Have Plans for Summer Solstice?

If not, then why not come join the celebration at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary at the 4th Annual Goddess Gathering Reborn?

This past weekend more improvements were made in preparation for the upcoming event. Here’s what our Coordinator, Mary T. Borden had to say about it:

“MANY, MANY THANKS to Dyagon Alley for donating funds to purchase stone for the muddiest spots in the road. I cannot thank Brian & Jaque’s son Ben & Brian for Brian Daugherty for bringing in 5 pickup truckloads of stone AND spreading them!! There are still a few more spots that need stone, however it is now drivable by more than just 4 -Wheel Drive vehicles!

“Many thanks to the folks that came out this weekend to push hard and get things prepped for Gathering! John Marzocchi did a lot more chainsaw work in clearing pathways of fallen trees & larger branches. Rhonda L Savage ran the Cub tractor & cart around picking up the cut logs and bringing them to Ritual Field for stacking in log racks. Jacque Daugherty kept all of us fed with an amazing breakfast! (NOTE :THIS IS NOT TO BE THE EXPECTED WAY OF THINGS! When you come help for work weekends you need to come prepared to fix your own meals. That includes bring your choice of food & a means of preparing it. ) She also graciously kept eyes on Sean which allowed me to help get some of the last mowing done.”

Here’s a couple picture of that work:

    

Even though it’s too late to register by mail, you can register at the gate any day of the festival. There are prices for the entire festival and one day prices as well. It’s $60 per adult for the entire festival or $20 per day per adult. Children under the age of 18 are always free!!!

Cabin rentals are also available on a first-come, first -serve basis. The cost is $10 per adult per night.

An important message from our Coordinator:

“If you haven’t pre-registered for the event, but plan on attending -PLEASE contact Mary to let her know so that a suitable campsite can be cleared for you. Right now all of the regular, usually available sites have been claimed!
We look forward to seeing everyone at Goddess Gathering June 20th-23rd!”

There’s not much more I can add. If you’d like to get away, be out in Nature, and celebrate with like-minded people, then be sure to contact our Coordinator, Mary T. Borden at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it.) for gate opening times and/or directions, if you need them.

We wish you a very Blessed Summer Solstice, wherever you may be!!!

Updates & Events

It’s hard to believe we are only a little over 5 weeks from the 4th Annual Goddess Gathering Reborn festival and Summer Solstice. Time is moving quickly forward and there’s still work to be done to get ready for the event.

Just a reminder: We encourage people to participate by presenting workshops or entertainment. Just like in previous years, if you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission! If you think this is something you might be interested in participating in, there’s a Workshop and Entertainment Application on the web site that you will need to fill out and mail in to be considered. You’ll find the link to it on the left side of any page toward the bottom. Questions concerning workshops and entertainment should be directed to Krista Hanson either by email at kmagicnrgs@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or by phone at 513-349-9197. The deadline for registering to present a workshop is May 20, 2019.

Vendors are welcome!!! There are no extra charges to vend at Goddess Gathering Reborn. Just register for the Gathering and tell us what you will be selling.

One last thing: Even though the deadline for discounted registrations has passed, if you would like to have all your paperwork done before you arrive at Raven-Wolf, we will be accepting mailed in registrations postmarked no later than June 3, 2019. Confirmation of your registration will be emailed to you. If you need a map to the site, let us know when you send the registration and we’ll email that with the confirmation.  The registration form can be found on our site under “Goddess Gathering: 2019 Festival Registration Form”

Memorial Day Weekend is a long camping/work weekend that will be happening May 24-27, 2019. If you’d like to get away, be out in Nature, and help out in the preparations, then be sure to contact our Coordinator, Mary T. Borden at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it.) for gate opening times and/or directions, if you need them. As always, camping is free to children under 18 and to adults who lend a hand in the work to be done. There are a couple cabins for rent on a first come, first serve basis. Be sure to mention this to Mary, if you’re interested.

For those who may be unaware, Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary is a primitive, Pagan-owned & operated, 16 acre site about 20 miles east of Cambridge, Ohio. We hope you will decide to come see us and check out the peace and tranquility we have to offer.

Got Plans for This Weekend?

If not, consider coming out to be in Nature at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary. Here’s a message from our Coordinator, Mary T. Borden:

“Time for the next work weekend QUICKLY approaches! I’m already planning our menu for dinner along with the work to focus on THIS weekend! Work schedules and some personal events are putting us at the Land no sooner than Saturday! Please plan accordingly for weather. So far the forecast says partly cloudy for Saturday with rain again on Sunday… More MUD! NOT to make anyone squeamish, but we ARE RURAL, with our roads more on the primitive side – gravel & DIRT. When you have dirt & rain, you get muddy muck. Just keeping it REAL -If you don’t have 4-wheel drive, OR are a more timid driver your chances of getting STUCK in mud increase. Even people EXPERIENCED with driving here & HAVE 4-wheel drive do that on occasion (me included!). That being said, know that we never LEAVE anyone STUCK! We work together as a community to help each other out. Night temperatures are still below 50°F. Tent camping is possible, but VERY challenging. If you are a novice or beginner camper, I highly recommend taking advantage of our rental cabin at $10/person for the night.”

If you need to reach her for directions or to see if the cabin is available for renting, you can call or text her at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it.)

As always, to show our appreciation for your help in getting the Land ready for festival at Summer Solstice and maintaining it later in the year, each time you come and help it counts toward a discount toward your registration for the 2020 Goddess Gathering Reborn festival.

Camping, other than cabin rentals, is free each and every work weekend for those who come and help out.

The deadline for early registrations that can save you some money, April 30th, is fast approaching!!! If you’re on a budget and saving money is a priority for you, then mailing in your registration for the upcoming 4th Annual Goddess Gathering Reborn could be important for you.

You’ll find the registration form on the web site. Scroll down to the “Pages” section and you’ll find it listed as “2019 Festival Registration Form.” We’ve include instructions for filling it out, in case you need them. Be sure to get it postmarked by April 30th!!!

Just a reminder: We encourage people to participate by presenting workshops or entertainment. Just like in previous years, if you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission! If you think this is something you might be interested in participating in, there’s a Workshop and Entertainment Application on the web site that you will need to fill out and mail in to be considered. You’ll find the link to it on the left side of any page toward the bottom. Questions concerning workshops and entertainment should be directed to Krista Hanson either by email at kmagicnrgs@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or by phone at 513-349-9197. The deadline for registering to present a workshop is May 2019.

Another Weekend Approaches!

Have any plans for this coming weekend? The second weekend of the 2019 season at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary takes place this coming weekend – April 12 – 14.

According to our coordinator, Mary T. Borden, the first weekend went well. They got some things done and scoped out what the Winter’s weather created that needs fixing up and repairing before this year’s Goddess Gathering Reborn happens at Summer Solstice in June.

As you can see from the pictures below, there are benches that need scraping and painting along with a lot of downed wood to be cleared and stacked. For those who can handle a chainsaw, or even a manual saw, there will be plenty to cut up. There will surely be other projects that are discovered that could use some help in completing.

 

Although the temperatures have come up since the last weekend there, it’s April and the weather is unpredictable with dips in temperature, wind, and rain always a possibility. (You know, “April showers bring May flowers.”) It’s always advisable to dress in layers and bring clothes for warm and cold or rainy weather. Sturdy shoes or boots along with gloves and a hat are advised.

If you decide you want to come out and help, please contact Mary T. Borden for directions and gate opening time information, You can reach her at (740) 241-9340. You can either call or text, but if you do text, be sure to put “Raven-Wolf” on it.

It’s also time to mention Goddess Gathering Reborn and getting registered for this event. Registration forms can be found on the web site under “Goddess Gathering” and then click on “2019 Festival Registration Form.” If you register before April 30, 2019, you can save some money!!! If you register for the whole event, June 20 – 23, 2019, you save $10 per person. Even if you can only attend for a day or two, you can save by registering early. It’s $15 per day per person instead of $20 after April 30th or at the gate. A savings of $5 per day per person. Children under the age of 18 are always free!

Vendors are most welcome and there are no additional fees or charges, other than admission, to come and sell your wares or offer your services to those in attendance.

We encourage people to participate by presenting workshops or entertainment. Just like in previous years, if you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission! If you think this is something you might be interested in participating in, there’s a Workshop and Entertainment Application on the web site that you will need to fill out and mail in to be considered. You’ll find the link to it on the left side of any page toward the bottom. Questions concerning workshops and entertainment should be directed to Krista Hanson either by email at kmagicnrgs@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or by phone at 513-349-9197.

One last thing to mention, for now, is that there is one cabin available for renting on both work/camping weekends and during the festival. Referred to, by us, as “Morrigan’s Cabin,” it will be available on a first come, first serve basis, at a cost of $10 per night for weekends and $20 per night for the Goddess Gathering festival. If you are interested, contact Mary T. Borden either by email at vesta13.mb@gmail.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or you can call or text her at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it.)

If you decide to come out and join us, camping (other than the cabin) is free. We hope you’ll decide to come out and join us!

Raven-Wolf Opens This Weekend!

Well, Spring has finally arrived and with it comes the opening of the gates at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary this weekend! This is the first of several weekends that are used to not only clear away the vestiges of Winter but prepare for the upcoming 4th Annual Goddess Gathering Reborn to be help June 20 – 23, 2019.

If you don’t have plans for this coming weekend and feel the itch to get back out in Nature, why not come out and join us? It looks to be a fairly good weekend with temperatures in the 60s on Friday and Saturday. If this sounds like something you would like to do, please contact Mary T. Borden, our coordinator, at (740) 241-9340. You can either call or text, but if you do text, be sure to put “Raven-Wolf” on it. She can tell you when the gates will open for sure and give you directions, if you’ve never been there before.

In case you’re not aware, or don’t remember, if you come out and help with the work that needs to be done, you can camp for free! It’s just our way of saying, “Thank you.” for helping us out. It also will go toward a discount on the 2020 GGR admission fee. All kinds of perks just for coming out to be in Nature!

The nights will be chilly so, if you do intend to camp, be sure to bring plenty of warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, etc. There are fire rings for building fires to cook and keep warm. Even if you just come out for the day, wear sturdy shoes, layer your clothing to stay warm, and bring gloves to protect your hands.

If you can’t make it this weekend, the next work/camp weekend will be April 12 -14. You can find a complete list of the work/camp weekends on the web site under “2019 Calendar of Weekends – at a Glance” We hope you’ll find some time to come see Raven-Wolf and meet the folks who are regularly there working to make it a wonderful place to be close to Nature.

Hope to see you soon!

The Gates Open in Three Weeks!

Our Coordinator, Mary T. Borden, says she’s been getting calls already from some who are anxious to get down to the Land. Good news! In just three weeks, the gates open for the first camping/work weekend at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary.

Just like every other year, if you’re willing to help with the work to maintain the site and prepare for the upcoming Goddess Gathering Reborn at Summer Solstice, your camping is free! In case you may not be aware of it but your help this year can bring you a discount in the price of attendance to next year’s (2020) Goddess Gathering . There have been some who have lent a hand to the point where they get free attendance! It’s all definitely a win-win situation. There’s always plenty to do, no matter what your capabilities are.

This first weekend is predicted to be mild during the day and cold at night. If you do intend to stay overnight, be sure to have plenty of warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags. Sturdy shoes, gloves, and a hat are also recommended along with layered clothing. Fires are permitted in the provided ringed areas.

If you’ve never been to Raven-Wolf, know that it is primitive camping. There is a hand pump for water, at the bottom of the hill. Bathrooms are latrines that are slowly being converted to composting toilets. There is no electricity right now, but the desire is to have solar panels sometime in the future. The closest convenience stores are five miles away. So, come prepared.

This first weekend, March 29 – 31, will be one of discovery. Winter usually takes its toll on the trees, at the very least, so it’s good to walk the Land and see what trees may have come down and any other damage that may have taken place from their fall or the fall of branches from them. We are usually fortunate in not having major building damage often and the wood that has come down provides firewood for cooking fires and bonfires during camping weekends and the Gathering at Summer Solstice. Plans are then usually discussed as to what the priorities will be moving forward to the festival taking place.

If Winter has you anticipating Spring and wanting to get out and away from the busyness of where you live and work, into Nature, to reconnect with it and the peace that it offers, come see us. We’d be pleased to meet you!

Be sure to check out the rest of our web site for information on how to contact us if you have questions, the registration form for Goddess Gathering Reborn 2019, our Calendar of Events and more!

Love & Blessed Be

Spring is a Mere Sixty Days Away!

It’s a new year filled with infinite possibilities! I know you haven’t heard from us for a while, but we are still here and we are preparing for the 4th Annual Goddess Gathering that will be taking place at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary during the Summer Solstice this year.

To begin with, the web site has been brought up to date with current contact information if you have questions you can’t find answers to on this site. That means the Calendar of Events has been updated with a brand new 2019 Calendar of Weekends at a Glance. There are six work/camping weekends before the Gathering with a possible seventh, depending on what is needed in preparations for that event. Remember, it’s free to come and camp, if you’re willing to lend a hand in getting things ready. It’s not always about chopping wood or running a chain saw so don’t be concerned about your capability to help out. There’s always something that could use help in doing at any level of capability. As we have done in previous years, if you come and help out with what needs to be done on the Land, you get credit toward a discount on the next year’s Goddess Gathering festival fee. So, come help this year and 2020 Goddess Gathering will cost you less!

The 2019 Festival Registration form is on site and we will soon be adding an instruction sheet on how to best fill it out. There has been some confusion and some omissions in the past so we’re hoping by offering detailed instructions on filling it out, it will eliminate hassles both for you and for us going forward. Prices are the same this year as last. Please note that we will be doing electronic confirmation this year instead of confirmations by mail. That means we definitely need an email address for you in order to send that confirmation and any maps to the site you may need, if you’ve never been there before. If you have any questions about registering, contact Samantha Herron by email at Durga1974@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or you can private message her on Facebook.

For both the weekends and the festival there will be at least one cabin available for rental. Referred to, by us, as “Morrigan’s Cabin,” it will be available on a first come, first serve basis, at a cost of $10 per night for weekends and $20 per night for the Goddess Gathering festival. If you are interested, contact Mary T. Borden either by email at vesta13.mb@gmail.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or you can call or text her at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please ut “Raven-Wolf” on it.)

We already have one person signed up to do a couple workshops. Rhonda Savage will be doing Reiki 1 and 2 during the Gathering. If you would like to present a workshop or some form of entertainment, there’s a Workshop and Entertainment Application on the web site that you will need to fill out and mail in to be considered. You’ll find the link to it on the left side of any page toward the bottom. Questions concerning workshops and entertainment should be directed to Krista Hanson either by email at kmagicnrgs@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or by phone at 513-349-9197. Just like in previous years, if you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission!

It all begins with that Opening Weekend on the Land – March 29-31, 2019. We hope you will come join us then, or any of the weekends this year, as we prepare for Goddess Gathering 2019.

Progress Continues…

If you haven’t been able to make it down to Raven-Wolf yet, you might wonder what, if anything, is happening there. Progress, that’s what’s happening – slow, steady, progress.

It would always be nice to have lots of hands to help, but the group at Raven-Wolf is dedicated to the upkeep and continued progress of improving the Land. These past several weekends down there were an example of that.

There are four cabins on the Land, besides a trailer or two, that have to be maintained just like a house needs upkeep. A couple of the cabins are maintained by permanent members but there are a couple that are also unoccupied. The upkeep of these falls to those who maintain the Land and any volunteers who are willing to lend a hand.

The first cabin that you see, when you drive up the hill, is the one called the “Elder” cabin. Named for the last permanent resident, an Elder in the Craft, it was the second one to be built on the Land close to 20 years ago.

After the Land officially reopened in the Spring of 2015, sites had to be cleaned of trash and leftovers from previous occupants. Later that season, the buildings were given a new coat of paint and basic repairs have been made since then. Not much else has been done, due to lack of funds and the capable hands of volunteers.

Over the course of the last several work/camping weekends down on the Land, and thanks to the hands of a number of wonderful people, the old shingles were taken off, new paper was tacked down, and new shingles were put in place on the Elder cabin. This past weekend caulking was done to seal up gaps and seams.

A big “Thank you!” goes out to: Mary Borden, Jennifer Borden, Aleda Borden, Rhonda Savage, Brian Nichols, Jacquie Daugherty, and especially Brian Daugherty, who you see in the picture putting the shingles on. We are very grateful for all your time and efforts!

This past weekend, they also got the kids involved in helping on the Land. Even the smallest were taught how use the manual log-splitter to split wood and then shown how to stack wood. Practical knowledge is a good thing.

There are still five work/camping weekends left in the season down at Raven-Wolf. The next one is September 14th – 16th. Free camping is still being offered to any who are willing to lend a hand however they are able. If you think you would be interested in spending a weekend, or even an afternoon, in Nature on a beautiful site, contact the Coordinator, Mary T. Borden, at 740-241-9340. You can call or text. If you do text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it. She can tell you when the gates will open and even give you directions, if you need them. Come to the forest, you’ll be glad you did!

Love & Blessed Be

Merry Meet!

It’s been more than a month since people began arriving for this year’s Goddess Gathering Reborn. Some came from as far away as Georgia to experience both the event and Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary for the first time.

This was the third year of the rebirthing of Goddess Gathering and, although the number of attendees was still small, it continues to be a gathering of people who are interested in peace, quiet, and reconnecting with Nature as well as connecting with others who are like-minded. In the many previous years of this event, it had even been promoted as the place to go or be if you wanted to step away from the “party” festival circuit. It seems that still holds true for Goddess Gathering Reborn.

The rains came, once again, as they had the previous year, making things a little muddy. Most people didn’t see to care though. If you’re truly Pagan, a little mud is just another way of getting close to Mother Earth.

 

Nature made it presence known, and even came to greet people, in many forms.

   

The rain stopped long enough for a beautiful ritual to be performed Saturday night under the watchful eye of a gorgeous Moon.

Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet again! Watch for news about Goddess Gathering Reborn 2019 coming soon!

Until then… There are still a number of work/camping weekends that are upcoming. The next one is August 3-5. Camping is always free to those who are willing to help in any capacity. That will be followed by another one on August 17-19, and the longer weekend on Labor Day weekend.

If you are interested in seeing and experiencing Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary, perhaps with an eye to attending the next Goddess Gathering Reborn, contact Mary T. Borden at 740-241-9340 for gate opening times, directions, or any other information you may need.

A special “Thank you!” to Rhonda Savage, Carol and Richard Cubberley for all the wonderful photos used in this article.  I’ll be back next time with information on Goddess Gathering Reborn 2019!

Blessed Be,

Elder Maya

 

Memorial Day Approaches & Goddess Gathering Reborn is only 32 Days Away!

It’s hard to believe that Memorial Day Weekend at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary will be happening next weekend, May 25 -28. It’s an opportunity for a long weekend that can accomplish both work and rest in preparation for the upcoming Goddess Gathering Reborn Festival.

The days continue to grow longer as we get closer to Summer Solstice and, while mowing, weeding, road repair and even painting continues, there’s also time for getting to know one another, exploring the Land, and just relaxing close to Nature.

For those who are interested in being part of what will be happening Memorial Day Weekend, please contact Mary T. Borden, Coordinator, for gate opening times and directions, if you need them. You can reach her at 740-241-9340 to either call or text. If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it. You can also email her at vesta13.mb@gmail.com and please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.

For those interested in attending Goddess Gathering Reborn this year, there’s still time to register by mail, if you’d like to get the paperwork out of the way before arriving at the gate for the festival. Registrations, by mail, must be postmarked no later than May 31, 2018. This is so we have time to send you your confirmation letter, maps, and any other paperwork necessary. A printable copy of the Festival Registration Form can be found on the web site.

You can still register at the gate for either the entire festival or as many days as you are able to attend. The cost is $60 for the entire festival or $20 per day for adults 18 years and older. Children under the age of 18 are always FREE!!!

VENDORS are always welcome! While you still have to pay the regular registration fee to attend Goddess Gathering, there are no additional registration fees for vendors and we DO NOT ask for a percentage of your sales!!! We may, however, be asking you to donate a sale item for an auction to raise money for Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary that will be held during the festival.

Although there will be many activities during the festival, Saturday night is the night of the Main Ritual followed by the Pot-Luck Feast. A bon-fire and drumming often follows the feast. So, if your time is limited, and you’re trying to decide when to come, be sure to attend on Saturday. It will be fun!!!

In the meantime, come join us at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary for Memorial Day Weekend. Camping is free, if you’re willing to help with the maintenance and preparations. Come enjoy the Land and get to know those who work so hard to maintain it.

Love & Blessed Be,
Elder Maya