Drug Abuse Runs Wild in W.Va. Coal Mines
Drug Abuse Runs Wild in W.Va. Coal Mines
Filed under: Drug Use Virginia
The wild and not-so-wonderful drug problem plaguing West Virginia's coal mining sector is getting a lot of attention this week. Lawmakers call for mandatory drug testing in light of casualties caused by impaired workers, the House and Senate Judiciary …
Read more on Energy Digital
Enact Mine Drug Testing Proposal
Filed under: Drug Use Virginia
Since mandating random drug tests for miners, Virginia and Kentucky have suspended nearly 2000 miners' certificates. "There is, unfortunately, drug use in the mining community that we must recognize and deal with," said Tomblin's general counsel, …
Read more on Wheeling News Register
Amy_Pancake – Interview with Amy Pancake (West Virginia Resident) on the dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse in West Virginia.
The Solution Series: Ready For Anything
Event on 2012-02-10 10:00:00
ZenErgy Healing invites you to join Rebecca Russo & Sabrina Neal for a full Saturday of intense exploration, awakening, & transformation!
Do you feel there is something missing in YOUR LIFE?
Have you been searching for ANSWERS?
Have you been seeking your PURPOSE?
Are you ready for a SOLUTION?
The time for you to live empowered is NOW!
You've tried very hard most of your life to fill that void/emptiness that resides within you. You've been looking for that piece of you that's missing, expecting to find it outside of yourself through someone or something. Lovers, sex, money, status, alcohol, drugs, shopping, food, exercise, friends, career, pain, books, spirituality, religion, teachers, workshops, gurus, you've tried everything yet that emptiness feeling always returns. In the past our indulgences kept the feeling at bay, but our old bag of tricks aren't working like they used to, they aren't satisfying. It has only left you exhausted, frustrated, sad, & lonely. In the midst of all this, there is a longing within you for MORE! There is a PULSE within you that is ready to be JUMPSTARTED! Ready to be AWAKENED! Ready to be TRANSFORMED! Ready to be REALIZED!
Join us & be the solution. By the end of the event you will be ready for anything! Don't pass this opportunity up, register now & save!
More Event Details
The world as we know it is changing. You are changing. We are experiencing an Evolution Revolution and each of us is here to be a catalyst for change to usher in a new era of peace, love, & harmony. You are the solution to every single problem in your life & on the planet. Within you resides an infinite stream of consciousness just wanting to express itself through you. Each session you attend expands & stretches your entire being increasing the capacity to which you may share yourself with the world.
We also invite you to join us Friday Night the evening before the session May 21st for a meet & greet dinner with Rebecca & Sabrina at Bravo Cucina Italiana in Virginia Beach 7pm-9pm. The dinner will feature an energetic calibration to prepare you for The Solution Series.
0/person No One Turned Away For Lack of Funds
Scholarships Available
at Hilton Garden Inn Chesapeake/Greenbrier
1565 Crossways Blvd
Chesapeake, United States
Winter Escape 2012
Event on 2012-02-17 18:00:00
Overview
Winter Escape 2012 is this February!! Join the Unitarian Universalist Young Adults (ages 18-35) from the DC-Metro area for a 4-day / 3-night fun-filled getaway over Presidents' Day Weekend!
This year's event will be in Luray, VA, in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, just a 2-hour car ride from DC! […a little closer than last year.] The dates are Fri 2/17/12 to Mon 2/20/12. Details are below.
[ 2011 Winter Escap-ees!! ]
Register early to save your spot! Early registrants also get first choice for bedding. The registration fee is fully refundable until 1/22/12. So you can register early without risk, wait and see who else registers, and easily change your mind and get a full refund up until 1/22/12 guaranteed.
Once registration fills up we'll keep an overflow waiting list. So after 1/22/12, full refunds may still be given as long as there's someone else on the waiting list who can take the person's place.
Our Facebook page is at UU Young Adult Winter Escape!
Activities
You pick and choose which activities and community events to do based on the many offerings — almost all your time is unscheduled. Some past and future activities include:
- Hiking — great options at Shenandoah National Park!! ( http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/skyland_area-2.pdf )
- Caverns ( http://luraycaverns.com/, http://www.shenandoahcaverns.com/ )
- Board/card games, Movies
- Game rooms with pool table, air hockey, ping pong, Pacman
- Hot tubs (1 outdoor hot tub and 1 indoor whirlpool in each house; 4 devices total)
- Workshops (such as baking, crafts, poetry-writing, beer-tasting, political hour, or other sessions)
- Yoga sessions, Drum circle, Talent show, oh my!
- Worship circle, UU spiritual activities
- Horseback riding ( http://www.jordanhollowstables.com/, http://www.fortvalleystable.com/ )
- Skiing, Snowtubing ( http://www.bryceresort.com/, http://massresort.com/, ~45 minutes away )
- Outdoor fire pit, for marshmallow roast
- Group meals, Desserts
- Music, Dance party
- Surprisingly good conversation
- Nearby Skyland resort for entertainment, souvenirs ( http://www.visitshenandoah.com/accommodations/skyland-resort.aspx )
More local activities are shown at http://www.cabincapital.com/trips.html. There will be at least one group hiking trip and a group trip to Luray Caverns.
So there are many, many options. You can sleep in, hang out and play games, go hot tubbing, bake cookies, read, watch movies, play Wii all day. Or you can get up early, head out hiking, head to the caverns, go horseback riding, or drive to the ski slopes (about 45 minutes away). Note the houses have WiFi Internet access as well.
Meals
Meals are a community activity that we usually share together. Every member of the Winter Escape group participates in making one meal and/or cleaning up after one meal. All meals will include a vegetarian option. We've eaten well in the past, and expect everyone to contribute to make that happen this year!
Sample of past meals: Build-Your-Own Burrito and Tortilla Soup, Whole Wheat Pizzas (topped by diners) and Homemade Veggie Minestrone Soup with Fresh Apple Cobbler for dessert.
Alcohol is not included; you are welcome to bring beer or wine for yourself or to share. No hard liquor please.
Worship (Optional)
Our covenant together at Winter Escape involves exploring a variety of sources of meaning and inspiration. In order to share and facilitate these experiences, we will have opportunities for community worship, such as a Sunday morning gathering and opening and closing circles.
Worship participation is totally voluntary to all who are interested. If you'd like to explore a certain topic or volunteer to help plan worship, contact us at [email protected]. We expect there will be a UU chaplain in attendance at Winter Escape as there was last year.
Accommodations
The Shenandoah-Valley vacation housing we're renting is designed to accommodate large groups of adults, so there are nice common areas to lounge or gather in. WiFi Internet access is also included (though we're told cell phone signals may be weak), and there are hot tubs for use at each house. There are also game rooms with a pool table, air hockey, ping pong, and Pacman.
This year, we have many bunk beds available(!) for your comfort. There are also a few queen beds available. People that want to share a bed with someone specific can give that person's name in order to likely match up. Bedding priority will be given (first-come, first-served) based on the order of registration. Linens will be included for each bed, but people will need to bring their own towels.
Just like last year, there are two rental houses, with a long walk in between them, so we'll again shuttle folks to wherever they want to be. Happily, there's space for even more attendees than last year — up to about 36 people total. So it's a pretty large group.
Just give your bedding preferences when prompted in the registration screen. In early February we'll send a draft of the bedding assignments, and then can probably make some tweaks as needed based on peoples' feedback. Full refunds for Winter Escape are guaranteed up through 1/22/12, so there's no risk to register/pay early.
Getting to Winter Escape
The more carpooling the better! If you can get to anywhere in the Baltimore or DC Metro area, you can arrange a ride to Winter Escape. There will be people with cars to rideshare/carpool with in these areas; parking space at the houses is somewhat limited. The houses are located near a residential area in Luray, VA, which is about a 2-hour drive from the DC area.
Details about the houses and ridesharing will be provided to registrants in early February. As always, please drive carefully on your way to Winter Escape! No rush to get there. Just be safe, and we'll welcome you whenever you arrive!
Cost
The cost of 9 (comes out to ~/night) includes meals and accommodations for 4 days / 3 nights; it does not include activity-related fees, such as for caverns or ski lift tickets. There is also a roughly Eventbrite transaction fee. Full refunds are guaranteed up through 1/22/12, so there's no risk to register/pay early.
If you need assistance with the cost, we may be able to offer some assistance in some cases; please contact us at [email protected].
For people interested in going to Luray Caverns, we received an offer for any people in our group to buy discounted tickets for about just per person (which is a discount from the standard fee!).
Covenant
Winter Escape is a welcoming and affirming community in which participants seek connections with each other and the diverse range of sources of meaning. In order to promote justice and harmony within our community, we agree to:
- Treat each other, our space and its surroundings with respect
- Resolve conflict in a non-violent manner
- Support and assist community members in need to the best of our ability
- Establish mutual consent for any physical contact between community members
- Consume alcoholic beverages responsibly (community members may bring beer and wine, but not hard liquor or drugs)
If a member of the community violates this covenant, he or she may be asked to leave the retreat immediately and without a refund.
Liability Statement
UU Young Adults and the organizers of this event will not be held liable for losses in any form that may occur at Winter Escape. The registrants/attendees assume all liability for their property and personal well-being at all times.
Weather
We expect the event to take place rain or shine, and even in the rare case of very inclement weather we'll make every effort to fully host the event, though we can make no absolute guarantees. We have to pay the owner for the weekend whether or not the weather is good, so we cannot offer refunds just due to weather conditions.
Questions or Comments
If you have any questions or comments, you can send them to [email protected], and we will get back to you shortly.
Some FAQ:
1. Since a few people have asked, we have to answer that, unfortunately, no pets are allowed (due to landlord's request), and no children please.
2. To request a full refund prior to 1/22/12 for any reason, just email [email protected] with your request, and we will process it. After 1/22/12, we may still be able to give a full refund as long as there's someone else on the waiting list who can take your place.
3. The registration and the payment are submitted at the same time at Eventbrite with PayPal. If you need assistance with the cost, you can let us know at [email protected].
4. The waitlist automatically appears on Eventbrite once all the 36 registrations are filled, with priority given to those earlier in the waitlist.
5. The age range for the event is 18-35 since it is a young adult event, and this age cohort is an important part of the event. Fellowship X (see "History" section below) offers an awesome winter retreat geared for UU's above age 35, http://www.fellowshipx.org/winterretreat.html, usually in Deep Creek Lake, MD.
Our Facebook page is at UU Young Adult Winter Escape!
History
UU Young Adults from the DC area have had an annual winter retreat for many years. Throughout the 1990s and up through 2008, young adults mostly from UUCA had a February weekend retreat in Deep Creek Lake, MD. Typically these events were sponsored by Critical Mass, http://www.critmass.org/. They used to call it "Winter Xscape." Starting in 2009, the former UUCA young adults (who said they were not so young any more) formed Fellowship X, http://fellowshipx.org/, and a new generation of UU Young Adults re-formed.
In 2009, the UU Young Adults had their winter retreat in the Shenandoah Valley for the first time, All Souls and many other congregations joined in, and we all had a blast together in Massanutten, VA. There was no 2010 young-adult retreat, but then we returned to Massanutten, VA in 2011, which was quite awesome. This year (2012) will be our first retreat in Luray, VA, and will be our third winter retreat in the Shenandoah area.
In the past few years, there have been Winter Escape attendees from the following congregations:
"All Souls Church, Unitarian"; "UU Church of Arlington"; "Davies Memorial UU Church"; "Bull Run UU"; "First Unitarian of Baltimore"; "Mount Vernon Unitarian Church"; "UU Church of Annapolis"; "First UU Church of Philadelphia"; "Community Church of Glen Allen"; "UU Fellowship of Fredericksburg"; "Universalist National Memorial Church"; "Cedar Lane UU Church"
We hope to see you at Winter Escape this year! Our Facebook page is at UU Young Adult Winter Escape!
at Luray, Virginia, United States
Luray, United States