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Happy Earth Week Family! I hope everyone is taking the time to be a local activist for the earth. Questions of the day: What is Front Gate? What is Welcome Home? (Answers are below) As a follow up to Rainbow Magic & Patch Adams video, a long, long, long time gatherer (going back to the first Rainbow Gathering in 1972 and before) sent me this story from days gone past. *********************Begin Patch Adams Story********************** Patch Adams talking in council at the Rainbow Gathering in Arizona, July 1979 I listened to Patch's rap in the council. It was all about hygiene and how simple things like handwashing and better dishwashing could help keep us healthier. He explained the fly-feces-food connection and how we had to break that string of connections in order to keep from getting the runs. When he finished people cheered and clapped and he stepped outside the circle. I went up to him. Patch, that was terrific. That was exactly the kind of thing this council needs to hear, I told him. No, you're wrong, He told me. They didn't get it. They understood it. But I wasn't clear enough to get this circle to tell everyone else so the message really makes a difference. No, Patch, you did great, I said trying to be encouraging. Uh-uh. He shook his head smiling. You come back tomorrow. I'm going make myself more clear. The next day Patch returned to the council with a troupe of mimes. They were all dressed up in outlandish costumes. When Patch's turn in council came, first two people mimed using a latrine at the edge of the circle and there appeared two giant 'turds' - really people in gunny sack outfits - lying on the ground. Then two big ol' flies came a buzzin' round and round the circle. The crowd was in stitches. The flies landed on the poop. Munch, munch, munch! Meanwhile the two people come returning from the dinner circle carrying a gigantic bowl. Oh, they're tired! Let's skip getting this dirty bowl washed...we'll just leave it outside the tent. So they lie down to sleep, zip the imaginary tent door and here come the flies! Buzzing onto the food crud dried on the edge of the bowl. Patch is explaining how this why so many of us in camp have diarrhea. And how dishwashing can save the day. Everybody told everybody. In fact we're still telling everybody. Real teaching. Patch in his element, healing people by making them laugh. ************************END PATCH ADAMS STORY*********************** @@@@@@ GREAT NEWS FAMILY! We have focalizers for creating a positive, loving Front Gate and Welcome Home! However, they can't do it alone. So if you've been having an itch to make sure folks coming home get greeted in a kind, loving fashion with a cup of coffee or a pot of soup, please plan on helping out (volunteering) in these areas. If you want to be involved in the pre-gathering planning for Front Gate and Welcome Home, send me (kzirk at earth_link_ dot net) your contact info and I'll pass it on to the people I know involved in these efforts. @@@@@@@@@@ SCOUTING HELP NEEDED We need folks to go scouting (no experience necessary, just a willingness to learn). We need folks to contribute some green energy to buy gas for people who are going scouting. If you want to plug into the scouting effort, call Jimbo 1-406-222-5662 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and attend the rendezvous with other scouts at the scout fire in Pinedale Wyoming the first week of May. If you want to send some green energy - Money Orders can be sent to Jim Anderson  P.O.Box 2355, Livingston Montana 59047. ##### Join the movement for an amazing gathering in Wyoming Don't forget, we're circling for Wyoming and building energy in San Diego every Sunday @ 1pm. If you want to plug in, please join us. http://home.earth_link_.net/~scrollinfo/BacktoBasics.pdf As always, please copy and distribute this information freely. Visit http://www.welcomehome.org or http://home.earth_link_.net/~scrollinfo for more information. ######FRONT GATE ANSWER############### Front Gate is on the road and you hit it driving into the gathering. The Front Gate Crew directs traffic on the road and gets you set up with a safe and legal parking spot (so you don't get towed).  The parking lot crew greets the world with hugs and info. They maintain an organized and secure parking area, and make an around the clock commitment that involves: greeting new arrivals, giving out information, traffic control, security, minor auto repair, maintaining a kitchen and fire circle, & an active Shanti Sena. ######WELCOME HOME ANSWER############## Welcome Home is set up past the front gate, just before the main camping areas to meet & greet people as they enter the site on foot. It provides a place for people to rest from their journey, be informed about site specifics conditions, and receive copies of Rap 107 and Rap 701 . A site map is posted.