workshops), work at a soup kitchen in Burlington, Christmas & its relationship to Solstice, DANCE – learn a variety of dance styles & then have a formal dance!, Christian Science & healing, SILENCE, what is Christmas?, music therapy (Kristen from George School)

FEBRUARY - peaceful protest – make a sign & go to a protest (similar to last year!), what are protest practices in other countries?, George Lakey – get him signed up for this year (if we’re lucky or ask him to put us in for 2005 – really), change around the world “A Force More Powerful”, history of groups like the Black Panthers & Yippies – 60’s peace movement – to help demystify that era, being part of the Burlington community –doing service with another youth group IN Burlington, information on Tibet – learn its history, info. On Friends Day of Peace, Not in Our Name, C.O. information – Jonathan Ogle from Westtown School, History of IRAQ – have workshops similar to Friends Day of Peace ’03 (get list from TOM HOOPES), globalization & its effects, racism (Nancy & Vanessa?), let’s get to know other Yearly Meetings! Send out an invite to other YF groups for gatherings.

Business Meeting closed with silent worship at 8:25 – yahoo!

YOUNG FRIEND’S CAMP SWATARA EVALUATION 2003

Positives – no middle school activities, square dance, salad bar, used more natural ingredients, rock pile hike, lots of activity!!

Needing work – conflicting with middle school at camp fire, intergenerational program needs improvement – maybe use that for YF free-time, lunch on Saturday – we need a better variety – not soup and salad after hiking – PROTEIN, PB&J, lunch meats, cheeses, soup was horrible, need MORE free time!!

IDEAS!! – better course descriptions, YF & MSF worship sharing groups, more structure in returning from rock pile (so we don’t get lost), at least 2 worship sharing times during weekend, not invite MSF to Swatara, snacks, fruit, juices & water in large IGLOO containers – available throughout the gathering & keep on the YF women’s front porch, games for community, opening games with MSF, PANCAKES, stuff out for crafts during free time – devil sticks, small weaving projects, worship sharing with adults, mixture of adults & YF’s leading worship sharing (maybe let adults know that if they want to attend they can & YF’s will be leading), square dance & different kinds of dance.

WORKSHOP EVALUATIONS

Price of Freedom – YF’s were included – conversation was not rushed, ½ YF’s & ½ adults

HIPP – Facilitators were late – rushed – NOT INTERGENERATIONAL – not good information – didn’t explain what HIPP is – had already done games, seemed set-up to divide community not build bridges, too much time going over names, no youth facilitators.

Deepening & Strengthening – Good, needed better description – didn’t realize what the workshop was about, good worship sharing, adults asked about YF’s, not whole community – too much interference from facilitators.

Wildflowers/ Backpacking – Good information, good talk – had equipment – rockin’ leader.

Young Friends Working Group Meeting – Sunday, January 23, 2003

Present: Joan Olson, Cookie Caldwell, Megan Kietzman-Nicklin, Portia Sampson-Knapps, Matt Sanderson, Nancy Diaz-Svalgard, Hilary Bisenieks, Caroline Fox, Andrew Esser-Haines, Tom Olson, Fleur Frascella, Cliff Smoot, Sharon Gunther, Helen Fields, Jamie Wilson

We began at 2:00 with worship.

February Gathering – Everything has gotten out late! Post-cards not fliers have been sent. Young Friends will attend the peace rally that is being organized by Friends Select School. The Young Friends, who will not attend the rally, will attend a local church service. We will choose the denomination by the time of day the service begins AND location. YF’s need to be able to walk to the location. Parents MUST sign all forms in order for their Young Friend to attend the peace rally.

Yearly Meeting Update – Planning for the gathering is underway. We will most likely be at Green Street Meeting and have a service project in the local community. Instead of renting a bus, we will use SEPTA to help with urban survival skills. We need to be out of Germantown MM by 9 A.M. on First Day – Young Friends will be picked up at 4th & Arch.

Yearly Meeting Budget Crisis. Money is tight and Young Friends program fees will be raised 22% - beginning this summer. This is a substantial increase for us – we’re hoping to make our very concerned voices heard. Are there more scholarship or grant monies available to help cushion the increase for Young Friends? How can we make this program affordable to everyone? Maddy and Andrew are led to speak and meet with other Friends who are a part of the Yearly Meeting budget and interim committees. Nancy will contact Arlene Kelly to see which avenue would be most appropriate for Young Friends to take. For example, there may be an open forum at Yearly Meeting Sessions where YF’s may have a voice.

Onas Planning!!** - Arts Camp AND MORE! Youth oppression, organized games. Andrew Esser-Haines will be present for the gathering and will help facilitate workshops on active listening, youth oppression & games. Dory will be able to do henna again! Ideas: art as a vehicle, music workshop, and drama, Camp Neekaunis had someone that Hilary Bisenieks really liked – Cookie will contact them. Fleur is open to coming back to Young Friends as a paid program leader. Dumpster divers, Astronomy workshop – Cookie will look into this further. Onas has used a local program called Skywatch. Cliff Smoot has a family friend who may be able to assist. We would also like to invite Brenda Macaluso to do a drumming workshop – this is a great community activity and Brenda is awesome. Maybe the guitarist can do something together this year? George and Breeze Leutke-Stallman for the sweat lodge. Cookie for therapeutic touch?

Things are shaping up quickly!

Alaska Youth Exchange – Helen Fields presented on Alaska. There is a great itinerary planned for July 5-19. 16 Young Friends and 4 adults will be present on the trip. We may have a need for one more adult PYM male for this trip, as Steven Green may not be able to attend. There is an ongoing fundraiser that Helen is working on – she is selling “the illumination of Rumi” anything over $25 is for the Alaska trip. Thank you to Helen for being a good listener and putting together a great trip!

Young Friends would like it if the sojourning Alaska group would announce where they are going to be so we can visit – maybe cheese steaks at Giano’s Vegan Cheese steak on South Street???

Fund Raising Coffee House to help fund the Alaska Youth Exchange– Saturday, March 8 at the Arch Street Meeting House. Mark your calendars NOW!! 7-10 p.m. Scott Hoskins may be able to advise and help Helen with the evening. Nelson Avery – Christoph Camp’s Dad will be a FAP for the evening. We need FAP’s to help make sure things run smoothly! Cookie will put up a web page/link for the coffee house – he has the POWER.

Co-Clerk Status – Letters have been sent to all nominees and Young Friends have been responding.

Women’s Intergenerational Gathering – April 11-13, 2003

NO SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 16TH!!!

***SPECIAL CLEARNESS FOR YOUNG FRIENDS CLERKS, SUNDAY MARCH 2 at 10:30***
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Young Friends Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business December 29, 2002

Agenda:

1. Explain Business Meeting Process & Protocol

2. Young Friend Co-Clerk nominations

3. Alaska Trip

4. Young Friends as FP’s

5. Political Activism

6. Young Friends Yahoo!! Web page

7. No Nipple Rule

We began our Meeting at 7:35 with worship.

Explanation of Business Meeting Process & Protocol – Young Friend Co-clerks & Permanent Nurturing Committee spoke to Friends about Friends Business meeting process. Specific points were shared and are as follows:
· Test your message/concern before speaking – this is a Meeting for Worship with a concern for Business.

· Wait to be recognized by Clerks or Permanent Nurturing Committee.

· Use the term “that Friend speaks my mind.” Instead of repeating what has already been said.

· Keep track of how many times you speak.

· Speak to the body of the Meeting.

· For FAP’s and other adults visiting our Meeting – All FAP’s are welcome to be our guests at business meeting. We need your presence at the gathering and please be mindful of Friend’s process and YF’s process at this Meeting. We ask that adults hold Young Friends in the Light as we attend to community business. If you have a concern, we ask that you hold your concern and see if a Young Friend brings it up first, then test this message/concern as you would in your own Monthly Meeting. Please remember that we are always learning and don’t need to be critiqued – we need your support!!

Young Friend’s Co-clerk Nominations – Young Friend’s clerks reviewed responsibilities of the co-clerk positions and clearness process. The clearness for the clerks will be on Sunday, March 2 from 2 – 5 p.m. at Friends Center. Nominees are as follows and will be sent an informational letter by Nancy, the adult co-clerk. The Nominees are Joan Olson, Lori Pederson, Dory Graham-Vannais, Brendan Vise, Nate Blood-Patterson, Ben Trueblood, Christoph Camp, Megan Kietzman, Victoria Kirby, Maddy Diaz-Svalgard, James Wilson.

Alaska Trip – Young Friends will host a benefit coffee house Saturday, March 8th at 4th & Arch Street Meeting House. Maddy Diaz-Svalgard, Christoph Camp & Helen Fields (PYM Brandywine Region Coordinator) are the organizers for this event. PLEASE COME!!!!***

Young Friend’s as FP’s at Middle School Gatherings – Middle School Friends need Young Friends!!! Please come and support this great community. Requirements – must be in 10th grade or older. Consider one of the following events….Storytelling January31 – February 2, Yearly Meeting Sessions March 28 – 30, Camp Swatara May 2 – 4, Arts Camp training session for 6 days and then program. Contact Melanie Douty at Friends Center – 1-800-2200-PYM OR melanied@pym.org

Political Activism – Nate Blood-Patterson would like Young Friends to have a gathering that will focus on the United States Political system, political agenda and awareness. The suggestion was taken and noted that this topic would be best brought up at a Young Friends subcommittee meeting where we spend more time brainstorming & planning our events.

Young Friends Yahoo!! Web page – visits to the site have been low to none – it will be closed.

No Nipple Rule – This is a topic that was visited at Camp Onas and was tabled then. It was brought forward by Cliff Smoot that Friends who are interested in re-visiting this item could form a small group. No one volunteered.

Friends ended with worship at 8:02*

YOUNG FRIENDS DECEMBER 2002 GATHERING EVALUATION!!!

Likes – Food was good – good variety for vegetarians – good bread, workshops: Cookie’s workshop was great, selection was good, we like Young Friend’s leading – COOL! FAP’S: We liked FAP’s staying up late – thanks! relaxed, liked not having FAP’s in worship sharing groups, late night – great – ROCKED. Business Meeting– short – SWEET!

Dislikes – workshops: didn't follow theme – more time – smaller groups? FAP’s – lack of FAPs

Late night – need to be more quiet heading upstairs, clean-up, dance – dance the last night, talent show first night, alternative to dance (movie) was nice.

Ideas – MORE MEAT, more protein for vegetarians, more of Cookie’s workshop, trust stuff, Quaker process workshop, massage, art as communication, political activism, post work schedules, recycle, working bathroom latches, liking the clothes-pins, less body odor, need warning time for clean-up, maybe: 3rd floor sleeping floor – 2nd floor stay up late? More comfy stuff in basement – rugs, big pillows/cushions, couches. Dance might not be a good way to spend the last night – more togetherness stuff.

Themes for upcoming gatherings: Medieval/renaissance, political awareness, mysticism – labyrinths, astronomy, silence –more often than every 3 years.

FAP EVALUATION – DECEMBER 2002 GATHERING

Likes – Business Meeting was good, people were great – YF’s & FAP’s everyone had good attitudes and they were responsive, late night was good, Mel, Cookie, Marty & Tom’s workshops were great, Young Friends were FANTASTIC, great worship sharing questions, 2nd night Q’s were a bit confusing, some groups opted to focus on in the co. of poets instead of the Q’s.

Dislikes – Opening games were too LONG! Maybe 2 rounds of each game offered? Need to have a plan for when Young Friends go over the guidelines, announce PYMYF stuff on the last day, need cleaning supplies on each floor, missed having a whole group activity.

IDEAS – A name learning game for the first night. Go over worship sharing guidelines in the large group, make sure we have a good amount of FAP’s for late night coverage, be mindful of time at late night. Post signs “QUIET PLEASE – WORSHIP SHARING.” Packet for late arriving FAP’s – especially new FAP’s. Timing for FAP guidelines. Have a period of worship before workshop begins.

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Young Friends Subcommittee Meeting
Sunday, December 8, 2002
Friends Center, Philadelphia, PA

Present: Fleur Frascella, Cookie Caldwell, Caitlin Hopping, Andrew Esser-Haines, Hilary Bisenieks, Tom Olson, Joan Olson, Christine Greenland, Amy Leedman, Maddy Diaz-Svalgard, Cliff Smoot, Conor McAndrew, Michael Wadja (13)

CHRISTMAS – Friday night, Tim Siftar from Friends Institute will do opening games, guidelines & worship sharing. In the Company of Poets will be with us Saturday night and then DANCE. Permanent Nurturing Committee will craft 3 sets of Worship Sharing questions.

Saturday night – set up needs to be done after dinner so we can begin on time. We will also have a movie during the dance as an alternative choice.

Workshops: sign language body awareness poetry

Sufi dancing music/protest/peace? guided meditation chanting – talk to Sharon G. regarding this. Communication Fleur’s chakra yoga

Monday morning will be time for our business meeting

Tom is trying to find a Sufi connection.

What can we put against Cookie’s nurturing & lifts?

Fleur’s workshop? There isn’t resolution on this one….

ALASKA!! Exchange – Bill Herman of Alaska Yearly Meeting (AYM) is to write a report on the trip. We’re also hoping that we will be able to secure funds for another grant. AYM has stated that they have 2 adults who will be able to be a part of the entire trip. We’re currently having to look at how to transport 24 people and gear. We’D like some ideas – half bus? Car pool? 4 drivers plus volunteers from Meetings?

Benefit for Alaska Exchange. PYM YF’s will have a benefit on Saturday, March 8th at 4th & Arch. Maddy Diaz-Svalgard is working with Helen Fields & Christoph Camp. We currently have a girl group, The Outskirts, a Sufi group that will play music to Rumi’s poetry, Helen’s cousin who is a musician, Cliff Smoot will contact the Dukes of Destiny. We need to work on getting people who are from outside the Quaker community = more $$$. We will suggest a $5 donation.

FEBRUARY GATHERING – Racism Theme – we’re having trouble finding experienced and available leaders. There was talk about moving the gathering date, but because we book the Burlington Center so far in advance, that’s not a possibility. Talk to Jean Marie Barch. Laura Smoot is not feasible. Arietta Cooper from CPMM?

Second plan for gathering if this doesn’t work…..Conflicts throughout the world/our government & Christian Peacemaker Teams. Current events – a great topic – who do we want to lead – with PYM – Jonathan Ogle “what can I do to affect social change?” What is possible /effective?

Training for Change – Daniel Hunter (staying at Andrew Esser-Haines home)

PYM W&M – support for YF Spiritual life & interaction with the rest of Yearly Meeting – though it isn’t a fit with the normal February gathering.

RESIDENTIAL YEARLY MEETING – This may be cancelled. We will have to plan for a March gathering – 3/29 weekend. Cookie will speak with the Village of Arts & Humanities again. How can we share ourselves with YM? Discussion during YM last year led by YF, W&M needs to be more inclusive! This needs to go to YM planning groups. Topics for discussion: communication, how to stop feeling helpless/hopeless. If February gathering is on a government related topic, YF can lead on this with W&M or other YM group. Can this be Saturday night? Day?? We either hit too much competition during the day or older Friends/family age groups are sleeping. We need to do this Saturday afternoon.

Agenda item for next meeting: YEARLY MEETING Sessions

ONAS August 17-23, 2003 – ARTS CAMP for Young Friends. If we have this as our theme, we need active games (maybe during free time) concentrate on fine arts. Dumpster divers, cheap art, bread & puppets. Expense of materials will be an issue.

NEXT MEETING DATE: JANUARY 26, 2003

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Young Friends Subcommittee Meeting
November 10, 2002
Friends Center, Philadelphia, PA

We began at 1:10 WITH SONG!!!!
Present: Cookie Caldwell, Caitlin Hopping, Joan Olson, Nancy Diaz-Svalgard, Maddy Diaz-Svalgard, Andrew Esser-Haines, Tom Olson, Christoph Camp, Laura Smoot, Helen Fields, Sharon Gunther (11)

November Holocaust Museum trip was called off due to VERY LOW registration.

Christmas Gathering ....still in the works - the theme chosen is CREATIVITY AND COMMUNICATION....arts, crafts & poetry. We would like this to be a light gathering with time for renewal - not entirely action packed. In addition to Fleur's dance, Cookie's nurturing touch & lifts, Elizabeth - finishing the mosaic, Tom - hypnosis, Andrew E-H will lead a workshop on listening and/or theatre. Tim Siftar from Friends Institute (PYM's 18-40 yr. Group) will lead opening games!!
Cookie will contact "In the Company of Poets" to see if they are available to lead an afternoon workshop on poetry and then present an evening program. We're still hoping for Rocky, but Cookie has not heard back from him. Cookie will also let the cooks know we will serve a simple meal on the first evening of the gathering.
We'd like to have a few more workshops - maybe Kandy Lippincott will be available to lead a printmaking workshop?

Helen Fields will contact a YF from her region for a comic book workshop.
If we are able to secure "In the Company of Poets", we'll follow their evening program with a DANCE and have an optional movie for those not interested in groovin'. The strobe light was found while cleaning! Young Friends would also like a talent show one night during the gathering.
It was also decided that Young Friends would like to have a late night option for gatherings. Young Friends agreed that the first night would be a regular bed time night and would like a couple of FAP's to volunteer to stay up late Saturday and Sunday night. The fine details would be stated the first night of the gathering and it was decided that YF's would like to stay up no later than 2:30, but not have curfew earlier than 1:00 a.m.. There are concerns that if we do this every night, Young Friends (and FAP's) will be sleeping during program time. It was agreed that those staying up late would be responsible for reminding each other of work-crew and community commitments. We will try this out during Christmas Gathering at this will be a part of the evaluation at the closing of the gathering.

February Gathering - YF's Peace & Social Justice gathering. Laura Smoot, former YF co-clerk has been actively working on Race & White Privilege and other forms of oppression. Laura and Elana Margolis would like to facilitate workshops. A concern that when working on White Privilege, we would not be including our Friends of color who are present at the gathering, we brainstormed that it would be great to have the presenting group also have people of color who are experienced facilitators. Nancy will contact the PYM group that is currently working on race issues. We will also contact George Lakey's group, Training For Change and we will also contact Lancaster Mennonite High School, they had a multi-cultural group present on racism using theatre as their vehicle. We would like younger people to present if at all possible.

AIDS WALK - 4 Young Friends officially attended the walk - Christoph Camp, Cliff Smoot, Tracy Lippincott, Caroline Fox. Other Young Friends were present as Friendly Presence with Middle School Friends. Cliff will be contacted to see how much money was raised for the event. FAP's Job Description - Young Friends will write up how they would like adults to be present in their community during the Christmas Gathering. They will brainstorm over a meal and then present their work during the business meeting.

Swatara - Young Friends will lead one workshop at Camp Swatara. We will ask Young Friends at the Christmas Gathering what the group would like to present. Cookie will get the deadline for Swatara's flier.

Alaska - Alaska Young Friends have been officially invited and sent copies of our minute and proposal. PYM Young Friends who were on last year's trip are now actively recruiting and working on fund raising ideas. We like the idea of a coffee house at Friends Center - there is a sound system and area for coffee and munchies. If we secure a date now at Friends Center, we will most likely be able to have greater success. We would like this to be a PYM event, inviting Yearly Meeting adults as well as Young Friends to share their talents. Helen is working with Carol Walz (PYM grant person) and Judy van Hoy (PYM workcamps) for funding and activities for the group. The dates need to be ironed out - if Alaska Young Friends attend our residential sessions, will they stay for the week?, they would need to have sponsors for that event if their leaders cannot stay. Helen will work out these details. Gatherings - We will continue to recruit Young Friends. We have committed to help with the Peace Fair for 2003, and will not have a road trip due to the low registration volume. We will do a road trip every other year. Ways to have more Young Friends....invite one of your friends!, have a forum at your Meeting, invite other Young Friends to your Meeting for worship, make a Young Friends video and present it during quarterly, Yearly Meeting or a Monthly Meeting event.
We agreed that we would begin taking footage of events to create a PYM YF video - Helen Fields has the video camera and will pass it on to us.

Young Friends Co-Clerks - Young Friends would like Joan to continue her role as a Young Friends assistant clerk. It is agreed that she is doing a fantastic job and is nominated for next year's process. We will take official nominations for next year's clearness process at the Christmas Gathering. We will then inform the nominees of the process and responsibilities of the jobs.
There is a concern that Cliff Smoot needs to review his commitments to the Young Friends community. Cliff, the Young Friends Co-clerk has not been present for 3 subcommittee meetings due to other callings. Nancy communicated with him (and the clerky group)via e-mail that he might want to switch roles with Joan (who is an assisting clerk). We are grateful that Joan is able to take this larger role should Cliff be clear that he needs to step down or take a different role in YF's clerking. Nancy will call Cliff this week to present the options the group talked about.

BorderLinks Trip - There is a group forming with Gail Newbold - Western Quarter Coordinator to take a trip with this organization. Nancy & Max Diaz-Svalgard will go on this trip March 29-April 5, 2003. Gail can be contacted for further information gnewbold@kennett.net OR 610-869-3455. We would like to take a maximum of 25 people and begin community building ASAP!

PYM Workcamps - Judy van Hoy and Akbar Nassir are PYM's workcamp people. They have the following dates for upcoming workcamps:
January 24-26 February 7-9 February 28-March 2 April 4-6 May 2-4
They are also working with Pendle Hill to do 2 short workcamps with their summer program AND "The Peace and Justice Think Tank" which will be a 7-9 day event this summer. Andrew Esser-Haines and Maddy Diaz-Svalgard shared briefly about how powerful that event was for them as activists.

We ended our meeting at 4:55 with silence.

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Young Friends Business Meeting
Saturday, October 26, 2002 held during the Young Friends Halloween Gathering, at the Burlington Meetinghouse, Burlington, NJ.

We began our business at 8:55 p.m. with silence.
Agenda Items
? Alaska Minute and Proposal - Christoph Camp & Helen Fields
? PYM Circle of Girls and Women's Gathering - Fleur
? Young Friends Yahoo Website - Cookie

ALASKA Christoph presented a minute of thanks to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Young Friends community and proposed we extend an invitation to Alaska Young Friends to visit PYM Young Friends during the summer of 2003. After giving a brief background on the Alaska Sojourn 2002 and sharing his experience, we opened the floor for questions and discussion.
Dates of the visit would be during or near our Residential Yearly Meeting. Alaska Yearly Meeting would send a small group of Young Friends and 2 adults, meeting with a group of PYM Young Friends and 2 adult volunteers (led by Helen Fields). The group would total no more than 15 Friends.
It was agreed that PYM Young Friends' would form an Ad Hoc Committee that will meet separately from our subcommittee meetings, and keep the YF community informed of their progress with Alaska Young Friends.
Young Friends approved the following minute and proposal
We thank Alaska Friends Conference for hosting seven of our Young Friends and two leaders last summer for a two-week spiritual journey.
We recognize that the trip was deeply rewarding, to all the participants, and we would like now to reciprocate with an invitation to Alaska Friends Conference Young Friends and leaders to join Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Young Friends on a similar journey in our region.
We support the creation of an Ad Hoc Planning Committee consisting of: Christopher Camp, Emily Hendricks, Keith Barch, Tracy Lippincott, Caitlin Hopping, Stephen Greene, Helen Fields, and others who are interested in doing the work of planning the trip and writing the necessary grant proposals to fund the trip.
The MISSION of this project will be: To provide Young Friends from Alaska Friends Conference and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting with the opportunity to strengthen their connections with one another and deepen their Quaker faith together in community. They will do this by participating in PYM annual sessions, completing a service project, visiting Quaker historical landmarks, sojourning at Monthly Meetings, and interacting with representatives from such organizations as AFSC, FCNL and others.

CIRCLE OF GIRLS/WOMEN'S GATHERING - Circle of Girls is scheduled for November 8th & 9th. Planning for PYM Women's Gathering is Sunday November 10th from 12-2 p.m. at Friends Center. Please come - help us plan the 2003 intergenerational gathering!

PYM Young Friends Yahoo site - Do we need this site? It seems that PYM adults/staff are those who use this site the most to send information to Young Friends. About 1/3 of the YF's present at this meeting use/visit the site.
Info/concerns/questions about the site: last year this site was listed as a spammer by hotmail AND AOL. We need to have a moderator for the site...have all mail edited/okayed by Cookie. Cookie isn't sure if he has time to moderate due to his current e-mail/work load. Can we turn this over to the PYM web group? DO WE NEED THIS SITE?
About 95% of the Young Friends present visit the official PYM Young Friends web site. It was decided that we will revisit this topic at Christmas Business meeting, when we will have more information.

FLIERS - Last year it was suggested we stop doing mass mailings and try mailing a post-card at the beginning of the YF's season. We currently mail to every PYM Young Friend household. Mailing a single post-card would reduce the approximately $500 per gathering expense, not to mention trees & ink (oil or soy.) Cookie would have a post-card sent to each YF household - YF's would respond if they were interested in gatherings/mailings of PYM & related events. Young Friends would like to try the post-card idea and register by using the YF's web site.

YOUNG FRIENDS HALLOWEEN GATHERING EVALUATION 2002
LIKES: Worship sharing questions were great, assigned spaces for worship sharing, program was more interactive, really like the new way of doing YF guidelines, having something to take home from gathering (masks), alter (ofrenda), good schedule, dance, nachos, bread, food matching theme was great, keeping entire gathering in theme.
DISLIKES: dance was TOO SHORT!!, bedtime was too early Saturday night, no variety in lunches, no meat, no after dance snacks.
IDEAS: more personal questions for worship sharing, less complicated Q's for worship sharing (no 3 Q's in one), list of guidelines for nurturing committee presenters of guidelines, more sleep, STROBE LIGHT, talent show every other gathering (or only at larger gatherings), alternative activity (movie) during dance, BIG FUN game, would like more information available on Day of the Dead (or theme of gathering), make your own sandwich, option to stay up late in basement.

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Young Friend's Subcommittee Meeting Minutes of - October 13, 2002
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What we liked:
I liked the size of the gathering, I got to know everyone on a one to one basis.
The Peace Fair was awesome.
I liked directing traffic for parking.
The Young Friends only talk on Friday night was really good.
Young Friends live music in the evenings before bed was really good.
It was good to interact with other Philadelphia Yearly Meeting / Bucks Quarterly Meeting Friends
Liked being able to change the program depending on how we felt at the time.

What we didn't like:
The two work shifts during the Fair made it hard to hangout with the Young Friends on the other shift. Three shifts would have been better.
Felt itchy after loading straw in the morning and evening and there were no showers.

How to make it better:
More job rotation within the shifts
Young Friends type snack food out all the time. Apples, veggies, dips, drinks.
Portable sun showers, a sprinkler or hose to wash off.
Bring bathing suits (We went to Caroline's house for a dip in her very, very cold pool Saturday night. People borrowed suits from Caroline or wallowed in their clothes.)
We need to bring a soccer ball

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Young Friends Working Group Minutes - September 15, 2002

Present: Ross, Ben (cameo), Hilary, Maddy, Cookie, Catie, Christoph, Helen F., Joan, Cliff, Nancy (11)

We began at 2:10 with silence
PEACE Gathering – we have no Saturday evening program. Maybe if Alice Gitchell is Friendly Adult Presenceing, she can do HIPP games with Young Friends as part of a Saturday program? The group will work on ideas at the gathering.

HALLOWEEN GATHERING – DAY OF THE DEAD theme
Ideas for activities/stuff we need: Tissue paper flowers – banners – marzipan/sugar skulls
Marigold/calendulas for Ofrendas (altar to honor lost loved ones)
Candles, plaster gauze for masks
We need to have a clear beginning and end to this program.

WORSHIP SHARING – Joan, Maddy & Andrew will work on worship sharing questions – ideas: loss of loved one, gratitude they were in our lives, celebration of their presence in our lives – Cliff’s mom can be a resource for Young Friends Nancy will bring lanterns and candles for worship sharing & Ofrendas.

Possible schedule:
Friday evening - Worship sharing can lead into the introduction of the Day of the Dead celebration, what it means, drawing the parallels between Friends Memorial Service and the sacredness of this holiday.
Saturday – AM – Mask making
Free time
PM – decorate masks
Dinner
Worship sharing
Partying/DANCE!

PROCESS FOR NEW CLERKS – We are asking for Young Friends nominations by Christmas gathering – the idea is to take advantage of the large numbers present at that gathering. We would like nominees to have clearness every year. It was also felt that we should have the clearness for clerks in March instead of April or May – we don’t have a gathering at that time of year (2003) and we hope for better attendance and participation from the larger Young Friends community.

Recruiting Friendly Adult Presences – Young Friends please go to your Meetings and it’s clerks – make an announcement at the rise of Meeting – we need every Meeting’s help – ask parents – relatives.
Nancy will make an invitation for Friends to attend Young Friends Meeting for Worship at Burlington Gatherings – come and enjoy our worship community.
Helen F will bring our concerns and needs to regional staff
Ask other Friendly Adult Presence to recruit!
AIDS Walk – Young Friends' team will meet at Friends Center – 8:30 a.m. Leaving Friends Center as a group at 8:45 Cliff will have his cell on during the day for those who may be running late or need more information that morning.

ALASKA! - 7 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Young Friends went to Alaska this summer, it was a spiritual sojourn – traveling, visiting Friends, 2 monthly meetings, Yearly Meeting and a Native American community. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Young Friends would like to invite Alaska Yearly Meeting Young Friends’ to our Yearly Meeting.
This summer to participate in our program at residential yearly meeting - perhaps do some of the following – workcamp with Judy van Hoy
tour historical Philly, historical Friends sites local museums
maybe go to DC to visit with Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Helen F. and Christoph Camp are led to do this work and will draft a minute of thanks and invitation to Alaska Young Friends.
Helen will work on getting grant monies for this trip, hosting and correspondence with Alaska Yearly Meeting adult leaders as well as Carol Walz (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's grant person).
Young Friends will help brainstorm agenda

CHRISTMAS GATHERING– communication theme - mime guy (rocky?)
Self expression
Art
Dance
Signing – maybe Viv can FAP?
Body Language
Hypnosis (?)

FEBRUARY GATHERING– Men can stop rape program? Nancy gave Cookie information that they sent out - the Awareness to Action Program sounded like it would work best with our program needs. We also talked about the media and violence as additional workshops. We need to make sure we have a debriefing process as part of each workshop.

Residential Yearly Meeting July 2003 & ONAS August 2003– these 2 week long gatherings are 2 WEEKS APART!!! We need to begin recruiting adults NOW. Nancy will forward Chuck and Sandy (from Chambersburg Meeting) – maybe they will have local resources for Young Friends activities.
Meeting ended at 4:00

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Young Friends Evaluation of Camp Onas 2002

IDEAS - We want more……WORSHIP SHARING, swim time, organization & planned activities, discussion on sexuality & birth control, food varieties – yogurt, lo-fat milk, FRUIT!, WINK!, planned group games – AVP or HIPP ‘light & lively’, singing, ART, same sex workshops, free time, diverse music – not all folky/hippie music, hammocks, young friend to run more programs, Tom Hoopes – great games with HOSE!, fishbowls, more clarity regarding rules, talk about how things work at Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, group games through out the week – team building games, evening activities – dancing, stargazing, night swims – especially last night!

NEGATIVES – Workshops were too much like school, not enough breaks, too cliquish, less respect for community, too much touching, male/female issues should be on Monday NOT Friday, camp was dirty when we arrived, too much time in the barn, mouthing off to FAP’s, not respecting lifeguards, coupling up, waking up too early, not enough worship sharing, too many adult comments at YF business meeting, business meeting was too long.

POSITIVES this year at Onas – Kandy and her art projects, Hindi woman, program was good – but too much like school, WINK, sufi dance, YF running programs, fishbowl, separate gender workshops, worship sharing, free time, food, ultimate frisbee, night swims, great cooks, please/no skit (Fleur’s workshop), secret friends, Tom Hoopes’ games!, FAP’s, Hindu program was amazing, great pool, business meeting was well handled.

FAP EVALUATION
Ideas to build on…. Same gender issues on Monday, guidelines and consequences earlier, clarity on how FAP’s enforce guidelines, better organization overall, better organized program on last night – example, after Fleur’s dance co., open pool, stargazing, worship sharing?, have one person to ring bell for each day’s activities – it would help us stay on time, need to inform FAP’s of tent etiquette.

NEGATIVES – confused regarding no hook-up rule, feeling ineffective at times regarding YF’s and rules, FAP’s still isolating – not reaching out to YF’s, FAP’s are too tolerant of YF’s pushing guidelines, programs didn’t begin on time.

POSITIVES – programs went well, John Scardina was GREAT – his program was helpful and fun, have FAP training before gathering so we’re not out of step with YF’s, FAP’s were helping group work toward community.

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