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.

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!

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.

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

 

And the Earth Awakens…

The New Moon has just occurred, as I write this, and in just three days the Vernal Equinox takes place and the return of the Goddess to the northern hemisphere begins. That’s such a pleasant thought – trees leafing out, flowers beginning to bloom, birds singing, and, best of all, warmer temperatures!

With the Sun shining more, it’s time to get outside. How wonderful to breathe fresh air again and feel the warmth of the Sun on our faces! That also means the first weekend at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary will be happening soon. March 30th – April 1st to be exact.

The first weekend on the Land is always on of investigation and exploration to see what work Winter has left us to be done before Goddess Gathering occurs at Summer Solstice. Are there trees down? Roads blocked? Buildings damaged? Sometimes Winter is kind to the Land. Other times, not so much. Either way, the Raven-Wolf crew will do their best to take care of it. Your help is always appreciated and welcome.

Camping for these weekends is free. All that is asked of you is to give us a hand, however you are able. Come for a few hours, a day, or stay for the weekend. If you decide to stay, know that this first weekend is a cold one. Be sure to dress warm and bring plenty of blankets, bed rolls, sleeping bags, etc. to keep warm during the night.

Should you decide you want to be part of the first weekend on the Land, you can contact Mary T. Borden, the Coordinator, by email at vesta13.mb@gmail.com Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line. You can also reach her by phone or text at (740) 241-9340. If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it. See can tell you what time the gates will open and give you directions, if you need them.

I mentioned Goddess Gathering and Summer Solstice earlier. This third annual event has been scaled back to four days this year. Mark your calendars for June 21 – 24, 2018. Come join the rituals, workshops, drumming and just getting to know the others who have come to celebrate the Summer Solstice.

There’s a registration form on the web site and if you fill it out and postmark it before April 30th, you receive a discount on your admission fee. As always, children under 18 are free!

Speaking of those workshops, if you’d be interested in giving one, just fill out the “Workshop and Entertainment Application” form on the web site. If you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission!

Raven-Wolf and Goddess Gathering also welcomes vendors. Other than your admission fee, there are no extra costs or fees. We hope you will consider coming to vend at our event.

If you’ve never visited Raven-Wolf, you should be aware we are a primitive site. There’s no electricity and only a hand-pumped well for water. Our bathrooms are latrines for the time being. This is truly a “back to nature” experience.

So, as Spring approaches, we hope that you will decide to join us for a weekend or two as we prepare for the next Goddess Gathering and Summer Solstice. We think you’d love the Land and we’d love to meet you!

Love & Blessed Be

The Earth Awakens

 

Here we are…only one month from the opening of Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary for the 2017 season! Wow! It hardly seems like any time has passed at all. Soon it will be time to assess the damage done by the winds, rain, and snow of this Winter and begin the work to ready the Land for the season and especially for Goddess Gathering 2017 – “Solstice with the Goddess”

That first weekend will be April 7 – 9, 2017. It’s still free to camp, if you are willing to help and you will need to check with Mary T. Borden, the Coordinator, for gate opening and closing times. No matter what your physical abilities may be, there will be some way that you can be of help, if you are willing. Remember, any help you give this year will count toward a discount to Goddess Gathering next year!

Being down on Sanctuary land is a very healing experience. That healing goes both ways – as we do what we can to take care of this wonderful sacred space, the Land heals us in return – mentally, emotionally, and physically. There’s a lot of love that resides on this Land. You feel it the moment you step out of your car onto it. We were meant to be here – to heal and be healed.

The coming together of like-minded people who care about the Earth, creates a joy that’s hard to explain. The “work” that needs doing doesn’t seem like work at all. For some, it becomes a blessing to be part of taking care of this Goddess-given land. You begin to feel a real connection with the Earth here. Mundania seems far, far away when you are here. It’s a whole other reality that exists on Raven-Wolf land.

There are many who have said they seek to find a place where they can openly express who they are and be able to practice their rites unencumbered. That’s one of the many reasons this Land was established 27 years ago. A new generation of people is being sought who want to be part of something like Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary and Goddess Gathering. Here, we can be stewards to the Earth, healing it and ourselves; we can meet others who follow similar paths and rejoice in our similarities; and, here, we can openly be who we are.

A new season is about to begin. Time to plant seeds, both physical and spiritual, for the growing season ahead. What do you wish to grow and harvest this year? We hope you will choose to come grow with us as we begin yet another season of caring and sharing in Nature!

Be sure to check out the Calendar of Events here on the web site. If you can’t make the first work/camping weekend, perhaps there’s another that will allow us to meet! See you there!

Blessed Be

Elder Maya

Breaking News!

Both Council and Board members met this weekend to discuss next year’s Gathering. With rain in the forecast, we gathered at the First-Aid Station to discuss ideas that would improve the event and entice more people to come and check it out.

The first conclusion that was come to was that although Goddess Gathering Reborn was a spot-on title for the 2016 Summer Solstice event, returning to the name that brought so many people together in the past was the right thing to do. I present to you –
We’re adding a “theme” title: “Solstice with the Goddess”

Next on the list was setting the dates for next year. It was decided that, since the actual Summer Solstice occurs on Wednesday, June 21st, we should return to the way things used to be done and make the Gathering a five-day event. Mark this on your calendars!!! Goddess Gathering 2017 will be held June 21 – 25, 2017.

Since we had heard the voices of many say that the prices we were asking were too expensive, and now reducing the festival to a five-day event, we decided to take a look at what could be done about that. Please note the following changes:

ENTIRE FESTIVAL : JUNE 21-25, 2015 (5 days)
Before April 30, 2017 – $50 per person
After April 30, 2017 – $60 per person

FESTIVAL DAY RATES:
Before April 30, 2017 – $15 per day per person
After April 30, 2017 – $20 per day per person

***Children under the age of 18 are FREE!***

MAIN RITUAL POTLUCK FEAST:
Bring a dish or pay $10 per person

***The new Registration Form can be found by clicking on the title to the left on this page ***

VENDORS: 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 will, 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.

We are actively seeking Workshop Presenters and Entertainers. If you have a subject that you would like to present in the format of an hour long workshop or you have a talent that you would like to provide enjoyment for others with, we invite you to go to the Workshop & Entertainment Application form (click on that title to the left of this page), fill out the form and send it back to us. We will then confirm whether you have a spot for Goddess Gathering 2017. Here’s your incentive to get involved: If you are willing to put on two one-hour workshops OR give one full hour of entertainment, we will give you FREE admission to the Gathering!!!

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Another thing that we would really like to be able to do this year is have solar power for those who have CPAP machines and would like to attend. Knowing that you have a way to comfortably breathe while sleeping and still be able to attend the Gathering, is something we would really like to provide for you. We’re looking into it and seeing what we can do to make that happen.

So, that’s it for right now. There are still six work weekends left in this year if you want to earn a discount or even free admittance to Goddess Gathering 2017. Be sure to check them out on the Calendar of Weekends – at a Glance at the left.

Calling All Pagans – Young and Old!!!

June 17-26, 2016

With only two weeks until the opening weekend of the first annual Goddess Gathering Reborn, I wanted to remind everyone that 24-hour Day Passes are available at the gate.

24-Hour Day Passes for $25!!! The perfect solution for those who:
1. have never been to a primitive camp site before and are not sure if they would like it;
2. have never been to a Pagan festival and aren’t sure about whether they would enjoy it;
3. have limited time and/or money but would still like to come and see what it’s all about.

And the perfect day to check us out? That would be Saturday, June 25th! Why? Because Saturday is our big event day:

1. Workshops
2. Main Ritual
3. Potluck feast following the ritual
4. Bonfire and drumming following the feast.

With a 24-hour Day Pass you can come in on Saturday, stay for the festivities and then camp for the night. A perfect way to get to know Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary, Goddess Gathering Reborn and all the people attending.

So, if a 24-hour Day Pass seems like something you might want to do, either email me (Samantha Herron) at Durga1974@aol.com or private message me on Facebook for directions to the site. We’d love to see you there! Come join us, won’t you?

Do You Hear That? It’s Summer Solstice Approaching!

It’s really hard to believe but we are only 31 days from the start of Goddess Gathering Reborn!!! That also means we are only 14 days from the close of early registrations!

If you plan on attending the rebirth of an old and dear celebration of the Summer Solstice, and you want to be able to do it as cheaply as possible, then you have a mere two weeks to get your registration postmarked to us.

If circumstances are such that you are unsure whether you will be able to attend or don’t know how long you will be able to attend, then rest assured that there will be registrations taken at the gate. We accept cash, checks and money orders only for right now. No credit, debit or other forms of electronic payment can be taken.
Although the prices are listed on the web site, here’s a list of what to expect, both for registering early and at the gate:

ENTIRE FESTIVAL – JUNE 17 – 26, 2016 (10 days)

March 22, 2016 – May 31, 2016 each adult person is $100.00

***CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE FREE***
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WAIT TO REGISTER AT THE GATE THE COST IS $130 PER PERSON.
**************************************************
FESTIVAL RATES – 7 DAYS OR ANY PORTION (6/20/16 – 6/26/16)

March 22, 2016 – May 31, 2016 each adult person is $ 75.00

***CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE FREE***
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WAIT TO REGISTER AT THE GATE THE COST IS $100 PER PERSON.
**************************************************
FESTIVAL DAY PASSES – A 24-HOUR PASS
These can be obtained by registering on site during the festival for $25 per person, per pass.
**************************************************
Remember vendors only have to pay the entrance fee. No other fees are asked to be paid.

You will find registration forms here on the left side of this page under “Goddess Gathering Reborn – Festival Registration Form”. All forms must be postmarked no later than May 31, 2016.

If you have questions, you can ask them here on the web site or go to our Facebook page – Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary – and ask them there, or you can email us at RavenWolfNature@aol.com. You can also contact me either on Facebook (Samantha Herron) or email me at Durga1974@aol.com. Lots of ways to get your questions answered.

 

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, there’s still lots of work to be done to get ready! The rain has caused a lot of grow that needs mowing and weed-whacking. As you can see from the pictures above, work has begun on tearing apart the old camper to get rid of it and make things safer. The floor frame will then be used to build a bunkhouse for those who want to rent some sleeping space for the night.

There are two free camping weekends still to come before Goddess Gathering Reborn takes place. All we ask is that you come and help with the things that still need doing to prepare for this event:

May 27 – 30               Memorial Day Weekend is a long weekend that allows us to keep things maintained while also doing things that haven’t been taken care of yet. We invite you to join us as we continue to prepare for the Gathering at Summer Solstice.

June 3 – 5                    We call this our “Busting Butt” weekend since we are only a couple weeks away from Summer Solstice and  seek out those “last minute” things that really should be done. There’s gravel for the entrance to make sure everyone gets in the gate okay. Come join us!

We very much desire this first Gathering in such a long time to be one filled with good events that create good memories. We really could use your help. Even if you think there’s nothing you can do, you might be surprised at the help your very presence might lend to making this happen!

PLEASE BE SURE TO CONTACT US FOR MAPS TO THE SITE even if you only think you might be coming. We’re out in the woods after all, and not easy to find.

Until we meet on the Land…

Love & Blessed Be