Lost and Found (people, pets and things)

Lost People

Every year people go to the gathering and their loved ones worry.  Just a reminder, there is no cell phone or Internet reception at this year's gathering.

If you haven't heard from your friends and/or family since they went into the gathering, odds are they are still down in the meadow and can't call you.  Either way, it's generally safer for people to stay inside the gathering, then to run the cop gauntlet to make a phone call.  Even if your loved one promised to call every day, that's a promise they will be unable to keep as that would require them to spend their entire gathering going out to some place with reception and then coming back in again.

Even if there is a place on the top of a nearby mountain where you can get cell reception if you stand on your right foot only with your left arm outstretched and the cell phone positioned exactly on your naval - one 5 minute call will eat up all your charge.  Unless your loved one can hike from 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet and brought a solar panel to recharge their phone, the calls aren't going to happen for a bit. NOTE:  You may think this situation is made up but I've been to places in the Rocky Mountains where cell reception was this wacky.

 Again, on the road where the cars and cops are is the area where problems occur. We strongly recommend that people stay inside the gathering. Going in and out increases a persons risk of a negative experience with law enforcement. Again, people on the land will strongly suggest to your loved one that they stay inside the gathering until it's over.

That being said, if you're going to the gathering, call your Mama or someone else, let them know you are going in and will be out of cell reception until after you leave the gathering.

If something serious happened to your loved one, then they are no longer at the gathering and would be found in a local hospital, jail, or mental health facility. If you check those places and your loved one is not there, then they are probably inside the gathering.

Most people usually surface by July 15th as the clean up crew starts shrinking by then, but some people will be on the land until at least the end of July (and on the land means no or haphazard access to telephones).  If after July 10, you still haven't heard, email me a recent photo and include this information:

• How old is he/she? 
• Was this her/his first gathering?  
• Was he/she planning to camp with any camp in particular?
• Did she/he travel to the gathering with friends who have since left the gathering?
• Did she/he have any mental and/or physical health issues?  
• What kind of drugs (if any) does he/she typically use?
• Was there a specific previously agreed on plan for he/she to return home at a certain time or at least check in?

If you haven't called the Heber City Sheriff's Department yet, call  435.657.1619 to see if your loved one is or was in jail for a period of time.

Lost Things

For those people who go to the gathering and lose something, found items are taken to Info or sometimes to the nearest kitchen so don't give up yet.  If you didn't check the lost and found items at INFO, your stuff may be there. Even if you did, many items are discovered during cleanup. At the end of cleanup, all the valuable lost and found items will be taken out of the gathering site. To try to get reconnected with your stuff, at the end of July call  the Northwest Tribes Lightline @ (503) 727-2498. Leave your name, phone # and a brief description of what you lost. Someone will call you back if your or similar items are there. Keep in mind, lost and found at this level is for things like wallets, cameras, expensive gear.  We don't try to reunite people with lost t-shirts, bliss wear, etc.

Lost Animals

For those people who left without all the animals they brought, please go back to the site and retrieve your pets. I do not care if you have to be back to work or whatever. If you brought an animal, you need to go home with that animal. If you don't, folks on the land will find a home for your pet and it won't be your home. We never leave any pets behind.  Every pet will leave the gathering with a human companion ~ hopefully the one they came with. If you can't go back yourself, try to connect up with a friend in the area to retrieve your pet. Just a reminder, pets on leashes don't get lost as often as those not on a leash. The gathering is a scary experience for animals who aren't used to it. Read the Pup Rap for more info.

No Cell Reception at the Gathering

Just an FYI folks.  Please call people who will worry about you before you leave town and let them know that you are going into the gathering, there is no cell reception, and give them an approximate date when you will call them again. 

Call your mama folks and let her know what you're doing!

People who don't stay in touch, stress their loved ones out and stress me out. Usually when I come out of the gathering, I have an overwhelming number of email messages from people who are concerned about someone they love. I don't want to have to respond to a hundred emails that go something like this:

My son/daughter/husband/wife/grandmother/grandfather went to the gathering and promised to call me every day. I'm afraid something happened to them.

If you don't want to call, send a text, email, or letter. Or get a friend to send a text, email, or letter. Everytime a worried mama files a missing person's report, we get law enforcement wandering around the gathering trying to "find" you.  Don't be that person.

Town Hall Meeting Wednesday June 25 @ 7 p.m.

Inviting all people to come together at gathering participant organized town hall meeting to discuss issues of concern to the residents of Heber City and participants of the rainbow gathering. As with all things gathering related, no experience is necessary.

I would love to see more dirty kids and younger family participating in these types of town hall meetings. Some day you will be focalizing these meetings and the time to learn how they work is now.

I hope all local families with concerns, issues, questions, or problems come to this meeting as well so that everyone can discuss together, see each others eyes, and get to know one another.  For local folks, this is a chance to get to meet gatherers without having to drive out to the land so please take advantage of it.

The meeting takes place at on Wednesday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Wasatch County Library/Senior Center building, 465 E. 1200 South, in Heber City.

Please be respectful of other people's concerns, respect that people feel the way they feel and there are no right or wrong feels, try to state your opinion succinctly, and try to make friends with the people whose community we have entered.

Be the peace you wish to see in this world.

Rap 121

Rap 121  

Brothers:
Respect our sisters and help create a safe place for everyone.
Nudity is natural; not a sexual invitation.
Ask before hugging or touching women & remember: “No means No!”
Brother Circles offer support & encourage understanding.
Love happens – Carry condoms.

Sisters:
Respect yourselves & trust your instincts.
If you don’t feel comfortable being intimate or alone with a man it’s OK to say “No.”
Sister Circles share strength & support between women.
Love happens – Carry condoms.

Everyone:
This is a society based on love & respect.
We’re here for a spiritual purpose; Respect each other and do no harm.
Brother-Sister Circles create trust & understanding.


We are all Shanti Sena – “Peace Keepers”

For a PDF Version of this to print out and bring to the gathering, click here.

For Utah Residents - What to Expect From the Gathering?

What exactly IS the Rainbow Gathering?



The bottom video includes interviews with townsfolk and merchants of stores and lodges near past Rainbow Gatherings. They were asked for their honest opinion of how the event went, the effects it had on their business, and what advice they would give to people in towns near future Gatherings.

Best of the Rest

I started doing a yearly gathering-related blog in 2008 based on the recommendation of a woman who I deeply respected and admire.  Every year I try to cover new topics as well as topics that I feel will contribute to a safe, sane and positive gathering. Each year I cover a many new topics, but don't always cover all topics.

Here's some of what I consider the better posts from 2008 to 2013 that I haven't already reworked for this year's gathering.  Some of them were written by me, others by folks I know and admire.    Enjoy!

Counciling in 1972 by Garrick Beck


Gathering with Kids by Info Karen (The other Karen who hangs @ Info)

Rap on Access for family coming home with special needs


On Shanti Sena by Medicine Socks

Shanti Sena Musings

So You Want to Focalize a Kitchen?


Workshops @ the Gathering

~~~  Please copy and distribute this information freely ~~~

How to Gather (AKA Gathering Basics)

Just an FYI, no one speaks for the gathering and there are as many different opinions as there are gatherers. For a hipstorical perspective, click here. For a more recent perspective, here's a great video for those new to the gathering that was done by some folks in Oregon in 2012.