Posted ByMaster Roshambollah on July 18, 2001 at 11:11:14:
With the Dog Days of summer upon us, it is time for the OFRSC SUMMER RETREAT 2001! This year's retreat will be held August 17-19 in the spacious open country of Shoals (unincorporated), North Carolina. Come one, come all!
We've got a lot of events, workshops, and socials planned, plus a few "surprises". There will be shuttle service leaving from the Winston-Salem/Greensboro airport thrice daily on Friday and Saturday, and once on Sunday. We will also be running a bus between the Retreat and a local high school, which has graciously allowed us to let Retreat participants park their cars there for the weekend.
Among the amenities provided: three sumptuous meals a day (usually consisting of variations of beans and rice, plus locally grown steamed vegetables,) sanitary facilities, open space for camping, and use of the "Lodge" and related facilities for socials and lectures. Here is a tentative schedule:
FRIDAY:
Noon-6pm: Check-In and setup. Most of us will be arriving late afternoon and early evening, but there will be plenty of opportunities for social interaction and casual play.
6pm-7:30pm: "Get Acquainted" social in the Main Lodge. Snacks served. Master Roshambollah will be leading a variety of lively "Social Icebreaker" games, followed by the Evening Meal. Due to requests at previous Summer Retreats (not held by OFRSC) the Evening Meal will be served prior to the evening's talk.
7:30-9:00: First the group will be welcomed officially by a surprise member of the Steering Committee itself! After this brief welcome, the evening's talk will begin. We are pleased to announce that the distinguished Professor Baltasar Rui Delfin of the University of Lisbon will be presenting "The Origins of the Game". Professor Rui Delfim is a rather charming man with much to talk about.
9:30-?: Get out your camouflage and paint sticks! The irrepressible Custardchuk will be leading a "Snipe Hunt" through the surrounding terrain (which includes marshes, plains, lush forests, and steep hills and drop-offs.) After repeated requests (and much protestation by Custardchuk) the hunting party will not actually be capturing, killing and eating the snipe, but will instead take pictures and cast impressions of tracks. The moon will be new, which always ensures a preponderance of snipe. Newcomers encouraged to attend!
SATURDAY:
7am-Wake up. A mandatory half-hour's calisthenics will be held at the Base Camp. Breakfast will be served thereafter.
11:30pm-5pm-This time will be spent in a variety of activities, chosen by each individual attendant. With over 30 speakers and workshop leaders, this will prove to be time well spent! All sessions will last an hour, and there will be a half-hour break in the middle of the day for lunch. Workshop sessions include the following: Free Play, End Game Strategies, Popular Openings, RPS Career Management, Training for your First Tournament, Injury Prevention, Mathematical Matrices: Strategic Enhancement or Tool of the Devil?, RPS as Martial Art (led by Victor "Evil Eye" Richards, top Roshambo-Fu forms competitor, 1998), Local League Organization, Strategies for Effective Media (being led by none other than Arbiter, Zone Captain, Media Brigade!), Crafts (required for all attendants-glue, corn, paper, scissors and rocks provided), and a host of other forums. Workshop leaders (other than those noted) will be pulled from all offices of the WRPSS, and many of them will come from Master Roshambollah's students, who have volunteered their time to the organization, planning, and implementation of the Retreat.
5pm-6pm: Dinner is served! Join us in the Main Lodge for a sumptuous meal, and a simultaneous Round Table discussion on an as yet undetermined topic. No confirmations as to participants has yet been announced, but invitees include Master Roshambollah, Simpson, Arbiter, Monica from Wanaka, Custardchuk, Unca Cecil, Ron Wilson, D--- W-----(name blanked by request of speaker) and others, including a VERY well known figure from the Steering Committee!
6pm-7pm: The Keynote Presentation of the Summer Retreat 2001 will be M J de L Simpson of Marleybone presenting "Panning for Gold: What lessons has the search for Hagi Naktrah for modern RPSmetricians." This should be a riveting hour, and a full summary of this presentation will be posted subsequent to this announcement.
7pm-10pm: The "Heart and Soul" of the Summer Retreat: Our very own tournament! The tourney is single elimination, Best of Three Throws in a Best of Five Matches format. This tournament will be officially sanctioned, so for those of you needing to gain some points for this season's stats, this is the place to be! Those not advancing in the tournament will be encouraged to make productive use of their time.
11pm-?: Get dressed up and come to the Main Lodge for the Saturday Night Social! We will have free snacks as well as a cash bar. On the turntables tonight is DJ Maurice "If you like the way I cut, wait 'til you see my scissors!" Steffanelli, who will be spinning a mix of house, hip-hop, drum and bass and klezmer. Steffanelli is currently burning up the European charts with his remix of "Real Politik Societe", so be sure to check him out! An alternate karaoke room will be set up, and Master Roshambollah has promised to sing a selection from his repertoire of "Lyin', Cheatin', Hurtin', Killin', and Drinkin" country-western classics, that is, once he gets "good and drunk".
SUNDAY
7am: There will be a non-denominational morning service held in the clearing just North of the Base Camp, overlooking the Gorge. Attendants will be encouraged to meditate on the inner meaning of the Three Noble Throws, and a homily will be given.
Noon-5pm: Saturday's selection of workshops and events will be repeated, though with an hour break instead of a half-hour.
5pm-7pm: Goodbye! A special evening meal will be prepared as we close out Summer Retreat 2001. First off, the "Lil' RPS'ers" will show their talent in a series of skits. Awards will be given for the tournament winner of Saturday, as well as to Workshop Leaders, in a vote among all participants. Each participant will then be called forth and presented an Official Certificate of Attendance. Afterwards, shuttle service will begin taking those in attendance back to their cars or the airport.
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with the Office of Outreach, Fund-Raising and Spiritual Concerns today, and make your reservations! Members in good standing of the WRPSS will receive a 10% discount on a weeklong pass. All proceeds to go to the charitable work of OFRSC. We can't wait to see you there!